The rut is on

[chiefbkt]

The last two nights from my bedroom window I've seen 2 young bucks chasing the same young doe (1 1/2 year old I believe) around behind my house. Nothing too serious and mostly looks playful. But you can tell they are interested in her by the lip curling. Funny part is big momma intercepted the buck tonight and reared up on her hind legs and kicked at him. Was pretty comical. He left her alone after that.

[skully]

But you never know-------- I was working on the roof of a house in poughkeepsie a few years back on oct 19th and all of a sudden i heard the hooves of deer running right on the driveway. It was a giant 130 class 8 pointer chasing a doe grunting and everything following her everywhere. I got so amped up with thinking the rut was gonna be early, I hunted every morning and night just about and Did not see any other rutting activity till the 1st week in nov.

[the blur]

I thought they wait until day light savings time.

[sweet old bill]

still not sign of the chase period in Oneonta area. I seem to find it is right around the last week of Oct to the first week of November for the chase period to kick in... I did have 11 doe's on the lawn yesterday morning in light rain.

[HuntOrBeHunted]

I've yet to hear about any big boys being around my neck of the woods yet. Few more weeks a few more cooler nights.

[Fantail]

7M - Twice now even though I have a 7M dmp I've passed on a doe because a 6 / 8 trailing her. And twice now I couldn't get the shot on the Buck either.

Damn it.

[dave6x6]

Pre- Rut maybe, people kill me every year its the same thing, Its gonna be an early rut, Granted a few deer will be coming into heat here and there, But the Rut ( by that im assuming the chase phase) Isnt really gonna kick in until around halloween and then it will be another few days to a week before its full blown, Then around 28 days later the secound rut will come in, Mostly the activity you are seeing is normal interaction between a very social group of animals, Think like this guys you enjoy the way a women smells right, well Guess what so dont bucks, Just saying, Ive spent countless hours watching deer over the last ten years or so even in the middle of summer you will see deer following each other around, But for those who dont watch always assume that the rut is on when bow season opens normally Oct. 15th , Some guys on here have been bowhunting longer than ive been alive and out of all them years how many of you have you seen the rut ( by that i mean the chase phase )start before halloween, And how many times. I really need to know? Im part of an achery club and we have 100 or so members out witch i know almost all of them, Out of all of them only a small few are not hunters, And after talking to them most will say that maybe once or twice in the last 30 or so years has the rut ever been actually early,

Wheelie, i agree and would even take your statement even further. I would say that the majority of hunters have never even really experienced the true frantic chase phase rut. To many hunters, when they see a couple bucks locking horns or a basket 8 running willy nilly after a doe in a bean field, they think the rut is here. But when the real thing kicks off, if your in the right place, you will be standing for hours on end in your stand and your head will be on a swivel as you watch mature bucks come through one after the next. Thats what the RUT looks like. Today is the 26th and it's getting more active by the day. It's actually a great time to shoot a big buck because the big ones are not wasting their energy running around but they are cruisin' bedding areas and downwind of field edges right now.

[coonhunter]

I agree with you 100% Dave 6x6. That's what i meant in my earlier post when I said people don't even believe some of the things I have seen in the late part of the bow season. My hunting area is mostly shoot the first buck through, but there are a few areas that hunters are letting the young ones walk for the most part. Fortunately, I hunt a couple pieces of land that although not managed for older bucks, the experienced hunters are doing a lot more passing on the youngsters, and shooting some does if they really want some fresh venison. It really doesn't take long before neighboring properties start seeing some nicer bucks being killed, and it can spread. Once you get a few older bucks into the mix, a hunter can see some great rutting action where young bucks are scared to get too close to a mature buck while he is actively courting a doe. Or, if they get to curious or too close to the action, they get run off, and sometimes violently. I love it, even if i don't get a shot at a buck i want to shoot. Happens more often than not, but it sure is fun trying.

[fisher2]

so is it a good time to lightly use a estrus call?

[wheelieman]

Fisher use your calls, use them even if you don't see anything, If you see a deer at a distance call getting louder until the deer acknowledges it heard you then call some more, switch between your doe call and your grunt tube, Set that grunt tube to either doe bleat or young buck, I always use an estrus call and have always had good luck with it,

[rong]

Halloween is a good starting point,there's usually a full moon after,when it goes dark,its game on,same way its been for years,,,,jmo

[wheelieman]

Driving today and saw 4 bucks trotting field and wood edges, Im gonna say its safe to say that the RUT is almost upon us, My buddy jason was in Mendon today and called to tell me he saw 2 bucks on the thru way checking out Doe's. So its time to get excited and get in the woods, By the way all 6 of those deer were seen after 10am and before 1 pm,

[dave6x6]

Driving today and saw 4 bucks trotting field and wood edges, Im gonna say its safe to say that the RUT is almost upon us, My buddy jason was in Mendon today and called to tell me he saw 2 bucks on the thru way checking out Doe's. So its time to get excited and get in the woods, By the way all 6 of those deer were seen after 10am and before 1 pm,

Wheelie, your buddy is not far from my hunting grounds and i will say that i'm seeing just about the same things. Decent bucks cruisin' hedgerows during the mid-day. Does seem to still be bunched up, but a cruisin buck is sometimes easier to kill or find then a mature buck all wacked out on estrous crack.. Can't hunt again til Sunday. Start vaca then. But if i could hunt right now, i might set up in hedgerow or edge of woods. Some would say near corn if they could but beans (even if they are picked but not plowed under) and winter wheat are good right now bucause the bucks are using their eyes as well as their noses to look for a sweetheart.

[tughillhunter]

definately time to start paying extra attention, and do some all day sits. not necessarily in ne stand, but maybe sit till 11 or so in one, and wander around a bit giving off a few calls and rattles b4 you get to your next stand, or whatever, and change up scenery a bit. Hit the water and feed areas hard mid day, and feeding areas at night.(by night i mean pm sit, sorry)

Edited November 2, 2012 by tughillhunter

[dave6x6]

Oh , Sorry I was going to try to give some advice to you big woods guys out there also... But i got nothing... Whole different world out there..You guys are on your own..LOL good luck

Edited November 2, 2012 by dave6x6

[tughillhunter]

dave, i wasnt dissing you, i was just stating my opinion. im also a little off the beaten track being up here in sandy creek/ellisburg.

[dave6x6]

Tug, i know you weren't dissin. I was just trying to be silly because my comments about the rut seemed to be really focused on whats going on here in farm country. Then i thought about the fact that there are alot of big woods guys that have their work cut out for them because things are so different up there. Totally a coincidence that our comments were next to each other.. All's good Tug..

[fasteddie]

My oldest son was hunting in Mendon this am and said he saw a lot of activity . He hunts with a recurve and said the closest any deer came to him was 40 yards . He told me that the young bucks were chasing a doe in the field and back and forth through the high grass area . He claimed the bucks were probably only 1 1/2 year old but he enjoyed watching the action . I plan to hunt with him tomorrow . I hope the rain lets up !