2010 Rut Report

[Red Earth]

A hunting partner of mine stopped in our store last night with a 12 point he shot...The deer was younger but he said he was chasing several does. His neck was pretty swollen, ears a bit cut up and he was stinking pretty good!

I think it's here!... looks like the store will be opening a bit late tomorrow!

PJ

 

[dennishoddy]

Its on. Yesterday morning was driving down the road going to my barn, when a dandy 12 point had a doe cut out in the ditch next to the road. When I pulled up to them, they just trotted off to a grassy area 100 yds from the road, and layed down in the grass. Wish he would move 1 mile further south to my stand area. He was really nice.

 

[okieshooter777]

http://www.versus.com/blogs/rut-map/

Versus is saying that it is on!! Not sure how accurate they are but.... Get in the woods and find out!!!

 

[kjohnson]

I saw a dead buck on the side of the road today. It was on a really busy highway (75) right by Tulsa. Not sure what he was doing crossing that much traffic? Rut maybe?

 

[WNM]

4 dead deer on the side of the road in between Ada and Allen on Hwy 1.

 

[WFT]

Was hunting in central Osage county saturday, saw three bucks, and none of them acted interested in anything but eating acorns??

 

[RidgeHunter]

They're hard after 'em in NE Oklahoma these last couple of days.

Had a really nice 125-130 class 9-10 point (about as big as you're likely to see in my area, I was excited) pestering a doe around me yesterday. He got to within 30 yards but I had no shot. This encounter was rudely interrupted by an interloping dog who sent the doe packing...buck in tow. Biggest buck I've ever had withing bow range. :finger: you, dog.

Today, almost a repeat of the same thing. Doe followed by a decent 8. Stayed about 15 yards out of range. I tripped on a deadfall in the dark walking in, the doe stood there and smelled where I had fallen (45 yards from my stand) for 10 freaking minutes. Buck just stood there waiting. She would take a step, he would match it...staying 20 yards behind her. She finally had enough and whirled and went back up the hill with him in pursuit. Makes me wonder if my clumsiness cost me a buck, they would have came right in if not for her smelling that spot. And the wind was in my favor.

Common denominator? Both sightings occurred in the middle of the day. 1:19 and 12:44 P.M. respectively. First year I've hunted much midday, will not be the last. Work is keeping me busier than I like during deer season, but we'll see what I can do.

A couple of the most exciting days I've had in the woods in a while, though a bit frustrating. Huge adrenaline rush when you spot that buck after seeing the doe doing the familiar "sneak and look back" routine.

 

[Oklahomabassin]

The buck I shot Saturday stank and was obviously starting his yearly mating ritual. South of Erick.

 

[DownDeep]

I seen a shooter 8pt chasing a doe yesterday by the bass pro shop in broken arrow.... And this afternoon I saw a giant 10pt chasing a doe just north of Coweta, Ok.

 

[tslabaugh]

Here is what the wildlife department just sent out:

Deer rifle season kicks off Saturday, Nov. 20, and personnel with the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation are reporting that the rut is heating up just in time.

Hunters have been harvesting mature deer all throughout archery and muzzleloader. Even celebrities are getting in on the action. Country music star Blake Shelton took a trophy buck Nov. 12 in southcentral Oklahoma, and other mature deer are being taken statewide.

“Making music is my livelihood, and I love it, but when it comes to my time I head to the woods,” Shelton said. “I can’t wait to be in the deer woods. Deer season is like early Christmas around our place.”

The rut, or deer breeding season, is a biological process that typically occurs around the second week of November. Deer activity during the rut picks up but the amount of activity can be influenced by a host of factors such as day length, temperatures, moon phase and herd condition.

The northwest region of Oklahoma is famed for its excellent deer hunting — not to mention big deer — and biologists believe the fall-like weather brought in over this past weekend was the trigger needed to increase deer activity in the region.

According to Wade Free, northwest region wildlife supervisor for the Wildlife Department, conditions during deer muzzleloader season were unusually warm and windy.

“There were a few really nice bucks harvested, but overall the harvest was down, mostly a result of limited deer movement due to hot, windy conditions,” Free said, adding that hunters don’t stay afield as long when they are dealing with heat, mosquitoes and limited deer sightings. Additionally, Free said most winter wheat fields were not going strong yet and deer were therefore not moving to and from crop fields.

However, Free expects far different results this weekend.
“Fortunately, as of late, bucks are starting to show increased breeding activity, with fresh rubs and scrapes,” Free said.

According to Free, “rifle season has the potential to coincide perfectly with rutting activity.”

“The deer are going to breed regardless of weather, but colder temperatures allow the deer to move during the day when otherwise, temperatures make it too stressful if not impossible to go all day,” he said.

In the opposite corner of the state — the southeast — the rut is increasing in intensity and has not yet seen its peak, according to Jack Waymire, southeast region senior wildlife biologist for the Wildlife Department.
“Archers are harvesting mature bucks, and bucks are cruising and beginning to chase does,” Waymire said. “The highest peak of the rut is still ahead.”
Waymire said acorn production in the region was poor this year but that some may still be found along river systems. Deer movement, though, is picking up, increasing the chances for hunters to see and harvest deer.

“If the weather cooperates, it is shaping up to be a good deer gun season,” Waymire said.

Southeast Oklahoma is known for large expanses of public land open to deer hunting, particularly on wildlife management areas such as Honobia Creek and Three Rivers WMAs.

For just $40 — the cost of a Land Access Permit from the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation — Oklahoma hunters can gain hunting or fishing access on the Honobia Creek and Three Rivers Wildlife Management Areas, where some of the most rugged terrain and abundant cover in the state allow deer to grow to mature age classes.

Additionally, the upcoming deer season is expected to be a good one on Honobia Creek and Three Rivers WMAs.

“Our 2010 deer surveys were even better than the record-breaking year of 2009,” said Kyle Johnson, Wildlife Department biologist stationed on Honobia Creek and Three Rivers WMA. “With a little effort and willingness to do some hiking through the woods and hunting away from roadways, hunters will have a good opportunity to see deer this gun season.”

Johnson also has noted increased rutting activity in the southeast region.
“Just in the last couple of days, I’ve started seeing and hearing reports of mature bucks chasing does aggressively.”

Reports from the southwest region indicate the rut has been slow developing this year.

“This is probably good news for those planning to hunt the deer gun season opener,” said Rod Smith, southwest region wildlife supervisor for the Wildlife Department. “The cool wet weather last weekend should be the stimulus to increase deer movements and typical deer rutting behavior.”

Smith said deer activity through muzzleloader season and controlled hunts that took place in early November was very slow. Last week, hunters were reporting new scrapes, but adult bucks were also still being observed in groups. According to Smith, people in the field were not observing significant rutting activity last week. Though some bucks appeared to be rutting heavily, the majority had not begun rutting actively. An increase in vehicle-killed deer was noted last week, “a sure sign that the rut is beginning,” Smith said.

In the central region, rutting activity was observed by hunters toward the end of muzzleloader season.

“A cool front dropped temperatures to the lows 30s at daylight and high 50s at sunset,” said Rex Umber, central region senior biologist for the Wildlife Department. “Above normal temperatures have followed with limited activity, but bucks appear to be on the move again.”

According to Umber, deer harvest is currently down about 25 percent or more in the central region compared to last year’s data, but as usual, some mature bucks were harvested during both archery and muzzleloader seasons.

“The acorn crop appeared good in early summer, but weather conditions were not favorable for development in July and August,” Umber said.

But while acorns are spotty, other food sources are available.
“The persimmon crop is good on most sites and deer are hitting these sites very hard,” Umber said. “Wheat crops are also spotty — some sites good to excellent.”

While Umber refrains from predicting the dates of the rut in the central region, he sites Nov. 15 as the “usual” time to observe the rut taking place in Oklahoma.

According to reports from the northeast part of the state, rutting activity is beginning to pick up and, though it may be winding down in the early part of deer gun season, deer will still be active and hunters should have opportunities to see and harvest rutting deer.

The northeast region also experienced a warm early muzzleloader season, and bucks were not overly active. However, as the season progressed, pre-rut activity picked up. Reports submitted by Craig Endicott, northeast region wildlife supervisor for the Wildlife Department, indicate that deer harvested during muzzleloader season were in good physical condition and a number of “good average bucks” were harvested, though few may have been considered trophy animals.

While some breeding activity will likely still be occurring on the opening weekend of the deer gun season, hunters in the northeast region should expect the peak to be winding down and adjust techniques accordingly. Doe estrous calls, antler rattling, and grunt tubes may still work, but hunting travel lanes to and from bedding or feeding areas may be more effective. Scouting is key, as putting in time afield beforehand will almost always increase a hunter’s odds of harvesting a deer. According to Endicott’s report, most oak species in the northeast produced at least some acorns, and deer are feeding on them. Oak stands may be ideal spots, and any other food sources where does may be feeding, as bucks may be close at hand as breeding activity lingers.

Deer gun season runs Nov. 20 through Dec. 5. For more information about license requirements, regulations and antlerless deer hunting requirements, consult the current “Oklahoma Hunting Guide” or log on to wildlifedepartment.com.

Hunters all over the state are reminded of the importance of scouting out their hunting spots before the season, including searching out food sources like acorns, persimmons, agriculture fields and others.

Hunters are advised to use weekdays as much as possible and to stay in the woods as long as they are able on the days they choose to hunt. The second week of the deer gun season should not be overlooked as a prime time to harvest a buck as well. Hunters not successful early on opening day should remember that deer frequently get up to feed and move about around mid-morning to mid-day. Those still in the woods during that time frame often go home with a deer.