RE: Ohio Rut?
Perhaps some of you are looking for more from the rut than there generally is. Just because it's time for the rut doesn't mean all the smart old bucks go completely stupid. The wisest of the wisest will herd up his does and push them into his lair or some thick nasty spot and sit on them. In all my years of hunting I can honestly say I've only seen one day where the world went stupid with deer activity, and that was in an area with anything but a balanced herd. It was one magical day that went on for hours. I couldn't get out of the stand from all the deer activity going on. The wise old bucks MAY and will do some things he normally wouldn't which may make him more huntable. Just because it's the rut doesn't mean it'll happen. To me, the prerut is great. Bucks will troll looking and may even leave their home range in search of a horny girl. Smart old bucks don't go stupid, they just sometimes let their guard down and stay out of the nasty stuff a little longer and we catch them. After the does are bred he may go back to his trolling again if he's not too warn out. Don't be looking for that magical day just because it's suppose to be the rut. You still have to do your home work and hunt smart. Some of you say you're not even seeing does. Where do you suppose the big boy has them hidden away and is guarding them. I was in Ohio from Nov 5th-9th. We thought the rut was fixing to go full tilt. We saw large bucks trolling in the fields almost everyday at high noon. We saw a coupld bruisers worrying the crap out of what appeared to be the only doe around on 2 occasions, again at midday after we got out of the woods. I say you got lots of courting going on SOMEWHERE if you're seeing no does but little bucks chasing. Screw the moon, it's the time of month and amount of daylight.