Rut!!

[walterman]

Mainly movement in the early afternoon to evening but the rut is on. Seen many bucks in the last week, none within close bow range for me to feel comfortable taking the shot. Rub and scrape activity has also increased alot. Good luck to everyone this gun opener and be safe.

[fishinNhuntin]

I've seen plenty of deer bowhunting lately, almost every time out, but no bucks. Obviously with all the fawns I see with the does the bucks are there...somewhere. This thread seems to indicate that the rut sign should be out there, but I'm seeing nothing, no rubs or scrapes. So here's a theory I've been pondering in my head as of late: I think the buck:doe ratio is really screwed up in the area I hunt. So bad that the bucks don't need to do all these things to establish a breeding dominance....there's plenty of does to go around.

Any thoughts?

fishin'

[Studer]

Where we hunt the rut is on!!! Scrapes everywhere. Can't wait until morning. I think I will go to sleep at 6 tonight.

[matthothand]

It is on like Donkey Kong. Lately all I see is bucks...which is great. I'm lovin' it. I've taken four does so I don't have to worry about shooting a doe that may have a buck on her trail. Passed on a 130-140 class 8 this am and saw him again tonight just out of range. His neck was almost bigger than his chest! In the last four days scrapes and rubs have taken over the woods I hunt and like I said have only been seeing bucks. It's on.

[Stratosman]

hunted from sunup till noon, then 2 until dark, saw 12 deer four different bucks, passed on two bucks and 4 does, no shooters...but the deer were moving, most activity was between 10-12.

[matthothand]

The only activity I saw today was from 9:30am-1:00pm.I'm thinkin about sleeping in tmrw and just hunting from 8:30 til dark instead of all day.

[cybermuskie]

Matt-

Just wondering what zone you are in? If ya don't wanna say that's ok too. I am in 8. I will be back over tomorrow night, hunting through Wed. I am hoping to score this week! Hopefully we will both have a pic on here soon!

Well Good luck!

[harvey lee]

I just got back from North Dakota.We did get one nice 11 pointer.The buck are starting to chase the does very little.Most does still have thier fawns with them.We saw 3 bucks chasing does for four guys all weekend.Still a little time to go before it all breaks loose.

[matthothand]

Cybermuskie, I'm in 10b. 8 was on my list but 10b was my preference. This city hunt is unbelieveable. My plan worked out perfectly though I didn't shoot. Had a few cocktails last night and made it into the stand around 9:30 and had a fawn (who won't leave since I killed it's mother a week ago) watch me climb into my stand and take a few pics. Got down at 12:30 and moved a stand, grabbed lunch and back in the new stand by 1:40. 15 minutes later had a nice 8 chase 7 does all around me and had deer coming by the rest of the night. Here's a few pics from today. First one is the fawn..the deer that won't leave me alone and the second is the pic that turned out best of that 8pt.

The 8pt came right under my stand and was all over beneath me. If I wanted to take him I would've tried to get him to stop but he was running does and doing his thing so I left him alone. Wish I could have got a closer pic of him but they all turned out blurry. This was at about 20-25 yeards.

[delmuts]

so far here in N.C iowa the rut is getting hot. guys are seeing bucks chasing does quite a bit, i had the chance to go hunting with a buddy where a group of them lease some land.( they are always bragging about the BIG bucks up there!) uuum! hmmm!! no brag ! just fact!!20 min. on stand i had the biggest 8pt. i've ever seen.( 150 + class!) i got to watch him at 20 yds. for 5-10 min.( always facing me!!) finaly he jumped back over the fence where he came from, and made a scrap .a little later had a very nice 10pt, go by , but out of range.later, i had a little half rack at 6 yds.( i haven't shot a deer for serveral years) but having 40 min.of daylight left, i kept wondering what else mite come by? nothing . oh well! no regrets! the next week should be grat here!

[cybermuskie]

Hey Matt

Just got back from the hunt last night, and even though I didn't shoot it was pretty good. The first and the 3rd day I had 5 different bucks running around me. Nothing huge by any means, but I think giving a few more days the rut hunt will be even better. The 2nd dayI was out and I heard a snap behind me so my heart started beating, looked back to see some guy out taking a walk eight under my stand at 9a.m. Needless to say i was a bit upset, but what can you do. Then I heard someone out on the walking trail carrying a wind chime! Never heard that one before! Maybe they thought we might mistake them for a deer! haha I am headed back Monday night, so hopefully next week!

Good luck!