Rut Vacations - What Say You?

[phade]

What time/dates  off of work (if that applies) are you taking for the rut?

 

[ncountry]

We are in Letchworth from the 8th until 22nd.. I wouldn't mind being there a week earlier.. activity seems to be the best from the 5-12 Nov...

Every year it seems to be really hot the 1st week and then slowly tapering off.

I cannot hardly wait..: )

 

[phade]

5-12 will definitely be in my wheelhouse.

Trying to decide on a 3/4 or 14/15 as well. The first few days of Nov. can be slow in my experience unless you catch that first doe - and then it's better than any day on the calendar, lol. Plus quite frankly, you will get some warm days in there and I am just not a fan of sitting all day in 60 degrees...makes me want to fall asleep! Although that doesn't stop the deer movement if there is some to be had.

The week of the 14 seems a little slower overall but the past couple seasons we've seen the biggest bucks on their feet reliably in daylight hitting scrapes clearly in search of a "late" (relatively speaking) doe. DEC says Nov 15 is peak breeding date which is pretty close to our area, although I'd guess around the 12th for us. Bucks are devoid in one area by the 20th even if not gun season in play. Does clearly bred as fawns return to the does by then too.

Edited September 20, 2016 by phade

[bugsNbows]

I'll be up for most of the month of November. 

[BigVal]

I can't take vacation at work yet but I'll definitely be hoping to have a few days off around the 5th through 10th. 

[rotorooter23]

I have 10/31 - Nov. 4 (ohio hunt) then 11/7, 11/11, 11/14, 11/21, 11/22. with 4 call in days pending on activity.

[grampy]

October 30th. Work three days. November 4th through the 14th. Work four days. November 19th through the 27th for firearms opener. Plus all weekends from opening of bow, to the end of ML season in December. Also have a couple "floater" days I can use where ever, to track or set up on "FRESH" sign or sightings.

[Bowguy 1]

Week starting Halloween. Walking stage rut. Best time to be in woods

[Buckstopshere]

I'm expecting an early "first rut" during the third week of October this year. And Halloween to be on the quiet side. Then early November will be quiet, ramping up to  the real peak of the rut (observed rut) around Nov. 15.

http://www.wellsvilledaily.com/article/20160223/SPORTS/160229941

[Taylormike]

I'll be at camp (Wellsville) from the 5th-19th.  Suppose to be later rut.  Hopefully this weather starts to change...

[phade]

Lots of theories on when and how the rut is impacted. Moon vs. calendar is an interesting subject.

Can't say I personally believe in the moon being a primary factor. There might be some secondary impact, but not enough to be a game changer IMO. The calendar has almost always been the best predictor of the rut for me. As to the temp issue, while I agree that deer will lay low at times, if the doe is in estrous and ready to go, the buck will be on his feet and following her or corralling her regardless of how hot it is, period.

The single largest buck I've ever seen in the stand, that measured out at 176" after being shot, was seen on the warmest day of the 2013 bow season at the warmest temp of that day bumping a doe. I shot my buck nose to tail on a hot doe last year on November 6th - 72 degrees. While these are just observations, I've come to grips that expecting not to encounter a deer or a buck you want to go after because of warm temps during the seeking/chasing phase of the rut is simply an excuse not to hunt. It's the # 2 biggest mistake I and my hunting partners have made, behind only leaving our stands too early in the a.m.

[moog5050]

" ... behind only leaving our stands too early in the a.m."  Hey now, I called a timeout before we left for breakfast that day.  The Monarch cheated. 

[Buckstopshere]

I've seen bucks with their tongues out, chasing does with their tongues out in 70+ degree  days. But it seems that on hot days, most of the movement is just at dusk and dawn or in the night when it is coldest. 

When there is a hot doe moving, whether she gets spooked out of her bed, or driven out by pestering bucks, the bucks will be after her. But when she beds down, usually where a dominant buck has control, she won't move and neither will he as he won't leave her. And there will usually be a few satellite bucks milling around, not ready to challenge the big boy, but they just can't seem to stay away. When the rut is on and we wonder where the bucks are, they usually are bunched up around a hot doe or two. 

[Huntscreek]

I killed a lot of deer Oct 29th on to November 15th was the norm. Last year was the worse rut I've ever seen here. If I only had 1 week it would be Nov 12th to the 19th, Nov 7th on would be a safe bet.

Edited September 20, 2016 by Huntscreek
Wrong days

[Buckmaster7600]

I have to work 3 days between oct 15 and the Monday after thanksgiving. I really hope I hit the rut this year


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[chiefbkt]

New job equals no vacation time this year. However, I can foresee some unpaid days off coming between Nov 8-20.

[chrisw]

November 10-23 for me, but I only work 3-4 days a week normally so I'll get some multi-day stretches throughout. I never miss Veterans day, my luckiest day to hunt historically.

[dbHunterNY]

too many family vacations and a couple days off related to DEC or legislative crap to try and make hunting better here in NY.  weekend warrior this year with maybe partial day I can make up time on.

[Zag]

2nd week of nov for me (nov 5th-13th). I have so many friend who pass up this time and save it for the first week of gun. I keep telling them their nuts but what do I know.

[BizCT]

First Monday after Xbow opener and first Monday after shotgun opener. Other than that, Saturday full day hunts. Sunday mornings only before football. Tgiving morning and the Friday afternoon the day after.


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[nyslowhand]

Get compensation from the Federal Govt, actually the SSA. Every day is a vacation day!!! Sorry to those of you that are working and making contributions to my monthly SS check. Just kidding!

I'm a big fan of the "seeking phase" of the rut, when the bucks are walking around looking for does & not frantically chasing them. During this time frame I've seen bucks hitting the food plots/agr fields looking for does. Sometimes you can catch them at dawn or dusk heading to /from those areas checking out the girls. Day time sightings aren't uncommon either! If I had to put an arbitrary time frame on this, it be the 1st week of Nov (+/-~3 days).

Also see this later when a lot of the does are in estrous and bucks might be cruzing around looking for the next hot doe. By then the bucks are in full breeding mode and are on their feet day and night.

[Buckstopshere]

Here is a couple photos I took of a nice 10 pt. shagging a hot doe with a couple satellite bucks around. He kept them at bay, and moved off. I hoped they would come by my stand, but instead four does ran by and I killed the biggest with a high chest shot that spined her. Sorry, the photos are a bit grainy, but I took them at the edge of the woods, then got back up in my stand. When the rut is on like that, doesn't get much better.

[Mike127]

This year i'm off Oct 27 - Nov 24, then 5 day weekends through December.

[genesee_mohican]

I'm penciled in for the week of Halloween and first week of Nov.  Then the first week of gun.  I may sneak out a few days during the second week of Nov too.  Who am I kidding?  I want to be in the wood every single day of November. The desire to deer hunt kind of explodes and that's all I can think of in Nov.  The leaves begin to drop and you just get those days where you feel it, and know you can't go wrong being out there!

Edited September 23, 2016 by genesee_mohican
more to say

[Arcade Hunter]

On 9/20/2016 at 10:10 AM, Bowguy 1 said:

Week starting Halloween. Walking stage rut. Best time to be in woods

I agree.