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Buck / deer activity


Fever

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I live in the west metro and drive about 15 miles each way to my job each morning and afternoon.  I'm a high school Biology teacher and avid outdoorsman.  For the past 3 weeks or so straight, I've been seeing deer moving during daylight about 3-5 times per week during my commutes to and from school.  I've seen small bucks (1.5 - 2.5 year olds), (different ones) 2-3 times per week.  This tells me we are in the ramp up stages of our mid west rut.  Yesterday at 3:30 pm in broad daylight, saw a buck pushing a doe about 300 yds out in a picked corn field, and last  night when driving my daughter home from her drama / play practice saw a decent 8 pointer standing on highway at 9pm in that same area that I saw the buck and doe, about 6 hrs earlier.  I was only about 10 feet from clipping that buck as he and I both hit the brakes to avoid an untimely collision.  

Wondering first - why are these forums so slow, and second, if anyone else is seeing a steady ramp up in rut (buck) activity.  I only fire arms hunt due to 3 kids and time conflicts.  I'm wondering if folks in the north land have seen what I'm seeing around here in the in the southern (west metro) part of Mn.  With the very mild (little snow) winter we experienced last winter - I'm wondering if our mild fall is contributing to what might be a great fall hunt.  The moon phase and foretasted weather change for this coming weekend may contribute to a very active gun opener across our state. 

Thoughts? 

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I'm surprised these forums are slow too, have been for a few years now. I hunt north east metro. Been out for 16 sits with my bow since Oct 1, spent 25 hours in the stand this weekend, and I haven't seen much of a ramp up in activity yet. I've seen more bucks this year than ever before in my three years hunting this spot, but I saw them this weekend at the same time of day that I did a month ago. I was thinking the warm weather and the wind when I've been hunting has been a factor. Looking forward to this weekend as temps will drop significantly

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Last week was seeing small bucks chasing does.  Bigger bucks checking lone does.  Many new ground scrapes found this morning.

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  • 'we have more fun' FishingMN Builders

Lots of buck movement around at this time.  Traffic is good just need to get people posting. Thank you for posting

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I have lost and remade account a few times. When I first stumbled onto this site, it was very good, knowledgeable people, helping each other. More and more people came on, and ruined the site. Lots of wrong information. People just not smart, people who have not put in the work, always looking for an easy way. I understand you have to know how to do something, but veterans put in thousands of hours of very hard work to learn how to do it. Sad to see this site crap out, but that is what happens. Something starts small, but good, grows in people and is not good, then empties out, and might get good again..  

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  • Your Responses - Share & Have Fun :)

    • Kettle
      Walked today and yesterday, flushed 9, shot at two and got two. Hopefully next year I'll have a dog to hunt with. Still warm up here, skim of ice on ponds. Weather has been nice. Hopefully walk a bit more the next few weeks. Been pretty cautious walking for birds to not interfere with deer hunters. There sure are not the deer hunters there used to be 
    • LakeofthewoodsMN
      On the South Shore...  The focus for many this week is the ongoing deer hunting season which is a big tradition in these parts, even for avid walleye anglers.  There were some that either already harvested their deer or are more into catching fall walleyes than hunting.     Those that are fishing are taking advantage of the unseasonably warm weather and excellent walleye and sauger bite that is happening across the lake.  Cold weather is in the forecast in the upcoming days and weeks so that is also getting many excited. The best depths on the south end of LOW are 22-28 feet of water.     Vertical jigging with frozen emerald shiners is catching most of the walleyes, saugers and jumbo perch.  Depending upon where on the lake you are fishing, some slots and big trophies are in the mix as well, but most reports are talking about good numbers of eaters.    Jumbo perch are coming in good numbers this fall which will serve ice anglers well.  Watch out for an occasional pike or even lake sturgeon mixed in with the walleyes.      There are good numbers of walleyes and saugers across the south shore which is setting up nicely for early ice.   On the Rainy River...  There continues to be good numbers of shiners in the river, and consequently, there are good walleyes in the river as well.     Walleyes along with saugers, pike and some sturgeon are coming in up and down the river.  Most walleyes are being caught in 10-25 feet of water in various stretches of the river.   Jigging with live or frozen emerald shiners is the key. Some anglers are also still slow trolling crankbaits upstream to cover more ground and find fish. Both methods are producing solid results. Sturgeon fishing remains strong.  The catch-and-release sturgeon fishing is open into the spring when it changes to the "keep season" on April 24th. Up at the NW Angle...  As temps are getting colder, most are in the woods hunting and not fall fishing, however, for those who bundle up, fishing continues to be excellent.     A nice mixed bag with walleyes, saugers, perch, pike and crappies being caught. Very good muskie fishing with the colder water temps and shorter days.  Some big fish and some good numbers are being caught amongst the islands.  Both casting and trolling is getting it done.  
    • gimruis
      I hunt in the rifle zone so I don't have a need to use a shotgun to hunt deer, but I would be looking at this if there was ever a need to.   There could be state legislation introduced next summer that eliminates the shotgun zone completely.  It has bipartisan support.  Wisconsin removed theirs years ago and MN is usually later to follow.  They've tried to pass it more than once and it came up just short both times.  Probably just a matter of time.
    • Wanderer
      Oh, h e l l no! 
    • leech~~
      Screw that, here's whatch need!  😆   Power-Shok Rifled Slug 10 Gauge 766 Grain Grain Weight: 766 Shotshell Length: 3-1/2in / 89mm Muzzle Velocity: 1280
    • Wanderer
      20 ga has become a real popular deer round in the last 5 or so years.  The rifled barrels are zinging those sabot slugs with rifle like accuracy out to 100 yards easily.  Some go so far as dialing in for a 200 yard shot but really, by 150 they’re falling off pretty low.   I have a single shot Ultraslug in 20 ga that shoots really well at 100 yards.  Most everyone I know that has bought a slug gun lately has gotten the Savage 220 in 20ga.  Problem can be finding the shells you want.
    • leech~~
      My son always bugs me about getting a nice light over-under 20ga for grouse hunting.  I say Heck no, I'm getting a 3 1/2" 10ga so I can put as much lead in the air that I can!!     So, I'm keeping my 12ga.  
    • 11-87
      That’s almost exactly what I was thinking.  Have slug barrels for both   One for turkey and one for deer.      I have a 20ga mosseberg as well. (Combo came with the scope but never used.   I always liked the 12 better
    • leech~~
      Wanderer is right on the money and covered it well.  I was wondering too if you had a slug barrel for one of your guns?  If so you could make that your slug gun with a scope, and the other your turkey gun with the Red dot.  As you can afford it. 
    • Wanderer
      Kinda depends on if you want magnification or quick target acquisition.   More magnification options and better accuracy with a scope.  You get what you pay for too so get comfortable with a budget for one.  Tasco and Bushnell work but I find they lose their zero easier, have low contrast and don’t gather light well in low light conditions.  That said, I’m still using one I haven’t replaced yet.  Vortex has been the hot brand for the past several years for bang for the buck.  Good products.  Nothing beats Swarovski though.  Huge dough for those.  Burris is another decent option.   There are some specific models for shotgun/slug hunting in the economy brands and bullet drop compensation (BDC) reticles.  Based on experience I’d recommend not falling for that marketing ploy.   Red dots are usually lower magnification and easier to get on target.  Reasonably accurate but don’t do well with definition, like searching the brush for your target.  I put a HAWKE red dot on a .22 for squirrels and it’s been good.  For turkey, that’s probably the route I’d go.     If your slug shots are normally not too far and too brushy, I’d think a red dot could work there too if you’re only buying 1 scope.  You’ll be better off dimming the reticle to the lowest setting you can easily use to not over shine the target and get a finer aim point.   If you don’t have a slug barrel, you might appreciate one of those.  I had a browning with a smoothbore slug barrel that shot Brenneke 2-3/4 inch well.  The 11-87 would well fitted with a cantelever rifled barrel. 
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