Anyone seeing sign if the pre-rut is underway?

firefighter1976 · 10-18-2009, 05:44 PM

Just curious to see if anyone in the Midwest is observing any serious pre-rut sign, seeking or chasing out there. I have observed less than normal scrape activity in Mid Michigan and the deer activity slowed to nearly nothing after a very productive first week. Anyone else in Michigan or near by state experiencing similar trends?

klundin2000 · 10-19-2009, 02:59 AM

I was bow hunting in the UP of Michigan for the last four days and did see 2 different bucks chasing does. Head low, chasing hard. These bucks were young.

I also saw a 2 1/2 year old chasing a doe last Tuesday night here in western Wisconsin. There were few scrapes in the UP but a lot in Wisconsin and Minnesota where I hunt.

early in · 10-19-2009, 03:02 AM

Not the midwest, but I'm starting to see scrapes and some very fresh rubs in my area of SE Pa (WMU 5-D). It won't be long!

wis_bow_huntr · 10-19-2009, 03:27 AM

No chasing at all. hell I havent seen a deer durign day light hours for the last 4 days. Damned Lull...I have found close to 30 scrapes on one road in our woods yesterday, so its getting really really close. Im guessing by the end of this week maybe next week there should be some heavy seeking going on. Right now they seem to be keeping the movement to a min. and moving mostly at night. I saw close to 50 deer on my way into work this morning....

BioExtreme · 10-19-2009, 06:24 AM

Yes... It has begun in Texas. It is way to early as well, we normally do not see this activity until the first of November. We were hunting a really nice 140 to 150 inch 10 point this weekend, we saw him three times from Friday to Sunday and he never once stood still long enough for a shot. He was to busy pushing doe's around all over the food plot...

jemrami9 · 10-19-2009, 07:08 AM

Yeah shut down by me here in Wi too. Lots of activity up until the last 2 weeks. Not sure if the standing corn has anything with the deer movement getting all changed around or what. Tons of acorns though, what gives??

WhitBri · 10-19-2009, 08:26 AM

Scraps and rubs popping up here in Iowa but not seeing much if any deer movement during daylight. October lull

firefighter1976 · 10-19-2009, 09:29 AM

Well at least I know I'm not the only one! Thanks for the replies. I'm sure things will start heating up this week with the new moon. Good luck to all!

BrentH243 · 10-19-2009, 01:56 PM

10 more days...once Halloween its, it seems like the deer are all of a sudden turned on!

-DeerSlayer- · 10-19-2009, 02:54 PM

have had some small bucks come into the can call and seing a few scrapes.. I grunted and did a snort-wheeze at a mature buck and he stiffed up and circled downwind and was headed in but got our scent and busted out..