Rut or Rut what's going on.....

[CRACKER]

It always seems like we get a lot of trail cam pics of good bucks about the same time every year (most not all at night time) around the end of October. Listening to the experts I plan my hunts later in the first week of November and into the second week. All we see are young bucks. We seem to have a good handle on the deer on our land and we doo have to follow them around a little when we bump them too much, but the "rut" the experts, like Mr. Research Facility goes on about is always a week after the bigger deer around here are moving. I'm making a mental note and hitting it earlier next year. I doubt they are in lock down now, but the activty is way down in the last week or so.

Good Luck out there!!!

[irish_redneck]

very little action on my property right now, hoping next weeks moon will help daytime sightings.

[WNYBuckHunter]

It depends on what you consider the rut to be. The rut actually occurs in phases, over the period of a couple of months. You have the prerut scraping, rubbing, sparring, then you get into the seeking phase, where bucks are sniffing around, scent checking areas, basically looking for the first does going into estrous. Then, you have the all out chase phase, this is where the bucks are running and bird dogging the does, all out fighting and trying to single out the does close to estrous and keep them away from other bucks. Then, you have the breeding phase, where bucks are breeding the does, and out looking for more does that are ripe. It will all cycle again the next month on a lesser scale, as does that didnt breed or "take" go back into estrous.

[13BVET]

I can honestly say that I have not seen much of anything in the area of 3F that I live in, that has even remotely resembled the rut. Quite frankly, there hasn't been a damned thing going on here!

[irish_redneck]

I have open scrapes and rub lines , just no visible chasing yet.

[irish_redneck]

I'm in 7J

[ants]

Im hunting in 7F. saw a good buck yesterday, make a scrape and kind of chase a doe, but he gave up fast. I think its just starting around me. In my area I have always had the best luck the last week or so before gun opens. I hunted 7J for years (until we got f'ked by the land owner) and it was always the same there too. This week end!!!!!!!!!

[MMMVenison]

In 8J I had a big 8 following 4 doe last saturday.. They didn't want anything to do with him.. about an hour before the sun set. hope this saturday is a good one, since it's my last until gun..

[irish_redneck]

since I've owned the property I've seen a lot of chases 11/9 - 14

[irish_redneck]

2 years ago I had a buck and doe circling around and around , she wasn't having it but he wasn't giving up, that was the 9th, was pretty comical to watch.

[mark3885]

Now I don't feel so bad. I own property in 9K and see very few rubs and scrapes.I'm on my 3 week vacation that started the 5th and have only seen 3 fork horn bucks ,very few doe.Although I did get a doe on the 21st of Oct. I have not seen a deer in 2 days and i have run every senerio through my head as to what the problem is. Hopefully this weekend things will pick up.

[CRACKER]

I get the "phases of the rut" hype. Great for articles and its good knowledge to have, but the rut is when the big bucks are sick of laying in their beds all boned up and run all day. That's the rut, the rest doesn't matter when your on stand. The rut has always been defined by my family and group when the big bucks are moving during the day the rest of the crap is just hype and makes guys miss it on their vacation time. Going out now to see if it started.................

[WNYBuckHunter]

Well thats why i said it depends on what you consider the rut. You are actually referring to the chase phase. The rest is not crap, its based on the science of whats really going on through the whole process. Instead of just listening to the word rut and a date, listen to everything said on the subject. The phase of the rut should dictate your tactics, unless youre one of those guys that just picks a tree by any deer trail and sits there no matter what you do or dont see.

[TreeGuy]

9h - chase phase. Not out since last weekend so i would imagine still there since NONE of the does wanted to play along..... hope that they are still running like idiots this weekend with the warm temps!

[CRACKER]

Sometimes I feel like I'm one of those guys who just sits in the same stand aimlessly. Lets look at it like driving a car. You have 3 phases to drive a car. Phase 1 you get in put your seat belt on and start the car. Phase 2 you actually drive the car. Phase 3 you shut the car off and get out. Now what phase is the one where your really driving the car only Phase 2...

Now the rut the only phase where the bigger bucks are roaming during legal shooting hours is the chase phase. Do the others really matter to a hunter, I'd say not really. Who cares if they scrap at midnight except for trail cam pics ect. The scrapping does indicate you have bucks on your property, and again this is all good knowledge to have to understand the fall behavior. But the rut has been for decades when the bucks are chasing.

MY $0.02

[WNYBuckHunter]

Big bucks show themselves at all phases of the rut. Whether you will see them or not all depends on where and when you are. Sounds to me like your area is a great spot for chase phase action.

[phade]

Thats quite a view.

Personally, i find your definition of the "rut" to be the time when hunters need to get lucky. Anyone can plop into a funnel. The earlier part of the phase you discredit is great for killing a mature buck, as is the back end of it. Tossing out those times is just plain ignorance imo. But o do understand your frustration. Hard to swallow when you rely on one short time period to be successful.

[BizCT]

I heard the stars are aligning for the primetime to be 7am on November 17th in 3N ! lol

[phade]

Isnt that before legal time? Lol.

[WingNut]

I'm curious to see data on daytime Buck activity related to AR zones. 4A 5R 5S bucks are still a bit nocturnal.

[WNYBuckHunter]

Isnt that before legal time? Lol.

Bummer, maybe next year it will be at 7:45am on the 14th. I better just stay home this year, any other time will be a waste.

[meatmuzzy]

Lots of chasing on Long Island. Saw 2 does being chased hard this weekend.

[CRACKER]

I don't think its ignorance to only hunt those high percentage days, but I must have been called that before...

I do like to hunt funnels as much as possible. With work and family obligations I put off hunting until things heat up out there, even I could sit in a tree more i'd still rather hunt the high percentage times.

I have killed good bucks on opening day and week and I will not miss a good front coming thru anytime of year.

But the rut is still the "chase phase" in you must use the term and the rest is just early season and late season. I have seen second ruts and hunted them also.

Anyway saw 9 different bucks today and one good shooter. We do not shoot small bucks and take our does. I wish I was in a funnels area, but I have to stay on the edge of a thicket and its kind of open. Maybe tomorrow I will get lucky.

[phade]

Lol at this whole thread.

This may be up there with the best worst thread ever on this site. Lets ignore everything but the chasing from here on out. I guess i should too, that way my bow season isnt three hours long next year. What was i thinking.

[carloracer1987]

Not a ton of activity here in 7r either, glad im not the only one. There moving and checking scrapes but i had a small buck 10 yards from a scent wick blowing right in his face and he just sniffed a little and kept moving. I dont think this winds helping the movement much either IMO