Early Winter ???

[NightHawk]

Just got in from checking the area I plan on hunting this year. Seen several nice bucks and a spike. Here's the interesting part The bucks I seen were all with does??? One may be an aborition, twice a coincedence, three,four and five times seems like a pattern to me. In my experience, I usally don't see bucks running with does until mid to late October.

 The bucks I observed were not rutting or chasing does, but were sticking close by the does. Anyone else notice this? I live in south central Indiana and we have had a dry year. Not sure if that is influencing the bucks behavior or are we going to have an early winter?

[Marblesonac]

I haven't seen that in North Central Indiana.

We had a drought late spring/early summer, but from mid summer on it has rained pretty regularly.

From what I have seen, the big boys hide in the corn until it's harvested while the does are more visible in the woods and bean fields.

So around Fort Wayne the does and fawns are by themselves and so are the bucks.

[painthorse]

We are seeing doe groups like you would see in midwinter.
It's been very dry,not much of a mast crop and the farmer's working the fields seem to have them bunched up.
Most farmers around here are turning ground that coupled with very little mast crop if we have a winter with alot of snow all the woods creatures are going to have a rough go.
Hope it does'nt happen but we are due for one.

[Hot Hap]

I just saw a Wooly Worm crossing the road. He had a thick black coat on and was heading south. Hap

[Marblesonac]

Saw a MONSTERRRRRRRR buck tonight running with 2 big girls.

[ishiwannabe]

I have had two does and a forkhorn in my yard eating acorns almost every night for the last two weeks. I was wondering the same thing.

[indianalongbowshooter]

Bucks hang around Does just like teenage boys wanting that certain thing, even when they are not ready, the rut happens about the same time every year no matter how early we think its going to start, its called wishful thinking  

[mxracer483]

I noticed last monday. I was watching 5 does out in the pasture 100yds from my stand, the younger ones running around playing. and a nice 8 pointer staying close to the tree line. After 10 minutes he dissapeared into the woods not to be seen again.

[Marblesonac]

Originally posted by indianalongbowshooter:
Bucks hang around Does just like teenage boys wanting that certain thing, even when they are not ready, the rut happens about the same time every year no matter how early we think its going to start, its called wishful thinking      

With the big guy tonight...he smelled my mock scrape and blew (snorted).  He blew about 3 more times then bedded about 35 yards from me.  The does came back and bedded down near him.
Seems like they wanted to hang with that dominant buck.


He blew about 16 times in about 3 minutes.

I think he wanted to fight the buck that made that scrape.     :D  

Too bad I didn't have a shot     :mad:

[Voodoofire1]

Rob, was that in the lower field? wanted to come up last night, but I've been intensely working with a neighbor who has some health probs that wants to take a deer with a bow before his next surgery in nov. may come up this evening, and this weekend to my usual spot, got a climber too, been practicing climbing with it and believe it or not I feel relatively safe, talk with you soon,Steve

[Marblesonac]

No, north end of woods, west of big field.

This guy wasn't the one you saw last year.  No drop tines.  This guy was at least an 8 maybe ten point if he had brow tines (couldn't see if he had them).  Heavy beams, way outside ears, way tall tines...

[Voodoofire1]

Rob, may not make it up this weekend,maybe monday..... on my way to 1812, I bought an old wood and glass canoe, with ribs and everything, real nice shape too, always wanted one, couldn't turn it down for a buck and a half....  

[Marblesonac]

PM'd you.