Hunt peak rut now or wait til colder? Vacation Days...

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johndeere506
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Hunt peak rut now or wait til colder? Vacation Days...

Unread postby johndeere506 » Sun Nov 08, 2020 12:11 pm

Ive never hunted when its this warm. I watch cameras, and they usually shut down in this heat in daylight for me anyway.

Is this still a good time for a hill country rut hunt, or wait for better weather? I could take next week off or the week after. Sitting all day would feel pointless in this heat, but thats what I do when out of state hunting. What are you guys seeing right now compared to normal years?


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Re: Hunt peak rut now or wait til colder? Vacation Days...

Unread postby DhD » Sun Nov 08, 2020 12:31 pm

I've seen all the action in the mornings. No sightings in 4 evening hunts this week. Cameras tell the same story. Southeast Nebraska. Temps have reached almost 80 all week.
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Re: Hunt peak rut now or wait til colder? Vacation Days...

Unread postby seazofcheeze » Sun Nov 08, 2020 12:33 pm

DhD wrote:I've seen all the action in the mornings. No sightings in 4 evening hunts this week. Cameras tell the same story. Southeast Nebraska. Temps have reached almost 80 all week.


Same story in SD today.
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Re: Hunt peak rut now or wait til colder? Vacation Days...

Unread postby may21581 » Sun Nov 08, 2020 12:38 pm

Hunted tonight, had plenty ty of action in the evening. Got on two studs at closing time. The hunting is very similiar to what I see in october!
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Re: Hunt peak rut now or wait til colder? Vacation Days...

Unread postby johndeere506 » Sun Nov 08, 2020 12:39 pm

seazofcheeze wrote:
DhD wrote:I've seen all the action in the mornings. No sightings in 4 evening hunts this week. Cameras tell the same story. Southeast Nebraska. Temps have reached almost 80 all week.


Same story in SD today.

Cant decide if its worth a 6 hr trip each way just for a morning sit...sounds crazy, but we only live so many Novembers. I dont know if November 8, 9 10 trumps weather, or wait a week...My cams at home are SHUT DOWN, so i assume its the heat.

I'm leaning towards waiting a week.
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Re: Hunt peak rut now or wait til colder? Vacation Days...

Unread postby Dewey » Sun Nov 08, 2020 12:47 pm

Last 5 days in Iowa have been in the 70’s. Saw bucks every day except for today. (Didn’t hunt this morning)

All sightings were mornings before 10:00 am and one small buck 20 minutes before closing last night. Cams really slowed up the last 3 days as the heat built in and nights got warmer. Looking forward to the big temp drop on Tuesday. Rest of next week looks great for the entire midwest. Activity will no doubt pick up dramatically. I’m guessing bucks will have bred a few does and will be actively seeking hard again. Especially mature bucks.
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Re: Hunt peak rut now or wait til colder? Vacation Days...

Unread postby DhD » Sun Nov 08, 2020 1:01 pm

Dewey wrote:Last 5 days in Iowa have been in the 70’s. Saw bucks every day except for today. (Didn’t hunt this morning)

All sightings were mornings before 10:00 am and one small buck 20 minutes before closing last night. Cams really slowed up the last 3 days as the heat built in and nights got warmer. Looking forward to the big temp drop on Tuesday. Rest of next week looks great for the entire midwest. Activity will no doubt pick up dramatically. I’m guessing bucks will have bred a few does and will be actively seeking hard again. Especially mature bucks.


I'm in the same boat. Temps drop Tuesday and rifle season starts Saturday. 4 all day sits to kill a buck. Going out Monday all day as well but I'm anticipating Tuesday-Friday to be the best action of the season.
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Re: Hunt peak rut now or wait til colder? Vacation Days...

Unread postby johndeere506 » Sun Nov 08, 2020 1:05 pm

Dewey wrote:Last 5 days in Iowa have been in the 70’s. Saw bucks every day except for today. (Didn’t hunt this morning)

All sightings were mornings before 10:00 am and one small buck 20 minutes before closing last night. Cams really slowed up the last 3 days as the heat built in and nights got warmer. Looking forward to the big temp drop on Tuesday. Rest of next week looks great for the entire midwest. Activity will no doubt pick up dramatically. I’m guessing bucks will have bred a few does and will be actively seeking hard again. Especially mature bucks.

Yeah looks like Thu/Fri where Im wanting to go would be good, but I have a big work presentation on Thursday. It just HAD to fall on that day....

Maybe the following week will be good. I dont usually hunt much after early november, so I dont have much experience after mid month and rutting activity.
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Re: Hunt peak rut now or wait til colder? Vacation Days...

Unread postby muddy » Sun Nov 08, 2020 1:07 pm

It has absolutely sucked... but still better than sitting at home or staring at my phone. Gonna get fun come Monday.
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Re: Hunt peak rut now or wait til colder? Vacation Days...

Unread postby johndeere506 » Sun Nov 08, 2020 1:35 pm

muddy wrote:It has absolutely sucked... but still better than sitting at home or staring at my phone. Gonna get fun come Monday.

Like 2 days from now Monday? I'm seeing a forecast of crazy warm still until Thursday. Totally agree its better than the couch but I can shift the days where I might get some better weather days. Has it sucked for you in terms of mature bucks in daylight or just in general deer movement? Both are true here right now.
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Re: Hunt peak rut now or wait til colder? Vacation Days...

Unread postby muddy » Sun Nov 08, 2020 1:53 pm

johndeere506 wrote:
muddy wrote:It has absolutely sucked... but still better than sitting at home or staring at my phone. Gonna get fun come Monday.

Like 2 days from now Monday? I'm seeing a forecast of crazy warm still until Thursday. Totally agree its better than the couch but I can shift the days where I might get some better weather days. Has it sucked for you in terms of mature bucks in daylight or just in general deer movement? Both are true here right now.


Yeah Mon/Tues we're looking to start cooling down
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Re: Hunt peak rut now or wait til colder? Vacation Days...

Unread postby Crazinamatese » Sun Nov 08, 2020 2:13 pm

I had all week off and Monday was the best day for me. Not much for morning action and no midday cruising. Constant south wind and temps in the 70s. I think a cold front is coming thru this coming week in the upper midwest and that might pop the lid off the rut.
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Re: Hunt peak rut now or wait til colder? Vacation Days...

Unread postby Coalcracker » Mon Nov 09, 2020 12:23 am

johndeere506 wrote:Ive never hunted when its this warm. I watch cameras, and they usually shut down in this heat in daylight for me anyway.

Is this still a good time for a hill country rut hunt, or wait for better weather? I could take next week off or the week after. Sitting all day would feel pointless in this heat, but thats what I do when out of state hunting. What are you guys seeing right now compared to normal years?


In my part of Pa, the bucks are running hard early in the morning and late in the day. Daytime temps around 70 which is very warm this time of year. So, the action has been hot and heavy for a short time but you never know when a big old buck might go for water. If you can hack cool mornings with good action, a long hot midday waiting for buck to hit some water and hot action at the end of the day then I say go now. In a way, I believe the heat makes it more predictable if you can find good water sources near bedding. Shaded hill sides, any water source, hollows and especially hollows with water. These are the areas we've been concentrating and the action has been very consistent. Haven't killed a mature buck yet but we're seeing them close to water.
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Re: Hunt peak rut now or wait til colder? Vacation Days...

Unread postby szwampdonkey » Mon Nov 09, 2020 1:31 am

I dont run trail cameras but in WI most (but probably not all) of these rubs and scrapes have been made at night with this heat.

I unfortunately had this last week off for my yearly rutcation and got screwed by this heat wave. Its literally been my entire week off. Id bet my bottom dollar the rut is progressing as usual but with most of the activity happening at night as ive seen almost zero daytime activity.

That being said, I did finally get on a nice 10 pointer two days ago but i had to go to a tiny overlooked swamp island covered in cedars the size of my leg. Every year there are insane rubs in there with the bucks bedding on the very tip of it leading into the cattails off the back side of it. Its a real public honey hole and he was there again this year but its a real stealthy hunt as the pine tree i use is about 45 yards from where they bed. Unfortunately i got in there at 1458 and had JUST got up the tree and he moved at 1500 and caught me with my pants down up the tree. I figured if he moved it would be at last light but i was wrong so i hopelessly just watched him stroll by me at 12 yards! I didnt even have my bow up yet so he lived another day. An all day sit would have solved that but with it being sunny and hot for 7 days in a row that seemed futile.

But just shows those old bucks can show up at any time during November even during the heat. However, are you able to sit 7 straight days sun up to sun down in 75 degree temps watching nothing for the chance that 10 pointer will finally get up and move at 1500? I wasnt and I paid for it by not getting a shot off at the ONLY opportunity at a mature buck I had all week so take that for what its worth.

If i had a choice id hunt all week next week when the temps drop, should be HOT!
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Re: Hunt peak rut now or wait til colder? Vacation Days...

Unread postby Ack » Mon Nov 09, 2020 1:45 am

Where you want to go you, will be fine waiting until the heat moves out. Down there the middle of the month is typically better for older buck movement anyway. Have fun!


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