Alsheimer or Rue?

[NEW61375]

Nov 1 2008



Killed this buck after he responded to rattling and grunting sequences.  Prior to this day I had seen lots of scraping/rubbing and bucks generally acting a bit more aggressive but this guy came in looking for a fight, first time I've ever been snort wheezed at. 



Nov 8 2008
Not a monster but killed him in broad daylight working a scrapeline I had loaded with doe pee the evening before.  My 7 yr old was with me and it was a cool hunt.  Seeing more single does and some bucks getting after does in the fields.




Nov. 11 2008
Saw this buck at 2:00 in the afternoon in the middle of a bean field with a doe(not chasing her, tending her) on Nov. 10.  He never got closer than 130 yards which is a little out of my range with my bp.  Came back Nov. 11 with my brother and my good friend Matt and set up in the same area shortly after light, the doe came out about 09:30 he came out right behind her.  We had set up a pretty good perimeter around the field and she ended up leading him right past Matt who dropped him at 80 yards.  His tarsals and legs were completely black and sticky/stinking.
 




My other buddy hunted the same field that evening when a doe came out with a basket 5 pointer (no brow tines) right on her trail grunting the whole way, feeding and bedding in the field until he dropped the buck.  Sorry no pics of that one.

In summary I'll stick with the dates I posted earlier on pg 2.  [;)][:D]

We have some warm windy wet weather in store for this weekend but should be clearing by Sunday with a cold front hitting that night as well, so I look for the beginning of the week to be exciting as well.  I wish Sunday hunting was legal in VA because when that rain and wind finally blow out I think the deer are going to be antsy.

[JPH]

NEW61375, you are having an awesome season!

Why don't you post those on the "Post your 2008 Harvest pics." thread? it's down in the "Photo Corner" forum.

[buckfarmdude]

Goin with Alsheimer on this one. 

[Jawbone]

Now that this thread has been open long enough for us to see what would happen it appears they're both right so far.  I noticed lots of seeking by 1.5's late Oct. and early Nov.   But since then I haven't witnessed any chasing by mature deer.  On 11/12, I was on my way home from work, which is a 30 minute ride, and my jaw about hit the steering wheel when I saw not only 1, not 2, but 3 sets of larger bucks with does that had that classic appearance of being locked down out in the middle of wide open fields.  The does were casually eating while the bucks stared intently.
So far It seems I would side entirely with LLR, but not just yet.  I have more hours on stand than a family man probably should, so based on what I'm seeing on stand I would agree with CA.  I have seen very little scraping or rubbing especially by mature deer, and I haven't seen a mature doe with any sort of love about her.  No onlookers, no followers, no interest in general.  You'd almost think this was the Oct. lull.  With exception to some early does those before mentioned bucks found, it appears the best is yet to come, which would make CA rite.

[Goose]

Jawbone I think your right on with your post and I agree from what ive seen and observed so far with over 100 hrs on stand so far. Funny you say that because I told my dad a couple of hours ago that its like hunting the lull!

[buckhunter21]

I agree.  This is unlike any rut that I've ever hunted.  Very strange...

[JOEL]

in NY its been hot in the 60's

[Gafrage]

Alright kids, the verdict is in.  At least in central WI.  C. Alsheimer is the winner here.  I said I would wait until December, but the majority of the breeding part of the rut hasn't even started here.  From what I've witnessed, as well as other hunters around my area.  Deer are responding, but mostly still cruising.  Unless the does around my area are like most women I've encountered in my lifetime(stubborn and playing hard to get), the breeding phase of the rut has yet to occur.  Something else of interesting note.  If C. Alsheimer is truly right, I think he might have stumbled on to a Meteorological find that some might have overlooked for years.  Granted the breeding phase has to do with the shortening of days, the temperatures as well.  The weird thing that I've noticed, and looked back on, is that there have been warmer days as many as 4 days after the 2nd full moon after the autumn equinox, then the cold hits WI like a brick wall.  If this has something to do with the temperatures, you can pretty much bet on the indian summers continuing at least up to the 2nd full moon, or even a few days past it.  Crazy, but possibly very true.  Something that the weather channel should look into .


Edit:  Forgot to mention, the rubbing and scraping is just picking up around my area.  The last 2 nights, 14th and 15th have shown a large increase in both.  Which leads me to believe, that it (breeding) has yet to happen, plus what I've seen driving around late at night, the mature bucks are starting to push does, but none of the does I witnessed were interested at all.

[Jawbone]

In my earlier post I mentioned all those bucks that appeared to be locked down, well on may way to my spot last night I saw another.   And while on stand I saw a fawn with no doe and usually u could set your watch 2 these gals.  I think momma was in the thicket gettin it!!! 

A friend of mine who's a bowhuntin freakazoid like the rest of us,(maybe worse cuz he's single), claims everythings wrapping up just like normal.  He's been on vacation since the last week of Oct. and took a great buck 1st week in Nov.  In our area they give an additional buck tag for every doe u shoot to combat the CWD, so he's just sittin around waiting for a giant.  This guy is the real thing when it comes to experience and closing the deal.  Put it this way, when he talks I listen just as I would to LLR or CA.

[JPH]

After just under 80 hrs in the stand I remain a devotee of LLR. Again, all due respect to CA and what he adds to the deer hunting world.

LLR contended that the majority of does in the North will breed b/t Nov. 10-17 and I have seen no reason to doubt it. I have seen seeking/chasing behavior since Nov. 1 and I have seen bucks bedding w/ does on Nov. 10 & 12.

Again, I think that we all agree (LLR & CA included) that the behavior overlaps and we only see snap shots. The question is, when does breeding peak? My thought is that we are just begining to come out of that. But it's not over