The rut is ramping up nearly everywhere, just as Charles Alsheimer and Wayne Laroche predicted in this year’s annual D&DH Whitetail Rut Predictions. Here is Charlie’s report from earlier tonight:
"As I’ve mentioned in past years our research deer are able to tell me when the rut is kicking in…..though it is always slow at first. Anyway, this year our bucks began walking our enclosure’s fence line (one mile in length) the afternoon of November 3rd. Now, two days later they have a very noticable path created around the inside of the fence. On November 1st I began seeing what I call aggressive "paw" scrapes at various places around the outside of the fence (about 3-6 feet from the fence). These are made when a wild buck and a buck inside the enclosure show aggression toward each other. It’s pretty impressive to witness and on two occassions in the 16 years we’ve had our facility one of our bucks has actually fought a wild buck through the fence. As a side note, prior to 11/3 my bucks were doing absolutely nothing…….no walking around, just eating and bedding with no interest in doing anything else. Now I’ll have to put on my track shoes to keep up with them.
How are things going in your area?
I have seen the rut’s been going on for a few weeks in Virginia.
Opening day under our belt and the rut finally seems on, several fat necked bucks came in to my deer cutter in Sullivan county. We saw decent action at our club property in Delaware county. Took my buck with his head down on the prowel. Only a week or two ago, very little activity. Duchess county was absolutly dead in the last few weeks.
as of today 11/18/11 the rut seemss non excistint in western MA. no scraping, very few sightings. It’s very dissapointing
I just got back from a 4 day hunt in north central NE and the bucks were chasing even though the temps were a little too warm. My brother and I both shot bucks that were chasing does. One shot in late afternoon with temps in the 50′s and the other one shot two days later temps in the low 40′s.
I hunted the 11th, 12th, 13th. Although I am seeing plenty of does and bucks along with lots of scrapes and rubs popping up; I have yet to see any chasing. And the younger bucks still seem to be hanging around each other. No movement between 10am and 3pm. East Central Iowa.
Been hunting hard in NY’s nouthern zone (Dutchess Co) & over the border in CT (Litchfield Co) It has been a SLOW season to say the least. Saw some chasing from the road side (Tuesday 11/08) on my morning work commute so I took last Thursday/Friday off to hunt … 20 hours on stand in 2 days (11/10&11/11) with no buck sightings and little doe movement…woods are void of buck sign …. No acorns and very few beech or hickory nuts this year in my hunting areas – I think this has alot to do with the lack of deer.
I’m hoping things change this week as it’s the last week of archery and my final 2 vacation days for the year are being used this Thursday & Friday!
The rut is slow coming in so. illinois, but it’s on the way. I’ve seen changes the last few days.
albany county ny area – quite a few dead deer on the roads in suburbia. they’re definetly on the move since the 7th ( 3 days B4 the full moon ) gotta figure they’re still chasing –
Hunted Nov.8, 9 & 10th west of East Tawas, MI. Lots of rain the 8th & morning of the 9th. Had NO sightings & only night activity on my trail cam. Had much more daylight activity 2 weeks ago.
My experience is similar to Joel Spring’s. Here in NW PA, I’ve seen several scrapes and rubs appear in the last few days, but have not had a buck encounter on stand yet. Does are plentiful in the area of my stand, but not moving in the daytime. My trail cameras show bucks and does moving at night, so I’m hopeful that things will turn on. The only problem is that they have to turn on tomorrow — it’s the last day of the PA archery season.
South East Michigan, Very slow speratic. The weather has not been the greatest though.Saw one 1.5 trailing a few does last week,No shooters.