Arkansas Bowhunters ??? & rattling??

[daddy putt]

I was in my stand this morning and did a small amount of rattling!!!! And to my surprise I had a basket six walk up behind me. I was wondering if anyone else has started and had any luck as of today????

I'm just curious to know if it was a fluke or is the preseason rut on!!!!?

[metalback]

I tryed rattlin yesterday and nothing happened but I watched small bucks rubbing their racks on overhanging trees and saw a few scrapes but no rubs on any trees. I also watched does walking through and then bucks behind them that were uninterested in the direction the does had gone. But I'll bet it's not too far off now!!!

[soarkrebel]

THe only thing that has come in for me rattling has been does!

I often wonder if our buck/doe ratio being so out of whack bucks don't care to fight . they don't have to fight to find the love with SOOOO many does around!!

[daddy putt]

I know that our Buck to Doe ratio is out of whack, but I still think that the bucks have it embedded in their genes to still fight over breeding rights.

From everything I've gathered the from talking to buddies, the bucks are still in somewhat of a bachler group pattern. Although Sunday morning I did find where a big buck had hit on an old rub. And I think they are still moving at night. And with the temps climbing back up in the 80's it's not going to help us any right now.

Anyway let's keep talking, I'm in Central Arkansas and my dad is down in Dallas county hunting!!!

[soarkrebel]

I think bucks fight for the right to breed. Yeah they spar but a actual fight might be costly. Look in texas and other areas where the buck/does ratio is not so out of whack. they respond very well but even there sometimes they don't care for a fight or even to watch one.

The bucks i have seen in the last few weeks have actually been with does . i have seen one thats probably two that seems to be just hanging with a group. saturday morning i watched a small spike run a young doe from a food plot he was in. she went to another about 200 yards away. he eventually joined here there but wasnt aggressive towards then. I have seen large bucks at night on the road only. but my son did see a nice buck walk our fence line saturday morning at around 8:00am.

I have tried rattling at all times during the fall with no success. i have had some fun with a fawn in distress call. does will even run in to see what the problem is at this time of year. i have had them come in january. i guess it's just a maternal instinct.

but you never know what a deer will really do . thats what makes them so much fun.