What's going on with this rut?
Contributors to this thread:Connecticut
From: Brianbowhunter
18-Nov-17
So I was hunting in Tolland today and I got fresh rubs opened up no scrapes. Saw groups of does but no bucks with any of them. What is going on?
From: notme
19-Nov-17
Scrapes are starting to open up again in a couple of my spots after drying up last wk..no rubs at all. Groups of 2-4 does coming through with little guys checking them out..
From: soapdish
19-Nov-17
I saw two mature bucks together on Monday. Two does and a group of four together, with no bucks on wed and sat. I did see some chasing on the 10th. Other than that it's a very weird year for sure.
From: Native
19-Nov-17
The group I hunt with. .. in the past week . Took one 4 point smelly . On e 4 point looking fresh and not a small at all. A big 5 point stinky as hell. And on Fri a nice 6 point that was tailing. Doe. But not to stinky and his neck wasnt real big. .. I personally seen a group of 6 does nothing in tow. And then on Thursday I had two smaller does towing a big body spike. But other then that . I have not seen any of the big boys cruising the woods. .. so o think the rut. Is gonna be shitty just like the season has been
From: jax2009r
19-Nov-17
The bucks i have on cam have been alone and cruising.....the buck i shot on tuesday was cruising nose to the ground but did not stink at all
From: >>---CTCrow--->
19-Nov-17
There are no nuts. White buffalo cut them off.
From: SixLomaz
19-Nov-17
As predicted by those who are in tune with mother nature, 2017 rut will be slow and time stretched for your amazement and pleasure.
Pitches and forks, ad plenty tar and feathers with a hint of YouTube entertainment. Boys and girls it is time to parade in the public eye the naked WB affair. They sexually abused an entire deer generation and not one spoke openly about that shameful event.
NOTE: Remember the new crossbows are capable of shooting 3" MOA or less at 100 yards. Amaaazing!
From: >>---CTCrow--->
19-Nov-17
Good to 90 yards. I got 2 so I can shoot them at 180.
From: notme
19-Nov-17
360 if you spin in a circle..lol
From: spike78
19-Nov-17
In MA same thing a few scrapes and some spots with very few rubs odd season for sure. Every doe I’ve seen in yards had no buck with them.
From: Bigbuckbob
19-Nov-17
Damn, and I thought it was just my area that was lacking sign.
From: Bloodtrail
19-Nov-17
Saw two does with two fawns still in tow yesterday. Not in any rush to get anywhere and no bucks around. Zero sign on the way out. Second time I hunted this spot this year, so there has been no pressure.
I did call in two Fisher Cats right to my tree. Cool little beasts.
From: Gman
19-Nov-17
Hunted 3 different spots yesterday and saw tons of rubs and scrapes. Did not see a deer all day and heard very few shots in my area.
From: Dr. Williams
19-Nov-17
Hormones are driven by photoperiod (length of day). So those hormones start flowing pretty much the same time every year. But what changes year to year (for us rifle hunters) is Opening Day, which is the third Wednesday in November. So this year, it's the earliest it could be, the 15th. So there's likely more breeding to be had. Stay tuned.
Hearing few shots too and not seeing much movement.
From: Brianbowhunter
19-Nov-17
They are still playing around locking horns in my area of Coventry Tolland
From: Brianbowhunter
19-Nov-17
J
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From: spike78
19-Nov-17
I left a cam out for over a year in the Berkshires before I went and got it and it showed bucks passing through from Nov 2 to Dec 2. Then they stopped
From: shawnm
19-Nov-17
I'm in the same boat. Even though with sightings I'm terribly frustrated. So yesterday on my walk I did a little count. Last year I had over 75 rubs and countless scrapes.. not on pencil trees but huge trees. This year I have a total of 5 rubs and 6 scrapes.. all the trees that were scraped last year are untouched. Yesterday most of you know I had 4 doe in a group in front of me with a buck about 50 yards as away doing his own thing. Last year I never seen does in the rut let alone together. And a buck was that close to them with no interest.. he was a nice 6.. I don't know what to think or what's going on..
From: Brian M.
19-Nov-17
I've seen exactly one buck all season. His bad luck, it was Friday and I had the rifle. In years past, I would've let him walk waiting for something bigger, but with few ops this season, he rode home with me. I did grunt when I saw him, which encouraged him to thrash a bush before coming in. His hocks were pretty smelly too.
From: spike78
19-Nov-17
I wonder if it could be the ratio of bucks to does?
From: Dr. Williams
19-Nov-17
I'm with Crow. It WB's fault.
From: Bigbuckbob
19-Nov-17
Doc, drinking the Kool aid, me like.
From: shawnm
19-Nov-17
I hope so pat!!! So you will be hunting CT soon??
From: soapdish
20-Nov-17
When my buddy tells me that he sees a lot of new tracks on his property it means that the rut is on. Guess what? New tracks on his property. Game on. Not scientific by any means but it has been constant for 18 years
From: SILVERADO
20-Nov-17
From: SILVERADO
20-Nov-17
From: SILVERADO
20-Nov-17
From: SILVERADO
20-Nov-17
Looks like the big boys are starting to move in daylight.
From: shawnm
21-Nov-17
Nice Dave. Those are some beauty bucks. Also very nice to see them in the day. Hopefully one makes his way towards your stand!!
From: SILVERADO
21-Nov-17
So.i finally connected at 7:20 this morning this guy came through with 3 others chasing 6 does. Sorry guys gun kill though.
From: SILVERADO
21-Nov-17
From: SILVERADO
21-Nov-17
From: SILVERADO
21-Nov-17
From: air leak
21-Nov-17
Congrats, nice buck.
From: spike78
21-Nov-17
Nice. Levergun?
From: Gene
21-Nov-17
Congrats! I will have the 308 in my hands on Thanksgiving morning.
From: soapdish
21-Nov-17
Sweeeet.
From: Heartshot
21-Nov-17
Way to go Dave love the crab claw
From: Native
21-Nov-17
Nice buck... congrats
From: Tall 1
21-Nov-17
Monster buck Dave! Congrats!
From: jax2009r
21-Nov-17
Nice buck
From: Paul
21-Nov-17
Well done
From: SILVERADO
21-Nov-17
Thanks guys yep a lever .30 .30. I love that gun, she doesn’t let me down and hits like a sledge hammer. So i was in stand at 5:15 this am in a stand where my friend told me to sit. He took a nice buck off the property on sat morning in a stand i told him to sit in that buck we believe is brothers with this one due to similiaries in rack. Well at 7:20 something in me says to stand up. I stand up and am scanning the woods when i hear a noise behind me and over right shoulder. I turn to see a doe running for all she’s worth about 80-90 yds out and parallel with the stone wall, then i see another and another 6 in all. Followed by 3 bucks the n shortly followed by him grunting Grunting head off. I raise my gun and try to follow them in the scope man moving to fast and no lanes. Oh man they are gonna keep going and go over the ridge past my other stand. I think ok well maybe they will swing back around all of a sudden one of the smaller bucks swings wide and cuts the does off sending them back towards me and then i see the big guy sweep up to them. I’m gonna get my shot, i have a window at 65 yds but i gotta get him to stop, i start yelling at him as loud as i could. All of a he stops i put the cross hairs on him squeeze and boom. I wait to see him run, no dropped like a sack of rocks. I was so blessed this am. I have a newborn at home and a have a vey patient and understanding wife, she lets me basically hunt every day. So when i called her to tell her the news she was very excited.
From: notme
21-Nov-17
Very nice..
From: SILVERADO
21-Nov-17
His some pics of him from last year.
From: shawnm
21-Nov-17
Awesome Dave and congrats on a beautiful buck. I'd rather see the bow laying next to him instead of that weird brown thing, but it's all good. Good for you for connecting while most of us are not.. awesome and once again congrats!!! Also congrats to your wife on getting her husband back!!!!!lol
From: shawnm
21-Nov-17
Lol
From: shawnm
21-Nov-17
LMAO
From: DeerDan
22-Nov-17
Lots of chasing in my area yesterday but couldn't get lucky with does running my way. Most of the action was in the middle of the day.
From: DeerDan
22-Nov-17
Doe bed next to me in the sun and chewed her cud for a couple hours so I was forced to sit all day.
From: DeerDan
22-Nov-17
I need one on this trail.
From: jax2009r
22-Nov-17
nice one...he has a old looking face...
From: Cranial Vault
22-Nov-17
Congrats again Dave. Teamwork pays off when you all work together towards a common goal. This is why hunting usually brings out the best in most people and is such a great sport. Keeps us coming back and back for more! Your brother buck says “Hi” once again.
From: bigbuckbob
22-Nov-17
Way to go, that's a nice one and I like the story. Must have felt like you were trying to shoot at humming birds. I had the same thing happen to me a few times and you feel stupid swinging your bow/gun in circles trying to get them to stop and get a shot.
From: SILVERADO
22-Nov-17
Yes Jax, we are figuring both bucks between 5.6 and 6.5. Leaning more toward the 6.5
