Germ

I have been putting in a pile of hours this year. I can tell you the Rut is not much of one this year for me.

Here is my theory.

We have not been shooting enough mature does in my area. I watch Mr. Mass a 3.5 or 4.5 8 point tend a doe on Oct 13th. He stayed with her every step, she moved he moved. I have not seen him alone since.
I think we did not have the big build up to the rut this year. Does have been coming into heat on a steady bases since mid oct. This has lead to these factors.

1/2 the scrapes I usely see
1/2 the rubs
I have not seen 1 mature buck crusing or chasing.

You add MI lack of Mature bucks and everyone is happy So I have been learning a ton and I love this challenge.

I also have no acorns, and a giant wheat field that is tough to hunt.

So my plan is to move in right on top of the deer these next 6 days. I am going to hunt right on top of their bedding areas.

Man is this fun

bloodcrick

Dam right its fun, now go get em big boy

HuntingBry

Germ, I am seeing the same thing. Although I did see one big boy chasing that has been it. I have seen piles of does out in the fields eatng unmolested. This is all in areas where I have seen multiple P&Y bucks, so I know the bucks are there, they are just laying up with the doe that happens to be hot at the moment. No need to chase when there are so many does that it's easy to find one ready to go.

SparrowHawk

Germ I saw a big boy on the tail of a doe tonight, too bad he was 200yds across the field! Also had another big buck tearing up scrapes all night last night, and he just had to go north instead of south, when he was only ten yards away from my shooting lanes!! grunts did not work on him either..

mahoningbuck

Same here in Ohio. We have taken a fair share of does but I think we need to take some more out. I have seen more 1.5 year old bucks than I have ever seen. They are like rats where I hunt so the only solution is to lower the doe count and put some pressure on these bucks in the up coming years.

GMMAT

I've only seen one mature buck, this year.

slugger1

bry, i hunt westchester,pa haven't seen any rut chasing yet, alot of does in the fields though,just feeding.ive hunted all week and saw a spike and two doe, and im hunting a good area with nice buck, getting depressed.

dukemichaels

Germ, my compadre...

I have seen the same trend here at home (illinois). I am giving it this last weekend to keep hunting funnels and the such. When this weekend is over I am going to move in right on top of the bucks bedding areas. And wait!

Rob/PA Bowyer

Germ, I think you are exactly right and was very much the problem PA faced before herd reductions. Does came into estrous early, on time and late and the bucks killed themselves breeding only to have the does shot after they were breed. Too many does are hard on bucks, the does that are not bred the first round, are bred the second and if not the second, the third and at the times bucks should be resting and eating to make winter.

Fawns are then born way early or way late which in turn creates bad nutrition. It's a tough situation, too many does stunt their growth, compete for bucks nutrition which stunts their growth as well as antler growth (which wouldn't be evident by your last years harvest...lol) I think GMMAT sees that in his area right now, but he's working on it and with help from the neighbor across the way, roadkills, they've made a great dent.

peakrut

Germ buddy it is running a tad behind this year. It is really going to hit during the gun seasons this year IMO.