THE PRE RUT IS ON!!!!!!!!!
 

Was out hunting tonight, 2 does and a little scrub buck out in front of me about 75 yds. Here come 2 nice 8 pt'rs one chased of the little buck, and then they squred off!!!!! It was ausome, never seen 2 bucks lock antlers in person before. Time to bust out the scents. Can ya say Tinks 69!!!!!!!!!!!!!

RE: THE PRE RUT IS ON!!!!!!!!!
 

ITS KILLING TIME!!

RE: THE PRE RUT IS ON!!!!!!!!!
 

Pre-Rut in what state???

RE: THE PRE RUT IS ON!!!!!!!!!
 

I was around Houston this past weekend scouting for an Oct. hunt and seen two little bucks sparring, alot of rubs and six scrapes. I assume the scrapes were from this year the licking branches looked newly messed up, but with all the rain it was hard to tell.

RE: THE PRE RUT IS ON!!!!!!!!!
 

Was outyesterday eveningin the rain. Saw 3 bucks sparring for an hour. Saw some bucks chasing others around. I also saw a buck work a tree line along a cut corn field and made 3 scrapes, pee's in them and everything. Was a good night. Im sure the front that moved through had something to do with them being so frisky so early.
My buddy that hunts the same property was also hunting the edge of cut corn field 1/2 mile from me on the same farm and also saw similar activity.

RE: THE PRE RUT IS ON!!!!!!!!!
 

2 1/2 months before the deer even think about rutting here...

RE: THE PRE RUT IS ON!!!!!!!!!
 

My thoughts exactly, what state?????? Sure in the heck aint in WI, we just got into the pre rut lull. Meaning this is the stage where the bucks are seperating from bachelor groups and a guy can go out for 2 days - 2 weeks before even seeing a buck. I saw the big oneIam after lastnight, he came out all by himself about650pm, about 20 minutes after the four does went back into the woods. The bucks are seperating and the does know something is going to be going on very soon. Im now going to begin my rub and scrape scouting with in the week. By mid october the bucks should be going into rut pretty heavey. Getting excited.

RE: THE PRE RUT IS ON!!!!!!!!!
 

thats cool TJ, sounds like you had a exciting evening, keep putting your time in and one of those boys may mess up sooner or later.

Speakin of prerut..i was out hanging stands this past weekend and ran across a couple scrapes and a bunch of nice rubs, so i think it may be getting close now!!

RE: THE PRE RUT IS ON!!!!!!!!!
 

Went spotlighting at the end of last week (legal in PA) we saw two sets of bucks squaring off. However, both groups were likely 1.5 year olds based on antler dimensions and body size. Probably more playful jockeying as opposed to serious fighting.

RE: THE PRE RUT IS ON!!!!!!!!!
 

While sitting up last saturday night, I witnessed a 6 pointer and 8 pointer spar shortly. However, it was not aggressive and it lasted briefly. I thought it was a weird thing for this time of year, but I guess the pre rut is on.

RE: THE PRE RUT IS ON!!!!!!!!!
 

Im in Maryland, see post above. Its way earlier than normal before Ive ever seen any rutting activity. Like I said, maybe the passing front last night got em all fired up, dont really know. Was cool to watch either way, tonight Ill have my camera with me in case they start hooking horns again I'll get a few pics for the non believers.

RE: THE PRE RUT IS ON!!!!!!!!!
 

I too have seen bucks and I mean wall hangers, tickling horns, sparring. I don't know if I attribute this to pre-rut as much as I do the bucks saying "Hey man,my Horns are hard now, lemme see if i can push you around"

It's kinda like the press conference before the fight..someones gonna talk trash and try to intimidate the other, so when the battle rages they have an edge.

RE: THE PRE RUT IS ON!!!!!!!!!
 

Those are young deer, happens all the time here on my farm. Always get some sparing and scrapes. Until the big boys come out(3 year old and up bucks) that is when the Pre rut/rut starts.

RE: THE PRE RUT IS ON!!!!!!!!!
 

I watched 12 deer last night. Two nice 8's two small forks, the rest does and fawns. The two eight's where just walking and feeding together just like in the normal bachelor group. One of the forks was feeding with does and fawns. None of these deer showed any pre rut activity. It's supposed to cool down good overnight tonight. There should be allot deer of activity tonight!;)Can't wait!!!!!

RE: THE PRE RUT IS ON!!!!!!!!!
 

I didn't think Neillsville was that far away from Wausau, but I saw two bucks not just sparring, but throwing each other around last night. Was happening not far from the classic ground scrape below tree branches. I'm with the "it's starting" crew on this one.

RE: THE PRE RUT IS ON!!!!!!!!!
 

I live in central MN and yes they are scraping and rubbing. My cousin hunts the land adjacent from me and he has heard sparing also, hasnt seen it but heard it.

RE: THE PRE RUT IS ON!!!!!!!!!
 

Sparring and rubbing doe snot constitute the pre-rut. It is just normal behavior as batchelor groups disperse and territories are defined. Your pre rut will not really start for a month or so.

RE: THE PRE RUT IS ON!!!!!!!!!
 

We will be in the full blown rut by halloween bud!!!!! our secord rut is during thanksgiving usually.

RE: THE PRE RUT IS ON!!!!!!!!!
 

The rut, to me and most, is the actual time that does are bread. The chasing, fighting, etc seen each fall is considered pre rut.

RE: THE PRE RUT IS ON!!!!!!!!!
 

i got til the end of november here in PA til they r hot

RE: THE PRE RUT IS ON!!!!!!!!!
 

Scouted last week in So. Arkansas. Saw one rub and no scrapes. Looks like it will be maybe two more weks before they start to rub a lot.

RE: THE PRE RUT IS ON!!!!!!!!!
 

He He He....my horns are hard...He He He

RE: THE PRE RUT IS ON!!!!!!!!!
 

Bucks lock up any time they see each other. Just playing around. When they start trying to kill each other let us know.

RE: THE PRE RUT IS ON!!!!!!!!!
 

You can call all of this "pre-rut activity" The rut is when bucks are shadowing does in an attempt to breed them. Until the does smell right, this will not happen. I generally see actual "rut" activity from mid-November to early-December. Pre-rut activity depends on herd dynamics, namely buck/doe ratios and weather conditions. If it is cool out, deer feel frisky just like humans and will stretch their legs a bit, so to say. I prefer pre-rut for bowhunting over rut because a rutting buck never stops moving and is pretty hard to hit with an arrow. I have yelled at them and they pay no attention whatsoever. The doe dictates the pace.

RE: THE PRE RUT IS ON!!!!!!!!!
 

hence why i said the pre-rut is on!!!! By mid Dec here the bucks are all running together again. Does are getting bread here by the end of Oct.

RE: THE PRE RUT IS ON!!!!!!!!!
 

yeah which state where you in? So i can get my out of stae tags for next year....

Tim

RE: THE PRE RUT IS ON!!!!!!!!!
 

This is the time of there year when the testosterone is starting to build and the bucks are just sparring more then anything.The pecking order hasnt been astablished as of yet.Most the bucks are still hangin out with each other.Atleast the smaller ones will for another 3 or 4 weeks.Rubs and scrapes are still yet to really get started.most of the rubs I have seen are nothing more then places the bucks used to get rid of there velvet.Here in another week the bucks will more then likely be out in the open fields sparring more and more.This next week I will hunt field edges and after thatI will hit the oak flats hard until it is time for the pre rut and the scents and grunts start getting used and will produce some activity.

RE: THE PRE RUT IS ON!!!!!!!!!
 

Cool teejay!Since last friday I have found 6 pawings,and 4 rubs.Before that nothing.I agree it's finally coming!!The deer have been moving a little better in the last 5 days or so also.Good luck to all of you!:D

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Central Minnesota is where i hunt....You can buy a tag over the counter for anything anytime!!!!! Rifle ,Archery,or Muzzleloader.

RE: THE PRE RUT IS ON!!!!!!!!!
 

And that's why I love the good ol state of Minnesota!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Pre rut baby all the other folk just don't understand what goes on here in mosquito land this time of year.