Ohio 2013 Rut Report.

[brock ratcliff]

Hang with it Gordo! I'll be there too!

 

[Jackalope]

Hi guys. New to the forum. Been reading and following your posts and finally set up an account. There is some great information to read and I appreciate your wisdom and knowledge. I am from SW Ohio, just north of Cincinnati. I have put in a lot of tree stand time since September 28th on private property and public. I have been fortunate enough to put a couple does into the freezer but buck sightings have been few and far between. Finally I have been seeing a few young bucks the past week with their nose to the ground but this weekend I have seen a couple young bucks chasing does... crashing through the woods chasing them first thing in the morning. I saw this both Saturday morning, Sunday morning and a lone young buck this morning. But really no big boys, no mature bucks. Seems like a weird year. I know there are pretty much two schools of thought when it comes to the rut... either you follow the traditional thought that the first week or 10 days of November are magical and the best rut days to be in the woods or you follow the likes of Charles Alsheimer who tends to follow the moon phases and this cycle can change from year to year. This year he said the rut will occur late and if you were to take some days off from work the best days to be in the woods for the rut would be November 14-21 because the bucks will be on the move. If you read more of his comments, it appears the best days are 14th-17th since he believes the bulk of the breeding will be between the 17th-25th. Now I have been on a mission to kill a big buck for many years and have had absolutely no luck. :smiley_depressive: I have killed many does and younger bucks but big bucks seem to elude me. I have struggled with which rut theory to follow over the past few years and put a lot of time in the woods but this year I am actually becoming a solid believer in Alsheimer because here it is 11/11 and I have seen only two big bucks at a far distance only one day this whole season. I hope to be in the woods 11-14 and 11-15 to see of I finally see some big bucks on the move. If so, I have to then consider following Alsheimer's annual rut formula. If not, then I have to chalk this year up to warmer weather being a cause for low deer movement and/or maybe the seeking and chasing happening in the evening hours.

I was in the woods this morning and arrowed a mature doe at 30 yards. She has been teasing me the past couple weeks and today she lingered in front of me broadside for too darn long and I could not resist the temptation. Normally this time of year I let them walk in hopes of a buck following them but this year I am getting frustrated so I decided to take her for the freezer.

Thanks for all your posts. I will update what I see. Maybe a turkey will walk in front of me too. That would be a bonus!

I appreciate you signing up and sharing what you've seen. It's always great to get some fresh perspective. Ole Charles is right sometimes, but don't hang your hat on it every year. Some years he's off too. This year is crazy I have seen some nice set hit the ground this November. I am insure if this is because of the rut, or just more guys hunting right now and spending more hours in the woods. From the reports I lean more towards that than typical rut kills. Thanks again for registering.

 

[Buckmaster]

Same here. I went back to work today cutting my vacation two days short. No sense burning days to watch does walk around unharassed.

I came back two days early from my 10 day Rutcation.

In exchange I'll trade those two days off for the whole week of gun season. Reinvesting my Rutcation.

 

[bowhunter1023]

I am yet to hear of a big buck dying because he chased a doe to his death unless I missed it somewhere. Seems all the good deer killed were killed on the cruise or on normal travel patterns.

 

[Milo]

Pulled cam card today and had 80 pics of bucks only. All night time. No activity other that corn thieves

 

[Carpn]

In my opinion the worst time to kill a big deer is during peak breeding. They just don't move much once they find their doe . The best time is prior to , and shortly after peak breeding when available does dry up and they're covering ground searching.

 

[Dannmann801]

Hunted all day Saturday/Sunday/monday morning.

On Sunday at 2:30 I saw a buck at 30 yds, following a gametrail, nose to the ground,heading into the wind, moving slowly (not running)
That's all. Period. In 2-1/2 days.

 

[teej89]

Just ran into this and done fresh rubs. Bout an hour from the car if he walks by im hoping he has a monster rack and the body of a doe lol this is in muskingum

 

[Boarhead]

Last t two days have started to finally see several bucks out cruising and one locked down with a doe yesterday.Had 2 fighting in a CRP field this morning and then chased a doe right by my stand.Ended up seeing 5 bucks this morning but none of my target bucks.Have yet to see any of the real big boys moving in my area.Some descent ones just not the wallhangers.Looks like things are starting to heat up.Still thinking the next couple of weeks could be really good.

 

[Shoulder Blade]

Walking down driveway and we lock eyes.

A nice 160"ish, 10pt standing in a little field about 70 yards away.

He stuck around for a few minutes and I tried a small stalk but he was gone when I got where I needed to be.

An hour later a 140 was pushin some does about 80 yds away. Tomorrow should be interesting.

 

[racattak]

I hunt in west point ohio which is just below Lisbon. And have not seen any rut activity even start . Benn few rubs and scrapes but all has gone cold ! Beans where taken off the adjacent field to the property and the deer have all but disappeared! Today's date is the 12th and I watch Charlie Alzheimer's rut predictions every year and this is suppose to be the peak! I'm at a loss of what to do to see the bucks of years past that use to flow thru the property!

 

[Hoytmania]

Been hunting all week and no sign of the rut yet. I think I'm either a week early or a week late. Either way it sucks to hunt this hard and not see deer.

 

[ADFrase]

The last few weeks I have been seeing quite a few rubs and scrapes. Last night on my way home from work I saw a big buck and a small buck checking out a doe in the middle of a corn field. In my mind I thought this was a good sign. So with the fresh snow, I thought it would be great time to really see what activity is going on in the place where I hunt (people and deer). I was setup along a field line, and no action at all. Even on my way in there were no new tracks. So it was the thought of this will be uneventful. Then about dark we decided to pull up stakes and head out for the night. Of course, about that time here comes a small doe out of the woods, then a small buck right after. She made a b-line right for him. Sat there watching for a while, then the next thing ya know a few more came out, then the big guy moved in from the other end of the field grunting and running off the small bucks. Neat to watch, but then with the moon being so bright it became an issue to get out of there without spooking. So, once the moon went back under the clouds it was time to make tracks. I think it is getting close around these parts, but one can never tell. :smiley_chinrub:

 

[Thunderflight]

It's definitely heating up in my spots. Lord of small bucks on the prowl this morning.

This one should be a shooter in two or three years.

 

[monsterbuckrick]

I hunt in west point ohio which is just below Lisbon. And have not seen any rut activity even start . Benn few rubs and scrapes but all has gone cold ! Beans where taken off the adjacent field to the property and the deer have all but disappeared! Today's date is the 12th and I watch Charlie Alzheimer's rut predictions every year and this is suppose to be the peak! I'm at a loss of what to do to see the bucks of years past that use to flow thru the property!

Racatac, I hear ya. I hunt a couple miles away from you and same thing. Even the woods are scarce with scrapes and rubs where usually are many. I'm giving it a few more days Fri-Monday of hard hunting otherwise I'll wait until gun. Rick

 

["J"]

I hunt in west point ohio which is just below Lisbon. And have not seen any rut activity even start . Benn few rubs and scrapes but all has gone cold ! Beans where taken off the adjacent field to the property and the deer have all but disappeared! Today's date is the 12th and I watch Charlie Alzheimer's rut predictions every year and this is suppose to be the peak! I'm at a loss of what to do to see the bucks of years past that use to flow thru the property!

I'm just north of you hunting outside of Salem and it's been sporadic at best... Saw a scrub 7 point breed a mature doe last Saturday and that's been it as far as chasing/catching.... Lots of doe in the area just nothing following them around so far....

 

[bowhunter1023]

Seen the same 130-135" 9 four times today. He's looking. Little 6 point was looking earlier as well. I'm yet to see any chasing.

 

[matthewusmc8791]

Hello all. I'm catching up on my reading and i'm seeing a lot of the same things you guys are reporting. Preseason early August I was getting a lot of decent bucks on cam.. Just like every other bow season starts they are sneaking around being unseen.. I'm still seeing some all day long dogging does and have done many all day sits. I've heard a lot of fighting just after sunset so I know they are getting ready to start the crazy rut chasing shit through the woods. I just hope the cold temps stay around. I saw 6 bucks in one afternoon yesterday from 1300-1745. It was great.. all of them were on trails of the does that frequent my feeder.

good luck everyone...

 

[aholdren]

I got out this evening and saw nine different deer at one time in two fields. Not one rack other than Ike the spike.

 

[dante322]

Caw lots of deer on the way home from columbus today. 2 were bucks and they werent bothering any of the does i saw.