The rut is on here,the boys are moving in the day.

We just had our first snowfall last night! Should be able to see nice tracks here!

Starting to see more action here too. The main rut may be over before gun season if it is like last year. I saw a lot of activity last year during our early doe season. Two weeks later I was gone on a cruise and missed the Black Powder hunt. When rifle season opened I couldn't see a buck. They stayed out of sight until Christmas. This year I have seen fawns almost as big as yearlings and others that won't weigh 30 pounds and have spots into mid-October.

Based on the road kill here in rural NE KS it's starting up as well...
Wife saw a buck crossing the road at 11 am the other day.

Had a camera on a crossing and had a doe with 3 bucks following her. My mail carrier said that he was seeing more buck activity also.

Our rut doesn't happen until after new year. Yes, you read that right.

Not here in NY. Not with 30 mph winds.

Shanghai McCoy said:

Based on the road kill here in rural NE KS it's starting up as well...
Wife saw a buck crossing the road at 11 am the other day.

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Its just starting in my neck of NE KS. Been seeing multiple bucks on the cam eating in harmony, one small scuffle, and one following a doe with his nose "magnetically" following her woo-hoo. Seeing a couple on the cam during the day, mostly night still.

BigBlue 94 said:

Its just starting in my neck of NE KS. Been seeing multiple bucks on the cam eating in harmony, one small scuffle, and one following a doe with his nose "magnetically" following her woo-hoo. Seeing a couple on the cam during the day, mostly night still.

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It's that "mostly night" part that keeps me alert in the early AM drive to work...

We are working at our farthest outlying farm . Driving home late the last two nights, the deer have been everywhere.
I have seen bucks chasing does, and cruising.
As always... the first weekend in November is a great time to be in the bow stand!
Good luck everyone!
With good luck, we could finish harvest today, i may be in the stand Saturday too!

Too bad the KS DWP sticks us rifle hunters with the end of the rut, in like 4 weeks. Bow hunters get all the love...

BigBlue 94 said:

Too bad the KS DWP sticks us rifle hunters with the end of the rut, in like 4 weeks. Bow hunters get all the love...

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Yep, what he said..

I got so excited after reading this thread. Then I went hunting, only to find out that the rut is not in yet in my neck of the woods. I’m kind of happy about that, though, because odds are good for a rutting gun season. That doesn’t happen but every six years or so.

Shanghai McCoy said:

It's that "mostly night" part that keeps me alert in the early AM drive to work...

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My bil pulled in around 1130 pm. I was standing outside having pulled in not to long before. And I hear something trotting down the road. His headlights lite up a huge 8 pointer strutting down our neighborhood. Wish I could get him. To many houses to close by even with archery.

It’s over 70 today. I did see a nice buck walk up my driveway Friday. And last night about 7 he ran down the driveway. Could just barely make out his white tail.

Gun season opened Saturday at our place in Texas. Bucks not even interested, feeding together and not even paying attention to does. First morning was good. Decided to take a big doe as the morning progressed and got warmer. Was just sitting fixing to go pick up the doe and I'll be darn if there wasn't old big 11 point standing there when I looked up. Took him as well. Funny thing is I never saw this guy on my cams First time in over 50 years I took 2 deer in one sitting...

JDeere said:

First time in over 50 years I took 2 deer in one sitting...

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I’ve done it a few times. I’d bet I’m not alone when I say I learned the hard way that it makes for WAY too much work if you’re cleaning them yourself. I’m not saying I wouldn’t do it again if conditions were right, but after the second or third time it gets easier to come to terms with letting them walk.

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courtgreene I agree and to much work getting it quartered and in the cooler. Now comes de-boning and packing for the freezer. I would have never done it if the Buck was not exceptional. There are many days I go out and just sit and watch and pass up a shot just because I don't want to clean it.

Yep...rut is on here too. The record 70+ degree heat has slowed them down considerably, especially during the day. Movement, has been for the most part has been dusk to dawn. Shot my bow buck yesterday morning at 6:45 A.M. and it was 60+ degrees. He was in the freezer by 2:00 P.M. The peak of rut in my area is always between Nov7 and the 9th. While I saw several bucks chasing does, nuttin' was really stupid like normal. The buck I shot was fully in rut and stunk like urine. His bladder was empty when I dressed him, which told me he had been freshening scrapes. His neck was swelled and his glands enlarged. Two days earlier I had watched him and a larger buck skirmish on a hilltop about a 1/4 mile away right before dark. While the warm weather made for a comfortable sit, it certainly didn't feel like I was hunting the rut here in Wisconsin.

JDeere said:

Gun season opened Saturday at our place in Texas. Bucks not even interested, feeding together and not even paying attention to does. First morning was good. Decided to take a big doe as the morning progressed and got warmer. Was just sitting fixing to go pick up the doe and I'll be darn if there wasn't old big 11 point standing there when I looked up. Took him as well. Funny thing is I never saw this guy on my cams First time in over 50 years I took 2 deer in one sitting...

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^^^^^

Depends on where you are in Texas as to whether there is much movement right now. In Deep East Texas bucks have been 'checking out' the Does since the last week in October but are just now actively pursuing them. This one stepped out late Saturday evening to check out some does that were on a small oat patch I had planted way back in the woods. But I've had video of him earlier 'most days' cruising through the area for the last two weeks.

In South Texas the rutting activity is MUCH later in the year (December normally).

10:04 am about a mile from the house a 120" buck in rhe picked beans looking back in treeline.

Dunno if he just crossed the road or was getting ready to cross.

BigBlue 94 said:

Too bad the KS DWP sticks us rifle hunters with the end of the rut, in like 4 weeks. Bow hunters get all the love...

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Same in NY