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Is Rut REALLY on?

BDAHMS

BDAHMS

Be here Now
In the past week I have sat for a total of around 30-40 hours and I had little to no rut activity. I have been in southern iowa near AFTON (20 miles south of Afton) and last weekend, Wed and Thursday this week it was dead. I would see bucks still running together, does with fawns, etc. no deer responding to calls, grunts or anything. Corn is still up all around the properties so are the deer doing the deed in the corn? is this area just still in the seeking or pre rut phase or is it just me?

BTW- saw a very bad accident leaving Afton last night around 5:30 and 2 women were killed right at the main intersection on the highway there- pay attention and drive safe- like is too short!!!!
 
I was in the stand yesterday from 6:30 a.m. until 5:15 only getting out log enough to eat. I am really disappointed. I only saw 12 deer all day and most of the activity was from 10-11:15. To say it is boring is a understatement. I believe the Farm Bureau has gotten they're was with the doe permits. Each of our farms that we hunt we are seeing about 3 bucks to doe ratio. It is hard to hunt the does when there are none in our area. I am hunting in North central Ia.
 
For the past 1 1/2 weeks, every sit i am seeing bucks chasing does, also bucks responding to grunts, rattling, and estrous bleats. But a lot of chasing. Maybe it is hit or miss in your areas, im hunting in Warren and clarke counties and both have good sign of chasing and deer movement!
 
Two of the last three sits I have had a doe within 50 yards bawling out estrous bleats for at least 3 or 4 minutes. Without a single buck in the vicinity. At this point I'm wondering why she would be alone. The area has plenty of bucks in all age classes so I was a little surprised at that. I think its happening based on vehicle accidents and what I see driving around but this area is abnormally quiet with action. Every year for the last 10 years has had some sort of "rut show" right about now, but something is amiss at my spot in Boone county
 
Saw a buck mount a doe yesterday (she then proceeded to walk away and cut him off when she noticed my truck) in kossuth county. I've seen one other buck and doe bedded down together as well.
 
Saw 5 bucks this a.m. on the way to work. 2 of them each had a doe bedded down in fields, the other three I saw looked like they were cruising. A friend is out hunting this a.m. and saw 5 bucks by 8:30. Said they were chasing does, responding to calls and just moving all over. He ended up seeing 8 total this morning. Hoping action stays like this for me for the weekend.
 
Didn't make it out this morning but had a friend tell me he had a great morning in the stand with multiple bucks cruising. I was out yesterday with not much action. Headed out shortly. Will update at dark.
 
As I said before, trickle rut....the action is hot if u have a hot doe but can be dead otherwise they r locked on to a hot doe somewhere
 
bkcrrtnps said:
As I said before, trickle rut....the action is hot if u have a hot doe but can be dead otherwise they r locked on to a hot doe somewhere
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Thought you were going with the third week prediction as stated in your other post? Which one is it?
 
bkcrrtnps said:
As I said before, trickle rut....the action is hot if u have a hot doe but can be dead otherwise they r locked on to a hot doe somewhere
Click to expand...

Its suppose to get really cold next week (monday low is 16, tuesday high of 28 low of 21) maybe it will really snap it off
 
In the tree now and only seen 1 deer, a little fork buck. Checked my cams and all they have on them for the past week is little bucks, no does. I think they all found the 1 doe left and are pushing her all over Dallas county.

This is my 4th sit in 2 weeks and 2 forks are all I've seen in person. My opinion is people need to stop shooting does. I spend too much time and money doing this and it sucks bad not seeing deer. I cringe whenever I hear somebody shot a doe in an area I hunt. Especially during the rut. Why??? Save that for a gun season or something. (I know I got off topic)
 
Also, this morning, saw a big 8 (140's) and a little 6 both cruise, couldnt get them to come in, looked like they were on a mission! After that went and drove around, about 1 1/2 miles away,saw a big 10 (150-160) chasing a doe, and a litte 4 point chasing a doe
 
I hunt down around you, Ringgold county. Haven't hunted since last weekend, but it was really dead then, no response to calls, not a whole lot of general rut activity. Been a pretty slow year for me, still don't have a good buck to hunt. Just hoping something moves in during the rut. Won't be able to hunt until next weekend though.
 
Been hunting around Eldora (Hardin) and Stuart (Guthrie) for the last 4 days, 1/2 day each. Been the slowest hunting I can remember. I got caught up at work today hoping I can get out next week, IF I don't fill my tag this weekend.
 
Started out, but man it is just too windy! When you look up and see your treestand moving back and forth just doesn't look as fun when you were going to hunt your highest stand!
 
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