I’ll have to remember that date here in north west Ohio see what roaming around checkin scrapes on my properties! Just landed an amazing new job but time off will be limited so I won’t be able to make it to the stand as much this year unfortunately Mike4christ 2016 Bear Escape Easton FMJ 6mm NAP Doublecross
Here in SE-TX that seems to always be a magical date, the 25th of October. Bucks will be scarce on camera and then poof they are all over our cameras then.
The past several years have taught me a few things about mature bucks. 1st...October 28-31st is by far the stretch when I get the most mature bucks on camera in daylight. This is across multiple farms in multiple states, year after year. It seems to me the most mature bucks know exactly when the very first does in their area are going to come in to heat, and they go look for them. 2nd...wait for it...I hate the rut. Sure you see way more bucks moving in general, but IMO there is no harder time to kill a particular buck. Their patterns become very sporadic. Give me an October cold front or a December high pressure day over the rut any day. 3rd...The 2nd rut is a real thing. Past 2 years in a row I have seen tremendous rut activity among mature bucks from December 3-8th. I tend to see more mature bucks than young ones during this time, as it is on the backside of the bell curve of available does.
I agree so much on this. I've had so many of the mature bucks I've been after show up daylight on scrapes 10/24 - 10/25, usually around 9-10 a.m. I always take a few days off the last full week of October when weather permits.
Shot my best buck with a bow on 10/26 out running scrapes. I always try to be in the woods on the 25th and 26th!
Last year I had the biggest buck we had on camera come out at 60 yards chasing does on 10/29. Literally no care in the world, only thing on his mind were the women. Stepped out broadside in an open field... If he had only followed the trail the does took (I would have a big buck on the ground).
Hearing this type of information and other similar info, I've been actually leaning my Iowa trip later into November than early.
Here in PA we only get till the second saturday in November. So I usually split mine up and take Wed-Fri plus Sat both weeks! And if I feel like a day is to perfect to pass up and I am scheduled to work.... Well lets just say I save all of my sick time till after summer...
My vacation is in for Nov. 1 through Nov. 14th. For my sake i hope i get it done early. Delaware gun season opens Nov. 9th or 10th.
Shot my target buck last year on October 27th. The year before that it was October 24th and in Missouri 3 years ago it was October 26th. I like the rut but am going to have to agree with boonerville. You do see a ton of activity but getting a buck to settle down when their are hot does is tough. That being said, I shot my second buck last year in the peak of rut on November 25th. I also wait until the last week of October to use any attraction scents. Last year was a lucky one, I broke out the James Valley Scents for the first time that season, Wallhanger, and my target buck busted into the field looking to whoop some a$$. He did whoop my arrow.. 12 yards slightly quartering away, boilerroom shot but hit the opposite shoulder and snapped the arrow in two..
It's the same in West Ky. I see the bucks split up, cores shift to the nearest doe group and start to key in on the does primary food source in anticipation. This seems to start around Oct 10th-15th each year, reaching a climax around Halloween, when the first does start to come in.
Looking forward to the contest once again. A little concerned with the lack of bucks on camera so far, but only have had one out for the last 3 weeks. Did see a nice 8 on the way down to pull my camera card at midday today. First shooter I've seen, but again, have been pretty busy and don't have more cameras out like I will shortly. To echo what the last few comments have been, my best luck for mature bucks has been Oct. 20th-31st and it isn't even close. 2010 - buck harvested Oct 31st 2012 - hit/lost biggest buck I've seen from the stand Oct. 26th 2013 - buck harvested Oct 24th 2015 - buck harvested Oct 17th 2017 - buck harvested Oct 26th I've never shot a buck in November since I started bowhunting in 2008, which is not normal for most I'm guessing.
Shot my biggest buck to date on Oct. 23rd on my bday and he was trailing a doe here in s.e Ohio Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Love the randomness of this thread, lol. Be glad when the team threads start. My biggest buck was taken Nov 18th...with Oct 26th and Nov 1st being a close 2nd and 3rd.
Halloween weekend is always outstanding in WI, but my biggest was taken on the last day of smoke pole season! Sent from my SM-G935R4 using Tapatalk
I just got into trail cams last year. Put a few out in some decent rut spots. I left one out until early December and was surprised to see a flurry of rutting activity around November 22nd to 27th. Bucks coming into that area hard. Something to think about for me.
