Bucks together...Scared???

bolton22 · 11-07-2007, 08:54 PM

Tonight I was hunting a new piece of land I acquired by Bluffs, IL....I was hunting over a good trail leading out to a wheat field....I saw two bucks both looking mature(1-160'sh and the other 140'sh) cutting the corner of the field just inside the timber....I had a buck decoy(Delta Riverbottom buck) in the wheat field and gave a soft grunt to get the two bucks attention....When I did this they both stopped and looked at the decoy and RAN like scared children!! 1. why would a 160'sh buck run from a 115'sh buck decoy and soft grunt?? Shouldn't he at this time of year been outraged and come to show who the boss is??? 2. why were two mature bucks cruising together at this time a year and not chasing a doe....

Confused in IL...Doesn't seem the rut has really kicked in yet...Not a lot of chasing and seems the buck were merely coming out to the wheat field to eat.......???

goherd1111 · 11-07-2007, 08:58 PM

I also hunt near bluffs and I am yet to see any hardcore rutting action either. It won't be long. however, I think we are still a few cold days away from it really heating up.

StrutNtom · 11-07-2007, 08:59 PM

# 3...Why would two bucks be together if the rut has kicked in in your area?

solocamcan · 11-07-2007, 11:55 PM

Quote:

ORIGINAL: bolton22

Tonight I was hunting a new piece of land I acquired by Bluffs, IL....I was hunting over a good trail leading out to a wheat field....I saw two bucks both looking mature(1-160'sh and the other 140'sh) cutting the corner of the field just inside the timber....I had a buck decoy(Delta Riverbottom buck) in the wheat field and gave a soft grunt to get the two bucks attention....When I did this they both stopped and looked at the decoy and RAN like scared children!! 1. why would a 160'sh buck run from a 115'sh buck decoy and soft grunt?? Shouldn't he at this time of year been outraged and come to show who the boss is??? 2. why were two mature bucks cruising together at this time a year and not chasing a doe....

Confused in IL...Doesn't seem the rut has really kicked in yet...Not a lot of chasing and seems the buck were merely coming out to the wheat field to eat.......???

I hunted in Clark Co. which is in SE IL, this past Sun,Mon, and Tues I seen plenty of deer, but I seen bucks with bucks, buckseating with does, does following bucks,except for the scrapes along the fields and the one I watched being made by a little buck, I'd never guess the rut is days or hours away. It's frustrating hearing of chasing going on in IL, butI have not seen the first hint of it happening where I am hunting,even while driving to and from my spot I have not seen witness to any of this. If they were chasing hard, you'd seem them in the fields while driving around, not happening here.

todd a smith · 11-08-2007, 12:04 AM

i wish something would rut in NJ..on my farm,,jesus

PABuck_HNTR · 11-08-2007, 04:40 AM

Maybe they knew that something wasn't natural about your riverbottom buck. It is afterall pretty small as compared to a lifesized deer. Plus it is a foam decoy/3-D taget that may hold more odor than a plastic one. ???

kingvjack · 11-08-2007, 04:55 AM

Maybe your riverbottom buck has a little rainbow to him. Does he look too feminine?

bhunter50 · 11-08-2007, 05:51 AM

I hunt in West Central IL, and have seen only slight signs of pre-rut, havent seen many BIG bucks doing much yet.I didcall in one real nice old 8 point but couldn't close the deal for my fiance, i was crushed as was she, but anyways I think it is just around the corner. As for the decoy spooking them, not sure, they could have just been on pins and needles and it startled them, have had that happen before, but hopefully it means they have had their a** kicked by an even bigger buck on the farm! Good luck!!

Quote:

ORIGINAL: bolton22

Tonight I was hunting a new piece of land I acquired by Bluffs, IL....I was hunting over a good trail leading out to a wheat field....I saw two bucks both looking mature(1-160'sh and the other 140'sh) cutting the corner of the field just inside the timber....I had a buck decoy(Delta Riverbottom buck) in the wheat field and gave a soft grunt to get the two bucks attention....When I did this they both stopped and looked at the decoy and RAN like scared children!! 1. why would a 160'sh buck run from a 115'sh buck decoy and soft grunt?? Shouldn't he at this time of year been outraged and come to show who the boss is??? 2. why were two mature bucks cruising together at this time a year and not chasing a doe....

Confused in IL...Doesn't seem the rut has really kicked in yet...Not a lot of chasing and seems the buck were merely coming out to the wheat field to eat.......???

formula1 · 11-08-2007, 05:58 AM

Well, tomorrow I won't be that far from Bluffs and I'm ready to start hunting! I hope you guys are right and the rut is gonna hold off just in time for me to get there!