The 2008 Rut That Wasn't?
11-11-2008, 03:55 PM
#31
Fork Horn
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: RC WI USA
Posts: 494
RE: The 2008 Rut That Wasn't?
Finally picking up here in my area here in WI at least. Last week sucked, this week has been much better. Just riding out an ice storm now... yuk! I was in shorts 1 week ago today lol how can you not love that??
11-11-2008, 04:04 PM
#32
Giant Nontypical
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Mont County, Pa
Posts: 7,368
RE: The 2008 Rut That Wasn't?
ORIGINAL: IAhuntr
That's precisely where the rutting moon theory loses some of its edge. Whereas you haven't even seen chasing yet, the bucks here in Iowa have been on their feet and chasing does hard core for the last 5 or 6 days.Both locationsare in the same rutting moon phase, but the action is vastly different.
That's precisely where the rutting moon theory loses some of its edge. Whereas you haven't even seen chasing yet, the bucks here in Iowa have been on their feet and chasing does hard core for the last 5 or 6 days.Both locationsare in the same rutting moon phase, but the action is vastly different.
The fact that I have to wait an hour on standfor it to get light, and I'm not hearing any chasing going on, tells me it just isn't happening yet. At first I was blaming the warm temps, then the windy conditions. At one point I was asking myself if I was over hunting my stand? I even went as far as to try another area 200yrds away from my regular spot. No activity.It's just not really underway yet. The nextfour days will tell the story! We'll just see about this moon thing.
11-11-2008, 05:03 PM
#33
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,200
RE: The 2008 Rut That Wasn't?
Last year the moon was October 26th. On the 27th I saw numerous bucks chasing, fighting, and cruising. This year the moon is the 13th, and my vacation starts the 14th. I have always based my vacation days around the 2nd full moon (aka hunters moon), and have always seemed to get into some good rutting action.
Currently I have not seen a single deer in my past 4 sits.
Currently I have not seen a single deer in my past 4 sits.
11-11-2008, 05:18 PM
#34
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Milwaukee WI
Posts: 1,161
RE: The 2008 Rut That Wasn't?
Jeff, I'm in the same boat. I put in 2 all day sitsSunday andMondayand didn't see anything. Sunday was at a spot which receives fairly light hunting pressure. Rubs and scrapes are definitely there and fresh. Yet, no movment. I blamed it on the 15-20mph wind.
However, yesterday I was at my private land sweet spot and the wind waspretty light and it was 35degrees and sunny yet no movement either. I don't know what to blame it on besides the show hasn't started yet.There is only one other hunter that I know has permission to hunt this piece. Maybe he's been spooking deer and changing their patterns, I don't know. What I do know is that last year this spot was aPRIME rut spot, I mean PRIME as prime can be. Bedding and trails like a frikkin dozen deer super highways coming together in one area. I saw many bucks last year here including a Cabela's buck.
I'm putting my faith in the moon.
However, yesterday I was at my private land sweet spot and the wind waspretty light and it was 35degrees and sunny yet no movement either. I don't know what to blame it on besides the show hasn't started yet.There is only one other hunter that I know has permission to hunt this piece. Maybe he's been spooking deer and changing their patterns, I don't know. What I do know is that last year this spot was aPRIME rut spot, I mean PRIME as prime can be. Bedding and trails like a frikkin dozen deer super highways coming together in one area. I saw many bucks last year here including a Cabela's buck.
I'm putting my faith in the moon.
11-11-2008, 06:26 PM
#35
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Somewhere in Kentucky...
Posts: 304
RE: The 2008 Rut That Wasn't?
Early in-
Be patient for that rut to kick in. Right now it's around the northern states, so you should be gettin' into third gear here soon before kickin' into overdrive. I'm down here in KY and everything is quiet.....to quiet......makes you think. THE CALM BEFORE THE STORM!
When the full moon on the 14th appears, we are gonna see some things change..BIG time!
Be patient for that rut to kick in. Right now it's around the northern states, so you should be gettin' into third gear here soon before kickin' into overdrive. I'm down here in KY and everything is quiet.....to quiet......makes you think. THE CALM BEFORE THE STORM!
When the full moon on the 14th appears, we are gonna see some things change..BIG time!
11-11-2008, 06:33 PM
#36
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Michigan/Ohio
Posts: 11,682
RE: The 2008 Rut That Wasn't?
ORIGINAL: IAhuntr
That's precisely where the rutting moon theory loses some of its edge. Whereas you haven't even seen chasing yet, the bucks here in Iowa have been on their feet and chasing does hard core for the last 5 or 6 days.Both locationsare in the same rutting moon phase, but the action is vastly different. I spotted a huge buck 10 yards from the road on the way from work yesterday and turned around and pulled up right next to him. He didn't move. There's only one time of the year a 150 class buck stands his ground to a human in a truck. I gave him a mouth grunt knowing his doe must be close by. Sure enough upon grunting she stood up from the road ditch she was hiding in not five feet from my door. She looked at him, then slowly trotted off while he follwed in behind. That's nothing other than full rut behavior.
That's precisely where the rutting moon theory loses some of its edge. Whereas you haven't even seen chasing yet, the bucks here in Iowa have been on their feet and chasing does hard core for the last 5 or 6 days.Both locationsare in the same rutting moon phase, but the action is vastly different. I spotted a huge buck 10 yards from the road on the way from work yesterday and turned around and pulled up right next to him. He didn't move. There's only one time of the year a 150 class buck stands his ground to a human in a truck. I gave him a mouth grunt knowing his doe must be close by. Sure enough upon grunting she stood up from the road ditch she was hiding in not five feet from my door. She looked at him, then slowly trotted off while he follwed in behind. That's nothing other than full rut behavior.
Look at who is having issues
states like
NY
PA
MI
WV
Plain and simple to many does and not enough mature bucks
11-11-2008, 07:06 PM
#38
Giant Nontypical
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Mont County, Pa
Posts: 7,368
RE: The 2008 Rut That Wasn't?
ORIGINAL: Germ
Because Iowa has a good buck to doe ratio.
Look at who is having issues
states like
NY
PA
MI
WV
Plain and simple to many does and not enough mature bucks
ORIGINAL: IAhuntr
That's precisely where the rutting moon theory loses some of its edge. Whereas you haven't even seen chasing yet, the bucks here in Iowa have been on their feet and chasing does hard core for the last 5 or 6 days.Both locationsare in the same rutting moon phase, but the action is vastly different. I spotted a huge buck 10 yards from the road on the way from work yesterday and turned around and pulled up right next to him. He didn't move. There's only one time of the year a 150 class buck stands his ground to a human in a truck. I gave him a mouth grunt knowing his doe must be close by. Sure enough upon grunting she stood up from the road ditch she was hiding in not five feet from my door. She looked at him, then slowly trotted off while he follwed in behind. That's nothing other than full rut behavior.
That's precisely where the rutting moon theory loses some of its edge. Whereas you haven't even seen chasing yet, the bucks here in Iowa have been on their feet and chasing does hard core for the last 5 or 6 days.Both locationsare in the same rutting moon phase, but the action is vastly different. I spotted a huge buck 10 yards from the road on the way from work yesterday and turned around and pulled up right next to him. He didn't move. There's only one time of the year a 150 class buck stands his ground to a human in a truck. I gave him a mouth grunt knowing his doe must be close by. Sure enough upon grunting she stood up from the road ditch she was hiding in not five feet from my door. She looked at him, then slowly trotted off while he follwed in behind. That's nothing other than full rut behavior.
Look at who is having issues
states like
NY
PA
MI
WV
Plain and simple to many does and not enough mature bucks
11-11-2008, 07:10 PM
#39
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Monroe County, IL
Posts: 1,188
RE: The 2008 Rut That Wasn't?
I have not seen much myself either, but my brother shot a big buck on the same farm that was chasing a doe and come running to a grunt call.. sooo.. I dunno... The woods is still surrounded by standing corn and I'm sure that has something to do with it. Oh Well, I'll keep pluggin till I can't plug no more.. 
11-11-2008, 07:14 PM
#40
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Northern Kentucky
Posts: 1,296
RE: The 2008 Rut That Wasn't?
Same exact thing here.
Except all my friends are seeing TONS of activity...and I sit till 11 oclock and see nothing.....and this has been for 2 weekends in a row.
I dont know whats up....maybe its just bad luck or bad timing. The guys we hunt next to us are all tagged out....they shot 6 deer opening day and we didnt see a darn thing out of 4 hunters.
I hope things change...I am still deerless for the year.
Except all my friends are seeing TONS of activity...and I sit till 11 oclock and see nothing.....and this has been for 2 weekends in a row.
I dont know whats up....maybe its just bad luck or bad timing. The guys we hunt next to us are all tagged out....they shot 6 deer opening day and we didnt see a darn thing out of 4 hunters.
I hope things change...I am still deerless for the year.