Evaluate the rut please.

[Maggs]

I'm just curious what everyone thought of the rut this Fall. Maybe we can get a jump on this discussion before the hunting mags. come out with their "official report".

As for me it was the best I've seen in a while. More seeking, chasing and fighting than I think I've ever seen. Sounds like everyone saw more midday movement. I had the best success ever with the rattling horns and we actually shot some 2 1/2 yr. old bucks in shotgun season that weren't all swollen up from the rut. I'm thinking they may have stood on the sidelines & watched the bigger boys. Maybe thinning the doe herd is helping already? What's your take? Maggs

 

[jkratz5]

Thought the rut was great here in Iowa, a little slower in IL where I also do a lot of hunting. In Iowa I saw deer every day I hunted, and big bucks all but a few times. I also had some great success with the rattlin horns and killed my first buck by rattling. Additionally, I thinkt he movement of the deer is patterned alot to the hunters also. I hunt an area where literally no one hunts in the morning (except myself). Even though I had some good evening hunts, I saw a tremendous number of deer in the morning and the bigger bucks seemed to be moving more then. I really think the deer had a lot of the hunters patterned. Overall, I have to say the rut was great though and I can't wait for 2005

 

[locust]

I'm not a rut expert at all and was wondering how late in the season bucks shred trees? I have seen sign at my place where trees were shredded since the snow so it had to have happened the last week? Is shredding trees a full season behavior or usually reserved for the rut?