Rutting Reports

[rbs]

Was out scouting yesterday evening and found a area that had about 10 small scrapes amongst a bunch of beat down deer trails. Looks like a good spot for a bow stand!

[engfish]

I finally made my way out into the stand this fall--not by choice--and I have seen deer both sits on two different properties. I can honestly say that I have never felt 100% certain that I rattled in a buck until this fall.

Last Wednesday I sat for an hour on a picked bean field that has CRP and standing corn all around it. I didn't see anything until I LIGHTLY rattled. Less than 5 minutes later I had a young buck walk out of the CRP and then walked right at me into the corn. He didn't present a shot, which I wouldn't have taken, but it was good to see the reaction.

On Sunday morning I hunted another property with a buddy who wanted to videotape. The wind was all wrong, and I was sweating badly by the time we got to the stand. Again, it was quiet for an hour until a nice doe walked right underneath and then moved to the north. I waited a while and decided to give the horns a little rattle. Again, it was short and light. Within a minute, I heard movement behind us and I slowly stood up. A young 8 point came in on a string to 12 yards and stood broadside and then fed for a minute before moving out. He stayed about 50 yards away circling and looking for the "other bucks."

On the way out that morning, we found our first rub and a good-sized scrape in an area we had walked the previous weekend. It's definitely starting in our area.

[bigbucks]

Sits have been very inconsistent for me. Week ago Saturday am, sat in a spot camera showed very consistent deer activity, nothing. Saturday pm, could have shot 5 on a cornfield, does & fawns. Friday night saw 6 on a hayfield, could have shot 5, 3 small bucks all together. Same spot Sat am, nothing. Sat pm sat a great rut funnel between oak ridges, sign, but no sightings. I've seen just a few scrapes & they've been there since opener, don't think I've seen a rub yet.

Better weather for cutting wood right now.

Shot my fall turkey at 11am on Saturday, surprised a brood along a cornfield & dusted a young hen of the year. Love 10 minute turkey hunts.

[Coach]

Was up by Mora last weekend, very quiet, a few does. The weekend before I saw the small bucks together, lots of fun. Looking forward to the Halloween weekend.

[FISHINGURU]

Actually, I saw a lot of movement this weekend. Bugs are non existent for the most part. No buck activity yet though.

The No See Ums and other skin burrowing insects are still out and about here in SE MN. I just had a couple burrow into my skull and arm as I was out practicing and making some adjustments with the bow.

A few of the older mature does must of been coming into heat recently. I have a friend who has been watching a dozen does out in his field for weeks, just the other night a nice buck showed up about 45 minutes before dark and started hounding one of the big gals.

My GF seen a nice buck on her way to work laying in the ditch along side the road in some tall grass while a few does were out in a field grazing at about 7:45 in the morning. She couldn't even see his body just his rack sticking up tall out of the grass.

ENGFISH- You will be hooked for life now, I've tickled them in as early as opening morning, dozen or so years ago I shot an opening day buck partially still in velvet by tickling him in. Bucks will play around as soon as they shed the velvet.

I will never forget the first time I rattled in a buck dang near 20 yrs ago now, I seen Roger Raglin do it on a movie so I bought a pair of antlers, called up a buddy told him about it. I'm like yeah all we do is go pound on these in the woods and the bucks come running in, we set up on the ground by some bushes, I told him to shake the bushes and scrape the ground and grunt while I rattle, soon as we started I hear running in the distance and sure enough here comes a nice 8 pointer right to us. We messed the rest of the story up but hey it was fun lol.

Been hooked ever since, nothing is more cool then seeing a buck come running or sneaking in after you rattle. I've rattled in many of bucks since then, I never forget my rattle bag.

[Lunker]

Saw a basket 8 dogging a doe across a road tonight while I was driving home

[Musky-buck]

Sat tonight saw 2 bucks 3 does. Saw a 2 1/2 year old 12 pointer 125 incher at 40 yards, decided to pass hoping for the 180 incher I have on the property. Rattled at the 12 stopped looked then kept walking.

[tazimna]

Been a windy week up here, but starting to see some activity by bucks. Have noticed a lot of scraps/rubs this past week along my field edge. Have seen several different bucks chasing, watched 2 10 pters squabble with each other 60 yds from my stand, and watched an 8 ptr mount a doe 20 yds from my bedroom stand(unfortunately the wife didn't get my clue ). On Sunday had 15 deer in field when 3 timbers came across. A couple deer ran off, but the others could care less. The scrapes I've been peeing in are relly being worked over and most have doubled in size. For 2 years I've been experimenting with dripping some ammonia on scrapes, and those 2 are REALLY being worked up by bucks. It's a nice option to be able to watch alot of this activity from my bedroom window. Taz

[DonBo]

Guy that works down the street hit a big buck with his car yesterday morning, and another had a big 10 pt standing right in the middle of the road same morning. That's a start.

[psepuncher]

Big scrape opened up in same area that I've hunted the last 5 years.

Saw a sillouet of a huge deer when I was walking back out after last light, It was 30 yards from me

[Boar]

seen my fisrt scrape tonight going to stand with halle, wasnt there on Tues.

[FISHINGURU]

The scrapes I've been peeing in are relly being worked over and most have doubled in size. For 2 years I've been experimenting with dripping some ammonia on scrapes, and those 2 are REALLY being worked up by bucks.

Shot my biggest buck to date over a scrape I had been taking a leak in!

Never tried the ammonia, sounds interesting though.

[tunrevir]

Saw three different bucks pushing does this morning while on stand. Little guys harassing the does. One was grunting and chasing a doe around the other two were more or less shadowing a doe. Last weekend I saw does with yearlings in tow, today every doe I saw was a single and each one was being pestered by young bucks. Did see one larger buck but he stood at a distance and watched the show.

Tunrevir~

[DonBo]

Had a little forkie chase a lone fawn around tonight. I'm still seeing some does with fawns here in the metro.

[PropsterII]

Had a mature buck tending a doe this evening. She seemed like she was no quite ready but he wasn't letting her out of his sight

[archerystud]

My cameras have started showed 4 new bucks in the last week.

Nothing new that was big but much more cruising going on. And at least one (maybe 2) of my cameras have crapped out!!! Bad timing.

[hockeybc69]

Saw 10 deer crossing roads on my way out duck hunting this morning.... i hadnt seen 10 total in my previous morning trips.

Saw a yearling buck lightly pushing a doe while bowhunting last night. Its time boys.

[brassman]

Called in a small buck (at least it acted like one) called shortly after 6pm and saw a deer beeline for me from about 100 yards, came in and had a decent body however it was getting dark so couldn't see the antlers. The deer walked in a circle around me and got behind me at 15 yards and then walked back from where it came.

[archerystud]

Had a nice doe come in down wind of me tonight. She was alone so I kept watching her back trail but that was the only deer I saw.

[tracker x-2]

Saturday evening my wife decided she wanted to come with me so we set up in a ground blind. as son as we set up a fat coon came by and she thought that was pretty cool. at last light we had doe come right by with a nice buck in pursuit, how ever he stayed behind a lotta brush and i couldn't get a shot.

[Fishalittle]

Had a nice 8 pt pursuing 2 does on a field but he stayed 100 yds out and wouldn't come to grunt or rattle...it got his attention but he wasn't looking for a confrontation. The does weren't interested at all either though so he was outta luck!

Action this weekend seemed slow compared to past years....hoping this cool down puts some heat into their fire!

[1eyeReD]

Sat Fri night. Had doe come off a ridge and enter the bottoms where I was at. She was downwind of me but paid no mind. No doe tag left and this was WI. Then a small fork came from the opposite direction. I grunted and he paid no mind. I also rattled n he looked up but casually made his way without a care.

I sat in the same spot the following evening and saw one fawn that bursted out of nowhere running 50mph past me. She then came running back and up the ridge. I was hoping a buck harassing her and would show up but nothing after.

Sun night took my son for drive and saw some deer feeding in a grass field. Huge buck walking behind a doe. Too bad cant hunt there.

[going4it]

Nice 8-10 running through the middle of town tonight. He was pretty swelled up. It's getting hot!! Nw metro

[bmc]

I sat last night in the rain and saw a doe and fawn right before dusk.

3rd sit of the year for me and I've seen 11 does and fawns and passed up 9 of those 11 deer.

No scrapes or rubs on our property (Grand Rapids area) at all and we have a couple small bucks running around. Even the couple of scrapes that are opened up every single year haven't been touched. Weird!

Buddies in the area have been seeing scrapes for the last week or so.

LEO"s who work the night shift are seeing an increase in big buck sighitngs, so the big boys are getting on their feet.

Brian

[tazimna]

the deer were on the move last night in my neck of woods. From my stand I watched 11 doe/fawns eating my alfalfa and had 4 different bucks come out to play alittle. Bucks were nosing the does, but none must have been in heat cuz no chasing was really seen. Sunday morning I lightly rattled/grunted and had the 14 ptr I'm after come to about 32 yds and worked a scrape. I was shaking like a hooker in church, but to long a shot for my longbow. Fun to watch. I have a 4 day weekend coming up so between my 6 stands, I feel he'll finally give himself to me. Good Luck. Taz

[tunrevir]

Morning sits have been the best for me as far as activity goes with the warm weather we have had. Sunday am lone doe and five minutes behind her a 6 point 730am, 815 a group of four does moved through and the woods ignited with activity. a group of three does with a fork shadowing came by, while seventy yards out 2 does were being chased by two smaller bucks back and forth. That group ran through and two more does getting harassed by a small buck came through. 845 all the deer in my sightlines had moved off with small bucks in tow. 9 am I decided to rattle lightly and 10 minutes later had a doe being pushed by a fork come in. 16 deer came by Sunday am. Big boys haven't shown up. Two night sits and I saw two small bucks and a doe, rattled in a small fork last night but woods generally quiet in the evening. Hoping the cooler temps will bring more am and early afternoon activity and that the big boys will start trolling a bit.

Tunrevir~

[BLACKJACK]

shaking like a hooker in church

[tazimna]

Had snow on ground here at 6 pm, but got home to late to make it to stand, so watched the herd in my field from house. Had 17 deer at 6 pm with several bucks moving thru the does checking them out.Got to watch several chase scenes and 2 basket 8's go at it. Snow gone by this morning for most part, but should get more tonight. It'll be an interesting morning hunt. Taz

[Jarrid Houston]

To's has got to be the start of heavy deer movement.. Pretty cold up here in Duluth. Looking forward to Fridays sit!!

[Jeff13]

On stand now. Had loan doe (big doe) come in at 7, stayed around for by herself for 30 minutes.

Then I got to tempted she was 18 yards broadside and I shot over her. Just a chip shot and I nicked my coat with the string! Oh well sometimes things like that happen.