They are rutting in Northern IL.

Bulzeye · 11-12-2006, 12:41 PM

I just got off the phone with Bowman, and he says he saw them chasing each other this morning and he's been setup near some fresh scrapes, so it's confirmed. Get out there this week if you can.

I still haven't been out since I got mine the last week of October, but I think I'm going to make time in the next few days to try for a big one while they are running stupid and have other things on their mind than avoiding hunters.

Good luck everybody!

Johnny b · 11-12-2006, 03:12 PM

Bulzeye, they have been chasing around here for a week. According to my records I seen the first buck grunting and chasing a doe on November 4th. Hope they are still going this weekend.

Bulzeye · 11-12-2006, 03:27 PM

Me too.
I'm going up to JoDaviees county for firearm season.
Hopefully to get my first one with a 12 gauge or 44mag wheelgun.

I figured they had started before now, but I haven't been out to see them in two weeks. [&:]

bowman15 · 11-12-2006, 04:25 PM

I've got alot of pictures of nice bucks chasing does over the past week. And this morning, I had the biggest buck I've ever seen in the woods chase a doe right up to about 30 feet in front of me. I was on the ground putting together my stand and climbing steps. He was standing in some pretty thick stuff, but I thought I found a hole to shoot thru. I didn't. He ran off without a scratch on him. I guessed his weight somewhere between 250 and 270 pounds. I know, that's alot, but I was 30 feet from him, and he had at least 50 pounds on me and I'm almost 200. His rack was a typical 10-point that I guessed between low to mid 150's. It was dark chocolate brown with really good mass and excellent tine-length. I would say he was anywhere from 4 to 6 years old. DEFINETLY into the rut! His neck was huge! I'd hate to have had him pissed at me! I wouldn't have stood a chance. Glad he ran the other way.

Oh, and BTW, it was on public-land.

Bulzeye · 11-12-2006, 05:05 PM

It's sure good to hear that there is at least one big bruiser that the other public land hunters haven't scared away yet. I hunt that same land as Bowman, but a different section, and I've seen deer every time I've been there this season. It's where I got the 5 pointer, and I had 2 other hunters set up late within 50 yardsof me that day. They got to watch me take the deer that was headed their way. Hey, first come = first served.

After hearing about that big one, I want to get out there right now and sit in the stand all night just to see them get into it, and then perforate one at first light.
It's been two whole weeks since I drew blood, and the buzz is wearing off.