2017 Rut

How do you all think the weather has affected rut this year...? I took all my vacation off work... 4 weeks... and I've hunted everyday all day passed 3 weekends and 2 weeks of week days inbetween except 2 days because of serious rain today being one of those days.... and let me tell you... First week I prolly took pics and video of over 40 deer walking passed or under my stand on public land. All I hunt is public land and I don't shoot does or small bucks. I just wait for a big one and film and take pics of everything else.. but first week I had deer everywhere... then my buddy shot a 140inch 10 point october 24th same day I passed up 8 does I video taped all within 15 yards of my stand... One of which I filmed for almost 2 hours eating acorns within 5 yards of base of my tree. We had a cold front that day... and by thursday 2 days later... I was seeing more hunters then deer. I did happen to pass up a 110inch 8 point that was chasing a doe while I was sitting on ground... Doe got literally 7-8 feet away and buck was 5 yards. Let him walk was too small. Then I had a spike chasing a doe the next day which of coarse I let walk and only filmed. Seen them chasing does october 28th and 29th.... now we've had horrible weather and I'm not seeing any deer hardly. More hunters then deer. I sat in my climber all day on public land yesterday sunrise to sunset... my buddy also hunted same woods that day... neither one of us seen a single deer... Only another hunter... So you all think rut this year is being affected by the weather... all the rain... humidity...and warm temps... or is it just the hunting pressure on the public land I'm hunting..? I know I've passed up well over 50 shots on deer this archery season mostly last week of october. Now november hits.. should be prime time... but I'm barely seeing crap. I've not even seen a single shooter yet myself that was 140inches+. Heck biggest Ive seen was 110 inches. And every year I kill a 130s to 140s+ on the public ground I hunt. Whats goin on with the deer this rut??? Weather???

I'd say it's due to pressure. Where I'm at it hasn't amped up yet if I had to guess I'd say the next week is gonna get real hot and heavy. Good luck to everyone out there!!

Normal year with the usual ebb and flow of activity. The real chase phase is yet to come, like clockwork. This cold front should light up the daytime activity over the next week.

I hope it holds off another 5 days ...lol... Vacation #2 starts Friday the 10th ... 9 days .... Ive got my Doe out of the way, killed a 115lb Doe Friday afternoon to end vacation #1.... nothing like fresh burger !!

Agreed that temperatures have an effect on how much & when the deer move, however, the actual rut (i.e. the breeding) is triggered by the length of daylight. The peak of the rut should now be starting. Keep the faith. You are definitely doing the right thing.... putting in time afield. It's all about being at the right place at the right time. I've never shot a deer from my couch. Good luck!!

I'd say the weather is playing a major factor. Yes I'm still considered youth and a young deer hunter but I've been putting it all together for awhile now. I saw a good amount of deer during all of October, and last weekend (last weekend of Oct) when that cold front came in I saw a good amount of deer and a super nice buck - just didn't connect and make it happen. This past week held higher temps and then the storms this weekend kind of crushed it all so yes I think the weather makes them tuck up and stay out of our sight (at least with the weather like we've had - hotter temps and rain and storms) but now this week is settling down good and super cold temps are arriving. It should be getting good and we ought to be in for a show.

Saw a buck following a doe during hard storm on Sunday morning at 7:50am right after horrible rain downpour. Middle of the field, very obvious rut is on.

Movement at 8:30-9:00 and 3:30-4pm but not much any other time that I've seen.

Public Land.

Saw 8 different bucks tonight, all cruising. All immature 1.5 to 3.5 yr old bucks. The yearlings were making some short premature chases on does that they happened to get close to. No real chasing activity yet.

saw some chasing yesterday in Fountain county. No big ones though...

Bucks are moving today. Saw 5 bucks so far this morning, couple of pretty nice ones. They are on their feet looking now. I will be on stand the rest of the day.

Saw a big old buck this morning in front of the house. Will be getting out there after school

passed two 1.5 year olds today. Saw what looked to be a 2.5 year old cruising....

I rattled in a very strange buck last night. It's right side antler was normal/typical however its left side antler was just the main beam and went down along side of its face under its chin. Smaller buck and immature

Been slow the last few days in the south. Not much movement at all. Talked to several hunters that haven't seen much lately either, hunting forestry ground mostly. East wind in the morning so time for a location change, maybe they'll be moving there. Passed a pretty decent eight point a week ago tonight and haven't seen anything close since. Did see 2 small bucks cruising on tonight's sit. Good luck in the morning y'all

Friday I slept in after some long hours at work got in the tree about 12:15pm... at 1:35 had a pretty 7 point push a big Doe past me, not quite what I want, buck wise, could have killed him a half dozen times.......sat out Sat. till 11:30 am and only saw two does right behind me and some Toms Gobbling (I guess they will gobble during the fall too) ... nice and cold, 23 degree's at sunrise, sharp E/SE wind... didnt go out today(Rain )rest/recoup, I'll hit it all day tomorrow.... N/NW winds ... I'll go back to the tree I killed the big doe out of .. might do an all day sit, unless I change locations for the PM ... I'll see how my back feels .... it will be a 4-5 Aleve day ...

Kicked up a bit this weekend around willow slough. I've seen more than usual. 5min left on Saturday and 3 walking down the middle of the road like the scene in reservoir dogs.

3 out in the field Sunday morning - lots of scrapes, huge rubs made between 10am and 2pm (weren't there in the AM). Watched a buck court a doe, full-on breeding behavior.

I was at full draw for a solid minute, then decided it was too risky.

It was just nutty this weekend.

Well guys I got it done!! November 7th I self filmed my public land harvest on a big ol swamp donkey... 22 inch spread 215 lbs dressed 9 pointer at 12:30pm and he was on a hot doe. So glad I didnt get down b4 noon for lunch!!! So many deer I passed up and it was worth it. Then today and yesterday I was in versailles state park on my drawn deer reduction hunt. Yesterday heard a lot of shots but didnt see one deer. But today... seen the same buck 4 times... the 4th time was 2 hours after hearing 2 close shots. When I seen him this time someone had shot leg in half and antler in half. But when he came by me limpin 2 hours after the shots I put him down the right way with a heart shot. He piled up 50 yards. So on my extra drawn state park reduction buck tag... I got another descent buck!! A nice dnr officer and park ranger at the park helped me drag him out and got him rest of way with their utv. Was very thankful. Was goin to be one heck of a drag. They told me it was the biggest one they seen taken there this weekend. Man I'll tell ya... after this weeks success Im rollin in venison and horns!!! If someone lets me know how to post pics I'll post pics of my state tag buck and my drawn state park reduction extra buck.

Congrats bowhunter, way to go. Your persistence paid off!!!

Nice congrats!