Rutting?

[Kyle]

Honestly, where are you guys hunting that you are seeing that many bucks on a regular basis, or deer in general for that matter? I hunt in several places around the state, and I have never seen the kind of deer activity that alot of you are seeing on a regular basis. If I see 4 deer in a morning, that is good for me. Is this agricultural settings that you hunt? What kind of places/geography are you hunting where you are consistantly seeing that many deer?

[tunrevir]

Small woodlots with adjacent cornfields, open fields and brushy cover, 1/2 hour north of the cities. 4 deer in a sit isn't a bad morning on stand. I have had quite a few o-fers after sitting for a few hours as well.

Tunrevir~

[dspohn]

what about grunting..anyone had success with that yet?

[fishinmajishin]

I haven't been out since ripley over a week ago. I plan on being in my stand up by Detroit Lakes Nov 2,3, 5,6,7,8,9. Where I'm at the daylight chasing by mature bucks starts on the 3rd(might be the 2nd this year as it is a leap year) Laugh but the last 3 years I have not seen a mature buck for 3 weeks before the 3rd, then like a switch is thrown all h*ll breaks loose. Break out the rattles, cans, and some stinky stuff...only a few days now...

[bassman2012]

i have tried grunting and so far no deer interested. had a small 6pt near me thought i would try it and look for a reaction, nothin. just a glance and it was on its way again..

[bimbo]

i was out pheasant hunting three days ago on some land my friends dad owns and it was just some cattails in the middle strip of woods around the swamp and then corn and i found 9 ground scrapes and 10 tree rubs... small area

do you boys think i should hunt this area hard?

[dspohn]

yeah i was out last night, grunted a few times but nothing showed up. does anyone no if that scares other does away or do they really care?

[Stratosman]

Hey bimbo! He77 yes hunt that, it is probably a bucks core area, or at least a staging area, with him bedding nearby, if you think that you can get in there and set up without bumping him and the wind is right and you have a good tree, do it now, because in a few days he'll be runnin does nonstop and might not be around and definately not patternable.

[bimbo]

sounds good i went out to night and had a doe and a nubbin under my stand. thanks

[delmuts]

I have never seen where using a grunt call has ever spooked a deer. The reactions you get can be varied from having a deer come to the call,( usually young bucks early, and some times better ones around the rut) stopping and looking,or just twisting an ear towards the sound, and completely ignoring it.

[Kyle]

I spooked a doe and two fawns last thursday morning with 3 grunt calls trying to get them to jaunt my direction. Flags went up and they were off, and they didnt smell me. It was plain to see that it was the calling.

[ac777]

I spooked a doe and two fawns last thursday morning with 3 grunt calls trying to get them to jaunt my direction. Flags went up and they were off, and they didnt smell me. It was plain to see that it was the calling.

interesting, were you using buck or doe grunts?

[96trigger]

I'm not sure if this is coincidence or not, but when I am calling with a buck grunt, I see a much lower amount of does than when I am just sitting there, but I do see many more bucks. I have used the can when does were around and that had no effect on deer. I have seen bucks run in a field and grunt, and the does scatter. I suppose if they are not ready to breed, they could get scared off by it.

[Wanderer]

turnrevir,

I'm with you, I won't take an article in a National magazine as gospel, especially when they give EXACT days!

They were talking of wall hanger bucks though, not the middle agers that make up most of our sightings. I'm trying to pick up tips on hunting the big dudes. I believe it requires a totally different mindset. So the next time I wonder if I should rattle or not (which has never worked for me) that info will help me decide. Can calling has worked way better for me.

A writer's gotta write something .

My buddy watched two young 8's sparring last weekend himself and there was a 6 and fork in tow. A bachelor group - just what people have waiting for to break up to signal the start of mayhem.

Thanks, and stick a big one yourself!

[dspohn]

i had grunted about every half hour earlier this week i saw 3 does at a distance (not in range) and one was running with it's tail up the other two didn't seem to mind but they never came close.

[Cooter]

Scrapes up the ying - saw two bucks, one of which was a dandy, trail a doe across a CRP field about a bazillion yards away last night.

This warm weather really bites...I looked ahead to next week where I have Tues -Thurs off and its gonna be way too warm, the only decent part is there is a chance of rain. Hopefully its not a hard rain and if it is maybe it will happen midday. Afraid warm weather is gonna mess up late-morning/midday movement for me again, oh well.

[Jim Uran]

I was planning on going fishing last night but my buddy swore up and down he was on some hot hunting action. I sat out two ridges over from where he was and seen 5 deer, all does and fawns. He arrowed a massive 12 pointer that came in HOT on a can call and some estrous scent bombs. He was grunting and coming in for some action when he layed the smack down on him. His neck was huge and he smelled like urine. He had one broken off tine from fighting I suppose so some bucks are definitely ready to breed.

[propster]

Let's see some pics of your buddy's buck!

[KOTTKE]

Can't figure it out this year. The corn finally came out around this woods and we are not seeing deer. 2 weeks ago we deer all over the camera. Last yr at this time we had bucks running all over, I havent even seen horns in almost 2 weeks.

[Cooter]

I was fortunate enough, maybe, to swap my vacation back a few days so I'll be out Fri through Tues and hope thats the right move with the forecast.

[brassman]

I had a small buck chasing a doe past my stand saturday, he grunted a bunch of times and was hot on that does tail.

[Wanderer]

I dunno what I'm missing for sign but I'm still not seeing rubs and scrapes much - even in the traditional areas. It's really weird for me.

I've seen about 16 deer on stand so far this season and only two antlered bucks. One big spike I wrote about earlier, then last nights pig.

I hit the end of shooting light and just decided to hang it up when I heard deer coming. In a little bit a huge doe (no fawn in sight) came out at 30 yards to my North and offered a great shot but I figured it was too late and I wanted a buck now anyway.

The steps coming from a ways behind her told me I just might get to see a buck afterall.

"Holy @#$^%! He's huge" is what yelled in my head as his body appeared from the brush about 35 yards to my South. I could see he had a huge beam on his left side and some junk above it.

He was passing through clear woods and I had to draw and see if just maybe there was enough light to pull off the shot. No dice, there just wasn't.

I hung the bow up and got out my binocs and watched as he browsed around a bit. Left side toward me, then looking my way to see what the doe was up to, then back some with his right side toward me.

Spread was way out beyond the ears - like 4 inches, real good mass, long beams and tall tines including the right G-2 that was about 12 inches with about a 5 inch fork on it. I never could figure out everything that was going on with the left side though. It seemed like he had everything, along with a 200 lb body.

Just browsing along out of my life. I don't think I've seen a bigger one ever on stand. I came home and started pouring through my F&S since this last issue has alot of buck pics in it with some scores to go along with them. My official guess is an honest 160" based off what I could see.

I know that's not the biggest buck in the world but he's the biggest one in mine!

The tie to rutting?

Bedding with a matriarch doe who has probably run off her fawn(s) because she's ready now or will be soon.

Good luck this weekend!

[Mark Christianson]

I havent seen anything showing rutting yet. The heat the last few days isnt helping. Found one scrape and havent seen a rub.

I will say I am trying to keep from dragging my scent all over too, so I am just going into stands and getting out on the same routes.

Got back tonight from around Fergus, and didnt see squat for deer. Almost had a hawk take my eyeballs out last night though. So that woke me up.

[dspohn]

yeah ive acually been seeing a good number of scrapes and rubs, saw a doe a couple mornings ago but nothing came behind her and she wasnt running from anything. i think the bucks still like to come out at night and chase then i guess

[snoozebutton]

I had a doe walk up to a scrape with a licking branch, sniff the branch, and urinate right underneath it. I'd say she was ready but nothing came by before it got dark.