After what looked like it was going to be the best rut ever, it's taken a turn for the worse. In my best areas, the sign (incredible) started much earlier than usual. However, for the past week and half, the scrapes are unnattended and I've seen fawns alone--indicating that the rut (breeding phase) was underway. However, I'm NOT seeing many deer and when I have seen bucks, they're always alone, feeding contentedly and totally ignore my calling attempts--not looking for receptive does. The best part of the year has turned into a big lull for me. I sat out yesterday from 5:30am until 12:30pm and saw 2 little ones at 9:20 and a small rack bucked at 10:39. That's all I saw. Anyone else experiencing this?

Today's small bucks are tomorrow's trophies.

Wow.

The rut in central Iowa is very active. This week has been incredible. Seeing a ton of deer hunting and a ton of deer being hit by auto's this week. I have seen a lot of bucks this week. Seen a big twelve with a button buck and two does. He was standing in an open field, no way to get close to him but he was a monster.

Seeing a similar thing here in NY - some good sign early - still some encouraging sign - but no chasing (yet). At least I'm thinking it hasn't really happened yet - bucks are still sparring, and doe groups are not being harrassed. I've seen a fe bucks scent checking bedding areas - but not like I expect to see in the first week in Nov.

Hey Dave!!! Where do you hunt? i am experiencing the same suituation here in mid michigan.

Last night i had 3 bucks come in unaccompanied. Scrapes are unattended, mature does are walking alone, fawns and yearlings are by themselves.

I don,t know whats going on. Last week the chase was on, this week who knows??????????

hunt on hunt hard eat well

My area in central WI is very quiet right now. Currently the does still have their fawns tagging along. Two nites ago I had two bucks traveling and browsing together. It'll happen sooner or later as I have experienced these problems before. It'll get better

Western Wisconsin has been great for the past week or so, but now it has slowed greatly. I just returned from a 5 hour hunt and only saw 1 deer, but 4 days ago i sat all day and saw 152 deer. 70 of them were bucks. I hope the rut gets better for you!!

Where I hunt in NE Michigan We've seen almost zero rut activity. The only scrape they are hitting is the mock one which I've got my scrape dripper over the top of. Very few rubs and I haven't seen any bucks chasing does. The same thing happened here last year. The rut didn't start in earnest until about November 12. The strange thing is that my gun hunting camp is about 60 miles north of where I bowhunt and I saw a ton of buck/rut sign last week when I went up there for a brush out. Every area is different I guess. I've only seen twp mature bucks One was a huge 10 (5x5) and he snuck up from behind me (downwind) and my cheapo treestand squeaked which startled him enough to walk the other direction. The other was coming to my mock scrape but he never got all the way there, he just disappeared.

I'm not seeing much sign in the woods. Not very many scrapes or rubs or anything. I don't know what the hell is up with the deer? I'm in central WV.

High Country Archery - "Driven to greater heights..."

Same where I am in S.E. PA, Big bucks gone only smaller bucks around.

I skipped yesterday due to 40 mph winds, but went out this morning until 11:00am when the continued high winds forced me down. I did see little bucks. One was chasing a doe all around me, but the other ones paid absolutely no attention to my calling. I just bought &quot;the can&quot; and they didn't even care for it. The scrapes were all covered with leaves. It was (and still is) windy which accounts for the covered scrapes. but they're not working any of them from what I've seen. The rubs are a little old too. The winds will eventually subside--as the warm temps return-followed by 3 or 4 days of rain! And then I go back to work! <img src=icon_smile_angry.gif border=0 align=middle><img src=icon_smile_sad.gif border=0 align=middle>

Today's small bucks are tomorrow's trophies.