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Post by leexrayshady on Jul 24, 2017 21:19:55 GMT -6
what do you think is the rut based on the moon or the change in daylight hours?
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Post by biglakebass on Jul 24, 2017 21:23:29 GMT -6
In MN, its based on the insanity that happens in the midst of our rifle season. Ugh.....
I have not seen "normal" rut activity for umpteen years.
Nothing but the older bucks on cam in the middle of the night.
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Post by sd51555 on Jul 24, 2017 21:24:06 GMT -6
Day length. That moon stuff is for euphorians.
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Post by Reagan on Jul 25, 2017 5:52:35 GMT -6
The sweet spot will be Nov 2-12th! That guy is a fucking genius!
I took vacation starting November 6th and I didn't even check a moon chart. If course if it's like last year and averages 75 degrees during my vacation, that will Trump everything.
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Post by sd51555 on Jul 25, 2017 5:59:19 GMT -6
The sweet spot will be Nov 2-12th! That guy is a fucking genius! I took vacation starting November 6th and I didn't even check a moon chart. If course if it's like last year and averages 75 degrees during my vacation, that will Trump everything. I haven't seen hardly any rut activity on stand in ten years. When I bought my new property, it was completely neglected and untouched by humans since the previous hunting season. I hung a cam my first visit in, and the bucks were nocturnal in July. Once opening day hits, and the bomb of foreign deer piss, bacon, coffee breath, and "cover" scents hit the woods, it all changes. I've become of a big fan of doing nothing while on stand. No grunts, no scents, piss, nothing. I take the tact of my spot being the one place that hasn't completely morphed overnight from a stimulation perspective. |
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Post by badbrad on Jul 25, 2017 6:08:54 GMT -6
I agree with you guys it sucks and this means nothing to the Sota guys due to rifle season being right during the rut. For the Sconnie guys it might means something however likely not nearly as much as weather.
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Post by Reagan on Jul 25, 2017 6:19:08 GMT -6
We do see rut action. But Charlie doesn't mean anything to me. I have seen good buck movement anytime from Halloween thru all of November. Weather drives a lot of it. And if a doe near you happens to be hot that day, then that is a good day. The moon means nothing.
The best action I saw last year was the day before thanksgiving. It was the first time I got in a tree and it was cold. Two different hot does were being tended near me. One across a small river and one just out of range.
I also try to be the quietest safest spot in the woods. No scent, rattling or anything else. I trust my spot and hope for the best. I do keep a call in my pocket for a Hail Mary if a buck is going to pass out of range. I never blindly call.
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Post by jbird on Jul 25, 2017 10:56:00 GMT -6
The rut - is a process. Here it really starts about Halloween. You will see an increase in bucks looking for does but the does won't be ready yet. The bucks are just keeping tabs on things and they tend to be younger bucks. You may find an older doe that is ready early and that can get real interesting when she is the only one ready as it seems every buck within a mile knows about it! Actual chasing and breeding will peak or so about mid to the second half of November. This happens every year and has for the decade or more I have been deer hunting. The moon and the amount of light it creates can affect what we see as hunters but hot, cold, rain or drought, full moon or no moon, the deer are going to breed within the same relative time frame here come hell or high water! I personally think it's a photo-period thing and the moon simply affects what we see as hunters. Some like full moons some don't I think it can affect feeding patterns which as a result can affect when the deer are active and thus what activity we see while on stand. Just like adverse weather can affect what we see....doesn't mean the deer still are not doing what they do.
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Post by smsmith on Jul 25, 2017 11:04:49 GMT -6
In MN, its based on the insanity that happens in the midst of our rifle season. Ugh..... I have not seen "normal" rut activity for umpteen years. Nothing but the older bucks on cam in the middle of the night. The longer I hunt in MN the more convinced I am that the best bet to tag a mature buck is by hunting cold fronts in October. Either that or muzzle loader season watching a bean plot with bad weather on the way. Regular firearm season is just a huge crapshoot. Come Sunday a.m...any mature buck with an ounce of common sense is laying low in the thickest shit they can find all day long. |
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Post by biglakebass on Jul 25, 2017 11:43:02 GMT -6
I have proof of 10+ years on trail camera.
There isnt a damn mature buck on foot in daylight until late winter once the gun season arrives.
Its not much better prior to that either, the nocturnal ways start around Oct 1, but after about Nov 1, good luck. Only mature buck you are gonna see is one that was kicked out of a swamp. I have not seen natural rutting during gun season in well over 10+ years. Pretty boring days to be honest.
When I was a kid, I remember several occasions watching bucks actively chasing does. I had a buck and doe lock down 50 yds from me one year. Its just fun to watch.
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Post by smsmith on Jul 25, 2017 11:48:33 GMT -6
I had at least 4, and I think 5 different bucks chasing a doe two years ago on opening Saturday (shot a 2.5 year old 8 pointer). I get some chasing right at the end of shooting hours most years in my creek bottom....but they aren't mature bucks doing the chasing.
I do get mature bucks moving during shooting hours in September and October, so there must be less pressure around here
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Post by wklman on Jul 25, 2017 15:13:21 GMT -6
I've seen rutting activity all throughout rifle season. I shot my second biggest buck(a nice 3 yr old) in the middle of the week during rifle a few years back. caught him cruising for does 7:30 in the morning.
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Post by jbird on Jul 25, 2017 18:23:56 GMT -6
All 3 bucks on my wall (though they are not that impressive) all died because they followed their pecker! Every one of them! When the rut is on, I watch the body language of the does. They keep looking back behind them.....I know he is back in there somewhere. 2nd half of november I have the food....as such I have a few does....and horny boys do dumb things!!!! I count on this very fact every year. I don't have the depth of cover to have the older bucks bed on my place....as such I have to develop a plan to bring them to me. Yes other hunters get a crack at them along the way.....nothing I can do about that. I can;t change the world so I have to work with what I have.
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Post by coop on Jul 25, 2017 21:53:28 GMT -6
In MN, its based on the insanity that happens in the midst of our rifle season. Ugh..... I have not seen "normal" rut activity for umpteen years. Nothing but the older bucks on cam in the middle of the night. The longer I hunt in MN the more convinced I am that the best bet to tag a mature buck is by hunting cold fronts in October. There's typically 1 maybe 2 October days when I get day-light pics of mature bucks. Seems like the ingredients require a couple days of shitty windy weather followed by cold & still. |
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Post by Catscratch on Jul 26, 2017 4:57:59 GMT -6
Rut happens same time every yr regardless of moon, weather, fronts, food, or pressure. If a hot doe comes by you just got lucky with your chances to drain a big buck.
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