Stage of Midwest rut.....
 

So....I have been thinking that the rut, contrary to what most were predicting, is going to be later this year. I am in NE Iowa and locally the heavy pursuit phase of the rut has NOT started. A few small bucks chasing does at dusk/dawn is it.

How is it for my fellow hunters in the upper midwest? What is your best estemate of when the 'peak' rut as far as deer movement will be? I say next week, starting Nov 4 or so. The past couple years it has peaked locally around Nov 1.

RE: Stage of Midwest rut.....
 

The rut isn't controlled by a calender, and it comes around about the same time it does every year, that's why your game dept. schedules your seasons the way they do.

RE: Stage of Midwest rut.....
 

I just hope I took off the right week. I will be In Illinois City, Illinoisfrom the 10th to the 16th. I hope the rut can fit into my calender..lol

Good Luck to all

RE: Stage of Midwest rut.....
 

I know it comes around about the same time every year....but i have still seen the chasing phase vary by up to a week, from the last week of Oct to the second week of Nov. Its correlated to the weather in general and amount of daylight in particular....just thinking its going to be later by about a week than the last two years. Really, that would make it right on time from what I have seenfor 8 yearsin NE Iowa. Last two years had peak deer movement around Nov 1(Locally). this year....Mr October should do well in November! good luck to yourself!

RE: Stage of Midwest rut.....
 

According to Deer and Deer Hunting TV, the Midwest rut started (seeking phase) on October 26th. The peak should be between the 1st and the 10th.


Let's hope for some cool weather next weekend.

Good Hunting,
Bowflex

RE: Stage of Midwest rut.....
 

Up here in NW Illinois I haven't seen much of anything going on. I've talked to a few guys who have seen and heard of some light chasing. But down in So. Illinois where do most of my hunting, the deer are apparently going wild already! I was originally planning on bowhunting the 10th-15th this year but next week is looking to be good...as long as weather permits. I just don't know if I can schedule it with work.

RE: Stage of Midwest rut.....
 

I'm in West Central WI and it seems like the smaller bucks are starting to search for anything they can find. However, from what I've seen, the does are not even close yet as once they hear even a low volume grunt, they scatter. Did see about a 150" last Wed. doing a lip curl as he was checking a doe so they are about ready to go into the seeking phase. I go by the moon and its affect on the rut as to why it sometimes shifts from year to year. Other factors come into play (i.e weather, temp)but I think the moon has a significant influence.

RE: Stage of Midwest rut.....
 

I had a real nice 8 point come into my calling 2 nights ago! He came in from over 100 yards to about 18 offering no shot. He then walked out of range and started chasing a Doe all around my stand for at least 10 minutes! Sure is a good time to sit all day!

RE: Stage of Midwest rut.....
 

I will not be able to get out till friday...hopefully things will start kicking off about then, I plan on sitting in my stands pretty much all day for the three days I can hunt then. Should have an opportunity then or my year is really out of wack. Nice cold weather coming, moon fading, chase phase starting to kick in!!

those of you that can go out Thurs morning. Dont ask why, I just am pretty sure it will be a good time for the upper mississippi river valley;)even though thechase phase is not quite full swing.

Well I hope everybody gets on to some deer! Luck!

RE: Stage of Midwest rut.....
 

I've had luck lately here in southeast South Dakota with rattleing and grunting with an occasional snort wheeze when they start to walk away, I had a little buck paceing infront of my stand the other night I just kept calling him into about 10 yards, but he wasnt what I wanted so I let him go at dusk

RE: Stage of Midwest rut.....
 

Been seeing alot of younger bucks 'cruisin' lately. They're not in bachelor groups any more, that's for sure. But that stops soon after velvet comes off, doesn't it?

Either way, I've seen does running everywhere, but I've only seen younger bucks searching or chasing, altho I haven't seen alot chasing.

I'm thinking the next 2 weeks are gonna be the days to be out all day.

RE: Stage of Midwest rut.....
 

Northwest SD the deer are still in bachelor groups. I saw three bucks together saturday evening, 2 sunday morning and on sunday evening I saw 4 different groups of bucks from 2 to 4.

Mix of mature deer and young deer. Sunday night there were 4 mature deer bedded together under a Russian Olive tree. Several does walking by and milling around in the area and they didn't even look at them. Still a ways away up here.

On another note, my cousin shot a nice deer in Southeast NE on Saturday am. Deer was checking scrapes and passed about 80 yards from his stand and he grunted at it once, deer turned and came right to him. Other reports from buddies down there, necks aren't swollen and the bucks aren't moving much right now.

RE: Stage of Midwest rut.....
 

Last weekend I saw bucks both chasing and seeking (2 1/2 yr olds) - SE SD... Still haven't seen much of the big boys yet though. I expect them to start making some appearances any day now...

RE: Stage of Midwest rut.....
 

The doe will stand by the 7th of Nov! Take it to the bank!

RE: Stage of Midwest rut.....
 

Well I am sorry to bear the bad news....they lied!!! I hunted ALL week in Central Illinoisand seen nothing to indicate bucks are chasing does, I even witnessed both bucks and does eating in the same fields at dusk. I say Nov. 3-5th the chase will begin, just as last year.

RE: Stage of Midwest rut.....
 

I hope so! My two brothers have been hunting all week back in NE Iowa....nothing going yet (as of thurs). Does are still in their usual patterns and bucks are just semi-interested. Saw my first bucks cruising this morning though (by Madison) on my drive for work.

RE: Stage of Midwest rut.....
 

Im with u Joe. But its CLOSE!!!

RE: Stage of Midwest rut.....
 

I saw 13 deer yesterday a.m. and out of those thirteen...9 were bucks. 2 shooters in the 130-140 range. Both shooters were bumpin' does who wanted nothin' to do w/ them. Watched two 2 1/2 year olds both hit the same 2 scrapes 10 min apart between 8:15 and 8:30. West central Il near pike is on w/ the seeking phase. Chasing is just a day or two away from what I see!

RE: Stage of Midwest rut.....
 

I won't be able to get up to Pike County until the 9th of November. Do you think that the rut will still be in or be in a more post rut pattern. This is my first year up in Illinois.

RE: Stage of Midwest rut.....
 

Bucks are chasing each other in central wis. Started today!

RE: Stage of Midwest rut.....
 

November 9th should be prime time in most areas of the mid-west. It has been in NE Indiana for years and years. I tend to see the most action from November 5th thru the 15th.

RE: Stage of Midwest rut.....
 

I just heard on the weather that there is a big cold front coming through northern minnesota on sunday. I'm betting that's going to kick the rut in high gear.

RE: Stage of Midwest rut.....
 

I hunt southern Illinois and to tell you the truth we haven't seen anything crazy at all. Some areas are better than others but in St. Clair county the deer movement has been stagnent.

79 Bronco

RE: Stage of Midwest rut.....
 

I'm starting to think your right... Smaller bucks doing some seeking and a little bit of chasing (also only at dusk and dawn) but the does aren't ready and the big boys seem to be MIA for the most part...

RE: Stage of Midwest rut.....
 

Hey everyone,

I went out yesterday morning on the 3rd and just like last year all of the sudden we went from no action to bucks on the run! It was nice to see. I have also heard that the 9th is supposed to beTHE day for action but I will be out there as much as possible between now and then.

Good luck,

79 Bronco

St. Clair County, IL.

RE: Stage of Midwest rut.....
 

Whole lotta chasing going on in NW Illinois right now.

I had a large ten-pointer and a small eight-pointer chase a doe right under my stand at first light Saturday morning. Also saw a few bucks chasing does on my way to drop off a doe I took an hour or so later.

Back out next weekend, the cold front coming through should reallyget them going.

Good Hunting,
Bowflex

RE: Stage of Midwest rut.....
 

Saw A buck standing over a bedded doe that did not move when he saw me , only moved after the doe got up. I think that the rut is about ready to take off .
Charlie

RE: Stage of Midwest rut.....
 

BAM the rut is on folks (in NE Iowa) it kicked off this weekend, i nailed a brute and everybody I know is really seeing bucks cruising and chasing. I saw one doe in estrus also saturday, a buck right by her side. Supprised there was only one with her.

The next full week is it. prime time.

RE: Stage of Midwest rut.....
 

Still not much in Western SD. I have a pretty good gauge. We have about 20 does that come out around our parking lot every day. They start showing up about 3:00pm. Have yet to see a buck anywhere around. Now dark when I leave work and still yet to see a buck with or around them even after dark.
They come and graze around the buildings after everyone leaves work. I'm a veterinarian so I come back often at all hours of the night and I always see the does but no bucks yet no matter the time.

RE: Stage of Midwest rut.....
 

Its neat how I have seen the rut work from east to west accross the central upper midwest this year. I work by madison and the rut really kicked off about early-middle of last week it seemed like. In far SE wisconsin it started wed-thurs of last week from those i have talked to. Then I travel 100 miles west to where I hunt in NE IA and it started this past weekend. Sounds like it has kicked off in central IA about the same time....Doubt it is a 'large' scale trend but interesting none the less.

You are up next buddy.

RE: Stage of Midwest rut.....
 

Last weekend I saw 13 deer. 12 of those were bucks.There was a monster, there was a nice 9 and 2 8 pointers. The rest were 6 or under. The one doe I saw was chased for a hundred yards by a spike buck. The monster buck walked over to where she was bedded down and sniffed. Other than that he could have cared less. There were also the two other 8 pointers in the pasture and he did not pay attention to them either.

RE: Stage of Midwest rut.....
 

In West Central Wisconsin I think it will all break lose anyday now. It does not seem like any does are ready yet. Seen a lot of does with fawns and no bucks around. Little bucks chasing does but no big ones chasing yet.

RE: Stage of Midwest rut.....
 

We are hunting in Southern Illinois and are not seeing any signs of the rut. I saw three bucks yesterday together. A 3 year old, a 2 year old, and a 1 year old. I grunted and they payed no attention. Last year, the rut was kicking here and this year, there is really not much sign. There are fresh rubs and scrapes, but no chasing or aggression. Is anybody in Southern Illinois seeing any real signs of the rut?