Rut report
Contributors to this thread:Connecticut
From: Getsome
04-Nov-23
What’s everyone seeing out there as far as rut phase in your areas I’m in Woodbridge And the small bucks are starting to really push the does around.
From: SILVERADO
04-Nov-23
saw bucka seeking and chasing yesterday morning and afternoon, today 6 does and no bucks. all my cams slowed with buck sightings.
From: Swamp_Donkey
04-Nov-23
It should be lights out in a few days. I’ve seen a few estrus does around…
From: Swamp_Donkey
04-Nov-23
It should be lights out in a few days. I’ve seen a few estrus does around…
From: Swamp_Donkey
04-Nov-23
It should be lights out in a few days. I’ve seen a few estrus does around…
From: Big Dog
05-Nov-23
This coming week....magic.
From: Tail Chaser
05-Nov-23
My cameras have been dead for a few weeks. Just started seeing doe’s again. Only time will tell! Good luck!
From: longbeard
05-Nov-23
I had some pretty good bucks on camera consistently up until about the last week of October and then it went down to seeing them maybe once a week and in some cases they have disappeared. Lots of dinks and does lately
From: murphy3142
05-Nov-23
I've getting some good bucks on my cameras this past week. From Tuesday-Saturday I've seen 10 deer from the stand 2 of which were bucks. One 2 year 8 point and one that seemed pretty good. He was too far away though. Zero chasing. They are ripping up scrapes pretty good though
From: UWShunter
05-Nov-23
BD - I hope! Only seeing them on cams.
From: soapdish
05-Nov-23
Looking at the sides of the highway from Maine through mass..... there's been some movement...until an opposite force took over. Bucks and doe alike
From: soapdish
05-Nov-23
And one taking a ride in the bed of a pickup truck. Only saw hoofs....can neither confirm buck or doe. I gave the successful hunter the thumbs up
From: Blood
05-Nov-23
I drove to TN and back over the last 4 days. Hundreds upon hundreds of roadkills. Probably more than that.
From: nehunter
05-Nov-23
nehunter's Link
I still can't walk in the woods, so I helped my Mom throw away some brush.
I drove my truck behind my apartment and tossed the brush and then a hot Doe stood up and watched me hobble back to my truck. Then she started eating what I just tossed at only 5 yards. Then a 2-3 year old 8 pt follows her past my truck into the backyard.
This cell phone video was taken at 5 yards max.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/7de8i31m7fJyJjj27
From: Tail Chaser
05-Nov-23
What a pic, almost looks fake. Such a beautiful animal.
From: nehunter
05-Nov-23
nehunter's Link
The hot Doe seems to want him put in danger. I've seen it before, bringing a Buck to places they usually wouldn't be.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/KptJLH31vjXDfrfV7
From: Tall 1
06-Nov-23
Very cool video
From: Notme
06-Nov-23
NE,"bringing a Buck to places they usually wouldn't be."...as it usually is..lol
From: CTBobcat
06-Nov-23
Hoping soon. Got a few more daytime pics recently.
From: soapdish
06-Nov-23
Had a buck hanging out behind a doe this morning on camera.
From: UWShunter
06-Nov-23
Saw 2 does behind my stand. Tough shot. Lol Better than squirrels & bears.
From: Big Dog
06-Nov-23
estrus fawns will get a buck in trouble.
From: Big Dog
06-Nov-23
Estrus fawns will get a buck in trouble in late season. While the fawn wanders around the buck will try to follow staying in security cover. Sometimes it costs him dearly.
From: Blood
06-Nov-23
Sat all day today and two of my best funnels. Saw nothing this morning and saw nothing this afternoon.
From: Brian M.
06-Nov-23
Almost texted you at 0730 Blood. Trophy class buck tending/chasing a doe, followed by a lesser buck 10 minutes later.
From: Blood
06-Nov-23
You should’ve texted me. At least I could have lived vicariously through you. ;)
From: soapdish
06-Nov-23
Buck pushing a doe this evening with 5 minutes left. Came close...yet so far away
From: soapdish
06-Nov-23
Tomorrow morning I head to the stand where there was a doe... And a creepy old buck stalking her
From: extreme
07-Nov-23
great video nehunter !
From: soapdish
08-Nov-23
My son had a 6 point chasing a doe up a brook grunting the whole time a half hour ago
From: nehunter
08-Nov-23
Looking at the corn field through the window
Looking at the corn field through the window
I just pulled into our KY camp late last night. Didn't plan on hunting this morning as we like to check out the stands, replace straps and scout.
Well at 5:00am I hear a weird sound outside my window, I walk (hobble) out the back door and there is two 140" bucks ready to fight. There's also a Doe bedded 50 yards in the corn field. The Bucks fight for three minutes and could care less about me. I could have walked up to them easily.
Oh well, time to checkout a spot for my ground blind.
Can't hunt here as our friends leased it to a relative.
From: UWShunter
08-Nov-23
Glad you’re already seeing action. Saw only 2 does & bears in NW CT.
From: Brian M.
08-Nov-23
Did a 6-9 this morning. I'd rather it be 10* colder and no wind. I was freezing, and it was only 39*. Nothing seen or heard. Sat on the ground and about a half hour in I realized a big tree had fallen over the trail I was watching. I think I've hunted this property 7 times this season and haven't seen a deer yet. 150 acres of oaks and a swamp. Lots of sign, I know they're there. Good luck if you're out.
From: nehunter
08-Nov-23
I'm in Kentucky and this up and comer just now walked out into a field following two Does.
From: Blood
08-Nov-23
Hunted a private land spot this morning. 33 degrees and stupid windy. Passed a 4 point at first light. Couldn’t get a pic because I grabbed my bow when I heard it walking to get ready. And then realized it wasn’t was what I was looking for. And then passed this little guy 45 mins later. Both bucks were just cruising.
From: nehunter
08-Nov-23
Blood, you're definitely putting in the time!
Soon, A Hot Doe will walk by and drag a Booner with her!
Good luck!
From: Blood
08-Nov-23
Thanks Steve. I’m waiting on something special. And, 2 things:
This is the first year in a LONG time I could have filled all 4 of my archery tags.
I just zoomed in on that buck. And it’s in velvet on one antler and it’s peeled and hanging on the other. Really weird and cool.
From: longbeard
08-Nov-23
^^well at least you know you still have time to shoot him before he sheds. Lol
From: Hangnhunt
08-Nov-23
I’m sure you gonna have a booner coming your way blood.
Tonight before closing from the direction where I thought I was hearing a lot of chasing I was fired up when I started hearing the trotting heading my way and to my surprise it was just a coyote haha
From: Brianbowhunter
09-Nov-23
This buck was cruising last night at sunset. He is going in the freezer.
From: soapdish
09-Nov-23
Nice Brian.
From: Brian M.
09-Nov-23
He looks tasty. Is his right antler F'd up?
From: Will
09-Nov-23
I’m starting to see more mature bucks on camera. I’ve scouted this state property in nw corner the last month and there are some big bucks back there.
From: steve
09-Nov-23
a lot of movement daylight on camera. no monsters
From: Big Dog
09-Nov-23
Brian, good shot on that buck. Congrats
From: Tall 1
09-Nov-23
Congrats Brian! Great shot too!
From: Getsome
10-Nov-23
Congratulations Brian!!!!
From: Brianbowhunter
10-Nov-23
Thank you everyone! He was definitely moving fast. Only thing that stopped him was he saw me and stopped 20 yards broadside. He was absolutely covered in ticks which made skinning him tough. Crawling all over my hands. Antlers tines broke off. Got 2 new bucks showing up on camera so time to go back in today!
From: Brianbowhunter
10-Nov-23
Thank you everyone! He was definitely moving fast. Only thing that stopped him was he saw me and stopped 20 yards broadside. He was absolutely covered in ticks which made skinning him tough. Crawling all over my hands. Antlers tines broke off. Got 2 new bucks showing up on camera so time to go back in today!
From: Tail Chaser
10-Nov-23
Nice job brianbowhunter, clean quick kill is what ya want! Enjoy
From: Blood
10-Nov-23
Was out this morning on private land. Very quiet. Very perfect. But only saw three red fox. Zero deer movement. I’m wondering if they are all following does right now and not cruising as much? Any thoughts?
From: Hangnhunt
10-Nov-23
Past couple days I have been struggling a bit also. Seems quiet out here. Chances are though I’m just not in the right spots haha. Just gotta keep grinding and it will pay off.
From: steve
10-Nov-23
two big boys on camera now! diffrent spots .
From: soapdish
10-Nov-23
My buddy shot a buck tending a doe yesterday. On camera last Evening was a big buck hanging behind a doe . Another camera has a young buck that appeared to be cruising at 10.
From: Bwhnt
10-Nov-23
15 yds yesterday, doe all alone. Then a spike came into the field right at sunset from another direction. No shots fired.
From: Rackem
10-Nov-23
Just checked my cams as I have been away of the last two weeks. I have a black bear two healthy coyotes and lot of does. There are two small bucks, one with a damaged left rack and two decent bucks. I'll get out this weekend for a few hours. Next week out west fishing.
From: Notme
10-Nov-23
Saw today a dead doe exit 12 on7s, spike 84w exit3, a splatter just before the 84-7split, maybe a 6 on 84e before exit10 84e...maybe they're finally moving
From: Blood
10-Nov-23
All my cams have small bucks. All the big bucks have disappeared since Halloween. Sat this afternoon at a state land spot. Saw nothing. It’s getting really weird.
From: Brian M.
10-Nov-23
Nothing seen this evening for me at my hot spot, except for 3 turkeys on my way in.
From: steve
10-Nov-23
big buck during the morning and came back again this afternoon. about a mile away from where we normally have him.
From: Bwhnt
11-Nov-23
I usually see the most intense daylight rut activity for older bucks between 11/20 and 11/25, every single year. Not saying that it can't happen any other time, just my previous experience.
From: nehunter
11-Nov-23
He was chasing Does , they ran by 15 seconds earlier. I don't have any pictures from this 8pt. They are roaming.
One good thing is that the Bear pics have stopped.
From: Blood
11-Nov-23
Well, I saw something I’ve never seen in all my years of hunting… And I know this sounds weird, but I just had a really nice eight pointer come chasing a doe - grunting, every single leap right behind her. With a smaller buck behind him literally roaring. They came past me about 25 yards. And I could not get them to stop.
From: Brian M.
11-Nov-23
Blood, saw the same thing a few years ago. 6 does went by followed by a 10pt and an 8pt right behind the 10. The 8 was roaring like crazy and made 3 scrapes along the way. Never heard it before or since. (I then proceeded to miss the 10 at 8 yards, and 20 minutes later missed the 8 standing in the same spot, shot over both with my recurve)
From: JacobParker
12-Nov-23
Tolland county here. mature bucks had daylighted 5 days ago for a couple days. Rut activity on cameras at night chasing does. oddly enough, the younger bucks have still been together. light friendly sparring (as of 3 days ago). no sign of daylight mature bucks since.
From: Hangnhunt
12-Nov-23
Absolutely sucks that when the gun season kicks off I have to vacate my best state land spots. Wish this state would just let us be able to keep hunting
From: Sherwood Shooter 76
12-Nov-23
I had a buck chasing a doe at full speed yesterday at 10 am in Fairfield County.
From: Brian M.
12-Nov-23
28* here, slight North wind. Saw an unknown deer running at 0615, don't know if it was the chaser or chasee. Two does and a fawn at 0715, I think the same group I passed on a couple weeks ago. They didn't come close enough this time. No buck following. While watching them I looked to my left (North) and a young buck was walking by around 40 yards out. He didn't seem to be looking for a doe. The does walked off after a while, but I didn't know where the fawn snuck off to. An hour later, she was right where I last saw her. She had laid down. The big guy didn't show up, I was set up 18 yards from the trail he used the last two times there. Additional scrapes and rubs on the way out.
From: Blood
12-Nov-23
Good to see that the scrapes opened back up near you Brian. That means most of the does of are bred and the bucks are back to searching and scraping. Good luck! I’ll be out in the morning.
From: Swamp_Donkey
12-Nov-23
Aaaaanother one bites the dust!
From: Swamp_Donkey
12-Nov-23
Been guiding my buddy out in MI this week. It’s been hard but he just sent one into this guy. Got it all on film
From: Corax_latrans
19-Nov-23
Zoomed
Zoomed
Last night outside the hockey game….
From: longbeard
19-Nov-23
Hockey game where?
From: Corax_latrans
20-Nov-23
I don’t think I should specify, lest I lead a Brother astray…. ;)
Let’s just say it was college hockey, in-state….
Not that I haven’t seen them on the ball-field here in town….
Kind of surprised to see a spindly 1.5 YO buck with 6-7 does all to himself the other day — they were definitely smelling good enough to hold his attention. Saw a couple of those does having a stand-up fistfight (hoof fight?)
Maybe it was to determine who had to go first with the Rookie? ;)
From: Big Dog
20-Nov-23
CL, be a pal and give longbeard exact coordinates. LOL
From: Brian M.
20-Nov-23
A single 8pt this morning at 0735. Just slowly sniffing his way along. No grunting, no does. He was coming my way so no rush to shoot. I passed on a neck shot (rifle) figuring he would give me his shoulder in a few steps. I was sitting on a ridge on the ground. He turned down the hill behind some trees and poof, gone as quietly as he came.
From: soapdish
20-Nov-23
Very quiet in my neck of the woods rut wise. One hillside is all torn up from feeding on one of the properties I hunt.
From: Blood
20-Nov-23
Went to a Bow Only State spot this morning. At 8:30am this guy and his dog came walking through the middle of the woods 20 yards from my tree. There are walking trails in there….and yet he was way off them, way up in the woods.
This is the 3rd encounter I’ve had with him in 2 years. And I barely hunt there……I gave him an earful today. I couldn’t hold back.
From: soapdish
20-Nov-23
Good for you. Last time I hunted state land like 25 years ago...on opening day with gun non the less. Aside from the sea of orange. A couple and their 2 dogs come through at 7:30. No orange or red colors either. Idiots. I have tried some state bow only a few times since and luckily no issues.
From: Corax_latrans
20-Nov-23
That is one HELL of a long leash!!
Back when I weighed #65 and our high-energy, hard-headed Lab weighed #110, we had a 50-footer, but we kept 40’ of it coiled so we could make a dash for a snubbing post whenever he took off after a rabbit or whatever….
From: Swamp_Donkey
25-Nov-23
Here’s my report. Bucks are starting to seek again
From: Swamp_Donkey
25-Nov-23
Here’s my report. Bucks are starting to seek again
From: Dr. Deer
26-Nov-23
Ive got two cameras out that I see on the Moultree site, bucks still cruising. Above someone said something about does that aren't in the mood leading bucks to where they shouldn't be. I have seen that.
Years ago, a land owner who lived very close to downtown Darien called me to say an eight point was bedded on her lawn in the middle of the day. Barely believing that, I went over there and found a basket rack eight laying in the open right outside their bay living room window. I didn't want to shoot it but had to make a show of it for the homeowner so I grabbed my bow and walked up on him. I was in street clothes and walked right at him, 20, 15, 10 yards. An unseen doe busted out of their shrubs and he got up and the buck chased. The homeowners were looking at me with a questioning look, like "why didn't you shoot it?" I told them it wasn't a safe angle to shoot from, that the arrow could ricochet. Not totally true. But that doe bedded in a weird spot to avoid being pestered by the buck, and put him in a place he shouldn't be. 30 yards from a main road in full view in the middle of a sunny day on one of my permitted properties with some tattle-tail homeowners is in fact a dangerous place for a buck. Does can get those boys in trouble sometimes.
From: Big Dog
27-Nov-23
Dr. Deer, a life lesson for all of us, LOL
From: Toonces
27-Nov-23
A little late, but I was gun hunting the morning of 11/16 and saw the most intense rutting activity I have ever witnessed in CT. I had two big mature 8 points fighting about 40 yards from me. I have seen halfhearted sparring before in early December, but these two deer absolutely wanted to kill each other. They squared off and charged each other at full speed and locked up. At least one knew I was there before the ruckus started but didn't care about me at all. Just out of my view over the other side of the ridge was a doe in the brush, I assume in estrus, which is what they were probably fighting over.
One of the coolest things I have ever seen while deer hunting.
From: CTBobcat
27-Nov-23
Had a lot of daytime pics in CT of bucks 11/21 to 11/25. The buck I shot 11/25 had it's nose to the ground.
From: soapdish
27-Nov-23
This morning my son saw a 4 pt. Just feet from the road with his mouth open and wandering around an overgrown field
