Rut Report

[szwampdonkey]

Nov 14 and i’ve yet to see a buck actually chasing a doe at this point. Been quite a few years, decades probably, where i’ve not actively seen chasing at all. Just had two does drift by me Sat night, no bucks following up. Today i saw 10 does in a field feeding at dusk along the freeway, not a buck to be found out dogging them.

Weird “rut” this year in southern WI. I wasn’t hunting last two weeks of Oct maybe it was going on then but that would be super early for chasing and such. Oh well, i’m hunting does anyways but even when my buck tag is filled early i still like watching all the rut activity but there really wasn’t any i’ve seen in early Nov this year.

Same situation for me in NW IL. Only saw chasing once. All other bucks I saw were alone and not really cruising. One I shot was by himself as well. I'm hoping hoping a decent secondary rut to get buck #2.

Maybe a case of the dreaded “Trickle Rut” in the midwest this year? It sure seems like it to me with the lack of that classic Rut activity.

[upwind predator]

Nov 14 and i’ve yet to see a buck actually chasing a doe at this point. Been quite a few years, decades probably, where i’ve not actively seen chasing at all. Just had two does drift by me Sat night, no bucks following up. Today i saw 10 does in a field feeding at dusk along the freeway, not a buck to be found out dogging them.

Weird “rut” this year in southern WI. I wasn’t hunting last two weeks of Oct maybe it was going on then but that would be super early for chasing and such. Oh well, i’m hunting does anyways but even when my buck tag is filled early i still like watching all the rut activity but there really wasn’t any i’ve seen in early Nov this year.

Same situation for me in NW IL. Only saw chasing once. All other bucks I saw were alone and not really cruising. One I shot was by himself as well. I'm hoping hoping a decent secondary rut to get buck #2.

Maybe a case of the dreaded “Trickle Rut” in the midwest this year? It sure seems like it to me with the lack of that classic Rut activity.

It could be. I have talked to guys around me and guys that have primo private ground and they all say the same. Worst/slowest rut iv seen in a long time. I'm off next week again so see if there's any action then.

[Hawthorne]

In southern Michigan every year whitetail activity peaks the single digit days of November. If your not seeing rut activity or deer it’s your treestand location or property choice. Rut was hot and heavy where I was this year

[szwampdonkey]

Come on man. Some here been hunting DECADES. If some guys aren’t seeing rut activity it isn’t always stand choice. If you’re hunting a funnel connecting bedding to food and see 12 does a day go through that funnel from Nov 1-Nov 10 and not a single buck it most definitely is not your stand choice.

Does attract bucks during the rut, it’s that simple. There 100% are years where the rut activity is less intense/noticeable as it’s spread out over a month or so instead of the chase phase for example being condensed into one frenzied week.

[greenhorndave]

Nov 14 and i’ve yet to see a buck actually chasing a doe at this point. Been quite a few years, decades probably, where i’ve not actively seen chasing at all. Just had two does drift by me Sat night, no bucks following up. Today i saw 10 does in a field feeding at dusk along the freeway, not a buck to be found out dogging them.

Weird “rut” this year in southern WI. I wasn’t hunting last two weeks of Oct maybe it was going on then but that would be super early for chasing and such. Oh well, i’m hunting does anyways but even when my buck tag is filled early i still like watching all the rut activity but there really wasn’t any i’ve seen in early Nov this year.

Same situation for me in NW IL. Only saw chasing once. All other bucks I saw were alone and not really cruising. One I shot was by himself as well. I'm hoping hoping a decent secondary rut to get buck #2.

Maybe a case of the dreaded “Trickle Rut” in the midwest this year? It sure seems like it to me with the lack of that classic Rut activity.

The trickle is a good way to put it. I haven't seen any classic rut insanity. Now, I tagged out early, but I have been out somewhat and live in an area with a fair amount of deer. Normally it's bucks and does chasing through the neighborhood even during the middle of the day. Absolutely zero sign of does on edge and the occasional new rub. Hardly normal. (did see a good one earlier this week at about 715 AM tho)

[szwampdonkey]

Nov 14 and i’ve yet to see a buck actually chasing a doe at this point. Been quite a few years, decades probably, where i’ve not actively seen chasing at all. Just had two does drift by me Sat night, no bucks following up. Today i saw 10 does in a field feeding at dusk along the freeway, not a buck to be found out dogging them.

Weird “rut” this year in southern WI. I wasn’t hunting last two weeks of Oct maybe it was going on then but that would be super early for chasing and such. Oh well, i’m hunting does anyways but even when my buck tag is filled early i still like watching all the rut activity but there really wasn’t any i’ve seen in early Nov this year.

Same situation for me in NW IL. Only saw chasing once. All other bucks I saw were alone and not really cruising. One I shot was by himself as well. I'm hoping hoping a decent secondary rut to get buck #2.

Maybe a case of the dreaded “Trickle Rut” in the midwest this year? It sure seems like it to me with the lack of that classic Rut activity.

The trickle is a good way to put it. I haven't seen any classic rut insanity. Now, I tagged out early, but I have been out somewhat and live in an area with a fair amount of deer. Normally it's bucks and does chasing through the neighborhood even during the middle of the day. Absolutely zero sign of does on edge and the occasional new rub. Hardly normal. (did see a good one earlier this week at about 715 AM tho)

Yep, exactly Dave. We have a lot of wooded areas around our neighborhood with yards here and there so it’s not uncommon to see a doe and a nice buck bedded right in front of my neighbors house or running across a driveway or something. There’s been none of that this year but we are still seeing the does standing at bird feeders and such without a care in the world. Not a buck to be found dogging them.

For whatever reason it happens in the deer world i think the rut activity, does coming in to estrous, or whatever is more spread out so that intense increase in activity levels of mature bucks just isn’t there this year.

[Dewey]

I didn’t hunt one bit during the rut this year but did a lot of traveling around and glassing at prime times and I absolutely assure you the rut was going on strong in WI. Seen plenty of chasing and cruising all over the place at all hours of the day. Especially in the dead zones where nobody was hunting.

Everybody thinks that just because they didn’t see much rut action that it didn’t happen yet a 1/4 mile away the action is fast and furious. It’s all about location. Sometimes you hit the jackpot and other times you swear your in a dead zone. That’s likely the case. One hot doe will drag bucks away from miles and if your not in her home range your pretty much screwed. Very typical for rut hunting. Some years it’s incredible and other years just being out of position each hunt by only a few hundred yards will give you major disappointment. Been there and done that myself so many times. Feast or famine.

[szwampdonkey]

Trickle rut doesn’t mean no rut.

[greenhorndave]

Had a small 8 on cam 2 minutes ago. Latest in the morning I've had any antlers on cam this year

[Boogieman1]

I didn’t hunt one bit during the rut this year but did a lot of traveling around and glassing at prime times and I absolutely assure you the rut was going on strong in WI. Seen plenty of chasing and cruising all over the place at all hours of the day. Especially in the dead zones where nobody was hunting.

Everybody thinks that just because they didn’t see much rut action that it didn’t happen yet a 1/4 mile away the action is fast and furious. It’s all about location. Sometimes you hit the jackpot and other times you swear your in a dead zone. That’s likely the case. One hot doe will drag bucks away from miles and if your not in her home range your pretty much screwed. Very typical for rut hunting. Some years it’s incredible and other years just being out of position each hunt by only a few hundred yards will give you major disappointment. Been there and done that myself so many times. Feast or famine.

X2

For me trickle rut means getting sorry weather at prime time. In my parts nothing shuts down cruising quite like a dang tropical heat wave.Really cheats a hunter out of productive time. Still get the early/late movement but that late morning/midday cruising comes to a halt.

[Usi05]

Jumped two bucks in UP that were fully locked down.

Two spikes chasing does.

[3531usmc]

Lot of movement past week with cold temps in the morning in Ct. seems when it’s warmer movement is more at night according to trail camera pics! Anyone else notice this?