The Official 2018 "Is It The Rut Yet?" Thread

[outrider58]

I like an early start(even though I don't start hunting deer til end of October). July 4th, being my unofficial start to the new deer season, is when a lot of the outdoors channels make the switch from fishing programs to hunting programs.

Look for the "seeking phase to start around 20 Oct. Followed by the "chasing phase" around the 25th. "Tending" will follow along just after the full moon which happens on the 24th of October.

For you guys looking for some bone to hang on the wall, the best time to be in the woods will be from Oct 23rd through Nov 1st.

This will be about the earliest the rut will occur in these parts. The bad thing, the thing I hate about early ruts, is warm weather. Once daytime temps go much above 45 F, most the activity will occur in the wee hours of the night, when temps are at their lowest. Deer can't sweat. They can't cool themselves. Therefore, they will be primarily confined to nightime movement once the chasing commences. I prefer to hunt creek bottoms over ridge tops in these situations.

 

[Alea Jacta Est]

Lots of rain should mean lots of mast. Should be a good year.

 

[Alea Jacta Est]

Lots of rain should mean lots of mast. Should be a good year.

Looks like premature Erackulation.

 

[outrider58]

Looks like premature Erackulation.

LOL.

Nope. We gotta start somewhere.

 

[Racer Doug14]

Well, is it?..

 

[newmuzzleloader]

Well, is it?..

I've been seeing several bucks along the edges of the back cornfield this past week so we must be getting close. With this cool weather this weekend it should get em to be moving

 

[Racer Doug14]

Better get in the stand then.

 

[East2West]

Down in Bedford, VA this week. Seen about 6 bucks chasin does.... Rut should be on up in Maryland in about 5 weeks given my calculations.

 

[BDWMS]

I have a spike hanging with two yearling does every evening. The little ones start chasing just before the big boys. I predict one more week until things go crazy in Howard county.

 

[AV8OR]

Any advice on what I can put out now to start attracting deer? I use corn during the season but I’d Like to start a small food plot kinda thing

 

[outrider58]

Any advice on what I can put out now to start attracting deer? I use corn during the season but I’d Like to start a small food plot kinda thing

There are plenty of 'mixes' on the market for different regions and different times of years. Radishes grow throughout the summer and are easy to start up.

 

[Mako]

Saw a 6-8 point buck in velvet in Kent county MD today.

 

[Pale Ryder]

I'm guessing about 4 months to the day around here.

 

[outrider58]

OP updated

 

[Pale Ryder]

I always figure the two weeks from Halloween to mid Nov is the golden time to be in the woods. So any day you have the chance is when to go, since you probably can't be there everyday.
If I gotta pick a date I'm going with Nov 12.

 

[Derwood]

Do any of you wise bucks/does have suggestions for summer preparation activity?

Things like when to trim trees/maintain stands (and when to quit disturbing your hunting spots) and on a similar note, when/where to put trail cams and when to quit going in to pull cards?

 

[outrider58]

I always figure the two weeks from Halloween to mid Nov is the golden time to be in the woods. So any day you have the chance is when to go, since you probably can't be there everyday.
If I gotta pick a date I'm going with Nov 12.

Generally, the week before the second full moon after the equinox is prime pre rut. That's when I want to be in the woods every day. But, as I said before, the second moon happens Oct 24(I think the 'rule' is; if the first full moon occurs after the 14th of September...then the second full moon is "it", but IDK for sure.).

Do any of you wise bucks/does have suggestions for summer preparation activity?

Things like when to trim trees/maintain stands (and when to quit disturbing your hunting spots) and on a similar note, when/where to put trail cams and when to quit going in to pull cards?

As far as stand prep, I do very little. I've hunted this farm for 18 years. I might restrap a ladder stand if it has been a few years, but mostly, I hunt from my climber during bow season and all my spots are pretty clear.

For trail cams, I don't use them a lot. I have one on the community lick. I will pull it and the card in early Sept. to get a tally on what's out there. Then the cam will go into my pack to be placed on a trailhead to see what is entering and leaving that trail recently(if anything) as I hunt. I have a good grasp of what the deer do throughout the season as it progresses. I keep my footprint as minimal as possible. That plan has worked for me well.

 

[RetiredArmyGuy]

I have some young bucks moving around the area I hunt in Pasadena. They are with 3 or 4 does at the moment. I usually see them just before dark but recently they have been mulling around at after 7pm. I usually put my cameras back up in August to watch the hunt area. What I normally look for in the early part of the season is when the bucks start sparing. I have found over the 30 plus years of hunting that when bucks starting sparing the rut is usually 4 to 6 weeks away. I agree with Outrider that the October 24th is the target moon for the rut with the first and second week of November being a good SWAG for the rut and the second rut in early December. I have moved to a salt lick and cob corn as it seems to stay on the ground longer and the deer seem to like it. Since I go to an animal auction up in PA regularly I found a farmer up there that sells on the cob corn for $5 a 50lbs bag. I usually check my cameras every week from August to the end of September around lunch making sure I minimize scent on my boots. I have yet to see this startle or aggravate any deer in the area. I also hunt only from a ground blind these days and have been very successful over the past three years in MD, VA and NC.

 

[melikou1]

I have some young bucks moving around the area I hunt in Pasadena. They are with 3 or 4 does at the moment. I usually see them just before dark but recently they have been mulling around at after 7pm. I usually put my cameras back up in August to watch the hunt area. What I normally look for in the early part of the season is when the bucks start sparing. I have found over the 30 plus years of hunting that when bucks starting sparing the rut is usually 4 to 6 weeks away. I agree with Outrider that the October 24th is the target moon for the rut with the first and second week of November being a good SWAG for the rut and the second rut in early December. I have moved to a salt lick and cob corn as it seems to stay on the ground longer and the deer seem to like it. Since I go to an animal auction up in PA regularly I found a farmer up there that sells on the cob corn for $5 a 50lbs bag. I usually check my cameras every week from August to the end of September around lunch making sure I minimize scent on my boots. I have yet to see this startle or aggravate any deer in the area. I also hunt only from a ground blind these days and have been very successful over the past three years in MD, VA and NC.

I've had these 4 stop by to visit here in Pasadena all together on one night. Have been seeing the ones in the picture dated 7/10/2018 every night for about the past week. Also have a video of a doe chasing off the 4 point. Does have been coming in later in the night, along with the Trash Pandas.

 

[RetiredArmyGuy]

I've had these 4 stop by to visit here in Pasadena all together on one night. Have been seeing the ones in the picture dated 7/10/2018 every night for about the past week. Also have a video of a doe chasing off the 4 point. Does have been coming in later in the night, along with the Trash Pandas.

That’s very cool! I need to get my cameras back up. I just haven’t had time and don’t normally have them out this early. Guess I will have to start!