Virginia Rut Watch 2012
 

What yall seeing??


I've seen a lot of bucks sparring. No chasin yet.

First week I saw bucks traveling together, this week I'm seeing more saplings destroyed, a few scrapes and bucks traveling solo. Been out 8 times, have had 31 deer in bow range (9 were bucks up to 8 points), killed 2 does and my son arrowed a 7 pt. Season starting off well !!

Typical Virginia pre-rut activity. It's still too early unless you are fortunate enough to witness those first few does coming into estrous early. October 28th you'll see it start to heat up. Keep track of where youre seeing the does at and don't overhunt them yet. You want the does to still be there when the rut heats up.

VA

The latter part of last week I started finding more rubs and scrapes. I agree with VA5326 though, still too early.

Been seeing more and bigger scrapes and rubs the past two weeks, but not much movement. I made a mock scrape only using dominant buck urine the Sat. before last and this past Sat. a large buck made a nice scrape just ten feet from the one I made. Also saw a small four pointer with two does, but he was not chasing them. He came in near them, did a lip curl and then moved out.

Seeing a few rubs show up since last week.

This week is supposed to be unseasonably warm. Hopefully next week will be a cold snap that kicks things off.

Next week we might be getting the "perfect storm". If Hurricane Sandy hits the east coast just right and that big cold front comes through in time we could end up with two feet of snow. That of course is worse case scenerio and the odds are against that happening. Still.....you never know.

It woudl be easier to update if I just attach my hunt club schedule/info sheet.

It didn't work, its in visio.
To date in Faquier County, we have seen one ten pt., two 6 pts., one 4 pt., and many doe. No chasing or seeking. First Saturday was great, second Saturday and second Friday were windy, so nothing seem to be moving. All in all it has eemed slow. Last Saturday, lots of activity in the am and pm but nothing in between. Many, many new rubs this past Saturday (Oct. 20), but still have not seen any scrapes. Hopefully hunting inf ront of this storm and cold front coming in this weekend will produce great hunting conditions.

Watched a decent 8 point chase a doe back and forth across a field today in 80 degree weather. The doe was running like her tail was on fire!

I have been seeing small bucks sparring, scraping, and dogging does the last week or so in NOVA. Found these two tree rubs on Saturday morning.

Buddy of mine killed a nice 8 yesterday that was running a doe. I haven't seen any rut activity yet. I imagine it should start heating up, it normally does first two weeks of Nov where I am.

well folks, yesterday Saturday October 28th was a weird and great day. My nerves were shot by last shooting light when I landed my first bow/buck. Typically, I would let small bucks pass, but since this is my first year ever hunting bow, I took and landed my first deer at 6pm. I'm hooked, but it is time for muzzy. As for updating for those collecting reports. Fauquier county. Nice 9 point 10:30a.m., no shot at 18 yards (very skittish), 1p.m. two 6 points let them walk, 3p.m., 1 small buck and 1 large doe came in to meet him. no shot. 5p.m. the woods lit up with around 15 deer from many different dirrections. Busy crazy day on Saturday.

NOTE*** I have yet to see chasing. Many rubs, Many bucks, hardly seeing any does this yesr so far. I have seen only one scrape. Mind you, I am hunting a fifty acre peice of private property that I have been managing now for (this will be the fourth) four seasons. I have left half of the property untouched, letting it simmer for muzzy. That is the half of the property that holds the big boys.

Has anyone witnessed good seeking chasing or any rut asction? I am very amped toget back into the woods again this weekend, but with my muzzy. The weather I am sure has effected things, but was looking for a rut report. Thanks.

I was wondering if Quantico will be open this week Oct 31 -Nov 3 due to the storm any info would be great thanks.

i got a feeling this weekend is gonna be a AWESOME weekend, this storm coming through has brought a lot of rain and wind in, which has helped blow a lot of leaves off the tree. Along with this cold weather that should have them on there feet! and the last two weeks have seen more rubs and scrapes pop up and getting bucks on camera during the day pretty consistently i cant wait to get the smoke pole out Saturday

Are any of you guys using estrus scents yet? I definately need to pick some up VERY soon!

thanks For any replies.

i havent yet during bow season, i want be able to get back in the bushes untill Friday i think im going about mid day untill dark i will prob use a buck bomb friday

Saw a lot of midday activity today. 3 smaller sized bucks came by my stand between
9am-12pm. Only saw one doe after that.... right at 5pm. I personally think the break in this stormy weather will set the precedence for the next two weeks or so. Ten Day forecast looks absolutely outstanding for deer hunting in the rut. Good luck.

i couldnt agree more

getting in the bushes tomorrow for the first time since the front / storm anything going on yall been seeing?? still seems pretty windy mid day anyway???

It's been windy right up until dark every afternoon this week. It hasn't calmed down before last shooting light once..... Typically, when it's windy, it'll settle down an hour or so before last light. I guess I'll attribute it to Sandy.....

I believe tomorrow may be my first full day sit. The temperature is down 10 degrees from last week. From what I've seen for the last two years, if chasing is just kicking off now it is a tad late compared to the last two years. I have not seen any chasing but that doesn't mean it isn't happening. I may be hunting directly over two big scrapes and a deer superhighway.

I haven't seen any chasing. Hopefully it will explode either today or tomorrow. It's only a matter of time. I hunted an oak flat a few days ago where I have witnessed chasing every year for the last 10 years. The does are there and the small bucks are there and I haven't witnessed any yet. If it's happening in my area, then it's happening at night. I'm just now starting to see scrapes in an area I always see them. Cruising and chasing, I believe, will be here in a matter of days if not hours.

I saw two small bucks and a doe while out yesterday morning. The bucks were by themselves as was the doe. I shot the doe with my Xbow. That afternoon my friend shot a big eleven pointer on the same lease. He is the dominant buck of that area as we have had many pictures of him, and was following a doe when it was shot. He was shot at 5:00pm in the hardwoods.

thanks man

I hunted Quantico on 11/2 and I saw steady deer movement from 8AM to 1:30PM I saw a total of 7 does I was very suprised but none of them had bucks chasing or even in the area I'm alittle confused becuase I even had a single doe come by and I was sure a big buck was going to be hot on her tail but nothing....

The deer seem to not be in the rut I have seen small bucks in the same stand but there just casually walking through the woods did I miss the seeking chasing phase ??

I shot a whopper 10 pt yesterday morning at 9am with the bow. Pics to come. Yesterday afternoon I hunted over an isolated clover plot. Bucks and does we're mixed in the field together. There was a little sniffing around going on but no dogging of does of any sort.

I hunted 12 hours yesterday and all I saw was one spike buck at 2:30 and a small doe at about 5:45. However, other people I know have said the deer are on their feet. I may be out again this afternoon.

For the most part I have not seen a lot of chasing. However, when I was out on Thursday I saw a beautiful 8-9pt dogging a doe. He was 5 yards behind her the entire way.

I was out at Quantico yesterday also. Saw a lot of movement in the morning up until 1pm or so. Then once the wind set in it was dead. Saw one other deer right at dark as I was getting out of my stand.

Bucks chasing does in Northern Virginia!!

I went out tonight. At about 5:45 I had three does out in front of me at about 60 yards. Then a spike comes out of the woods and runs them. Then from behind me I hear a commotion and a little five pointer runs by me, he grunts once as he goes by. Less than five minutes later four or five does run out from behind me, and a bigger buck is chasing them and grunting. He was a big 6 or 7 pointer.

Hunted Saturday Nov, 2. Saw one spike at 10:30. didn't see anything remainder of day. Between 5:30 and 6p.m., the woods lit up with activity, but couldn't see anything. The wind was outrageus, but I figured you can't get deer form the couch. Wind burned pretty bad on Saturday night. I haven't seen any real chasing yet. Taking next week off from work, hopefully, much more activity to come then. November 9 through November 17. I hope to have good weather and good hunting.

I sat today 11/5 on Quantico and saw 1 doe at 8:30 AM it was super cold this morning.

I have seen about 12 does in the past week and none of them have bucks chasing them they don't even look like they are in the rut I'm super confused I figured every possible doe would have some type of buck after her

Was at Quantico for an afternoon hunt today (11/5), didnt see anything until 430pm, but had a large group of does come in and then 3 smaller bucks following behind. Was a fun evening sit.

Sorry for the late report.

Central VA: While still hunting, a doe came barreling straight toward me at close to full speed. She was being chased by the buck pictured below. She hit the brakes at 15 yards when she finally saw me, wheezed, and took off the opposite direction. This guy got a little confused (you know, between thinking with both heads at the same time) and froze for just a second. One second too long.

The rut is definitely heating up. I hope things are still hot on Thursday when I go out again.

My buddy just shot this buck this morning in NOVA. He just about mauled a buck decoy when it was shot.

Those are both nice bucks. Three more days. Taking vacation to hunt Nov 9 through Nov 17. Hoping for the best and not missing a legal day. I'll keep you guys posted. Anyone specificlly hunting the Fauquier area? I haven't really seen the does I normally do and no Rut action at all. Brother coming in form out of state and hoping for a good week long hunt packed with activity.