Does any one else think that the rut is a little slow this year i hutn western darke county in western ohio i have only seen two bucks chasing all year and i have seen alot of lone does cant explain it
o Yeah and the orange army is invading next week to make things even worse
its been good in the south.
I felt the same way here in Maryland didn't see much to tell me that it was in full swing and I hunted from Nov9th to the 13th. On the 12th I saw three bucks feeding together and food is all that they had on there minds
nkw880, don't forget that the youth gun hunt is this weekend (20th and 21st) so orange is already here.
Cheers,
Joe
I saw bucks running does the first week of Nov near Peebles Ohio..when it warmed up the second week rut activity slowed up but was still on. Saw alot of broken up racks this year also saw alot of fawns by themselves.. the farmers cut the corn and soybeans early in the area I was in so the deer were in the woods not in the standing corn, lots of acorns this year too. Bucks are running does again here in north Central Florida..
Took my son to Ohio today for the Youth hunt and found a scrape line on a ridge with 8 freshly worked scrapes, 3 or 4 new rubs and 2 young bucks cruising the ridge all morning. Before dark we had a buck dogging a doe below the ridge line out of sight until it finally got to dark to see. They seem to be on the move on the eastern side of the state.
GLENN
I can't figure if it happened and I didn't notice (though I've been in the field just about every day for the better part of four weeks) or if it hasn't happened yet or what.
Seems like I'll see some rutlike behavior and then two or three days of no deer at all. Then a bit more rutish stuff and then nada. Beats me.
Kahn,
"Every day for four weeks", I need a job like you've got. Do any killin' yet?
None at all.
I had a bit over two weeks off and was out all but Sundays there. Had to work four days (what the?!) and back out in the field Saturday. This past week I was night oncall which gave me another week of days to be out in the field (not much sleep though).
It's always great to get out but seeing some deer is nice too. :-p
I have seen a TON of does ALONE. Definitely some rut, but nothing special for me rut wise....
I must be the odd one out...I've seen a lot of chasing and bucks cruising.
I also have been seeing alot of chasing of does and bucks out cruising around. I just got back home from my yearly Ohio hunt, and the past 3 weeks have been pretty good as far as rut activity.
There is a professer who studies deer that said the constant change in weather has affected the rut and that this week should be the week to see the action and that they will be "locked down" with does during gun season. From what I've seen in the woods myself this year, I would say he's pretty much right on.
we have way to many does!!!!!! at least in my area. I think that has to do with alot of it for me. I have not seen any buck having to try at all to find a doe who is ready to breed. The only bucks I have seen chasing where the end of Oct. and they were dinks. I have seen a few mature bucks but they have been bedded with a doe and I have seen that as early as Nov. 2 and am still seeing it. But I see a ton of does with no buck following. Maybe I'm being a lil negative but it seems to me that the mature bucks in my area dont have to travel/try very hard to find a doe who is ready. The best activity I have seen was late oct. Then again I have a love hate relationship with the rut. I love it because the deer are generally on the move all day but I can also be frustrated because the mature deer are under no pattern at all and the only chance I have is to follow the does......which is tough when your doe to buck ratio is way out of wack. I do know the solution to this problem and I am very happy that I can fill my freezers with up to 6 of them ;)
I hunted Guernsey and Belmont counties the Nov 6-12.There was some rut but no hardcore chasing.
I came home for our rifle opener on the 13th and me,my buddy and my old man all shot bucks with nose to the ground following does grunting their heads off.
I think your guys' rut is later than what I was told.It was also very warm the week I was down.
Its dead right now, earlier in the week it was nuts.Took my son out for youth season and had no luck :banghead:
Just got back in and saw one small buck chasing a doe.
Cheers,
Joe