# Rut reports



## jkeeney20 (Mar 21, 2006)

Just thought we could put any info on the rut here.....when you start seeing any activity etc.... I called 2 small bucks in Saturday and seen two small ones sparing Sunday. My friend said he seen a small buck chasing a doe as well. Anyone else seeing any signs that the rut is right around the corner????


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## squid_1 (Jun 2, 2005)

I saw a nice buck chasing a doe Sat evening. I haven't found very many scapes though. This was around Ohio Power.


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## sporty (Apr 6, 2004)

I saw a bunch of scrapes this weekend and heard a couple young bucks sparring before light Saturday morning.


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## joerugz (Feb 28, 2007)

We hunt a low river bottom and scrapes are everywhere. You can smell the musty oder in the air very strongly.


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## Fishstix (Aug 16, 2005)

We are starting to see a bunch of scrapes around our property. It is only a matter of time...


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## collegekid (Apr 28, 2007)

I am finding lots of rubs and some scrapes. Seeing a bunch of smaller bucks and some chaising. Watched a small buck hit a scrape saturday. 

I am in college and don't get to hunt much at all. Managed a big doe on my second trip out this past weekend. I have a chance to hunt Thursday and Friday this week. What could I try to up my chances at my buck? I am hunting a pretty good spot with lots of does/small bucks and tons of acorns. Should I rattle? scents? let me know what you think.


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## big_mike (Aug 2, 2006)

joerugz said:


> We hunt a low river bottom and scrapes are everywhere. You can smell the musty oder in the air very strongly.


Are you sure it wasn't a Skunk? I have never heard of anyone smelling the Rut unless you just shot a Buck or Doe and shoved your nose up where it don't belong. Or you rub the glands all over you. Get real.

\Not much sign up here, they are pre-rutting, looks like another week or so before Rut. If the weather keeps up it will be sooner.


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## wildman (Sep 3, 2008)

I have smelled a musty deer smell before. And it wasn't a skunk In was a buck 
sent glands


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## 5Cent (Jun 4, 2004)

big_mike said:


> Are you sure it wasn't a Skunk? I have never heard of anyone smelling the Rut unless you just shot a Buck or Doe and shoved your nose up where it don't belong. Or you rub the glands all over you. Get real.
> 
> Not much sign up here, they are pre-rutting, looks like another week or so before Rut. If the weather keeps up it will be sooner.


Untrue. Some scraps/deer have a very strong odor, some you can smell from 50 yards away.


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## Byg (Jun 6, 2006)

I have smelled the odor too in the woods down in SW ohio, I heard a buck grunting an I could smell him just couldnt see him, man thats frustration!!


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## Fish-N-Fool (Apr 12, 2004)

It is a couple weeks off in my part of SW OH. Several small bucks have been seen "cruising" the oak flats and field edges; does aren't even close and are not interested.

No Bullwinkle sightings yet........


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## joerugz (Feb 28, 2007)

In this river bottom the air is heavy and low. The smell is unmistakable. It happens this time each and every year. This river bottom is thick and flat and sits between white oaks and the adjacent property is high hardwoods. If I were to count all the scrapes in this thicket, I would have to say 30 that you walk by on just a few trail to your stands. I'm not BSing when I tell you I have seen a rub line of 40 rubs in a 20 yard area. Scrapes of 3 and 4 in a row of 15- 20 yards with fresh prints in them and it looks like the deer play tic-tac-toe with the lines in the dirt.


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## jkeeney20 (Mar 21, 2006)

I found a nice scrape and a few rubs in a creek bottom by my house. I took some of that new tinks scrape spray or what ever and sprayed the scrape with it, set my trail camera up and gave it 5 days. Checked it last night and had 3 different bucks checking it. 2 small bucks and a decent 8 point. Pre-rut seems to be starting!


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## Fishman (Apr 5, 2004)

Saw a good rub last week, dead center of a subdivision and it involved a very small oak tree, or I should say dead oak tree now, because he litterally broke the thing in two. I did see one scrape but I wasn't sure of its authenticy and it hasn't been used since the first time I saw it.


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## Fishpro (Apr 6, 2004)

I was out scouting an area today and all I found was 1 small rub and no scrapes yet. And this was an area with a good herd in it. I bumped one deer out its bed, and I seen another crossing a trail from the property I was on, to the next one over. IMO, I'd say we are still a week or so out from seeing some good activity.


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## BuckEyeBigBuck13 (Oct 7, 2006)

alright i think its pretty much pre rut here .. seen bucks checking scrapes if u look in the bowhunting file my brother in law killed a nice ten and he was checking scraps and sparing with another buck .. so i mean really .. and i have called bucks in with my grut call already 4 bucks this year just nothing worth me shooting .. but it will be here with this cold weather its going to mess em up and and its a good mess up .. so lets get ready for it to get crazy .


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## BuckEyeBigBuck13 (Oct 7, 2006)

o i forgot to say there calling for maybe some SNOW on MONDAY . u know were i will be .. wont stick or anything but if it is cold enough for snow im out there


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## Loomis-Eyed (Jun 13, 2008)

Shot a doe last night... other doe in the group were bleating. It's coming!


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## bulafisherman (Apr 11, 2004)

here in Ashtabula co its starting.... bucks chasing and actively checking and freshening up scrapes,should be good for the next several day with the weather getting cooler and a shot at some snow, dont think it will last more than a few day before it gets warm again and activity dies back down for a bit again.


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## T-180 (Oct 18, 2005)

We've had several scrapes pop up in the last week after the woods had looked pretty much deserted. By the sign I'd say it's smaller bucks but once they really start cruising, it's just fun to be out there. Time to do a little calling & rattling & spend every spare minute in the woods.
I have every Friday & Monday scheduled off work for the next 3 weeks ..... time to get serious !!
Good hunting,
Tim


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## Fishstix (Aug 16, 2005)

I was hoping to update some activity on my property today, but didn't make it into the woods. I got up this morning and drove 2 hours to our hunting property. I planned to meet my dad there at 6:00, but he never showed. When I was home last weekend, I left my bow and tree stand at my dad's because I planned to go home yesterday. I tried calling him, but his phone kept going to voicemail.

Needless to say, I drove another 50 minutes north to see what the problem was only to find out that my dad set his alarm on his phone and it was on silent. He never woke up because the alarm was silenced.

I was angry and laughing at the same time. I've made it back to Columbus now. It sure has been a long day with no hunting involved. I'll get back out next week for sure, since I now have my bow and tree stand with me.


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## Byg (Jun 6, 2006)

I have seen quit a few scrapes and some rubs,but no deer LOL


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## Moonlighter (Jun 20, 2006)

I'm blessed to be able to observe deer activity constantly from my window near the Cuyahoga/Summit County line. Bucks are very active with scrapes and rubs right now, but they are still paired up around me. Does are checking in on the scrapes for sure, but I've noticed quite a few are still nursing their fawns. I"d say this far north we've got a good bit to go before they're ready. I about whacked a nice buck chasing a doe across Old Eight at full blast so it would seem some gals are ready for the ho down, but still playing hard to get!


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## icefisherman4life (Aug 5, 2007)

my cousin shot a 10pt monday that rough scored 131 in. he said that that buck and 2 others were chasing does. thats southeast ohio.


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## jkeeney20 (Mar 21, 2006)

Any reports for the last few days?


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## Fish-N-Fool (Apr 12, 2004)

I've seen some young bucks chasing and hounding the last couple days. I haven't been hunting, but rather seeing the action driving to and from work.

I did see a good buck - 120 class circling a mature doe and chase her into a standing corn field on last week. It was near a member here's hunting spot and they were headed that way. I called him on his cell and told him about it.
He had seen the same buck a day or so earlier in the same area and got a better look - he said it was a 10 pointer and he agreed it was about 120 class. He wouldn't take this deer anyway, but I wanted him to know he had some action in one of his spots.


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## ronnie_everett10 (May 20, 2008)

hunted tonight and had 2 small bucks chasing from 4 till dark in and out of the feild the whole time its really been getting good here..had a monster buck chase a doe in front of my truck saturday night while driving to a buddies house to watch the ohio state game.i would give it a couple weeks and the peak will be here!!


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## swantucky (Dec 21, 2004)

I had a decent buck (120's) scent checking scrapes tonight. My buddy saw him close to half mile away trailing a doe 45minutes after I saw him. They are starting to move!!


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## FishinDawg (Mar 9, 2005)

Northwest Ohio, 


there definatly starting to move more & more, Have seen alot of activity at night over the last week, add in the colder nights and the deer are starting to realize something is happening. Still two - three weeks away from the start. 

To me this is the perfect time to Bow Hunt, deer are moving, there starting to feel something happening and you can either rattle or grunt and the deer will stop just out of couriosity if anythig, or even come closer, to me thier in thier curious stage about now.


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## squid_1 (Jun 2, 2005)

On vacation all next week, 7 days down at AEP. That timeframe in November has never let me down. There were several hit deer on I 70 by dayton this morning, once that starts happening its time to hit the woods!


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## MuskieMan35 (Mar 5, 2008)

the night of the 27th- I had a good 10pt harrassing two does but he didn't really stay with them.. I think they just got to close to him and kinda grunted at them and chased for 10yds or so and stopped.


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## JRod920 (Nov 1, 2006)

Saw a nice buck chasing 3 does last night around 5:15. Another bow hunter 100 yards away shot the buck at 5:16 and the does bolted from the area. Thats all I've seen in the past week--1 minute 30 seconds of action!!


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## Papascott (Apr 22, 2004)

Seen 15 last night only 2 bucks. The bucks were paired up and does were in groups of 3-5. There were scrapes in the area I was hunting but nothing looked like it was being hit real hard. This weekend should be the shizznit!


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## crappie jack (Jan 7, 2008)

been hunting clinton co. hard last two weeks lots of scraps a few rubs seems a bit slow taking a few days off nextweek hopfully it should be on


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## Fishstix (Aug 16, 2005)

I hope every one is right about this weekend. I am dying to get out in the woods. I just wish I had a place to hunt around my area. It would be nice to get out in the woods for a few hours after work each night. It stick having to wait for each weekend.


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## Fishman (Apr 5, 2004)

Saw a really nice rub today in someones front yard in yet another subdivision. 

The urban bucks are starting to get riled up: Time to get a few yucks out of watching peoples landscaping get beat up


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## icefisherman4life (Aug 5, 2007)

my cousin was out this am said the bucks are chasin the does like crazy but the does arent ready yet. this weekend is gonna be nice. im just worried next week its supposed to warm up to the 60s it might shut em down some.


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## island troller (Nov 14, 2007)

Saw a large buck (8 point plus) herded a group of 6 does into a circle. Looked like a dog herding up the livestock. Never seen anything like that before. Each time a doe would move out the buck would chase it back. Hope to get a shot at him tomorrow .


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## jkeeney20 (Mar 21, 2006)

Lets get those reports on here......I went out last night and agian this morning....lots of new rubs and scrapes. Seen 3 does yesterday and 6 this morning....*no *bucks anywhere in sight..


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## tcba1987 (Jun 22, 2004)

theres been lots of scrapes popping up around here over the past 2 days..........i am experiencing just the opposite of you jkeeney ..........i have been seeing bucks (4) and NO does at all yet !!! 

i think the one farm i hunt on has a larger buck population on it then it has does !! it has seemed to be that way for the past 2-3 years for some reason ?? I definitely see more bucks then does on this property............any idea what would cause this to happen ?? i know theres alot of really thick areas that the bucks hide in...........maybe there just isnt enough bucks being harvested on this property who knows ??


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## icefisherman4life (Aug 5, 2007)

sat. afternoon i seen 9 does and 4 bucks. and all were chasing. does still aint ready yet. almost got ran over by 2 does scared the crap outta me they was gettin chased by a spike. the other bucks were small. i think this warm weather is gonna slow up that chasin.


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## FishinDawg (Mar 9, 2005)

Hunted Friday & saturday, started off seeing two does being chased by a buck, does wanted nothing to do with this buck, but he wanted to play, kicked up a couple does on my way to another spot & they quickly ran away, other than that we saw nothing, Very little movement in Northwest Ohio on public land, there were 7 hunters on this land at the time i was hunting, & they all left about noon, it was pretty warm and the deer just were not moving around, that goes for friday & saturday.


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## crappie jack (Jan 7, 2008)

my son inlaw caught a small buck raping his 3-D target sat.morning said it mounted it 4 times little bucks on the move not responding to rattles or grunt


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## Fishstix (Aug 16, 2005)

TCBA...I would say that is a good thing. With a smaller population of Does, the Bucks will be forced to move more throughout the day to find them. 

Also, my Dad always told me you know when the rut is getting ready to start because the Does will disappear. He told me they lay up in think areas to stay away from the Bucks.

Didn't see much rutting activity yet. I think it is going to get hot as early as this weekend or as late as the middle of next week.

Good luck to all of you.


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## Fishman (Apr 5, 2004)

Saw a very fresh rub on a rather large tree today.


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## BIG J LAV (Feb 6, 2007)

I've noticed a lot of new rubs and scrapes in the area(s) I hunt in the last 2 weeks. (between Akron and Salem). Sunday morning my buddy and I both witnessed different bucks chasing a group of 3 does (1 instance) and following (1) doe about 10 yds behind in another instance. Last week i saw the something same in another spot in Randolph with a buck running 3 does along. All deer didn't seem to care that much about the surroundings as they used to, they were more occupied with what was going on. None of the occurances were on the normal trails where my stands are, it seems a little luck may play into the set up for where they pass by. Most of the chasing we have witnessed has all been in the hardwoods, but I hate to give up my field edge locations as to where I can see more. How does everyone usually set up at this time? we did not use any scents, rattle, of call. Any opinions?
________
Montana Dispensaries


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## Fishstix (Aug 16, 2005)

You got to hunt where the Does are. To be honest, I just continue to hunt just as I do early in the season. At this point in the year, you either need a Doe to bring a buck by you or a cruising buck walking by your stand looking for Does. I honestly believe it is more luck than anything at this point in the season.


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## squid_1 (Jun 2, 2005)

Just got back from a week of AEP hunting and all I can say is what a time. I didn't bag a deer but had plenty of chanes. Bucks were chasing does like crazy, I thought one doe was going to run into my tree but she slammed on the brakes. I had a button buck under my tree and a doe came into sight and bleeted and the button buck took off running to her her and slid under her and started nursing, I could even hear him going to town. That was something I have never seen in my 30 years of deer hunting. I would say if you can get out this week do it. Grunt call didn't work but I have never had it work that well, other than the occasional stop and look. In all I saw 8 different bucks 4 does and a button buck. My friend did shoot his first deer, a smaller 8 point but a nice starter buck. On Thursday I sat in my stand all day and of course that would be the only day I didn't see deer. Nice week overall.


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## jkeeney20 (Mar 21, 2006)

My friend shot a 8pt that will score in the high 130's saturday morning...he said he had seen two others of decent size before one got close enough to his stand.....said all three were chasing does at a high speed....if you live in southern ohio, its time to get out as much as possible...don't know about everywhere else, but I would assume the same


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## Bassnpro1 (Apr 6, 2004)

I had a 2 1/2 trailing a doe near Wooster. It appeared that she was in already and he was waiting for his chance. Other than that we didn't see much movement. If it wasn't for that doe walking by I would have never seen the buck as he was not cruising, merely following. The bucks there might already be locked down with does.


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## Weekender#1 (Mar 25, 2006)

I would say the rut is in full swing here in Hancock County. I returned home Thursday from business and there were no less than 12 deer in the field out front of my home, 3 bucks the others does. They have been out there all weekend sometimes bedded down other times just grazing or running like idiots. The field is protected as no hunting is allowed. Last Thursday on my return I went and sat in my stand for the last 1:30 of the shooting for the day. They were taking the corn off. The most amazing day of hunting for me without taking a shot, all I need is a doe, with none in shooting range that day. But well over 15 deer out moving around within 100 yards but not 35, just bucks and yearlings that close. Plus 2 coyotes came out of the fence row when the combine when by, then right back in.


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