Virginia Rut Watch 2012
11-08-2012, 09:29 AM
#51
Spike
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Northern VA
Posts: 68
mackesr, I sure do miss hunting Orange County. I used to have access to 148 acres out on Tower Lane or Tower Rd. I forget what its called. We had a bruiser out there that we all saw, but never could get a shot at. We found its sheds after the 2001 season and he was a 17 pt. then. Good luck this weekend!
11-08-2012, 09:38 AM
#52
Spike
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Virginia
Posts: 2
Smoked an 8 Yesterday at 3:00. He was chasing my scent drag through the wood line. Came out and busted me. Gave a head on shot at 22 yrds with crossbow. Seen a lot of small bucks actually chasing the scent drag down the gas line I was on. Def on n Va.
11-11-2012, 04:59 AM
#53
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: VA, USA
Posts: 3,116
Rut is finally starting to pick up here. Saw a nice buck Saturday morning running does and heard quite a bit of chasing up until 11 am. I was watching two does within 20 yards of my stand when I saw a tree shaking about 100 yards below my stand. The buck was rubbing trees in the bottom of the hollow I was watching and was working his way towards me and the two does. As he got to about 60 yards and was about to clear the thicket, he spotted a third doe and took off after her.
Last edited by VAhuntr; 11-11-2012 at 05:05 AM.
11-14-2012, 12:20 PM
#54
Typical Buck
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Virginia
Posts: 741
I'm gonna post a separate thread later today with the full story on each, but here are all three of my bucks that I shot this year. Work only allowed me to take two weeks off this year for hunting. It looks like I picked the right to two weeks to take off this year.
I shot this 180lbs, 10pt bruiser on the last day of archery season at 9am in a stand that I hung the day before Sandy hit Virginia. It was a 15 yard chip shot but I managed to hit the only branch between him and I and as a result, I hit him a little far back. I watched him walk behind me about 10 yds behind my stand and bed down. 30 minutes later he got back up and limped out of sight to a creek bottom behind my stand dragging his hind legs. I waited until he was bedded back down and then carefully backed out and decided to come back at dark to take up the trail with some help of course. We tracked him another 50 yds from the creek to the edge of a pond which I feared would be the case. We decided to come back the next morning hoping to find him floating in the pond. The next morning we came back and he was not in the pond. So we decided to walk the edge of the pond and wouldn't you know it we found him on the edge of the pond directly across from where we lost the trail the night before. I was ecstatic. From the looks of him, it was apparent he had died later in the day that I shot him. Probably before last light. He is currently at the taxidermist.
I shot this Big 8pt with about 15 minutes of shooting light left to spare. I actually watched him breed a doe about 200yds away from my stand which was overlooking a secluded clover plot. He and the doe disappeared into the cut over and I could only listen as he fought another buck for breeding rights inside of the 7 year old cutover. With about 20 minutes of shooting light to spare, the hot doe popped out and he was in tow and came out about another 5 minutes behind her looking exhausted from the fight he had just been in. He turned broadside and I squeezed the trigger and he dropped in his tracks.
I shot this Big heavy 7pt (would've been an 8pt had he not broke off a brow tine) at 10am just before I was going to get out of my stand. I was hunting a hub where I have seen does going back and forth in past years. No surprise the does came through shortly after first light with a basket 6 hot on their trail. I decided to pass on the hoping for a big buck to be lagging behind. Well 2.5 hrs passed and nothing. Finally, I decided at 10 am my hunt was over and had already convinced myself that I had some work to do on another stand location. Right as I was getting ready to unhook my harness from the tree, I heard leaves rustling from behind me. I decided to sit tight to see what it was. I could see glimpses of a deer but could not tell what it was. I assumed it was a doe and planned on climbing down after the she passed through the area. As the deer came to a clearing it stopped and he poked his head out to ensure the coast was clear before he crossed. Once he poke his head out I saw his antlers and quickly sized him up and knew it was a big buck. He jumped across the clearing and began his slow cruise only to stop perfectly broadside to my stand at approximately 50yds. I was ready for him and squeezed the trigger he only ran about 15 yards and piled up right by the downed tree where the picture you're looking at was taken.
It was definitely a great two weeks off for me.
VA
I shot this 180lbs, 10pt bruiser on the last day of archery season at 9am in a stand that I hung the day before Sandy hit Virginia. It was a 15 yard chip shot but I managed to hit the only branch between him and I and as a result, I hit him a little far back. I watched him walk behind me about 10 yds behind my stand and bed down. 30 minutes later he got back up and limped out of sight to a creek bottom behind my stand dragging his hind legs. I waited until he was bedded back down and then carefully backed out and decided to come back at dark to take up the trail with some help of course. We tracked him another 50 yds from the creek to the edge of a pond which I feared would be the case. We decided to come back the next morning hoping to find him floating in the pond. The next morning we came back and he was not in the pond. So we decided to walk the edge of the pond and wouldn't you know it we found him on the edge of the pond directly across from where we lost the trail the night before. I was ecstatic. From the looks of him, it was apparent he had died later in the day that I shot him. Probably before last light. He is currently at the taxidermist.
I shot this Big 8pt with about 15 minutes of shooting light left to spare. I actually watched him breed a doe about 200yds away from my stand which was overlooking a secluded clover plot. He and the doe disappeared into the cut over and I could only listen as he fought another buck for breeding rights inside of the 7 year old cutover. With about 20 minutes of shooting light to spare, the hot doe popped out and he was in tow and came out about another 5 minutes behind her looking exhausted from the fight he had just been in. He turned broadside and I squeezed the trigger and he dropped in his tracks.
I shot this Big heavy 7pt (would've been an 8pt had he not broke off a brow tine) at 10am just before I was going to get out of my stand. I was hunting a hub where I have seen does going back and forth in past years. No surprise the does came through shortly after first light with a basket 6 hot on their trail. I decided to pass on the hoping for a big buck to be lagging behind. Well 2.5 hrs passed and nothing. Finally, I decided at 10 am my hunt was over and had already convinced myself that I had some work to do on another stand location. Right as I was getting ready to unhook my harness from the tree, I heard leaves rustling from behind me. I decided to sit tight to see what it was. I could see glimpses of a deer but could not tell what it was. I assumed it was a doe and planned on climbing down after the she passed through the area. As the deer came to a clearing it stopped and he poked his head out to ensure the coast was clear before he crossed. Once he poke his head out I saw his antlers and quickly sized him up and knew it was a big buck. He jumped across the clearing and began his slow cruise only to stop perfectly broadside to my stand at approximately 50yds. I was ready for him and squeezed the trigger he only ran about 15 yards and piled up right by the downed tree where the picture you're looking at was taken.
It was definitely a great two weeks off for me.
VA
11-20-2012, 07:27 AM
#55
Spike
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Northern VA
Posts: 68
Damn VA 5326, good deer. Well it has been a week since I posted. I was using a rut/game movement guide online sponsored by someone else and it was accurate to the hour. The property that I hunt, I have finally found the running highway of bucks. Though I haven't landed a monster yet, the week I took off was packed full of activity. The short of it is, I landed two doe (as it is an EAB county) and one nice 7 pt. Dressed at 132lbs. Unfortunatly I will not be able to hunt for two weekends due to the holidays, but I am confident I will land a big bruiser out of the big woods on this property. We have seen a nice 9 pt twice now with a bunch of junk and a very nice heavy 8. The 450 yard drag is brutal, but all well worth it if I can get the big one. Sounds like everyone else is seeing a lot and dropping some 
as well. I am happy for everyone.
as well. I am happy for everyone.
Last edited by cpljbuck; 11-26-2012 at 08:17 AM. Reason: edit specific info to be correct
I was using a rut guide online sponsored by someone else and it was accurate to the hour.
11-23-2012, 06:18 AM
#57
Fork Horn
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 194
Folks,
This year was the rut that never happened; at least for me! I live in NoVa just around Lovettesville and have not seen much rutting activity in spite of being in my tree stand at least 10 different days since the start of muzzleloader season (Nov 3). I did see some bucks moving around by themselves, in fact, I saw three different and nice bucks on the same morning (got one of them). However, what I haven't see was bucks chasing does or bucks running with does! As a matter of fact, I have seen, these past few weeks, are does (small groups) wandering around by themselves.
This is way different than past years. Could it be the weather? Was the rut just the few days I wasn't in the field. Usually, around my parts there is no mistaking rutting activity. What's up?
This year was the rut that never happened; at least for me! I live in NoVa just around Lovettesville and have not seen much rutting activity in spite of being in my tree stand at least 10 different days since the start of muzzleloader season (Nov 3). I did see some bucks moving around by themselves, in fact, I saw three different and nice bucks on the same morning (got one of them). However, what I haven't see was bucks chasing does or bucks running with does! As a matter of fact, I have seen, these past few weeks, are does (small groups) wandering around by themselves.
This is way different than past years. Could it be the weather? Was the rut just the few days I wasn't in the field. Usually, around my parts there is no mistaking rutting activity. What's up?
11-23-2012, 06:38 AM
#58
Typical Buck
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Virginia
Posts: 741
The switch flipped a week before ML season came in. I saw a lot of chasing the last week of bow season. You might've missed all the chasing. Opening morning of ML season, I saw an assortment of bucks.
Folks,
This year was the rut that never happened; at least for me! I live in NoVa just around Lovettesville and have not seen much rutting activity in spite of being in my tree stand at least 10 different days since the start of muzzleloader season (Nov 3). I did see some bucks moving around by themselves, in fact, I saw three different and nice bucks on the same morning (got one of them). However, what I haven't see was bucks chasing does or bucks running with does! As a matter of fact, I have seen, these past few weeks, are does (small groups) wandering around by themselves.
This is way different than past years. Could it be the weather? Was the rut just the few days I wasn't in the field. Usually, around my parts there is no mistaking rutting activity. What's up?
This year was the rut that never happened; at least for me! I live in NoVa just around Lovettesville and have not seen much rutting activity in spite of being in my tree stand at least 10 different days since the start of muzzleloader season (Nov 3). I did see some bucks moving around by themselves, in fact, I saw three different and nice bucks on the same morning (got one of them). However, what I haven't see was bucks chasing does or bucks running with does! As a matter of fact, I have seen, these past few weeks, are does (small groups) wandering around by themselves.
This is way different than past years. Could it be the weather? Was the rut just the few days I wasn't in the field. Usually, around my parts there is no mistaking rutting activity. What's up?
11-23-2012, 02:34 PM
#59
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: VA, USA
Posts: 3,116
Folks,
This year was the rut that never happened; at least for me! I live in NoVa just around Lovettesville and have not seen much rutting activity in spite of being in my tree stand at least 10 different days since the start of muzzleloader season (Nov 3). I did see some bucks moving around by themselves, in fact, I saw three different and nice bucks on the same morning (got one of them). However, what I haven't see was bucks chasing does or bucks running with does! As a matter of fact, I have seen, these past few weeks, are does (small groups) wandering around by themselves.
This is way different than past years. Could it be the weather? Was the rut just the few days I wasn't in the field. Usually, around my parts there is no mistaking rutting activity. What's up?
This year was the rut that never happened; at least for me! I live in NoVa just around Lovettesville and have not seen much rutting activity in spite of being in my tree stand at least 10 different days since the start of muzzleloader season (Nov 3). I did see some bucks moving around by themselves, in fact, I saw three different and nice bucks on the same morning (got one of them). However, what I haven't see was bucks chasing does or bucks running with does! As a matter of fact, I have seen, these past few weeks, are does (small groups) wandering around by themselves.
This is way different than past years. Could it be the weather? Was the rut just the few days I wasn't in the field. Usually, around my parts there is no mistaking rutting activity. What's up?
Rut has been odd here too. Most people did not see much activity until the second week of blackpowder here and then it just shut off. Then a lot of people saw chasing yesterday and today. I was stuck on call yesterday and today and have not been able to hunt. Got several days off coming hope so hopefully I can find a buck or two left!
11-24-2012, 07:21 AM
#60
Fork Horn
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Shenandoah Valley, VA
Posts: 195
I shot a 10 pointer yesterday evening chasing a doe (Augusta County). I shot a 9 point on the 9th of November following a doe about 10 steps behind her. She was not afraid of him and he wasn't in a hurry following her. I thought they were already in the breeding phase when I shot the 9 pointer on the 9th, but yesterday I saw chasing and I talked to 3 friends yesterday evening and they also saw chasing yesterday??? Weird rut this year for sure. Of course Va's buck to doe ratio is so far off the rut is hard to predict anyway. Especially here in Augusta County.