by Larry Weishuhn, "Mr. Whitetail"
Leaving Missouri and driving northward through southwestern Iowa last night trying to get to our next hunt destination for “Winchester World of Whitetail” we kept seeing does and bucks cross the roads. Some seemed almost oblivious of the fact we were even in the world. With the bucks it was obvious they were interested only in one thing and this time it wasn’t food. Based on what I saw I would say the rut in that area of the world has started, probably not yet full swing, but certainly started. Before leaving Missouri we had seen a fair amount of activity, especially after what seemed like “many” days of pouring rain. Then the weather turned cooler, the skies cleared and deer activity increased tremendously, including bucks beginning to chase does. It appeared from what I saw in central Missouri, then northern Missouri and into southeastern Iowa that the bucks are ready and chasing…but it doesn’t seem like many of the does are starting yet to come into estrus. Scraping and rubbing has greatly increased throughout the mid-west as well as much of the rest of the country, and bucks are chasing does, or at least trying to. One of the more interesting things of where I am today, the 3rd of November in southeastern Iowa is this morning with sub-freezing temperatures we, Blake Barnett my cameraman and I saw a decent amount of true rutting activity going on, but when we got back to camp and I talked to several other hunters who were hunting other Timberghost Ranch properties, that they did not see the same chasing as we did. Bucks made attempts at chasing does, but when the does showed no interest the bucks moved on to another doe, but none seemed to leave with an interested does. Those properties are not more that 5 to 10 miles apart. I’ve seen such same activities in the past in specific area, say within the same county or township in other states. This to me is more an indication of the latter stages of an “early rut”.
While traveling last night when there was cell phone reception I spoke with Bang Collins in South Carolina. Bang said, “We’re right in the heart of the rut, with some of our properties. Those in the uplands, it seems the rut has just gotten started, whereas in the lowlands the bucks have been chasing for a while. It always amazes me how just a few miles or even from farm to farm things can be so different. We’re seeing better deer in terms of bucks than we have in a very long time, likely due to our management programs of trying to improve the buck quality through proper harvest of both bucks and does and providing them with quality forage. Based on what I’m seeing I think we’ll continue seeing rutting activity going strong for about another two weeks or so.”
A quick call to Stan Christainsen in Kansas and I learned bucks were chasing does strong in central Kansas. “In our area Nov ember 1 seems to be the start of the rut. Has been that way for years and that’s the way it was again this year as well. The temperature dropped just about the right time and the rut kicked off. I suspect we’ll have bucks chasing does pretty strong for the next two weeks or so, till about Thanksgiving, after that it might slow down. Bui then we’ll likely have a secondary rut about a month to 6 weeks later, particularly when some of the 6 month old doe fawns have their first heat period.”
Adam Freeman, wildlife artist extraordinaire, from central Ohio, sent an email on the morning of the 3rd saying things were heating up I his part of Ohio as well (where I’m headed during early December). “Seeing many more scrapes and rubs, and deer activity during the daytime. Young bucks are chasing and occasionally we’re seeing mature bucks chase, but rut is just beginning here. Strange I talked to some friends only about 20 miles from here and they seem to be a bit behind where we are right now.”
George Winslow with Bullseye Outfitting, who operates hunts and books hunts I numerous states called while I was traveling. He had just spoken with hunters in Pennsylvania, Illinois and Ohio. “In PA car deer accidents are increasing daily which tells me the rut is getting closer as bucks start roaming. I talked to a couple of our hunters who saw some rutting activity, but most young bucks. However I suspect by week’s end thing will start changing dramatically. Down in Illinois our guys are seeing some young bucks and even a few old bucks chasing. Lots of rubs and a whole lot more scrapes there as well. By about the 10 or so the area we hunt in, in central Illinois should be going strong. The recent decreases in temperature seem to really be making bucks move. I found a really big buck working a scrape right next to a pasture road on our property (George’s private lease where I’ll be hunting as part of the lease group during the shotgun season). When I set up a stand in that area I saw two bucks chasing a young doe. Each day our group is seeing more bucks and different bucks we had not seen earlier. Things could start really breaking loose this week. Then over I Ohio where we hunt in the central part of the state things are starting to really warm up. One of the landowners a friend of mine hunts on told him on the 2nd he saw three bucks (including one big mature buck) chasing a young looking doe. Things there seem to be getting prime for the rut.”
Richard Hammond over in Maryland sent an email saying that bucks are starting there to move during daylight hours. He also said he has seen an increase in fighting activity and some broken antlers. He too said he had seen some younger bucks chasing does during the latter part of the week just past. He strongly suspects the rut will kick off there this report period.
Over in western Canada the early rut has started and will likely start heating up this week. George Semple a bowhunting friend of mine who spends a lot of time in both Saskatchewan and Alberta this time of the year sent an email he’s been seeing young bucks starting to chase does as of the 2nd of November. He believes the peak is still at least 2 weeks away, but it’s started.
Then too I spoke with friends from the Texas Hill Country and North Texas and there the rut has really kicked in big time. “Bucks are roaming and chasing does without regard to much anything else right now.” Stated my brother Glenn Weishuhn. “I saw four decent bucks on the trail of the same doe on the morning of the 2nd. They’re really chasing hard and will likely continue doing so for another week or two.” He continued "where I hunt in eastern Texas, north of Houston a way and not far from the Louisiana border we’re seeing some rutting activity as well. I suspect it’s been going on there for about a week.”
Meanwhile down in the Brush Country of South Texas and over into northern and western Mexico, Ariel Trevino sent an email saying he’s starting to see more scrapes, but that the does are not yet the least bit interested in bucks. “Our rut in northern Mexico, western Mexico is generally quite late. In Tamaulipas and eastern Coahuila the bucks start chasing the week after Thanksgiving. In South Texas they may start a little earlier, but not much.”
Based on conversations I’ve had with successful hunter throughout the MidWest these first days of November, I’ve talked to a fair number of hunters who have rattled up bucks, and also a bunch who tell me they’ve had more success attracting bucks with grunts. So, if you’re headed to the deer woods this week, don’t forget to take your grunt call with you!