Welcome to TheOhioOutdoors
Wanting to join the rest of our members? Login or sign up today!
Login / Join

Ohio 2013 Rut Report.

hickslawns

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
39,721
248
Ohio
When did they first come into estrous in your area? I remember seeing the first signs of chasing in my area around Nov 6-10th somewhere. I would imagine if history repeats itself, roughly 30 days after the first estrous does come in we should see a second wave come in. I am far from an expert, but like to think I am fairly logical. Logical thinking tells me if you haven't seen many deer while hunting, I wouldn't count on much of a "second rut" either. Harsh, I know. Not trying to be a jerk, just a realist.
 

Bigslam51

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
25,778
127
Stark County
Are you asking ifishandhunt Phil? There was a ton of corn around here this year. I saw seeking going on at the end of October but I think the corn hid most of the rut from me.
 

ifishandhunt

Junior Member
7
0
SW Ohio
The only sign of the rut I saw was a couple young bucks chasing does around 11/10 and 11/11. But they start early and often. I know I had a monster buck in my driveway which is a rare occurrence. I think that was around 11/15 at dark. I guess we will see if there is any action this coming weekend with the remainder of gun week. I was able to get off from work this afternoon and promptly got into a tree from 12:30 to dark. Not a deer in sight. Driving home I figured I would see some in the cut cornfields but not even there did I see any.
 

brock ratcliff

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
24,834
247
For me, the 28th through Nov 4 were awesome. I did not get to hunt very long any of those mornings, but each hunt was intense for the first two hours after sunrise. The rut seemed pretty normal to me this year, and it's still ticking along I'm sure. What local does were bred, and what are left to be bred will determine what you all will see for the remainder of the season. I've seen some of the best rut action of the year in January. That sounds like bunk, but it's the truth. One hot doe in your neighborhood and every buck around will come looking.

The one pictured below was killed on Dec. 17 a few years back after I'd spotted him locked down with a doe. This deer showed up on the property the year before in late December due to one hot doe. We had killed the dominant buck on the property earlier that season, so this fella just never left. From the time he showed up on the property until his death, I don't think he ever strayed far from the farm. I had pics of him nearly every day for a year.

The rut is a 3 month process. Over the next week, some of the biggest deer of the season will be arrowed. Many of them will get shot due to following a doe, or looking for one. I'm willing to bet some of our members will shoot bucks in gun season that mistakenly followed a doe right down the gun barrel.

Anyone that still has a tag and is not in the woods from now till gun season is out of their minds, IMO. One of the better weeks of the season right now. You may not see as many, but you will likely see the biggest. This is not the time to be giving up!

The giant that Lonewolfnopack killed yesterday was following a doe...
 

brock ratcliff

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
24,834
247
Killed today while guarding a doe. He has been locked down with the doe since Tuesday in a tiny thicket 200 yards behind a home. The hunter shot him Monday morning in the same thicket, hit him high. Saw him Tuesday, and yesterday still in the same thicket. He jumped him Monday on the way to the back of the farm. Saw him Tue and Wed in the thicket as he walked back to his truck. Set up there this morning, killed him about 11. All it takes is the right doe at the right time. Interestingly, this deer was shot on a 75 acres piece that is wedged in the middle of the farm I most often hunt, and I don't think I have ever seen him.
 

Attachments

  • IMG-20131205-01239.jpg
    IMG-20131205-01239.jpg
    260.3 KB · Views: 104

brock ratcliff

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
24,834
247
you must have the only does in ohio not bred.

I don't think that is the case, and neither do you. The rut is a long drawn out process, has been as long as I can remember. It isn't just the one magical week in November, and never has been IMO. Do you recall the giant Ryan Rex killed at the end of January a few years back? Hot doe got him killed too...
 

Boarhead

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
Pulled into the farm today to get some things out of the barn and their was a small buck working a scrape about a 100 yds behind the barn at 1:15 then saw a really nice buck chasing a doe across the bean field.Ended up seeing 2 small bucks running in and out of the thicket they went in trying to get in on the action.2nd rut is on.
 

yotehunter

Member
1,527
36
spencerville oh
Pulled into the farm today to get some things out of the barn and their was a small buck working a scrape about a 100 yds behind the barn at 1:15 then saw a really nice buck chasing a doe across the bean field.Ended up seeing 2 small bucks running in and out of the thicket they went in trying to get in on the action.2nd rut is on.
I would agree seen two bucks yesterday bedded with a doe. And a buddy was in the stand Sunday and watched a buck dogging a doe and grunting every breath he said.
 

MK111

"Happy Hunting Grounds in the Sky"
Supporting Member
6,551
66
SW Ohio
On Dec. 9th had 3 smaller bucks with a doe in my back yard. So I suspect the 2nd rut season is on.