ORIGINAL: mez
Still not much in Western SD. I have a pretty good gauge. We have about 20 does that come out around our parking lot every day. They start showing up about 3:00pm. Have yet to see a buck anywhere around. Now dark when I leave work and still yet to see a buck with or around them even after dark.
They come and graze around the buildings after everyone leaves work. I'm a veterinarian so I come back often at all hours of the night and I always see the does but no bucks yet no matter the time.
Its neat how I have seen the rut work from east to west accross the central upper midwest this year. I work by madison and the rut really kicked off about early-middle of last week it seemed like. In far SE wisconsin it started wed-thurs of last week from those i have talked to. Then I travel 100 miles west to where I hunt in NE IA and it started this past weekend. Sounds like it has kicked off in central IA about the same time....Doubt it is a 'large' scale trend but interesting none the less.
You are up next buddy.