Phase of the Rut

I’m just wondering what phase of the rut other hunters think that we’re in? I’m hunting in the Jackson/ La Crosse county area and have seen some chasing but not much for hardcore activity yet. I did see a half-rack pushing a doe around last night, but that was it. Anyone else having other experiences?

I’m seeing things in FULL swing right now. Some area’s more than others, but I feel it’s on.

I’ve hunted the past 3 days here in the Twin Cities, and I would say that we have now hit the chase phase big time!!!

On Tuesday evening I had a Spike chase 3 does around me, a 120″ 8pt bird dog two does past my stand as well as 160″ 10 pointer come past me at 60 yards chasing a doe!

Wednesday morning was a day for the books to say the least. Saw 12 different bucks before 9am, including 3-4 shooters. 3 of the shooters were more than 60yds out, and the other was the biggest bodied deer of them all but I could not make out a rack at 10yds cause it was still too dark. Needless to say I saw 5 bucks chase 1 doe across a oak ridge and boy did they put on a show!!!

Chase phase. I don’t think any are breeding yet and the best is yet to come. Little dink bucks are acting a fool, but most of the bigger bucks seem to be snooping but not yet in retardation mode. Good time to be out but I look foward to another week or two from now.

I wish I knew what phase they were in…I was in “wedding phase” last weekend, “work phase” all this week! I will be getting out tomorrow afternoon for the weekend though! Then I’ll be in the “hunting phase” again! To me it doesn’t matter what phase of the rut it is right now, a guy should be sitting all day now!

It is hard to determine that for all areas and have themall be the same. It can very from farm to farm much less County to County, IMO.

I agree Lip. In Tremealeau County I’ve been seeing quality buck movement since mid October (that’s when I could get back to start hunting). I’m happy to say that our QDM is paying off also – my sightings of bucks to does is 5 to 1!!! Been seeing shooter bucks every morning between 8 & 10. Limited movement on the very windy days…
Good luck all!!!

I’d agree w/ that… I’ve been comparing notes w/ buddies from different areas. It’s interesting to see the variation…

I agree Aron, thats the way it seems down here too. The other guy thats hunting the same land thinks it will be sometime in later November where its hot and heavy. Im thinking a couple small snowfalls and it sould be intense by then.

buck to doe ratio is huge when it comes to it especially area to area Ive seen a lot of cruising but not w/ does, well at least mature bucks haven’t been cruising w/ does unless they are on lock down w/ them

Can anyone tell me what stage that is: When a buck is looking for does, but not w/ them, some fighting, and some scraping?? Is this the “chasing” or “primary” rut??

IMO, every single buck is in a different phase every day at different times of the day. Each sighting make you think one thing or another. IMO as a whole, things are just heating up some now.
The hardest time is yet to come. When the first does do go into heat it seems as though the buck sightings drop way down and you’d swear there is something wrong but in reality all the smarter, older bucks found their estrous does and are locked down. This can last a week or two with minimal action. What I like is when most does have been bred and the studs start to really cover ground to try to hook up with any last un bred girls. Thats when I think the real big bucks show their weakness and travel out of their comfort zones.

Thats why I like to wait until the first few snows come around. The older does have been bred and the moisture on the ground helps the bucks track any does that might be coming in to estrous. When you see a buck with his nose to the ground after a wet 1″ snow that melts the next day it looks like a bloodhound tracking. As soon as they breed the first does they look for more and the scent from the wet ground really sets them on fire. They are looking hard befor the first snows hit the ground but after it snows it leaves scent everywhere because of the moisture and a bucks nose picks up anything they have run across in the last couple days and hes primed. After the bucks know the does are in heat and after they have had thier first hot tail and shes done they look hard. The moisture helps them track any does. Anyway I like to wait until I can hang a deer in the garage to let it cure for a week so it dosen’t spoil, at that time I think huntings the best, here anyway.

Good luck with that hunting after getting hitched,the longer your married the less ya get to hunt.well anyways good luck.I just thought of something ,who the heck gets married during the start of prime time.LOL

Honestly IMO in the SE part of MN we are about 2-4 days in to the real deal rut, depending on exactly where you are. In Dodge County I have seen 3 bucks tending does, and I mean, not letting the doe out of sight, bedding in picked bean field draws and saddles: mounting, sniffing, humping you name it… behavior that only means rut. I have seen bucks chasing heavily, I have seen does with the tail out peeing into scrapes. isolated buck and doe groups in the WW WMA that shack up 500 yards into a picked corn field. Also a small buck with 2 does, I’m going 1st firearms season due to the activity over the last 4 days. We got that 1″ of snow on the ground today, i think it’ll be gone soon. Seeking, chasin, whatever you call it it’s rut & asts about 7-10 days so get to your stands in the next week, cause I’m betting we’re on the tail end of the rut by next thursday/ friday.