I am going to visit some family the week of rifle season (next week). Have I missed the rut or what should I expect? Also hunt neighboring Logan Co. Thanks in advance.
Champaign Co rut
- Thread starter Bnew17
- Start date
- 39,223
- 274
For deer, expect what happens most gun seasons in flat country. The first morning you may see natural deer movement. Once the guns start to go off expect the deer to hide. Expect to see a bunch of people walking around trying to bust deer out of every little block of woods. Expect to see people that you had no idea had permission, and might not, who were never there during archery season. Expect to see people checking your woodblock for the deer they shot in the neighboring woodblock but ran that way. Your best tactic is to find a choke point and hope the neighbors all run deer out of their woodblock to your woodblock. If other people are hunting the places you hunt, get there early and hunt where you think the deer are going to escape from. For clarity, Ohio doesn't have a "rifle season", it's deer gun season.
Last edited:
I believe I've seen a buck chasing a fawn opening gun day the last two seasons. Always some breeding still taking place but don't expect Seeing anything magical rut wise. It's gun season deer will be running by....
Expect to learn the difference between except and expect. 
- 39,223
- 274
Why you fix it? That was hilarious!. Freaking autocorrect.
To the OP, welcome. Sorry I don't have anything to add about those 2 counties.
No worries! I killed a 174” in 2017 that came out into a cut corn field with does which was in Logan. I assume Champaign follows suit due to proximity as far as the “rut”. Im from Georgia,,,so i completely understand about deer hunting pressure during gun season. I heard 90 shots opening morning.
Bigcountry40
Member
- 4,819
- 137
Like jackalope said the deer will keep natural patterns and behaviors until the orange army starts blasting, if you're hunting a large block of woods with no bordering pressure behavior could stay consistent. South west ohio is the one part of ohio I have really never hunted, so I cant comment on that. I will say in 2010 I had rutt activity for first 2 days of gun and it was pushed by amish and that was it for deer natural sightings/behavior. Let's us know how u do
You guys are ridiculous with this "orange army" talk. I see way more trucks parked during November. Also, with no deer drives, deer just hole up now.
I know, NW Ohio flat lands still get this, but the rest of the state just doesn't see it. People aren't willing to take the chance of bumping "their" deer off the property. This is why THP is good at killing deer. Its a new spin on something gun hunters used to do.
I know, NW Ohio flat lands still get this, but the rest of the state just doesn't see it. People aren't willing to take the chance of bumping "their" deer off the property. This is why THP is good at killing deer. Its a new spin on something gun hunters used to do.