Pre Rut still? Or has it started

[BOTLDPONY]

out by Tbird on my lease saw two does yesterday morning just passing through...

And this morning about 10:30am as I was just about to climb out of the tree and this doe comes trotting by so I stopped and watched her disappear around the bend, and right behind was a nice 8 (I would have killed if had bow), and he looked to be drooling..? a lot.. I let him get just past me when I hit the grunt call on him, he stopped and took a quick look around and started to continue on...till I hit the rattle bag!! He flipped a 180 instantly in the air and started charging through the brush (it is 6'tall weeds where the fire went through years before, extremely thick) he started jumping high trying to look over the brush to see what he was going after! I have never seen that happen looked like bugs bunny on a cartoon "boing-boing" weirdest thing I have ever seen. Anyways after that he went back on to the path and I hit the bag again and he jumped right back into fight mode prowling the brush around me.. played for about 5 min and then he trotted off looking for that doe. nothing tonight.

 

[justin_h635]

Saw a forky chasin doe tonight and playing hide and seek behind trees.

 

[Jeremy1971]

Just saw two spike and a 8 (barley 8) hanging round with two does in a field near Tbird tonight as I was driving through. Watched for about 5 mins. Just lounging. No fighting, nose to the ground eating......

 

[Okie4570]

7 bucks, 1 doe from the stand. Bucks were small and nose to the ground. 23 deer standing in the wheat next to my truck when I stepped out on the road. Looked like all doe and fawns.

 

[fluxed]

Saturday morning I saw a great big 8 walking by with his nose to the ground. Then looking straight up the hill. He was cruising. Two hours later the big ten point was cruising up the hill looking all around. But, this morning I saw 11 deer. First a spike cruised by me, the 2 doe being chased by a smaller 8, then 1 doe being chased, then a doe being chased under my stand, then the big ten point walked up the hill, but he was not chasing anything, just cruising and looking, finally 2 doe and another forkie following them.

Seems to me its heating up, but the big experienced bucks are just cruising and scent checking, no chasing yet. They seem to leave that for the little guys.

 

[dennishoddy]

Same that I've noticed. The little guys are the ones really chasing right now. Kinda like the bar on Saturday night. The pups get all hot and heavy early. Us "mature bucks" know to lay back and take advantage of the situation when its "right".

 

[_CY_]

still pre-rut in Pawhuska

 

[BOTLDPONY]

is now the time to use some tinks or code blue with a doe decoy? or would a buck decoy and dominant buck spray be better?

 

[Deer Slayer]

The doe decoy should work now

 

[justin_h635]

Never used a deke ever. Haven't bought a drop of tinks, code blue, estrus, etc in probably 20+ years.