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2017 Rut Report. County, Conditions.

hickslawns

hickslawns

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
40,354
288
Ohio
My cousin hunted outside of Ironton/Portsmouth area today. He said it was on like Donkey Kong down there. Bucks chasing everywhere. He had some good ones close but couldn't get a shot.

I hunted this morning. Had 3 does in a field and a small buck that went into a thicket just before they did. They exited the thicket but he never came out to harass them. Did some road scouting tonight. Much the same as I've seen from the stand. Does are still with fawns. Trail cameras show small bucks cruising hard. I think it is just a tad early for my area, but it could break loose any day. I'm going to try to be in a stand tomorrow to catch a big boy checking scrapes.
 
nis1

nis1

Junior Member
203
52
I was in Denial about all the crazy chasing and what not I've been hearing about. Today at work I saw 3 bucks running a doe hard. Smallest was Probly 120". Also found a place where the ground, leaves, and moss were destroyed and it looked like the buck fight of all buck fights took place. So needless to say I packed it up early and headed for the woods.
 
Dustinb80

Dustinb80

#FACKCANCER
Supporting Member
18,626
198
S.W. Ohio
nis1 said:
I was in Denial about all the crazy chasing and what not I've been hearing about. Today at work I saw 3 bucks running a doe hard. Smallest was Probly 120". Also found a place where the ground, leaves, and moss were destroyed and it looked like the buck fight of all buck fights took place. So needless to say I packed it up early and headed for the woods.
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Excellent. Good luck
 
jagermeister

jagermeister

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
18,284
237
Ohio
Since Monday I've logged 37 hours in the woods. It's been one of the more active weeks of deer movement as I've ever witnessed. Granted, the property I'm hunting is pretty stellar, but all the tell-tale rut indicators were shown this week. Bucks cruising, midday movement, chasing does, grunting, bleating... You name it. I saw as many or more deer between 12:00 and 3:00 pm as I did from sunrise to 12:00. Weather was great up here for the most part. My opinion is if you're not seeing rut activity right now, it's either really close to happening where you are or your location isn't holding the deer. One or the other.
 
hickslawns

hickslawns

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
40,354
288
Ohio
Drove to Detroit last night. 5 dead deer in first 5miles of interstate. 12 dead in the first 20. I'd say they are moving in my area. Now to see if they will move tonight while I'm hunting.
 
CritterGitterToo

CritterGitterToo

Junior Member
380
94
Central Ohio
I just finished my bowcation. Hunted hard for 5 days. I wasn't seeing much in areas that I knew had deer. Yesterday it was windy, so I got down at 10:45am and decided to do a mid-day still-hunt/scout. I'd been in this area before, but never went in deep. So, I did yesterday and covered about 4 miles. Came across about 8 different scrapes and every single one was cold/unattended. That tells me they are tending doe rather than scrapes. I know the peak breeding happens the same general time every year, though I do believe it can fluctuate by a few days either way. This gives us the fabled "early rut", "standard rut" and "trickle rut". I think this year it is a bit early. Again, I am talking a few days, not weeks.

Then again, I might be dead wrong. Seems a lot of slammers got harvested that 3rd week of October. Also, it's the first week of November and there are a LOT of leaves on the trees. I don't think we've had a good hard frost for 3 weeks. It was 65 degrees the other evening. We also had thunderstorms roll through Thursday night. Thurnderstorms in November? Stupid weather!!!
 
nis1

nis1

Junior Member
203
52
CritterGitterToo said:
I just finished my bowcation. Hunted hard for 5 days. I wasn't seeing much in areas that I knew had deer. Yesterday it was windy, so I got down at 10:45am and decided to do a mid-day still-hunt/scout. I'd been in this area before, but never went in deep. So, I did yesterday and covered about 4 miles. Came across about 8 different scrapes and every single one was cold/unattended. That tells me they are tending doe rather than scrapes. I know the peak breeding happens the same general time every year, though I do believe it can fluctuate by a few days either way. This gives us the fabled "early rut", "standard rut" and "trickle rut". I think this year it is a bit early. Again, I am talking a few days, not weeks.

Then again, I might be dead wrong. Seems a lot of slammers got harvested that 3rd week of October. Also, it's the first week of November and there are a LOT of leaves on the trees. I don't think we've had a good hard frost for 3 weeks. It was 65 degrees the other evening. We also had thunderstorms roll through Thursday night. Thurnderstorms in November? Stupid weather!!!
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Do you usually have success taking your bowcation that early in the rut? I know it can vary depending on where you're at in the state but I tend to see the best action or at least the most mature cruising bucks much later than this. On the farm I primarily hunt in NE Ohio, the action in past years doesn't even begin until the 10th or later and the best chasing is the 12-16. That being said, my vacation starts Tuesday and I will be ready for it if it kicks on a little early.
 
CritterGitterToo

CritterGitterToo

Junior Member
380
94
Central Ohio
nis1 said:
Do you usually have success taking your bowcation that early in the rut? I know it can vary depending on where you're at in the state but I tend to see the best action or at least the most mature cruising bucks much later than this. On the farm I primarily hunt in NE Ohio, the action in past years doesn't even begin until the 10th or later and the best chasing is the 12-16. That being said, my vacation starts Tuesday and I will be ready for it if it kicks on a little early.
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I usually target the week that is just before or includes Halloween. This year that included the full moon. Next year I'm going to focus on the new moon. I think that might have contributed to my lack of Day time activity.
 
Gordo

Gordo

Senior Member
5,515
121
Athens County
nis1 said:
Do you usually have success taking your bowcation that early in the rut? I know it can vary depending on where you're at in the state but I tend to see the best action or at least the most mature cruising bucks much later than this. On the farm I primarily hunt in NE Ohio, the action in past years doesn't even begin until the 10th or later and the best chasing is the 12-16. That being said, my vacation starts Tuesday and I will be ready for it if it kicks on a little early.
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I'm down in SE Ohio and have had a similar experience the past couple years.
 
huntn2

huntn2

Senior Member
6,097
171
Hudson, OH
nis1 said:
Do you usually have success taking your bowcation that early in the rut? I know it can vary depending on where you're at in the state but I tend to see the best action or at least the most mature cruising bucks much later than this. On the farm I primarily hunt in NE Ohio, the action in past years doesn't even begin until the 10th or later and the best chasing is the 12-16. That being said, my vacation starts Tuesday and I will be ready for it if it kicks on a little early.
Click to expand...

I have had the same observations here in NEOH as have others I have spoken to. I have tested the waters over the past few years with vacation earlier based on others success and wanting to see if I am missing out on something that cameras were not capturing. In reality, I have not seen a lick of action before 11/8 in NEOH.
 
Trueroots

Trueroots

Member
237
116
Norton , Ohio
Just spent 8 days in Carroll county, a lot of young deer pestering does all week and most does have fawns in tow. Headed back down tomorrow for another 8 days. Keeping my fingers crossed!!
 
Bigslam51

Bigslam51

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
25,778
127
Stark County
What I witnessed yesterday pretty much confirms what I've seen the last 4 years on this property. Young bucks cruising, and does still with fawns. It's going to bust loose in about 3 days, and my buddy and I will be there!
 
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