I just had 2 large Does run into the yard looking every direction. I thought the Coyotes were around but nope, in came a 6 point buck chasing them. He ran them out into the swamp. Last I saw, he was hot on their trail.
This is in Eden Prairie, so hopefully it’s started up north.
Jo
Nope… all the deer moved south of St Cloud. None left round here at all. 
Actually they are really moving at night. Should be a great hunt. Good Luck
Lots of new scrapes opening up and quite a few new rubs. I did see a 6 pointer pushing a doe around out in a bean field on Saturday.
still early but the little ones are getting pretty frisky. I was out over the weekend and rattled, two 1 1/2 yr olds came to my tree on a string. to me the rut is like a college bar on a Saturday night:
Now – around 10:00 pm, the first time bar goers are running around trying to buy the girls drinks
This weekend 12:00-1:00 am – getting later in the night, older boys are starting to show up, a lot of sizing up going on, fights break out.
First weekend in Nov 1:00-1:30 – Almost bar time, guys are scrambling around trying to find their hook up for the night, more fights, girls are buying their last round
Second weekend in November 2:00 am BINGO – Bar time – girls and guys are hooked up, mother nature is taking care of business in their own little hideaways
3rd week November – After bar and the one drunk girl has made it known she is looking for action and is being followed by 4 guys
Thanksgiving – 90% of the gals are taken care of and it’s back to family time while the guys still have a little stupid to them
be safe everyone! ’tis the season
ive used that description before near verbatim, Pete.
Saturday morning I was just getting set up and I hear grunting. 2 small bucks came thru chasing 4 or 5 does. I thought to myself, the young ones are getting going. 10 minutes later a doe and fawn come blasting thru, right behind them were 2 of the shooters on our farm. Both ran 15 yards from my stand, but no shot op for me.
May have been just a flash in the pan as that was it for chasing the rest of the weekend. I am at the farm all next week, so it can start up again any time now… 
I’ve been following another post on F/B – Wisconsin Outdoorsman, and I’ve been seeing a trend with rut activity and deer density. In very general terms, central WI hits heavy rut activity usually around the last week of Oct. However, it seems like in areas with higher deer population densities, it begins sooner.
As an example, the population has really rebounded at my farm (northern Richland County, WI) and its common to have 12-20+ does/fawns in my field at a time. Back on Oct 6th during the youth hunt, we had bucks fighting, bucks working scrapes, and watched a buck breed a doe. 6 days later, it was like flipping a switch on my trail cams that cover passage routes from bedding areas primarily used by bucks to bedding areas used by does. All summer I averaged about 2 pics every 4 or 5 days. beginning Oct 12th, it went to 15 to 30 pics a day. Plus seeing bucks I had no pics of prior.
In contrast to this, friends just 40 miles away have just seen their first scrape and bucks are still running together as of this last weekend.
Supposed to early this year based off the moon theory. Time will tell.
I bet peak rut is around the middle of November just like it is every year. Right now is a good time to do a little grunting or rattling tho as bucks should be staking out claim of areas/dominance
Peak of the rut is dictated by length of day. That day usually occurs sometime during the first week of November. Other factors include local weather patterns, temperature, and moon phases.
Agreed Randy, the areas with high deer density and especially high doe to buck numbers will have a sooner start and last longer, but at the same time might not be a strong or aggressive activity. The bucks tend to get very worn down in these areas.
i was up in northern minnesota over the past weekend and the only sign i seen was 1 rub. the scrapes i seen last weekend of sept where all covered with leaves,
I’ve been hunting pretty hard. Haven’t seen much for chasing down here in SE MN yet.
It’s just about time to sit your best stands every chance you get!
I was scouting last weekend and didn’t see the chase yet but fresh scrapes everywhere & the landowner says to get bonus tags ,he predicts a fantastic hunt. I can’t wait!
Haven’t been able to get out yet this year, but hoping to take off work two days before gun opener to whack one with the bow up near Leech Lake…hopefully they will be ruttin hard. I will be sitting all day with my lunch!
Lots of miles put in on our land in Grand Rapids the last few weeks with very little sign of scrape and rubs compared to this time of year in the past. A few bucks on camera (during the day out by my stand), local does (with yearlings) with plenty of yotes and wolves running around also. Darn bears finally showed up the last two weeks, of course after the season is done.
Between Sunday and Monday I saw three very large bucks at different times and locations crossing wide open picked bean fields during the day. One of these guys would have challenged a scorer for BC or PY and ironically was the closest to the road with nose to the dirt and trotting out of the field and across the highway never once breaking stride or looking. Sure had his thoughts on something other than safety.
Between Sunday and Monday I saw three very large bucks at different times and locations crossing wide open picked bean fields during the day. One of these guys would have challenged a scorer for BC or PY and ironically was the closest to the road with nose to the dirt and trotting out of the field and across the highway never once breaking stride or looking. Sure had his thoughts on something other than safety.
like you Tom in your younger days!!!!!!! 
seems to be the story all over……….rut just starting!!!!!!!
They are ramping up! Last two nights in the stand I had smaller bucks fighting for a good 20mins. Lot of grunting and chasing starting to happen. Had one large buck right at shooting light but he was in thick cover chasing a doe.
The weather will be cooperating this year, should be a good couple weeks! Buckle up!
The past 2 weeks, I’ve seen a ramp-up of bucks chasing and checking does. Last weekend, we had one buck called Julius in a plot with 7 does and he was clearly looking for a particular doe. He went from doe to doe, only to be pushed off by each one in succession.
I’ve tried rattling to see if I could stir up Brutus Beefcake and get him to amble over, but no luck as of yet.
Grouse
like you Tom in your younger days!!!!!!!
I’m still young….or so the Doc says.
I haven’t seen a buck at work for quite awhile, then saw a little basket 6 yesterday and a decent 8 pointer today, both chasing does. Should be a crazy weekend!
Hoping to be in the stand Wed evening thru rifle opener weekend with the bow…i don’t feel like donating another astronomical fee to buy a rifle license.
Hoping to be in the stand Wed evening thru rifle opener weekend with the bow…i don’t feel like donating another astronomical fee to buy a rifle license.
I’ve thought of doing that, but mainly bc I prefer the challenge of a bow. But I just bought my license and a bonus tag for $54, I wouldn’t call that astronomical, unless you also faint when filling up the truck and boat! 
True. I just wish for us hunters in a one deer only zone, we could buy an archery tag and if we don’t fill it, transfer it to a rifle tag. Better yet i would LOVE if we could shoot one deer with an archery tag and one with a rifle tag. But that might be a better conversation for a different thread.
Anyway i will post what i see in the woods as much as i can this week. I plan on grunting a lot and maybe a couple little rattles
Bucks in Stevens Point area are in full swing. Just watched a 150in buck breed a doe 25yds off the road.
North WI (Mason & Barnes area) starting to heat up, had a basket 8 try to mount my decoy Sunday. He really looked surprised when she fell over. Starting to hit the scrape lines, big ones still nocturnal.
There in rut in the metro. Saw a huge buck working a scrape line today. I’m still convinced the south and west metro holds the largest bucks in the state.
Just had 4 shooter bucks come running by my office in Eden Prairie including one absolute brute.
This was the biggest of the 4 and would be about 170-180” I’d guess. Picture doesn’t really do it justice.
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