What's your take on this years Rut.

[Black Squirrel]

I would like to know what everybody's thoughts are on this years rut, particularly the north. I hunt WI, and there just doesn't seem to be the action I'm use to seeing this time of year. Do you agree or disagree?

[DropTyne]

I agree, it just seems to be more elongated, less really crazy fast and furious action.

[solocam88]

Yeah it has been a weird year... The most action I saw was on Oct 30 the day I shot my buck, and I know a lot of people who saw a lot of movement that day or shot a buck that weekend.

[DropTyne]

Solo is right, that weekend was HOT! Lots of bucks down that weekend that were rutty.

[Dewey]

For me the action was great from Oct 28-Nov 2 and then everything just came to a complete halt. Can't explain it other than they went into lockdown with does... but you would think shortly after they would have been searching again.

[BackWoodsHunter]

Check out this article I found. Stating that based on moon phases the peak rut will be the latest it's ever been, or will be in our lifetimes, this year! States peak breeding will be the week of thanksgiving and the 22nd should be a hot day. Take it for what its worth I guess but the author has a PhD I do believe.

http://blogs.wisconsinoutdoorfun.com/bl ... chligblog/

[Dewey]

Check out this article I found. Stating that based on moon phases the peak rut will be the latest it's ever been, or will be in our lifetimes, this year! States peak breeding will be the week of thanksgiving and the 22nd should be a hot day. Take it for what its worth I guess but the author has a PhD I do believe.

http://blogs.wisconsinoutdoorfun.com/bl ... chligblog/

That's very interesting. I guess we will find out this weekend.

[Casper]

Suppose to be a late rut, but where did the bucks go? They had an explosion late Oct-early Nov...then almost nothing? Doesn't really make sense to me. I did see a mature buck on Friday chasing a doe around but thats been it the last 10 days. I hope some does are still coming into estrous this weekend.

[headgear]

In northern MN the standard hot rut dates appeared to be true to form (Nov 7 to 14). I shot a stinky buck on Nov 9, and saw 3 mature does on the move Nov 12. I think they does could have actually be tracking down a mature buck, they were on a big track with their heads down. I had never seen anything like it before, it was hard to believe one of them wasn't a buck the way they were acting.

I use to write off the Alsheimer Moon theory is a little BS but after seeing a lot of bucks shot the end of Oct and see a mature buck on a hot doe during that stretch there might be something there but I would be hard pressed to call it the peak of the rut that early or late. I am starting to wonder if the moon can bring more does into heat during a certain time period and heat things up a little.

[Dor]

MN was right on que.
KS was later this year based on my experiences.

[DevinJD2007]

Most does that I have seen at our land (SW Wisconsin) still have fawns with them not all but alot of them. Leading me to believe they have not come into estrous yet... So I'm hoping great things are still yet to come! Although Halloween weekend there was some intense action like everyone else has mentioned.

[Indianahunter]

Action seems to be hot and cold over night around here as well. I know of more great bucks being taken this year by more people that I know then any other year, but everyone has said the same about the rut. There just seems to be small bursts of hot action and then dead.
I like many will not let the moon decide when I will or will not hunt but the more closely I watch this the more interesting the correlations are between predictions and action. We may never know in this life but it is fun to learn. I am going to keep at it. I have my last vacation day scheduled for this Friday and I am going to pull and all day sit Lord willing.

[BackWoodsHunter]

the article I posted was clearly a waste because it went ignored however the guy stated in there we would see a spike in activity around halloween then a die down then the week of thanksgiving would be peak breeding and the 22nd would be a hot hot date
ill try again

http://blogs.wisconsinoutdoorfun.com/bl ... chligblog/

[Indianahunter]

the article I posted was clearly a waste because it went ignored however the guy stated in there we would see a spike in activity around halloween then a die down then the week of thanksgiving would be peak breeding and the 22nd would be a hot hot date
ill try again

http://blogs.wisconsinoutdoorfun.com/bl ... chligblog/

Hey buddy it wasn't ignored, I read it and appreciated the post very much. That's what I am saying,I am amazed at how precise it seems to be and I definitely think there is something to it. The only reason that I won't take time off that I can schedule based on the moon is that I have had the predictions fail as often as they work. Like I said I think there is something to it but I think there are factors that can't be calculated that even scientist confess. Hunting Pressure, Crazy weather, and I personally think geographic location. I have seen where guys in Iowa will say things are hot as suggested by the published dates and here in Indiana it just isn't happening yet and sometimes by a week or more. So how does one calculate the difference in location? I don't know, but I do know that all the deer in the country are seeing the same moon phase at the same time just within a few hours of one another. I love this topic and will continue to follow this explorative science as long as there are biologists publishing documentation. Anyway, thanks again for the post and if you run across anymore please let us know.

[BackWoodsHunter]

Ya the moons are a wild thing and the difference in rut activity between the north and south halves of the state is usually quite a difference let alone across different states. I invest little in the moon phases bcause its not something I easily understand and quite frankly like to spend as much time as possible in the woods whether the moon says I should or not! I am just amazed at how accurate the article by this guy is! All the reports seem to mirror what he has predicted...its freaky!! (just like the big buck I'm shooting saturday!)