Rut behavior

[Scoot]

From the little bit I've been out and from what I'm hearing from buddies, there isn't much sign of rut at this point. Fawns are still with does and bucks are still hanging with other bucks, with no signs of fighting between them. Are other people generally seeing this too, or are you guys starting to see the change in behavior that would indicate the rut kicking into gear? I'd think things will change a lot in the next week or so.

[Wanderer]

Been talking with a guy out tonight on a park hunt. He saw one doe and 8 bucks. He took the nice nine pointer.

The bucks weren't chasing, they were lounging together.

[HunterLee]

Haven't hardly seen a rub or scrape of any kind. Put my brother on stand the other night and he had two smaller ones bumping heads pretty good from the sounds of it.

[harvey lee]

I saw very litle rut activity last weekend in the woods. I'm a firm believer that the full blown rut when the big boys start to make a mistake or two, won't happen until close to mid November.

I'm talking about the 3 day period when all H breaks loose and a hunter has a shot at the buck he dreams of.

I have always hunted the opener for rifle in North Dakota and one almost always sees considerably more activity the following weekend and week which is about mid November.

Good luck to all.

[96trigger]

Quote:

Fawns are still with does and bucks are still hanging with other bucks, with no signs of fighting between them.

The last two times I was out I saw nice does all by themselves. I took that as a good sign.

With all due respect H. Lee, down here, the 1st week of November is MONEY. As I posted before, after Halloween its like someone hits a switch. Been that way since I started taking bow hunting real seriously.

I have been seeing some small bucks responding to calls, a few scrapes, and does starting to kick out their fawns. We are getting closer, but nowhere near where it needs to be. Usually on MEA weekend I see a large buck in the field on Saturday nigh. MEA was a week early this year so this Saturday, I should see nice one, right?

[sheepheadslayer]

Monday nite I had a small buck pushing a doe all around the field in front of me. She came within 10' of me but let her walk. Thought she may have been in heat early and a big guy would follow the same trail. No go but I did see a button buck by him self and also a doe with 3 fawns. Dang NE wind have yet to go out since.

[benbosh]

MEA was the same as last year. I shot my first deer/buck with my bow last year on the Thursday of MEA which was the 16th and this year the 16th was on friday. MEA is always in about the 2nd full week of october i think

[96trigger]

HMMMM, always thought it was the third, I thought we usually only get one weekend in October after MEA, this year we have two. Not that it matters, but if its true, then I didn't see my nice buck on the Saturday I usually do. Thats a bummer.

[Dave S]

Had one nice doe by herself in the back yard lastnight. Last weekend, we had a button buck in the back yard and alone. Last week on Wednesday, we had a buck cross the road on Cty Road 11 by Jordan with his nose to the ground.

We're getting close to the beginning of the rut. But I'll side with Harvey....the full blown rut around here won't start until mid November. Other areas may be different.

[benbosh]

yeah, im not trying to be picky, just saying. hopefully you see one

[spivak]

Does the rut change year to year or is it based on day length? Moon has got to be in there somewhere too.

[96trigger]

A number of factors weather factors can contribute to the rut. There is much spculation about what actually causes it. However, the last couple of years, the first week in November has been fantastic. It is said that more bucks are shot on November 10th than any other day of the year.

[sticknstring]

The majority of breeding will take place the same time every November. The amount of rutting activity we see during daylight will be influenced by the temperature, barometer, moon, etc, and can fluctuate every year.

[harvey lee]

Quote:

Fawns are still with does and bucks are still hanging with other bucks, with no signs of fighting between them.

The last two times I was out I saw nice does all by themselves. I took that as a good sign.

With all due respect H. Lee, down here, the 1st week of November is MONEY. As I posted before, after Halloween its like someone hits a switch. Been that way since I started taking bow hunting real seriously.

I have been seeing some small bucks responding to calls, a few scrapes, and does starting to kick out their fawns. We are getting closer, but nowhere near where it needs to be. Usually on MEA weekend I see a large buck in the field on Saturday nigh. MEA was a week early this year so this Saturday, I should see nice one, right?

That could well all be in your area. Where we hunt the bigger bucks don't start running hard until a week later. Yes we see the smaller ones but not any of the wallhangers.

I'm sorry but I do not understand what MEA week has to do with the rut. Its the length of light of day that triggers the rut from what I have always understood.

The area I was hunting last weeknd still have the fawns in tow.

I also hunt to the NW of you by about 350 miles which could easily make a one weeks difference.

[Scoot]

Thanks for the replies, fellas. I wasn't trying to start a debate here, just wondering if there's much sniffin' going on yet.

Yeah, I wasn't trying to ask about the peak of the rut so much as the related things I described- does kicking off fawns, bucks splitting up from their bachelor groups, bucks fighting, etc. Those are signs of the action to come, but they also give me some info about how I want to hunt. I really like to rattle and call and once I see those things happening, I start to use those methods more-- that's why I was wondering.

[96trigger]

Harvey, I wasn't trying to discredit you at all, there is more than enough distance between us to alter it by a week or so. Also, the terrain and climate in general are different, causing a difference in rut times. Also, the deer get so pressured here by the middle of November that if the rut is in full swing, it is mostly at night, and might be why bowhunting before the firearm season looks like all heck has broken loose, but might not be anything compared to what is happening at night, later on in November.

Quote:

I'm sorry but I do not understand what MEA week has to do with the rut. Its the length of light of day that triggers the rut from what I have always understood.

MEA has nothing to do with the rut, but its a period of time that many adults and kids have off every year. Some of us spend more time in the woods during this break. It is nothing more than a marker of time where I campare years.

For example, I don't do a lick of calling until MEA, its kind of like my "hey the rut should be starting party"

[harvey lee]

Not a problem Trigger.

When we talk about hunting pressure, we have about zero pressure where we hunt.

I will not allow to much pressure to ruin my own hunting. I only allow so many at a time and a week so we don't change the deers habits.

I pretty much know where the does are and I wait until the rut and then hunt the doe herd. The bucks are always around the does.

[Bear55]

A number of factors weather factors can contribute to the rut. There is much spculation about what actually causes it. However, the last couple of years, the first week in November has been fantastic. It is said that more bucks are shot on November 10th than any other day of the year.

You know thats funny because I've alwasy heard it was the 8th of Nov but I have alwasy had the best luck Nov 10th and 11th.

[HOT SPOT]

Could that be that Gun hunting is open? I have had great luck oh Halloween for see nice bucks

[Guest Kyle]

I have been hunting quite a few years now, and last year was the most rut sign I've ever seen. I never saw a nice buck, but saw a couple that came out my hunting party. To be honest, I have yet to see anything better than a spike push a doe around. I really dont think Ive ever seen what a real rut looks like. I've shot one or more deer ever year for the past 9 out of 10 years, with alot of those years being little bucks. This is not all in one area either. The place I gun hunt up north has some absolute monsters running around, but I have never seen anything decent while hunting. I just dont get it. I dont think the rut is at the exact same time every year. I think it can vary within a two week period.

Anyone ever use a buck bomb-doe estrus during the rut and have success? Im thinking about letting one off this year.

I have the opportunity to hunt the first weekend of the gun season in my uual place just east of Emily, then I get to go up past nashwak for three days. Im pretty excited, but I want to prepare myself to have the best chance at a nice buck....however that may be Im not quite sure, but a buck bomb seems likes something to try. What do you all think?

[skolfoppa]

Hunted the Arrowhead last weekend and there was fresh scrape activity. No rubs that I noticed. I brought something in close with some light rattling sequences, but didn't get to see him. Skol.

[gr8icefishinmind]

I just dont get it. I dont think the rut is at the exact same time every year. I think it can vary within a two week period.

That is absolutley correct, rut has nothing to do with temperature! The rut is based on daylight!! So with all of the cloudy days we have been having, there is a chance the rut could begin a little earlier than normal but expect the rut to take place the first weekend of november or so!!

[Archerysniper]

That is why I took off from Oct 31st through opening of rifle hopefully it stays cold to get the day time movement but they should be chaseing hard this period.

[james_walleye]

Alot of people i associate with talk about October 24th as a magic date. I was in archery headquarters today and the talk was this weekend things should get into gear. I can't argue, last year on the 24th i messed up on a big dog. I'll be hitting it hard so we'll see what happens.

[Stratosman]

They were moving this evening, saw 4 bucks including a real nice ten that I almost had a crack at. Two nights ago brother in law had a couple bucks harassing a group of does out in the winter wheat. Saw one fresh scrape this evening as well.

I like the activity so far, the next couple of weeks look to be awesome.... I have off a few days just prior to the gun opener and am jacked!

[alwaysonthemove]

my belief an understanding is the first full moon after the harvest moon which is nov. 2nd. now back that day up 7 days which is oct 26. two days before and five days after 24 to 31 is what they call the chase phase. Bucks go frickin wild. they can smell does coming into estorous but there is none yet. So they frantically search. You will often see them running across open fields in broad day light.

A couple years ago I witnessed 21 different bucks in one morning of hunting a lot of little ones and three nice ones. All acting weird.

During that time frame if you can perch in a tree on a funnel near bedding areas or feeding areas your gonna see this weird buck movement.

when the does start to come into estorous the big ones lock up with a doe which leaves the little ones out wondering around. until that doe gets bred the big one is with her. then he moves on to the next one and so forth.

Rattling works wonders during this time. I will set up in five or ten different locations and rattle. depending on how much time I have.

give it a whirl here in the next week it is unreal.

[gr8icefishinmind]

People always say, "Its been colder than normal lately so the rut will be early" that is totally false! The one thing that may disrupt the normal rut would be many cloudy days in a row (which we have had lately) that would shorten the time period of light in a day!!!

[frogtosser]

had a big fight between an 8 and a 10 a week ago and have started seeing some scrapes also. I dont like to hunt MEA weekend because its right in the middle of the lull. I take off the few days around Halloween for the prerut. Last year I saw a big 10 point on Oct 30th, I cant wait for next week, bring on the big boys.

[alwaysonthemove]

well one day in the height of the rut I seen 7 bucks together all within 40yds of me. they were all 1 1/2 yearolds. I rattled them all in several started sparring right in front of me 10 yds away.

[gr8icefishinmind]

Pre-rut is alot of fun as the bucks start to search for their doe!! Starts to get a guy antsy for the real rut to start!!