2016 Rut Reports

[DaHunter]

Lockdown already? Any reports from Michigan?

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[SamPotter]

Saw a buck chasing a doe this morning on the way to work.

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[JoeRE]

That is my problem right now.....can't find any does. They were like rats around here a month ago but seemed to disappear. Until I find them my rut hunts will be a bust.

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Yea that sounds familiar around here

Does get harassed so bad they get driven into really out of the way spots. A lot of normal doe bedding goes dead for the first two weeks of November around here. Sure some bucks still cruise through them but not as many as you might expect unless the does are still there. Its because we have so many 1, 2, and 3 year old bucks in the herd they go crazy at the start of the rut. Start looking at isolated pockets of cover and also the biggest thickest cover right now and hunt the rut funnels coming and going from those, for instance a lot of does hide from bucks in standing corn I think until it all comes out. They will return to some of those normal bedding areas toward the tail end of the rut, second half of November, when little bucks have lost interest but you can still catch a big boy prowling around.

[JoeRE]

As far as local update, I think there are just enough hot does already to tie up most of the biggest bucks.

Had a nice buck behind my house with a doe in heat last night...problem was I got home with about 10 minutes of daylight left. Thats what I was waiting for and my schedule didn't work out. Otherwise I would have had a chance to see if I can hit anything with my recurve - still have my landowners tag

[Treewalker87]

Anyone seeing action in Western NY? I plan on going out for all day sits Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Wondering if I should hop in my best rut stands (remote, downwind of dense doe bedding) this weekend or next weekend( 11-13th).

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[wmihunter]

Personally I have a hard time believing it's lockdown already

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[Swampthing]

Western MN had a nice 10 grunting and chasing a doe around me. Got to within about 40 yards from stand, util she ran away from him. He gave her chase.

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[whitetail_addict]

Personally I have a hard time believing it's lockdown already

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A lot of variables specific to any one place or area will dictate that.

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[wmihunter]

Just saw a 2.5 pushing a doe near a house in w mi

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[Dewey]

November 4th 2014 I swore we were in lockdown and my season sucked up to that point. My buck sightings were at an all time low.

Suddenly one hot doe came past dragging a line of six bucks with her. Ended up seeing 15 bucks that day killing the last one and having the most incredible hunt of my life.

My point is.........don't ever give up guys. It can all change in a matter of seconds. Most important thing is keep your head in the game. Telling yourself it's lockdown will do nothing but ruin your focus. I guarantee that every single buck is not locked down with every single doe. It's just not reasonable to think that. Keep at it and good things will happen. If not you can feel good for the effort. When I hear guys say they are staying home because they bucks are all locked down I just cannot comprehend that thinking on November 3rd.

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[wmihunter]

I just saw my first chase and first buck hitting scrape in daylight. It's just getting good IMO

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[BassBoysLLP]

Agreed. Lockdown is a horrible reason to stay home. Get out!

Buck:doe ratios have a tremendous influence on the lockdown blues. During the CWD eradication years in WI, the lockdown was practically non existent in southern wi. Same happened when statewide during the tail end of the EAB years . The doe population is growing so some lockdown is to be expected, especially in Central WI outside the old CWD eradication zone and south of the northern wolf zone as these areas have had many areas to recover from aggressive doe harvest.

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[Jonny]

Buddy of mine just shot a nice 8 point out of some public land in central WI. Had trail cams up all season, saw zero deer on the property and absolutely no sign of deer what so ever. Decided to go give it a shot this morning, half hour in, hot doe runs past, buck comes in and got a shot. You have to be in the woods to kill deer. This was also his first and only sit of the year

[Jackson Marsh]

Had two different bucks cruise through this morning, both of them worked a scrape. No does seen, other than driving this morning.

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[SamPotter]

The doe I hit tonight with my work vehicle was being chased by a young buck. Almost his a 3 year old 8 pt five minutes later that was also on a doe.