Is the Metro rut over?

[BradB]

I'm trying to psych myself up this morning to go out and do some metro bow hunting. With the temp at 20 degrees and having spent Wednesday night and Thanksgiving morning freezing in a tree I need a little encouragement.

I didn't see any deer yesterday, but did see a doe and 5 fawns on Wednesday. I'm wondering if Mr. Big is still trailing does and if any other metro bow hunters have a read on whether or not the rut is over.

Any encouragement to get my butt out there in the cold, or up-to-the-minute rut details would be greatly appreciated!

[WallyGator12000]

I was out in the north metro this morning, doing the same thing, freezing my tail off. I saw a doe early, it was too dark to shoot. Around 7:15 a half-rack 6 came trotting through, I was set up on the edge of a thicket that is a prime doe bedding area, and he was cruising the perimeter. I passed on him, I might come to regret it in the next few weeks. He wasn't out of sight 2 minutes when I had a doe come in from my left (the way he went). All of the sudden I hear him run over and sit just off the back of the doe, he bugged her for 5 minutes until she had enough of it and split. I don't know if she was already bred, or if she wasn't in heat yet, she had to be one of the two. So I guess i got some hope this morning from seeing those guys. It's only the second buck I have seen on the property, the other was a spike I could have shot 2 weeks ago. As I was walking out, I checked a rub that I have been watching for a few weeks, and what was a single trunk a week ago has spread to three trees in a 3 foot radius, and the buck was really going to town, it's one of the best rubs I have ever seen. I know they mainly visit them at night, but I am still tempted to hunt the rub.

All that to say in a long answer to your short question, I think there is still a little bit of the rut left for metro deer, and I think the cold weather is bringing it out...

[BradB]

Thanks for the update!

I went out before noon and didn't see anything until legal sunset. Two forks came out and one realized something was wrong, but couldn't figure out what I was. They left, and then a doe and two fawns came in and I decided to take the doe. When I stood up she made me too, and started stomping and trying to figure out what I was. When she turned and looked the other way I drew back and shot.

I don't think I hit her well, as I followed the blood trail for quite a ways. She went into a small thicket by the interstate and I heard her in there so I backed off. I'm going back at first light hoping she died in there. I believe it was a liver hit, and not a good shot. It was my first arrow I've ever fired at a deer and I feel bad about it.

[Stratosman]

If it's a liver shot she will die, might take a few hours so backing off was the absolute right thing to do. I fyou didn't push her out of the thicket she is probably dead in there now. Did you recover the arrow? If so what did the blood look like?

[BradB]

The blood was red, not dark red but just regular red. The arrow was buried in the dirt but the shaft looked pretty clean. There was a little blood on the fletching but not very much. I hope I didn't just clip her. There was long white hair at the site of the shot, which indicates I believe a low shot. I might be wrong about the liver.

I found drops of blood and every so often a big splotch 8-10" in diamater. My assumption was that I was pushing her. Hopefully I didn't just clip her. If I did, then hopefully she recovers (if I don't find her in the morning).

[LuciandTim]

Just curious what area of the metro you guys are hunting? I have two areas. One in Lino and one just over the line from Lino in Columbus.

In my woods: 1st rut is done. Most bucks are lazy, a few young ones still harrasing does and looking but nothing worth keeping me on stand all day. Down to hunting 1st hour or two of light and the last two. As I mentioned in a different post the rut in this area went as scheduled, actually saw the most activity maybe 1 day after last years peak for me.

[BradB]

Quote:

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Just curious what area of the metro you guys are hunting?

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I'm hunting in Ramsey County. My employer allows bow hunting on our property and it's a nice perk. I just started using it this week and have seen a lot of deer. I hunted all September and October in Pine County and didn't even see a deer. I've seen 10 in 3 days of hunting where I'm going.

Off in a few minutes to try and find that doe. After viewing the arrow closely and thinking about it I suspect I just grazed her. If I hit her cleanly I would think there would be blood on the shaft.

It's disappointing after all the practice I've done. I shot 4 days a week since April and am confident in my shot. But I was wearing 3 pairs of long underwear, a sweater, a poly jacket, a fleece jacket, and mittens and I didn't practice with those on at the range. Plus I was shivering with cold when I shot. Excuses, I know. But I wanted a clean kill for my first archery shot.

[BradB]

Well, with a great deal of looking we followed the blood trail a long way. I believe we kicked her up as suddenly the small drops of blood were red and not a day old. We followed a very slight trail out of the property into a private area that I am not allowed to go in. As the blood was so slight I'm assuming that I just winged her and that she is likely to survive. She climbed up a big hill and didn't bleed much on the way, and perhaps the new blood was just a re-opened cut.

Not a good way to start my archery career, but I do believe the deer is likely to survive and maybe I can get a crack at her again.

[WallyGator12000]

It happens to the best of us, really it does, you made a great attempt at recovery, and I think you can move forward with a clear conscience. I hunt in ham lake, some friend's 10 acres...I love hunting the metro because of the convenience, and the shot at some true monsters. But on the flip side it is difficult because so many of the deer are nocturnal, and the property you hunt is usually self-contained, meaning you can't track a deer for a mile because you will find it piled up next to a swing-set somewhere. Have any of you guys had any luck with calling metro deer in, with grunts or doe calls like the can?

[charliepete2]

Sorry to hear about your luck Bradb. Archery hunting is an imperfect sport and sometimes it doesn't go the way you plan. I always just try to learn something from my mistakes. You just have to get back on the horse.

On a side note...make sure when you practice you try and simulate field conditions. Loose a few arrows off with all your heavy clothes on and make sure you are still shooting well.

[analyzer]

My daughter was by target very late friday night/early saturday morning on 36. There was a doe lying in the road; it had just been struck by a car. My daughter said it was still warm, but what was interesting is there was a very big buck that wouldn't leave the doe. It was just standing there tending to that doe. When they tried to scare it off, it would only back away a little bit, but would return shortly. I wasn't there, but I'm pretty certain the doe was hot.

[BradB]

Thanks for the kind words guys. I came out of this experience with a new rule. I am not going to shoot at any deer that is more than 10 yards away. I can hit that target consistently indoors at the range, but I'm coming to feel that outside in the real world is a different story. I'm doing a MBRB hunt next weekend, then some prime never-hunted land in Rochester the following. If the deer pass at 10 yards plus I'm going to watch them go by.

Next year I'm going to do a regular 3D shoots and really practice up. I've always thought I was a pretty good rifle hunter, but I've come to learn that this archery thing is a whole different story.

[Wanderer]

I wouldn't punish yourself that bad. 10 yards or less actually is close enough to present other problems if hunting from a tree. The shot angle is pretty steep and you have a high chance of only getting one lung.

Set up for 20 yd shots. Try to slip in some full clothes practice before the next hunt if you can.

[Wanderer]

I think the bucks will come if invited.

My brother had a 10 chasing a doe all over the field at first light. Grunting and running back a forth until he shot his muzzel loader. Then they ran away while he tried reloading for the next miss.

I hadn't seen a deer in two days hunting the downwind side of the bedding area, so tonight I switched to the upwind side pulling a drag on my way in, putting out 3 Golden Estrus saturated wicks, and spraying the tree I was in with Buck Bomb. I noticed a new scrape since Friday too.

About the time I gave up on tonight too, I heard one coming. Barely got ready before this nice 8 comes out of the brush at 40 yds heading into the wind. He seemed like he was outside my scent path though and not going to stop. I followed him with the muzzel loader until he did once. I shot and he ran away on 4 good legs and showing a big white tail.

I knew I was just looking for the opening and didn't concentrate on the aim. I overshot. I did look for blood/hair for about 20 mins anyway. Nothing.

I made a classic mistake. I think the last time I missed a firearms deer from a stand was 20 years ago. I got a little rattled by how fast he came in. In retrospect, he may have been the first deer I have actually witnessed coming to scent. I think he was on the scent after all and I should have waited for him to zero in on it in the shifting wind.

I say this because while I was still listening to him trot away, a mature doe came out too and walked by me at 20 yds without a care in the world. Why would he overrun a doe like that if not to go after a hot one?

[Wanderer]

Oh! I have to say something about my brother. I didn't mean to write like he missed twice and the second shot being at a running deer. He shot once. I don't think he has ever shot a moving deer in his life.

I lost sleep last night over my mistake and couldn't work with a clear mind today either, so I cut out at Noon to go back to the scene of the crime.

I found no nicked trees, no blood, no hair. I did a grid search of the whole area I saw the deer in for about an hour. Then I jumped a buck I believe was him in about the area I last heard him the night before. He ran fine, tail up. I checked the bed he came from and there was no blood.

I think he bedded in the "cushion" zone on his way back from last nights run, not wanting to go near the transition area we were in.

I can sleep better now, knowing the only thing hurt was my pride. My "punishment" for being sloppy? Telling my kids what happened and why. Though I don't think they'll care as much, but hopefully will remember.