Did anyone else experience an absolutely painfully slow rut this year? It was awful for me lol I’ve seen one shooter and that was october 23 on public land. Usually there’s giants all over both the private land farms I have. One of those is 300 acres with 150acres of beans. I’ve seen a couple little bucks chasing and one 125” 8 point locked down with a doe on Veterans Day (passed on him but kinda wishing I didn’t lol) I rattled in one buck being a 2 year old and grunted in a handful of forkies. I know it’s not over yet but dang ha. Hoping the cold late season is my ticket. I shot a 145” 8 point last year in January so there’s still hope! Mathews Halon Black Eagle outlaws Magnus Buzzcut 4 blades Nasty combo
My good friend has a farm in NE Ohio and Sunday & Monday both he texted me some videos of bucks chasing and fighting. They wouldn't come into bow range but they were mature deer.
I believe a lot of it has to do with the moon this year. Most of the activity is happening at night. Or mid day.
I’m southeastern Ohio here. The big mature guys just don’t seem to be showing themselves. Just one of those years I think. Maybe I’ll get lucky before gun season strikes lol Mathews Halon Black Eagle outlaws Magnus Buzzcut 4 blades Nasty combo
Hunt NE Ohio and it’s been extremely strange seeing some rutting activity one day and next looks like normal deer activity I have hunted everyday (all day sits except 2 half day sits) since Nov.2 except (Nov.5 and Nov. 13 didn’t hunt) and no days activity has been the same. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Its been a challenging season for me in North Central OH. The pattern was a little different this year and it just took me a little longer to figure it out. I hope I can make it happen before thanksgiving or my buck season is pretty much done. Not sure if it was the weather, food sources or whatever but things were definitely different and a real challenge. Bucks in my area were defiantly cruising for doe and getting serious about it the last few sits. I've only seen 3 bucks that were worth shooting and no shot opportunities.
Southern OH here, I’ve seen a few chasing, and one that seems like he locked down with a doe last week. Otherwise, nothing spectacular. I had 3 does under my stand Sunday morning, waited almost 3 hours and nothing came behind. I’ve seen a few cruising the fields but, it’s been so wet here most of the corn and beans are still in the fields so I think that’s cutting down on what I see.
Well another thing down here is the acorn crop didn’t seem real spectacular. I found some red oaks that really dumped them but the whites (what I notice the deer really prefer) didn’t produce much and they are all gone. Also my number one farm planted all beans that look awful. I’m guessing the doe just moved out on me. Probably answered my own question lol but thanks for letting me know I’m not alone fellas. Mathews Halon Black Eagle outlaws Magnus Buzzcut 4 blades Nasty combo
I've hunted the last 2 days and had 3 smaller bucks cruise through. I've only seen a couple of does and nothing following. I think this is the latest into the season I have not shot anything. All the big shooters that was around last year are gone. Im running 3 cameras on 25 acres and not one "shooter" around. Pretty disappointing season so far. Heard a couple coyotes chasing deer on neighbors property about 5:40 tonight.
Buddy exact same situation for me...hang in there. Worse comes to worse im busting a doe this weekend if nothing else Mathews Halon Black Eagle outlaws Magnus Buzzcut 4 blades Nasty combo
Northwest ohio here and its about the same one day you see bucks crusing usually when your at work. Call in sick the next day and not a thing. I have heard of this happening but I admit to nothing lol. I see a buck locked down on a doe last Thursday and haven't seen any thing since except for on cams at night.
Indeed. Crazy difference since last years synchronized. Can honestly say I’m a believer for sure now. It’s never been this obvious for me before but wow. Mathews Halon Black Eagle outlaws Magnus Buzzcut 4 blades Nasty combo
I just spent the last 10 days in Ohio and I didn't see nearly the buck activity, nor even overall deer activity I've seen in past years. We attributed at least some of it to all the standing corn in the area. The area has had so much rain and the fields were so muddy, the farmers are unable to harvest much corn. Beyond that I'm not sure the difference this year. My cameras tell me the numbers are about the same. Blessings.......Pastorjim
Same here Jim. A lot of the corn is still in the fields along with some beans, that definitely makes a big difference in my opinion. I know the does like to hide in their to get away from some of the buck pressure.
Attached are 2 pictures of bucks I have passed. Each one time. The daylight picture, I was actually out that day on the other side of the property. Based on the last 3 years of picture data I know there are bigger bucks that run the area. I'm guessing that both of them are no more than 3 1/2. My question is based on the way the season is going so far, should I still be passing these deer. Again I'm going off of past years data.
Here are a couple pictures of deer I was after last year. I had pictures of both of them in February.
Man we can’t answer that...I can however tell you from experience that when/if those deer move in on you again. It will be hard for you to actually pull the trigger. I tell myself okay any 3 year old I’m shooting. Then I see one and don’t get that rush so watch him go. Later to think man I shoulda did that lol just the heat of the moment that really tells us what to do I think. Mathews Halon Black Eagle outlaws Magnus Buzzcut 4 blades Nasty combo
I basically have 24acres to hunt and right in the middle of the property is my friends house. In general the whole area is covered in deer. The problem is getting them on his property without having any food plots or anything like that. They just kind of pass through. There is a group of about 6 doe that bed in the back somewhere just off his property. I have 1 stand between the pond and his house and 2 in the back corners.
I hunt a 45 acre lot just like that. Just a big travel route during the rut and a handful of doe stay on there. Very rarely does a buck show up twice lol so I feel your pain man. Mathews Halon Black Eagle outlaws Magnus Buzzcut 4 blades Nasty combo
