MichiganWhitetails74

67 degrees in Michigan...Its slow right now...it DID spark up on the moon phase change in late October though.

GregH

In my experience up here in northern Ill and Wis., the bucks start leaving their beds a bit earlier in the evenings starting around Oct. 20th. Thet're getting antsy and want to check out the does at the food sources along with maintaining their pecking order among the bucks. I guess you could call this the start of the seeking phase. It builds up during the next 10 days or so and they'll start staying out later in the mornings, checking on doe bedding areas. Once the first doe or two starts coming into estrus (usually an older doe), the chasing begins.

At this time, if a buck spots a doe, he'll usually chase her around to see if she's ready. If she's not, they'll seek out another doe and chase her around.

What I usually see is the 3 1/2 year old bucks running around like nuts just before the does are ready. Usually between Oct 29th and Nov. 7th. This is when I see the most action. My favorite days to hunt are Nov. 4th through the 12th.Then, when the does do start coming into estrus I start seeing the 3 1/2s with busted up racks from getting their butts kicked and the older bucks tending the does they took away from the younger bucks.

The peak breeding around here is usually from Nov. 17 - 23. This is when the most does are in heat at the same time. Kind of hard to hunt big bucks then. If the doe is bedded, so is the buck. I hope to find a buck that is in between does at this time and is seeking again.

I saw chasing and breeding today.

BTW, unusually warm weather seems to promt breeding and chasing to be during the night or early morning hours.

WV Hunter

Not much happening here inNW Va yet either. Hoping it picks up....2nd and 3rd week of Nov here are usually really good. We'll see how it goes, but as of now I'm seeing zilch for activity so far.

RockinChair

This is false. Warmer temperatures will not "push back the rut." Warmer temps willjust move the majority of deer activity to the fall or darkness (night) and the fringe of dawn and dusk.

GMMAT

So let's just say....for conversation's sake....I saw a good buck last Tuesday in a certain area.

What are the chances he was on his normal "pattern"/"cycle".....and what are th chances he just happened by.....saw some does....and decided to dog a few of them.

Reason I ask is.....it was the first time I'd sit in this area....and it's an area that I actually didn't even think I'd hunt. I hunted it on a hunch/whim.

TeeJay

From Halloween on I hunt harder and harder during the mid day. 1 Nov till thanksgiving.

RockinChair

I would say he was on his normal pattern. It is still very, very early in terms of rutting activity and earlier than normal with the rutting moon falling later than usual this year. It's important to remember this and be patient during this time and learn and master your herds patterns(be it or buck or doe) this week, because in my opinion, next week is when we will really see the bucks begin to act foolishly. It's only a matter of time.

So back to your question- I would assume, given the information you gave, that this buck was within his normal routine, although with his rising testosterone level, expanding it a bit. I would say he was simply cruising along, scent-checking the currents for any does coming into an early estrous as the does estrogen level has peaked as well. Again, based on your info., given the right cirumstances if you were to hunt that area again, I would suspect you would have a good chance of seeing him.

Scott/IL

I'm not sure about things down where you are, but here the 2nd full moon after the autumn equinox (the Hunter's Moon), will occur the 13th. That usually means that alot of chasing will occur right around this time.

Last year this happened on Oct. 26th. On the morning of the 27th, I had ecounters with 7 bucks. This included a 1.5 yr. old "flirting" with my decoy. 2 8 pointers battling to the death in front of me, another 8 pointer chasing a doe VERY hard throughout the morning all around me, 2 more small bucks answering to rattling, and then finally at 10:45 in the morning a 140 class 10 pointer came crusing into my doe decoy and well I blew it.

Hope that helps you out a little. The weather up in Illinois is ridiculous for this time of year, and hunting has been rough thus far with deer sightings this week. I have seen some chasing, and on Saturday saw 2 mature deer on their feet in the first hour of daylight.

Scott/IL

The hunter's moon also usually runs in a similar cycle every 3 years. For example, 3 years ago it fell on the 16th. So if you can think back to 2005 and remember what rutting action was like back then, it may give you a predictable time table for when the deer will be moving. For me 2005 was very good the weekend before the 16th.

Oneshot7

I have had A buck jog some does around, the main rut will occur between Nov. 17th through Dec. 5. This time of the year always shows my group more and more of the same thing every year, success due to buck being stupid over a doe. I have personally killed two deer on Thanksgiving day, another one the day before, and aother one the day after. I only have one buck kill in Oct. andone in Dec. with the other 7 coming in November. Iamyourhuckleberry timed it perfect Jeff. If we do get some cooler weather next week Ill be in it for an all day hunt for sure. If it is hot stick with the early mornings and late afternoons. The weather is not going to change the rut, only make it like the rest of the year and cause the der to go nocturnal [:'(]. Just keep in mind some great scent checking areas they can smell does in and also open areas where they can see does. That is where I am finding my best sign right now.

Second Real rub I found this year just A week ago??? IDK why it was so late but it is a GREAT rub for here about 4 ft tall and on a fairly good sized tree.