Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting Rut Really Turning On!

I recently put my tag on a dandy 11 point Whitetail (October 31st) but I have been scouting for Elk and covering much country for the last week and as of November 4th the Mule Deer Bucks and the Whitetail Bucks have been showing MUCH rutting activity.
In fact I had 5 Mule Deer Bucks (2 poinetrs, 3 pointers and one small 4 point) in my yard this morning (November 6th) lip curling and fencing with each other.
They are trailing certain Does with much intensity.
I just could not pass up that big 11 pointer I got last week as I had been trying to get a clear shot at him for 3 straight days - no rut activity was observed with this 4 1/2 or 5 1/2 year old Deer then - he was just being very cautious and slow moving.
He's at the taxidermist now but in the back of my mind I keep mulling it over that maybe I shot to early in the season?
Anyway 20 more days in the Deer (and Elk!) season here in Montana so be aware the Bucks are "loosing caution" as of now and showing themselves much more often - that and the much lower temperatures and fresh snow should be helpful to Deer Hunters.
Good luck to all.
Have you been observing any rutting activity" in your areas?
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

VG

I was hoping it would hold off a week as the season doesn't open in Nebraska until Saturday.
Its been 3 weeks since we've been up to the cabin, we generally stay away to keep the human traffic down.
Although we'd sold some pasture hay to a local rancher and he was supposed to get it the day we left?

I usually judge the rut by the number of car/deer collisions on the drive to work, not too many yet this fall.

No rutting activity at all with the mulies here in the Bitterroot...hopefully that changes soon as the season for them closes here this coming Sunday.

VG what did you use on your whitetail?

Our mule deer rut really kicks in around Christmas out here. Whitetails around Thanksgiving.

Wingmaster83: I have noticed an increase of recent in the number of car killt Deer around here - hmmm.
Good luck on your opener.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

T Inman: I was out counting Elk (by the hundreds!) on the big private ranches near me this afternoon (November 7th).
The Mule Deer were definitely rutting up a storm here at 5,600' elevation.
I did NOT see any REAL mature Mulie Bucks but the 2 1/2 and 3 1/2 year old Mulies were hard at it.
The "big boys" should be out and at it in a day or two - me thinks.
Good luck by the closure and the cold should help motivate mating?
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

WyoCoyoteHunter: I used my wonderful Remington 700 Sendero in caliber 270 Winchester with a Leupold 6.5x20 variable scope.
Also I put to good use my tall Harris swiveling bi-pod and the very lethal Nosler 130 grain Ballistic Tip bullets, my Leica 900 laser rangefinder - I had my "rattling horns" along but did not get a chance to use them.
I Hunt in kind of an unusual area, its a cultivated field that has long and somewhat narrow tall willow patches on two sides.
I was so happy that this dandy Buck was brought to bag with just one kind of "long" shot (lasered 325 yards).
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

JGRaider: Interesting that the Mule Deer and Whitetails in your area have the differing rut times!
I have only been to Texas once on a "hog" Hunt near Decatur, Texas - what interesting country that is.
Good luck when you get out.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

The mules and whitetails are in the mood here in NE Wy.. I would love to have a tag and access.. Best of luck..

VG that sounds like a cool outfit.. My .270 is a 700 with a 26 “ custom barrel.. I just love it.. right now I have a tough time deciding what to use for long range.. My .25-06. .270 or .300.. They are just great rifles... Decisions like this make life fun.. Glad you got a nice buck.. Lately our whitetails have not been nice one.. But still fun..

They aren’t rutting in East Texas yet.

Mule deer in the Bitterroot have been going strong since Halloween, whitetail not so much.

So VG does that buck have 11 on each side (eastern count)? Or something like a 5x6-the proper way to refer to buck size when you live in the west.

The bucks are starting to push the doe's around here. I give it another week or two and it'll be on.

Is this late for your area?

Chasing in MI

No, right on time. It usually goes full out crazy the week before Thanksgiving.

Everybody and their brother has already killed one in nw PA. Never seen so many of my friends get bucks.

MM

Two buddies and I would have all three got bucks yesterday ,but I hit a branch with the ML projectile.

East side of the Bitterroot Valley? The mule deer on the Sapphire side always start to rut earlier than those on the Bitterroot Mountain side...why that is I have no idea. It is usually the week before Thanksgiving (like Stonecutter's deer) that the mule deer rut is hot and heavy IME, in ID, MT and WY.

I busted this guy tonight in unit 240...was with a doe, but didn't seem to be in full rut yet. The other 15 does I saw today didn't have a man around...

T, funkmaster buck!