where are we at in the rut?

[BOTLDPONY]

just curious as to what people are seeing right now? still in bach groups, seperating, scrapes, and rubbing, fighting?

what it boils down to is it to early to start rattiling? and is this weekend and next weekend going to be real good for ML as the temps are falling esp next weekend H50 L37.

 

[imhntn]

I have not been seeing any action yet but they ought to be turning on some soon. I would think weekend after this would be good to rattle. Honestly, I have had very little success rattling in Oklahoma but that may be changing since we are killing fewer bucks. I have not tried it in several years. It works like crazy in Kansas.

 

[Oklahomabassin]

Pre-Rut, if you rattle, I wouldn't get too aggressive next weekend. I concur with imhntn about results in Oklahoma.

 

[APeterson]

We are in currently in Winter Solstice. This phase combined with lower night time tempatures usually kicks off the Pre-Rut. Last Weekend (Saturday & Sunday Morning) in the Guthrie area I have observed two seperate Bucks rubbing, but I have found no signs of scrapes yet. My guess is that the Guthrie area should be in Full Rut around the second week in November.

Speaking with Family that hunt in the Enid area they have told me that they are seeing scrapes all over their property.
Speaking with the Wildlife and Natural Resources guys at Fort Sill they say they have little or no sign.
More regionalized this year due to the drought?? Your guess is as good as mine.

 

[Okie4570]

I've been seeing scrapes since the first week of season. NEVER seen them this early before. The buck I shot last week had a neck that was getting large but his tarsal glands were clean. Saw 3 bucks coming to feed together this weekend.

 

[dennishoddy]

I've been seeing scrapes since the first week of season. NEVER seen them this early before. The buck I shot last week had a neck that was getting large but his tarsal glands were clean. Saw 3 bucks coming to feed together this weekend.

I'm just getting off of a 6 week overhaul at the plant, and have been in the fields mostly at night, but did get out today after work and walked the tree line. I saw some early signs of scrapes on the low hanging limbs, but no pissing in the scrape. A buddy in the same area has bucks running together on his game cam.

Its early, but will heat up in about 2 weeks.

 

[Bobber Down]

I have some sparing on my trail cams and seeing a lot more rubs latley but everything is still nocturnal at this point

 

[RidgeHunter]

IIRC correctly, the biologists say peak breeding is Nov 12th +/- 2 days on average. Peak of the chase phase should be the week leading up to that. Activity should be kicking up soon; young bucks will get antsy and start to prowl about.

Historically for me some of the best rut activity I've seen in NE OK is from Halloween to November 14th or so, though I've seen bucks hot on does as early as Octboer 25th and as late as December 5th (side effect of too many does and too few bucks). Halloween to the weekend after Thanksgiving is going to be the time I try and put some serious time on stand this year.

I'm not seeing jack this year. I only have 7 sits in and have been blanked most of them. Last year early season was slow as well, but I still had a doe in the freezer by this time and had passed quite a few. My hope lies in the weeks to come.

 

[dennishoddy]

I'm not seeing jack this year. I only have 7 sits in and have been blanked most of them. My hope lies in the weeks to come.

Work crap has kept me out of the field this season so far, but it is over. Talked to the land owner adjacent to me that that has been in the field, and he is saying they are seeing mature does, but very few fawns. They suspect the drought has dried up the does with fawns, resulting in low fawn recruitment.
The ODW biologist are still looking at the spotlight survey data.

 

[r00s7a]

I have spent every day since Oct 1st in the stand, in the woods, or in the truck glassing. It's awesome to have my job and live where I live this time of year! The bachelor groups are beginning to break up a little in my area. I'm still seeing the same bucks under the feeder, but they aren't running together as much as they were earlier. Last week I watched some super aggressive fighting, I mean the kind where you go "DAMMMMMMMMMMMNNNNN!" They put on quite a show, but I perceived it as establishing dominance and not territory for does, which will come later. Any big bucks that I have been seeing on a regular basis during daylight have disappeared completely. They don't get big by being dumb. It did prove one thing to me, early bow season is a great time to bag a big buck that hasn't caught on that hunting season has begun. I was not aggressive enough this year early and a monster that I had under the feeder early season has disappeared. Hoping that he reappears trailing a doe here in a few weeks. As far as fawns go down here in SE Oklahoma, I'm not seeing many coming to the feeder. There are way too many does where I am, so it is not abnormal to see a lot without fawns since there aren't enough bucks to breed them all. But I think I should have seen more fawns that what I have this year. Guessing they got abandoned due to lack of groceries. You can count the ribs on most of the does, it is sad looking.