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What are you seeing?

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NateW

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I'm hunting Buchanan County in NE Iowa and seeing lots of buck sign, apparently made at night. I Walk into my stand late afternoon out again a dark, back in the morning, sun comes up--scrapes and rubs are there that weren't there the day before.

However I'm seeing few actual deer. I know the warm temps over the weekend and the fact that there's lots of standing corn plays into it. I was wondering what everyone else is seeing. Are the bucks getting a little more aggressive?
 
Nate: Your results have been very different from mine. I also am hunting in Buchanan Co, but have not seen hide nor hair as far as signs of big bucks in the area.

I've been out about a 1/2 dozen times or so. What I have seen is very strange and unusual for me. A lot of small deer, probably 1 1/2 years old, and all nervous enough to be scared of their own shadow. The last few years it has not been uncommon to have these young deer within 5 yards of me, even when hunting from the ground without a blind. This year, they will start getting jittery at about 30 yards and then take off. I'm going to have to take a good look at my stand and try to figure out what it could be that's spooking them so badly.

The first 'big' deer that I've seen this year was Sunday, right at dark. It was about 1/4 mile away but I was still able to make it out against a dark background (fenceline). I figured it was a buck because he was trucking - steady walk about 4 miles/hour or so and not stopping for anything. As always, all the deer walked within 10 feet of my truck instead of the stand.
 
I'm seeing a few does out eating acorns. I have been watching 2 areas and in both areas I've seen small bucks. (1 spike, 1 double fork, 2 different 5 points). 1 came in and was pretty calm. The others were calm but they stayed out about 30-40 yards. Watched the spike tear up a small tree on Saturday morning about 9:00am. More and more scrapes are appearing.
 
I'm sure the amount of rubs and scrapes has to do with the buck to doe ratio of where you are hunting. It is interesting you're seeing small bucks but no buck sign, while I'm seeing all kinds of buck sign but no bucks!

Last night I went out after work to hang one more stand and saw several does come out right at dusk. I've long known that my land holds many does and I know that they'll bring in the bucks for me. Maybe with so many does the bucks feel they need to scrape and rub more frequently to try and intimidate each other.

It is supposed to get cold this week, I think things will start getting interesting soon. I usually wait until the first weekend in November to try a decoy, but I think I'll bring it out tSaturday morning. Good luck.
 
If the two were still traveling companions and not at each other's throats, I would expect that it won't last long.

Hopefully this cold snap will trip something in their brains that sets them into battle mode. Should also get them out eating more.
 
I've been seeing lots of deer sign! Down one logging trail, there are 6 scrapes made by two bucks. Some a few feet a part. But haven't seen to many deer! Evey weekend I've been out, I've watched the same 3 deer over and over. A mom, and two little ones. My friend has only seen a few other doe's.
I talked to a guy that hunts around the same area as me, he saw a nice buck. So I know there around!
 
Things started out great but have come to a complete hault! I have not seen a doe while hunting all season! (antlerless tag is getting warm in my pocket) I could have filled my truck with lesser bucks the 2nd week od Oct but have not even seen a deer in more than a week! I guess the little ones are gathering together to make a huge one and then return for my approval
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[This message has been edited by scout (edited 10-24-2001).]
 
Things started out great but have come to a complete hault! I have not seen a doe while hunting all season! (antlerless tag is getting warm in my pocket) I could have filled my truck with lesser bucks the 2nd week od Oct but have not even seen a deer in more than a week! I guess the little ones are gathering together to make a huge one and then return for my approval.
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I have also been furstrated seeing only a few small bucks and some does, nothing good on the cam trackers, seen some danbies early on and thought I might be able to get pictures, but to no avail.

Until last night, saw to shooter bucks, an beatiful eight way past his ears lots of mass just a dandy, and his buddy which also had a huge rack with lots off mass, he appeared to have two main beams on onside with no point and only three points on the other.

I rattled at them, they would just look over, grunted, samething. Just followed a fence row down nose to the wind working scarpes the whole way.
 
The 14th of Oct. , one doe and a large 10 pointer came in about 8:00 am, around 9:00am four does came in. The 21st of Oct. , spooked a buck around 5:30 am, I was heading to my stand he was working a scrape line. I have been seeing scrapes for around 3 weeks now, but in the last week the deer have really tore them up. I think this will be a good weekend with the cold weather.
 
You never really know whether or not the deer hunting will be good on the pheasant opener. Likely there will be a lot of smaller deer running around, but the bigger ones will hole up in the nastiest thicket on the planet where even dogs won't venture and stay there - that is, once the bird hunters have made their first round.

The other thing I've noticed is that the largest group of deer so far has been 3 - a doe and two fawns. With the corn coming out and the weather turning cold, along with the onset of the rut, they should be gathering into groups soon as well.
 
I caught these two youngster's sparring the other morning. Lots of young bucks moving in groups, a bunch of 1/2 bucks that have a side or two broke off and a couple of dandy's running late light.

Good Hunting!

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I haven't been out the past 2 nites,but Mon. I saw 2 does then 4does with sm.6 piont an there tail grunting all the way.then 2 more does playing in a water whole,it was something to see,then all at once there was 7 does at this water hole they were playing then looked like pawing at each other,then medium 8-piont comes out and the chase was on.Man whata nite...Sun.nite at my other spot,6does and 3sm.bucks..SO,where are the big boys???This weekend I'm trying mornings.Those phesant hunters usually help me out by pushing the bigger deer in the woods.I have one tag left and its going on some nice antlers.
 
Two weeks ago saw a small scrap between tree line and corn field. This is in Western Pott County.

Went in aroud 5:30a, came head to head with nice buck. He smiled at twenty feet, said C-ya!

I left that area and worked others. When I went back, I could tell that he had not been tending that scrap.

Most of the does this week still had fawns & young bucks.
 
Yesterday at 12:30 p.m. I saw 2 l60 class 10s with a 125 class 10 together! So the chase phase is still a good 10 days away, usually halloween is the magic day for some rutting behavior!
 
I was out last night and saw a load of deer in spite of the heavy wind. Early there was a 6 point that moved down through the creek and stopped to wreck a tree. Even though he didn't have much for headgear, there was little doubt in his mind as to who was boss.

Two does came out in the field by my stand right at sunset. This time none of the deer were jittery - probably the result of the cold snap and the high wind. Things should start getting really interesting soon.
 
I have been seeing all kinds of deer, but no shooters.

I see about 10 deer everytime I go out. Lots of Sporto's, (little bucks). I have found most bucks respond to a grunt and light rattling right now. Both mornings and night but mornings are best for me when it comes to seeing bigger deer.

I had a nice 10 point come in to a grunt, he stood for ten minutes at 17 yards with a perfect quartering away shot, only problem was his rack was probably only a 120 score. I figure I got 2 weeks or more to find a bigger one. I like to watch them and see what they are looking at. He gazed in one direction for a long time before I saw the does he was looking at. Then he looked right past me for a while and pretty soon I could see more does coming. Then he wandered off and a minute later here comes another hunter.

The hunter was on property he probably has permission to be on, but it is a cornfield. His intentions are to shoot the deer on my side of the fence!!!! Shotgunners do the same thing, thats why I cut wood on those weekends right along the fenceline....
 
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