JALA RUT

Sat 10:15 till dark. Good activity today but no bucks. At 2:05 group of 4, 2 doe with 2 fawns, at about 65yds. They meandered off. Then at about 4:10 group of 4 came back down, most likely same 4 as earlier and they were followed by a group of 5 does with fawns. Was hoping one of the trailers would have been a buck but no luck.

Out of work and set up in stand by 10:15. Let's see if any want to play.

Been at work since 2:30 so, as long as everything goes as planned at work, hoping to be in a stand by 11 until sunset. Good luck to all that are out today!

Prayers sent Cynthia

Out of work and just got settled into the stand with my muzzleloader. Feels good to be back out here, haven't been out since I shot my buck on 12/1

Working an early shift today with hopes of getting out of work on time to be in a stand with muzzleloader by 1:00.

BM7600, this is a great thread. Thank you

I keep a log of hunting times and sightings. So far counting bow and gun season combined, I have logged in 35 hunts consisting of 210.5 hours of stand time not counting time of sitting in the dark waiting for sunrise. This includes the 1.25 hours on stand 12/1/19 up until the time I shot my buck on 12/1. I have not been back out after 12/1; waiting for Muzzleloader to start. The 35 hunts comprise of 9 AM Hunts, 14 PM Hunts, and 12 All Day Sits on stand dark to dark with a combined total of 111 deer sightings. Granted many of the sightings are the same deer day after day and even most likely sometimes in the same day on all day sits with AM and PM movement. TOTALS – As of 12/1/19 Total # Hunts: 35 Total # Hours Hunted: 210.5 Time Frames Hunted: AM-9 / PM-14 / All Day Sits-12 Deer Sightings: Total Deer – 111 Deer Breakdown – Buck-21 (1 Shooter 8Pt-Bow[Drew Back-15Yds But No Shot, 1 Shooter 8 Pt-Gun[Harvested; Previously Passed 2x]) Doe (Antlerless)-82 Unknown-8 Bow Season: Total Deer – 55 Deer in 123.25 Hours / 22 Hunts – 6 AM / 11 PM / 5 All Day Deer Breakdown – Buck-12 / Doe (Antlerless)-39 / Unknown-4 Gun Season: Total Deer – 56 Deer in 86.25 Hours / 13 Hunts – 3 AM / 3 PM / 7 All Day (As of 12/1) Deer Breakdown – Buck-9 / Doe (Antlerless)-43 / Unknown-4

Yikes, that's a much higher infected rate than I would have guessed.

On Sunday morning (12/1/19) while sitting in my tree stand I heard a crunching movement off in the distance. The ground was frosted with a temperature of 21* and the crunching sound was real brief so I actually wasn't sure if it was a couple steps from a deer or just a squirrel. I turned my head scanning the area in the direction of the sound for about 3 to 4 minutes looking for the source of the crunching that I heard. I didn't see anything or hear anymore movement and figured that it must have been a squirrel. Then about a minute after I turned my head away, I heard two buck grunts coming from the same general area where I had heard the brief movement a few minutes beforehand. The area where I heard the movement and now heard the buck grunts from, consists of a decent sized pond situated about 115 yards from my tree stand. The area bordering the east side of the pond is a thick bedding area that I leave as a sanctuary on my property, only going through there if I have to track a hit deer through that area. Scanning this area from my stand, I still didn’t see any deer and I didn't hear anymore movement, so I believed that the buck I heard was slowly cruising through the bedding area looking for any receptive does. I waited another couple minutes to see if the buck that made the grunts would come into view to determine if he was traveling away from my stand area or towards my stand area. I still wasn’t hearing any more movement and still had no deer come into view. So, at this point I grabbed my deer call and made two doe in estrous bleats with it. After about 30 seconds, I could hear the crunching movement of a deer walking on the frosted leaves on the forest floor in my direction from the pond area. Then, after about another 30 seconds the buck finally came into view. It was an 8 point buck, slowly walking down towards my stand area. At this point the buck was about 40 yards away moving through some brush and was walking slowly, stopping every few steps, turning his head looking back and forth trying to find the doe that he heard make the doe in estrous bleats. Within a few more seconds, the buck eventually worked his way down to an opening in front of my stand offering me a 35 yard shot. My shot hit its mark and I harvested an 8 point buck that I called in with my deer call. I've experienced success calling some deer to my calls but this was the first time that I actually harvested a deer that I called in...pretty exciting to say the least. I had passed on this buck during bow season at about 11 yards and I passed on a 70 yard shot at him yesterday chasing a group of does, but now this late in the season and offering such a chip shot he was out of passes.

All great advice! Good luck and looking forward to seeing your excitement in your first harvest story

Wow, Holy Buck!

10/28 @ 5:20PM; 6Pt walking by itself 10/28 @ 7:30AM; 5Pt grunting trailing a group of 3 doe 11/14 @7:55AM; 5Pt walking by itself 11/5 @ 7:20AM; 8Pt walking by itself 10/31 @ 7:05AM; 10Pt Grunting trailing a doe 11/7 @ 3:50PM; 7Pt walking by himself, made a scrape, then rubbed a tree, and then walked by stand 10/26 @ 8:45AM; 8Pt trailing a doe and chased off a 6Pt and smaller buck, then followed doe by stand 11/9 @ 10:25AM; 10Pt walking by himself heading away from my stand area and then turned towards sound when a doe that was already in the area opposite side of my stand from him ran away when she busted me getting my grunt tube to try to call him my direction. This was after I drew my bow on him on 11/7 @ 7:40AM when he was grunting following a doe but couldn't get a clear shot at him before he chased doe out of area

Not hijacking this thread but wanted to say, that lynx mount looks amazing. Love the size of his paws to travel on the snow.

Exactly! Every deer legally and ethically taken is a trophy.

Wow, that is awesome!

Fadetoblack, I agree with 2nd rut activity kicking in last week. Here it even seemed more intense than the 1st rut which seemed more of a trickle rut. I havent been out since I shot my buck Sunday morning but seemed like 2nd rut was in high gear both days of the weekend.

After deer season can get back into my gym routine more consistently not really into bulking but more for health mixing cardio with some moderate weight lifting. Also will be out for small game hunting mostly rabbits and grouse. I also like hiking mixed with dabbling in some wildlife photography mostly deer and turkey. Then when the weather breaks will be time for some fishing during spring and summer as well as playing softball. Lastly prepping for the following deer season. But most importantly family time, which is going to be extra special to include my new granddaughter due in April...first time Grandparent!

I wouldn't say my property is loaded with big bucks but there are a few. I haven't done any land management on it as it's just a small piece, only 13 acres then when I subtract home, pool, and yard huntable property is probably about 10. Although there are two specific thick bedding areas that I leave as sanctuary and only go into them if I have to track a hit deer into them. The buck I shot yesterday was actually checking one of the bedding areas for does about 100-120 yds from my stand. I couldn't see him but I heard him grunting while in there. I tossed out 2 doe estrous bleats and within 30 seconds he came down presenting a 35yd shot. The wooded area also has a creek and a pond on it that seems to attract the deer. That thick bedding area borders the east side of the pond. I have been toying with the idea of thinning some of the trees to let in some more sunlight to gain back some of the ground cover/brush that has lessened quite a bit over the years...I've owned the property for about 23yrs now and a lot of the trees have matured. Plus I've been seriously thinking of trying to add a couple small food plots in a couple areas.

I know there's been multiple conversations on here about rut timing or stages of rut activity and conversations about the existence of a 2nd rut. Which, I am a believer in a 2nd rut cycle/peak involving breeding of does missed in first rut cycle and early dropped fawn does with good nutrition. My question is about observations this year...seemed like the main rut was more of a trickling in rut this year with some observed rut activity but just not the normal high intensity as usual. Then it seems like the 2nd rut cycle kicked into gear over the last few days. My observations seem like this 2nd rut cycle this year had a higher intensity than the 1st rut cycle. My questions...did anybody else experience that and would something like that be more related to an area just based on when and where does were coming into heat or is that something to be expected with somewhat of a trickling 1st cycle rut rut? Sorry for such a long winded question but really curious what you guys&gals observed too.

I dont mean to leave this group high and dry but I got a buck this morning at 8:12. Heard a buck grunting off in the distance but couldn't see him. So, I made a couple doe estrus bleats and within 30 seconds I could hear a deer coming. In came a medium sized 8Pt looking for the doe. I think it was the same one I passed at 11 yds during bow and maybe the same one I passed on yesterday at 70yds. He was out of passes this late in the season and offering a chip shot at about 35yds. Plus it was pretty cool that I called him in. Good luck to the rest out there working to bail from the group.

Trying to add pic but for some reason site hasn't allowed me to add pics since last year...

Had a little luck this morning at 8:12. Heard a buck grunting off in the distance but couldn't see him. So, I made a couple doe estrus bleats and within 30 seconds I could hear a deer coming. In came a medium sized 8Pt looking for the doe. I think it was the same one I passed at 11 yds during bow and maybe the same one I passed on yesterday at 70yds. He was out of passes this late in the season and offering a chip shot at about 35yds. Plus it was pretty cool that I called him in.

In for the morning, packed in for all day sit but that's gonna be questionable. Good luck to all going out.

Good movement today so far. Small buck at 7. Then at about 810 6 doe being dogged around by a small buck and a medium sized buck. Had him in the scope a couple times at about 70yds and passed ... prob going to regret that. Then at about 835 another almost medium buck sniffing around where all the does cruised through.