Rut Reports

[heat checker]

I saw a rather confused and loanly button buck wandering around last night.

[Jeff13]

My brother works for the state patrol in the metro and he said deer car collisions have been on the rise the last few days, reports of bucks chasing does across the metro. A few bucks have been hit. Be extra cautious driving around.

[tunrevir]

I was on stand last night and watched a buck rub saplings for 20 minutes, then open a scrape and freshen it and work the overhead branch. Wouldn't respond to bleats or grunts but it was about 70 yards out. Worked the rattling antlers a bit and he came to within 40 yards but there was no presentable shot. Walked back towards the scrape and worked over some more saplings, I rattled again lightly and got his attention and he really thrashed the saplings and then moseyed off in search of some more trees I guess. Fun to watch. I watched him from the time he stood up from his bed untill he walked out of sight, probably close to 45 minutes or better. I wish I had a video camera with! Won't be long and they will really start tearing it up. My favorite three weeks of the year are just around the corner.

Tunrevir~

[LOTWSvirgin]

Heres a pic of one I found today

[archerystud]

I took next week off as well. Boss may not like it but I skipped a couple vacay's already this year and have ton of PTO built up.

As a matter of fact I avoided my favorite stands altogether on Sunday since it had warmed up. Sometimes I think less is more when the conditions aren't right. Also helps that I took next week off so I kind of want to save my better stands. Colder weather should really help get them moving.

We'll see if it pays off. Kind of nice timing but I also just got back my Euro mount of my 8 pointer I got last year. Kind of fired me up for this year!

[paceman]

Lat night I had a doe and 2 fawns feeding behind me in a field. about an hour before dark a young 8 pointer came by me out to the field. looked at the other deer but showed no interest. he showed no rut behavior at all but there are a bunch of scapes in the area so things are heating up for sure.

[MUSKY18]

Spent friday night in a new stand and was able to have a doe at 9 yards broadside. Looked to be last years fawn, lil on the small side. She got a pass. Walked around the woods a bit on Saturday before I had to go to a wedding and found one small scrape on the field edge and two small rubs. Sat in the same stand on Sunday night, bout 5pm had a huge 8 point walk through at 56 yards in some thicker brush. No chance for a shot. Biggest body on a deer I have seen in quite a while. Decided that since I didn't have a shot, I'd see how he would react to grunting. Gave two small, soft grunts and he stopped in his tracks. Looked my direction and took a couple steps, so I'm thinking that maybe he wants to come and play. Then he lost interest and went back on his way. Grunted once more and he just ignored it. Let him get a bit farther down the trail and blew a snort wheez at him which he paid no attention to. Kept on walking down the trail like he didn't hear it. Went out yesterday morning, reset the stand so that I would be a bit closer to where the big boy walked through and found two more fresh rubs. Trees were torn up, but they were pretty small trees. Don't think it was the big boy making them, so I'm guessing there is a smaller buck around that I haven't seen yet. Got the trail cam out now and will give it a couple days to see what shows up.

[eyeslayer20]

Saw two bucks last night that I have never seen before, the one was chasing a doe at about 50 yards and the other was on the other side of the pasture w/ his nose to the ground not pushing the does but just checking for scent. Both bucks would have been shooters for me. Unfortunately I have to wait until Monday and Tuesday to hunt because I work this weekend.

[Bear55]

A few of the older gils should be coming into heat early, it will be a good weekend for us bowhunters. Potentially a great weekend if you have a hot doe in your area.

[eyeslayer20]

Any other reports... While all you hunters are going to be out in the stand I'll be stuck at work this weekend!!! But come Monday/Tuesday i'll be living in the stand!!

[MUSKY18]

Just ran out to the woods to grab the trail cam I had by my girlfriends dad stand. No pics, battery died in the POS. Oh well, ran over to my stand to make sure the seat was up and was gonna be dry for Sunday. Last time I sat was Monday night, since then 3 new rubs and 5 scrapes have appeared around my stand. I'd say they are getting a tad bit more active! Will be in the stand from Sun afternoon til Friday.....crossing my fingers!

[minnesotahusker]

Was out this morning and had a lone fawn walk under the stand that I could have jumped on, approximately 30 minutes later a doe and the 3 kids came walking off a hillside with a small 6 pointer trailing behind a few minutes. He followed her trail exactly but wasn't overly thrilled about anything, nose was to the ground the whole time. Sent a long grunt his way and he perked up but then carried on his way.

I was kind of surprised that the buck was following her exact path with nose to the ground since she hadn't kicked the kids off.

[Bear55]

I was kind of surprised that the buck was following her exact path with nose to the ground since she hadn't kicked the kids off.

The younger bucks don't really know any better, they like to bug the does thinking something will happen but it won't until she is ready.

[FISHINGURU]

The younger bucks don't really know any better, they like to bug the does thinking something will happen but it won't until she is ready.

Nothing will happen when she's ready either (for him), by then a bigger buck will already have moved in and kicked his butt up over the next ridge, young bucks get all excited and aggressive while the ol' smart buck with experience sits back and chills until the real time comes.

I expect this rut to be phenomenal and I'm sad to say it but the deer are going to get hammered on this season. The hunters/rutting moon takes place on the 30th, we are entering a cold snap, and all the fields are down.

I'm hunting the next 2 mornings then all of next week leading into gun season. Missing out on the week before gun opener is against my religion!

[Musky Buck]

Saw a 6 pointer this morning driving to work, just seeing a non-nocturnal moment like that must mean a little little something. I think, I repeat I think the last 3 years or so seeing so little rutting behavior, years prior were crazy, I think with way less deer around there's just less of it period, years when the bucks had a boatload of does to service they had to cover more ground day or night, they really competed with one another, now he can just relax with her until she says bring it because there aren't that many does coming into heat roughly the same time to get her done and move on like a college frat boy. There's some analysis lol .

[james_walleye]

I've hunted this property for 2 years and never had a sit where I didn't see a deer. Well I had 2 sits today with no deer. Pretty frustrating. Not sure if its the full moon coming? I'm going to break out the decoy the next to evenings. I'm not to down though as this property sits on the edge of town where you can't gun hunt so all of November is prime with a bow. I'm going to just sit this property with the bow through gun season.

[archerystud]

I was getting to my stand tonight and laying a scent trail when I hear someting and stop. 2 does are running at me. I figured at that point I must have a buck pushing does.

I ended up watching 2 different bucks push does around. The does wanted nothing to do with them but the bucks were grunting away.

[Archerysniper]

My buddy had 2 big boys fighting and chasing does tonight just after shooting time.

[96trigger]

Nothing going on tonight for me. Two deer in the field when I left, two bucks on the way home, bucks were alone, small, and on the move. Grunted and rattled tonight with no success. New stand tomorrow. Hopefully better luck.

[CrewJones]

i saw 2 bucks fully locked up in a field of 94 just west of maple grove at about 6:22 last night, there was another buck in the field looking at them . Almost wrecked my car goose necking

[CrewJones]

Sat all morning and didn't see much but this showed up in the last day. Rubs all over now hopefully they will start moving during shooting hours.

[archerystud]

CrewJones,

Cool pic with the stand in the background.

Nothing for me this morning but I didn't sit long. I want to scout out 2 areas and hang another stand or 2 today.

[LOTWSvirgin]

Had 2 does out feeding across the field this morning when a nice8 came chasing them off into the woods about 15 minutes later the 8 was back out checking a scrape and slowly moved towards me then turned to go in the woods again so I grunted at him and he came into 14 yards so I decided to give him a hair cut

[james_walleye]

I got blanked again this morning. My motivation for going out the rest of the weekend is fading. I never thought action could get so slow on this property.

[96trigger]

Very slow where I am at. Rattled and grunted this morning. Nothing came in even for a look. Normally, a small buck or two will at least come and check out the rattling. I had one lone doe come in just as I was leaving. Aside from that, not seeing much. Must be the calm before the storm. Have deer on camera, but nothing seems to be moving during daylight right now where I am at. This morning was a perfect morning for calling. Kind of frustrating. I know there is a high percentage of bucks in the area and there is lots of sign, but they are like ghosts right now.

[james_walleye]

Just talked to a couple co workers who got blanked this morning. I'm going to change stands tonight. I'm going to place my buck decoy in the open on the knoll. Maybe I can draw something in that way.

[Shu]

Rattled and grunted a bit this morning and the second set produced a small buck. Nothing else seen. A few new bucks seen on the cameras so they are roaming, any day could be the day, good luck!

[96trigger]

Made some calls this morning, our area is dead right now. Just about everyone is saying they are not seeing much of anything. I have to think that its going to explode soon. Any day now.

[tunrevir]

I had the trifecta on Thursday night. Brought in a 8pt shortly after a light rattle sequence.(read the I hate it when this happens post ) A half hour later I had a six trot in to a grunt sequence followed by another six a half hour later that hit my scent trail and followed it right past my stand at 15 yards and stood and sniffed at the tarsal gland I had hanging in a branch. Saw another buck that paid no attention to my grunt tube and a doe that also meandered past but out of shooting distance. I haven't seen any bucks chasing but they are rubbing like mad. Watched a buck rub and make a scrape on Tuesday night, peaked his interest with a light rattle sequence but couldn't coax him in close enough for a shot and he ignored the doe bleat can and grunt tube. A buddy called and said he saw a couple forks running does up near Bruno this am but I haven't seen any chasing locally. Another couple days and things should heat up around here where I hunt. Saw 2 does this morning and put the smackdown on a nice fat doe so now I'm looking to fill that buck tag.

Tunrevir~

[surewood]

My brother bleated in a young 8. Starting to get curious.