There is nothing remotely resembling what all y’all are describing as rut activity going on around here — in person or pictures.

Three or more weeks ago, it was typical to pull camera cards and see 5-7 different bucks on each camera in a 10-14 day time frame. Since then, maybe 3-5 total bucks on all cameras — all at night, except a single one horn on Saturday.

None of those photographed, however, were making or remarking existing scrapes, just moving through and feeding. Same with does, just hanging, eating, or traveling — none with bucks in pursuit.

Yesterday, I spent before dawn until unable to see in the best spot on the property and I saw one spike in the AM just wondering through and two does in the evening, just feeding through. None paid any attention to the scrape line I could see (which hasn’t been tended for three weeks), nor the mock scrape I added to the end of the line.

Grunting, bleating, rattling, bring completely silent did nothing at all.

I can see a 60 acre field to the south which is surrounded by woods and not a single deer entered nor crossed it.

There certainly was no does being pushed about or bucks chasing does or bucks challenging one another or bucks marking territory— in person in two days or on camera in more than two weeks.

When last our female Pointer was in heat, the boy dogs were losing their ever loving little minds. They had to be separated; couldn’t be left out together at all; jaws were popping; noses were running; every place she peed, they had to cover with their own; they just wouldn’t give her a minute of peace. This is kind of what I expected with the deer, but on a more subtle scale. But nothing.

Maybe this week with it getting colder.

At least I hope.

Hunted a spot for a few years here in Ct where the Deer were plentiful.
Rut marks ,buck activity and chasing all happened a couple of weeks prior to any other Ct reports that were written or I saw elsewhere.
Was like this for the 3 or 4 seasons I hunted the place.
Scrape lines made real early would be covered with leaves and unattended, even as bow season continued, and  while the rut was in full force elsewhere with new scraping and chasing clearly going on.
Bucks would leave for 'hotter' areas right after the very early  rut stopped in this spot.
I don't think its the bucks at issue but when the local does go into heat- clearly some much earlier than others.

The pictures I posted yesterday all took place within the matter of minutes.

I've posted pictures of doe only, that show up daily, for better then two weeks. Then suddenly one day last week I catch sight of a buck cruising through the area. Not stopping, just nose to the ground following the same paths taken daily by the doe.

Since the buck passed through, my wife and I have kept a constant watch, knowing the buck would return.

Yesterday was the first time we saw him but this time he would stop and put his nose to the air then back to ground.

Disappearing into a grove of trees and underbrush, it wasn't long before he busted a group of doe plus a small wye-buck.

It was like a "Chinese Fire Drill" we would pull at stop lights with car full of people. Deer busting from the woods, running around the fields, back into the woods, and back into the fields.

Some seconds later, out popped the buck and the pictures tell the rest of the story.

Plenty of doe in the area so I'm suspecting this buck if not overpowered by another, will be working his scrapes for awhile.

More interesting will be the doe as they come into estrus and work the scrape.


Speculation from earlier articles written this spring/summer. Full moon coming, time to go sit in a tree and swing your feet.

Good luck to all that seek, the elusive PA White-Tailed Deer.

I hope younz get a Wallop-A-Loser. 🏹

mopars0

BeenThereDoneThat.
Dang..... most forgot.


Say hello to my little friend.






THEY'RE JUST SO DANG CUTE. 🦃

. Hey bud , my better half wants to know if your little friends name is Rocky 😜😜👍...

😝 and Bullwinkle too.

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When ya say 'plenty of doe' remember the mature doe are the ones that count for this rut-not the skippers.
If they go in at about the same time your rut can be fast -last years doe will make it  last a while longer.
Therefore ya cant count all the flatheads as doe that could go into heat.
At least not this early in the 'first rut'.
Some of the first born skippers and the year and a half olds could  go in later.
Have seen some go in as late as Feb.
Thats why ya see some spotted fawns so very late in spring into Summer.
Heck  a few years back watched a new spotted fawn walk under the doe first week of bow.
Point is that from now on there can always be a buck chasing, even well beyond whats considered the normal rut time.
This is why as the seasons  go on into gun ya often see bucks wandering- lookin for love- that haven't been in your area before- some have been known to travel many miles.

Moses, great story and great buck!  Thanks for sharing.  
 
 
 

BeenThereDoneThat.
Speculation from earlier articles written this spring/summer. Full moon coming, time to go sit in a tree and swing your feet.

Back in my early bow hunting days in high school and college, I'd get my hands on every article I could read about the rut.  Early to mid 90's when deer research and QDM were really intersection with deer hunting in general.  
 
I remember reading many, many articles back then from lots of "research" that very much tied peak rut activity to the first full moon in November.  According to them guys with the degrees in B.S. or PiledHighandDeep, this full moon was when it'd really be time to hunt.  
 
Of course, as r3g3 pointed out, there are localized exceptions, and we've probably all experienced that.  
 
Friday afternoon, my boys and I headed mup Erie on 79, from 422 by Moraine to I-90 and I didn't see nearly the number of road kills I'd expect to see at this time of year.  Maybe 2 or 3, and nothing particularly fresh looking, although maybe the clean up crews were busy on Friday.  
 
Saturday evening after sunset driving home the same stretch on 79, on 422 from 79 to Butler, Rt. 8 South and on into my neighborhood 6 miles off of Rt. 8, I was on high alert for those glowing eyes along the road and fresh deer smears in the middle of the road.  Nothing at all, except within a mile of home where there were some does and skippers feeding in normal spots close to the road.  

When started hunting Deer in the late 60s with a bow we had no trail cams or devices to help- heck we didnt even have camo clothing- cept military stuff..
Began a lifetime adventure of scouting pretty much year round.
One very important thing I found about Buck hunting is that- after the majority of the rut in very late season- they come back home- if they lived through the seasons.
Had enough pvt property locked down to be able to find a target buck and pretty much have HIM on my to do list. Didn't always work out but often enough to make it a routine.
If he left pretty quick early he generally came home late.
With multiple tags each year it didn't mean no deer but it meant I could hunt HIM throughout the seasons-
Took a lot of Hims over time- now time is getting even-passed all last year waiting out HIM- zip- don't care it was fun- all from the ground as I don't feel right in a tree anymore-but took 2 nice shooters ( and a lesser couple) in the past 5 years.
Knew where he hungout but also knew I couldn't get him out anymore lol.
Sooo waited on the fringes- nada -and passed lesser deer- loved it.
It aint about the meat.
Welll- now I'm out so something is gonna hit the dirt this time around.
 

Not much of a story. I was not completely set up in my tree, still getting things in place. When I caught movement. It was a doe kinda feeding off in the woods. She started trotting in a round about fashion my direction. Lead this fella to a 6 yard shot. Piled up 50 yards later. Was not in the stand 5 minutes maybe.

Has been a great archery season for my family. We do not have any buck tags left.

It has been a great year for you and yours. Congrats!

Congratulations Anz. Nice deer great pic. 👍


I got a new Sheriff in town at 5:00 PMish this afternoon.

I was watching three deer feeding under the apple tree with two of them taking turns watching to their south. They're just so darned cute.

Heads went from south to due north, two tails went in the air and two deer were south bound and down. The third, a much younger looking deer, continued to eat.

Years of experience taught me, the third deer would have gotten out of Dodge, had danger been the reason for the other two puttin the pedal to the metal.

Years of experience plus I could see walking from the woods, on the other side of the road, a large bodied half-rack heading toward the apple tree.

Ole boy stopped for a quick bite before stepping to the already made scrape, rubbing his back tarsals as he peed before trucking southeast with tail straight up sprinkling pellets as he walked away.






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