Rut activity thread
 

Is anybody seeing anything resembling Rut activity? I've seen many scrapes and some nice rubs here in SE Pa, but no activity like seeking/chasing going on. Actually, little activity at all! I'm hoping things will heat up this week. Let's hear about what you're seeing or not.

In Iowa scrapes and rubs are picking up.. Have seen a few small bucks chasing. Watched two bucks fight a few nights ago. This week should be a good one.

I hunted Saturday night and not much rut action. However, this morning while driving back from an early morning crossfit class, I noticed a nice buck proceeding to cross in front of me to chase the doe across the road. About 10 minutes later at home, I let my dogs out and heard a bunch of commotion in the backyard woods. It was definitely the noise of chasing. All of this before the sun came up. Central MD.

Still a little early here in Illinois. But did grunt a buck off a doe he was following saturday night. Just a young buck wasnt chasing, but following her. When i was playing around with him had an nice 8 point come after him a bit. Looked like they were about to throw down, but a guy entered the field and they took off.

I have seen several scrapes here in IL no rubs. Deer seem to be fairly nocturnal still. Maybe another week and it should start to get interesting

here in missouri, i called in a 120 inch 8 point by grunting. became my first buck with a bow. :D

NE Ohio is getting decent daylight activity, seen a couple mature deer up and on the hoof during daylight hours but none chasing, just cruising. The group of does near my one stand have been unharassed every evening so far too. A buddy of mines son shot a nice one weds 6 pm but hit it in the shoulder, saw it again fine the next day fine. I'd say they're getting curious but not pushing things.

Seen a pretty good buck following but when the doe went in the open the Buck chose not to go with her.

Pretty much the same in SW Ohio/SE Indiana....seeing some nice scrapes...and a few rubs here and there...had a nice wide 8 pt come in Saturday morning, but no shot. My brother-in-law shot at a nice 10 point yesterday morning, but missed...the bucks around here are not chasing right now...hopefully, things will heat up in the next week or so...

Not much in northern wi. Only a few scrapes.

Hey Teammate, nothing happening here in NE Wi either

Called a buddy in North Central Kansas. Said small ones are sparring and bigger ones still nocturnal. Calling it--> Nov1-10th be prime. Good luck to you guys.

Central VA - I got in my stand yesterday about 45 minutes before sunlight and let a buck bomb, doe in estrus scent, go...and within 10 minutes had two small bucks and a nice buck show up. The larger one did more circling around my stand trying to play the wind, but all hung out until about 5 minutes after light enough for a shot. Got to see the shooter buck, and I hope I get another chance at him. He never gave me a shot within the 5 minutes of light I had, but he was definitely on the scent, stomping, grunting, and rubbing all around stand. I heard a deeper grunting downwind, but he never came within sight to see him. They are definitely reacting to scent in a more aggressive way since a week or so ago.

Today I racked and grunted in a few smaller ones, but no shooters, so its getting to be around the quarter. I think by the next full moon we should start to have most mature does going in full estrus, so I cant wait until the bucks start to get stupid and getting out in daylight. Ive been in the woods since the first of October, so Im more than ready, and a lot more comfortable with what stand to shoot with each wind.

I'm leaving shortly for an all day hunt. Yesterday I saw a decent 8pt yesterday at 1:40PM! No shot, but it's nice to know they are on their feet during daylight now. I'm hoping the next 4 days will produce some good activity. :cool2:

Shot a buck tonight whose nose was to the ground, grunting, and trailing a doe. Never looked up once. NW INDIANA RUT IS ON....

Thursday night, I hit the woods. Had three bucks come in. Each on the same trail, about 2-3 minutes apart. They all walked the edge of the field, licked the upper limbs of the over hanging trees and made scrapes as they made their way towards me. 2 of the 3 were small and not legal here, but there was a very nice 9 that stayed just behind a blown down Maple and stayed there until dark.

Tonight, I had my decoy out with a small set of antlers on it. A small 6 point came walking down the edge of the field and noticed my decoy when he was approx 10 yards from it. He immediately lowered his head and his ears layed flat. Stiff legged it right up to my decoy. I tried to get my camera phone out to video what I thought was about to happen, (he trashing my decoy), but decided that there was enough daylight left and that I should try to scare him off. I grabbed my antlers I have for rattling, and crashed them hard. Didn't phase him a bit. Blew the grunt call like an drunken auctioneer, he could have cared less. I actually started yelling at him and ended up throwing a small Oak branch at him which sent him running. I wish I had my movie camera set up for that one.

Any scrapes that were active over the past 2 weeks where I hunt have NOT been refreshed. I have seen a few small bucks in close proximity to does. No active pursuit, but give it a week if that and the chase will be on. Absolutely ZERO activity in the morning. All movement where I'm at has been in the pm.

Had video of a little fork horn chasing does this past week, on the trail cam, but for the most part the does around here aren't being harrassed much and keeping to they're fall feeding patterns, up here in the RepubliK of Konnecticut.

This past Monday I was in my stand watching a large open Ridge Field and had 2 Bucks chasing a Young Doe all around the field!Went out again sat evening and saw 2 Bucks cruising thru the same field,had a Young Buck run out and check my Doe Decoy then run off,saw 2 Does and a Fawn then another young Doe cross the same field....lots of movement after the rain/storms we had this week.

There's lots of rubs and fresh scrapes activity going on....if cold weather hits the Rut will be getting much better in the next few weeks for sure,as mentioned the Big Bucks are still smart and staying mostly Nocturnal so far!

I've seen little rut activity. No seeking/chasing but few rubs here and there. Two little bucks sparring last week here in Southeast Missouri.

I sat for 12 hours today and saw 5 small bucks and one doe by 10:00AM. The biggest was a basket 8pt right behind a doe. The Rut is on!!

In some areas of N.Y. the chase is starting { truck driver}

Here in southwestern, Pennsylvania (Greene/Fayette) counties, there is absolutely NOTHING going on. Been hunting public game lands and the hunting pressure is very low as well as the deer sightings. Hope some colder weather comes our way soon or I fear that the "deer forecasters" will be right when they said it will be a late rut this year, some saying maybe the end of November. Hope they are wrong. Good luck and be safe.

Went out tonight for one final night of bowhunting before the guns come out. (Arrowed and 8 pointer by the way :) )

The deer activity here in SE MN was off the charts. Counted 15 deer total in less than 30 minutes. 2 bucks which I assume were rather large based on the sounds of the racks as they fought, took place just behind a big pile of brush. Never did see them, but plenty of snorts, plenty of antlers clashing. Also heard two more bucks fighting in the distance along with a few faint grunts. Several does being chased by smaller bucks. They guy I arrowed tonight came into my decoy, head down, ears back, ready for a fight.

I am in north Alabama. Anyone have any idea of when the rut kicks off here I am new to hunting I have seen few deer so far

Deer in western wisconsin started rutting finally Wednesday. Saw a lil buck chasing Tuesday though.

Wednesdsy I rattled in a nice 8 pt out to the ears but no mass so he walked

have seen small buck chasing for weeks now here.. have not seen any good bucks sniffin or chasing yet even the one I took last week was not lookin for a date...but should be very soon!

Bucks are starting to move more...or rather where I have my camera...all summer I didn't see much of anything except a spike...last camera pull I had 2 bucks one huge possibly a 10pt maybe more....and one 6pt. I haven't pulled the game cards in a couple days.

We witnessed a big buck chasing a doe over the weekend...

SE MT is starting. Saw 5 Whitetail Bucks sun and around 7 mon night. They're chasing doe's around didn't see any breeding though. Mule deer are starting to rut too.

Central MD, the big boys are on their feet mid-day now.

Friday November 15th - Southwestern Pennsylvania (Greene County) Deer activity is non-existent , nothing moving and the rut seems as if it's not even close. Hunted 8 hours today, saw nothing, heard nothing.

I hunted yesterday as well (1:30PM-5:15PM), and saw 6 doe and no bucks at all. Had a couple of them in range and let them pass hoping there would be a buck trailing one or more of them. On all 3 occasions, 2 doe, 3 doe, and one doe, none of them had a buck on their trail!! These were all adult does too, so should I ASSume that they have been bred already? If so, this tells me the main Rut is basically over in my area. :s8: I will still be on my stand by 5:00AM tomorrow morning though. :happy0001:

Yep, same here! South central Mn. Have yet to see a big buck during daylight. And nothing chasing.

SE KS 11/18. I would say the bulk of the rut here has passed. Bucks really started getting after it right around Halloween day. It really ramped up the following week. I shot a 176" deer on Saturday November 9th at 635 am. Got in an hour before light. Bucks chasing in the dark all around me. Saw a 200" at 610. Passed a nice 150" deer about 5 minutes after that. Shot my deer about 20 minutes later. It was a wild morning. Haven't seen much in the way of rut since. All my buddies are logging long hours with little activity. Weather here has been difficult. Should improve this week. I would say we are on the downhill side of the rut here.