Northern Missouri Rutting Activity?
 

Is anyone seeing any chasing going on in northern Missouri, particularly the north-east section? What's the rutting activity like lately up there?

Im from around kirksville mo. I have not seen any chaseing yet. I seen several bucks over the week end and they was all by themself.

I'm in North West MO in Harrison County and have seen nothing yet as far as the rut kicking in. But I did see a buck chasing a doe in a big circle in a cornfield about three weeks back. It was very cold then and I figured they would start early, but nothing since then. Maybe they're done? The bowhunters up here from Georgia a couple weeks back didn't think it had started yet.

Please keep us all posted on the Rut Activity in Nothern Missouri; I'll be coming in from Pennsylvania late next week to hunt Grundy County.

I'm in Ralls County south of Hannibal, MO. I've been seeing a ton of chasing ever since last weekend it's been simply magical....... Last Saturday I seen 18 different bucks one in the 160s an a 130 deer which is simply unheard of for where I hunt. If u see a doe u better be ready cuz it's gonna happen. Best year I've ever had for this Size an Numbers.........The one thing I'm questioning is calling to bucks I had two nervous does under my stand this evening an saw a huge deer across the ridge an I grunted an snort sweeze the does never got nervous an he spooked an ran the other way.......WTF????

I had my son in the Kirksville area last weekend for youth season and the young bucks were runnin a few does. Didn't see any mature bucks like we had in the past, so I assume they hadn't started chasing hard.

I talked with some bowhunters that said they were starting to see more activity until the past couple days, but they figure the 70 degree weather has slowed it down.

Hunted NorthEastern Missouri last week and didn't see a ton of ruttin activity but did see some with several big boys on the move. Here is a pic of the 10 I took. Should be around 150"

Nice buck! NTO I've seen people fined for tagging them like that though so be careful. I think once the phone call is made it doesn't matter so much anymore, but they used to have very specific tagging instructions for tagging the tendon on the hind leg, not the antlers. Back when you took them to a checkin station, they got pretty upset about that, but it may not matter anymore. Just don't want you to get in trouble for something stupid. But the tagging instructions are, or used to be printed on the tag. I haven't bought mine yet this year.

I just went to MDC.com and checked, and yes it must be tagged on the tendon of a hind leg. It really doesn't matter to me, but I dont want anyone to get in trouble over something this crazy, and as I said ,I've seen people at the old check in stations fined for this. Just a heads up in case your picture ends up being seen by a game warden in a bad mood.
I personnally think tagging the antlers is fine, and a good way to ID them in a locker situation, where you don't want to get heads mixed up. But I guess the Missouri Dept. of Conservation is probably more worried about the deer keeping it's tag through processing as the head is usually cut off for the hunter before he leaves, and the tag should stay with the meat.
Anyone else reading this and hunting Missouri this year should also take notice and possibly check it out for yourself by looking online or on the back of your tag, which is where it used to be printed.

Well I guess I should give the outfitter a call. I did notice some had the tags on the antlers and some were on the tendons......either way the animal was called in and it was tagged. Planning on going back next year for another midwest slob!!!

this wknd is gun season, supposed to be cold maybe some snow around my area. the ruts rlly kickin in right now. the bucks are really starting to chase. lots of sign. id say this wknd is guna be awesome. Good luck too ya guys