Any sign of early rut yet?

[Rod Bender II]

I hunt in St Marys and I was just wondering today if anyone has seen any bucks starting to chase does? I know it is still a little early but it is right around the corner!....even if you dont hunt in St Marys have you seen any sign of action? Scrapes on the ground etc?...muzzleloader is only in for 3 days this weekend for antlered deer and then it is just left for bowhunters....glad I bought that crossbow last week!

[white belly]

Haven't been out yet myself, but a friend said some of the younger bucks were nosing around.

[uncljohn]

On Saturday in MD (Anne Arundel) I had bucks out on the field snorting and scrapping just at dusk. So they were getting ready. I plan on putting out some scent this weekend.

[KB neptune]

Last week i had a chase going on for about 15 minutes about 80 yds from my stand.....must have been a young buck chasing a doe and fawn. They ran in circles in a 50 yd area and then slipped out ; never could see and horns, it was pretty thick. About an hour later big boy came through just out of range...he disappeared into the brush and made 3 nice scrapes on his way to the field.
7-10 days we should start seeing them show themselves in daylight.

[Rod Bender II]

Looking forward to it!...I was walking the edge of the field at one of my spots and seen some minor scrapes going on.

[THATSNEAKYMURRET]

small bucks that dont know much will chase a little right now but pre rut should start any time now. bigger bucks will be on the move very soon claiming their teritories and kicking the rest out. Saw two this past saturday, one was around 130 and the other was a bull 8 pt around 145, 150. A monster 8 pt. one of the biggiest if not the biggest 8pt ive ever seen. Both bucks were still together so i didnt try to do anything like calling to them to alert them. since they were together i am pretty sure calling wouldnt have produced any results. soon though when those boys split up hopefully it will be a different story but a mature buck is a mature buck and im going to have to play my cards right to get a chance at him with the bow. Hunt smart is the name of the game with a big buck. Always hunt the wind, dont go in there if your wind isnt right, watch how you approch your stand. make sure those deer dont hit your track and get alerted by your presence before you can get a shot at them, and make your shot. Good luck

[Salmo trutta]

I work outdoors very often and am also an avid hunter for the past few years. I saw some older scrapes that were washed out from Thursday's rain on Friday afternoon. I have also seen plenty of fresh rubs but been seeing them since September. On Sept 25th I saw a good fight between two bucks. One was probably at least a year older, neither were all that big but the larger one put the smaller one in its place for at least five minutes. Incredible to watch from a tree stand, then I blew my chance on the draw when they both came into range.

Oh well...

As for the wind... Hunt the wind, hunt the wind is all I keep hearing. Okay, so you position yourself downwind from where you intend your quarry to come from and you take every possible avoidance to not "Wind" the area you are hunting as you get to your stand. And then the buck or the mother load of deer just break the rules and come from downwind of you or the opposite direction you expect them to. I happens. The best advice is to just go hunting. The wind can change, the deer patterns can change. There's no planning around that.

[uncljohn]

forget the wind and use a scent-blocking routine (body washing and carbon clothing). Spray yourself down w/ Scent-Away or some other scent suppressing spray. Don't use smelly deodorant and shampoo. brush your teeth.

I had a buck dead downwind from me while I was on the ground not knowing I was there. Had deer follow my trail right to the stand.

Too many people roll out of bed, put on their hunting clothes, and head to the stand w/o any consideration of their human odor.

[Rod Bender II]

Yea i use scent blocker every trip out. I am the same way...the wind is a lot to worry about while hunting and I only have 2 spots to choose from. I dont have a stand setup for each wind. I walk the best I can to get to my stand but I got deer sign 360 degrees around my stand so either way i walk i could chance myself in getting smelt. I just walk the best way I think is possible and hope they come from a different direction. I intend on seeing a few small bucks this weekend trying to get some action.

[THATSNEAKYMURRET]

you can fool a young buck or doe down wind of you but most of the time you will not kill a mature buck that comes down wind of you. i use scent control clothing like scent blocker scent lock, base layers and wash before i hunt but i hunt in south hampton county and those deer are hunted hard and are very smart. wind direction is everything there and yes deer can come from any direction but i just try to eliminate every chance of them smelling me and ruining the hunt. young deer will walk down wind and a lot ot the time bust me but im going for the bull and i will not kill him if he gets my wind and that is a fact. this is all bow hunting im talking about when you need them up close and personal. good luck this year everyone.

[THATSNEAKYMURRET]

Ive hunted all around virginia and deer act different in every county i have hunted but in southeast virginia those damn deer are smart. if they get down wind of you you are most of the time busted. it doesnt matter what scent blocking clothing you have or how many times you shower. if they are smart and get down wind of me where i hunt in south hampton im done. I see deer all the time that are walking with their damn head up looking in the trees for danger because they have seen other hunters in tree stands before and they associate danger to what is up in the trees. its funny watching them do that. but durring the rut the wind does not matter as much bc deer are harder to pattern and they can come from everywhere. that is when you hunt the does and transition areas between bedding areas trying to catch a buck going from one cutover to the other cutover searching for those does in heat. not long now.

[Bug Guy]

Saw 5 fresh scrapes yesterday on public land in Maryland. We had rain on Tuesday night.

[night nurse]

Saw 5 fresh scrapes yesterday on public land in Maryland. We had rain on Tuesday night.

Realy? Where? Exactly WHERE?
Good luck, I think public land can provide some great hunting to a skilled hunter and a lucky one too. Which am I? I don't know but I do buy lottery tickets....

TED

[uncljohn]

I was out Friday and had 2 does come out onto the field about 200 yds away. Shortly afterwards, a spike comes out and bee-lines it towards the does. He then took up the chase, running one in circles around the field and eventually running her off the field into the brush. He never paid the other doe any attention.

Its on!

Also this past week started seeing roadkill deer.

Its on!

[night nurse]

Have them chasing eachother at the corn pile everyday now.

Time for LOVE

TED

[Bug Guy]

Out today - 2 more fresh scrapes at another state park. I swear I could smell a doe that lingered while I worked in an urban park (where the deer are basically tame). Had one snorting at me from the top of the hill. Somethings definitely going on.

[Scott_nra]

The Increased road kill says it's on! I have seen a couple small bucks squashed. Normally that comes from either them getting run out or just getting stupid. Also, My son watched a nice one thrash a bush 20' from his stand but could not get a clear shot. A freind of mine witnessed a fight between 2 other nice bucks about a mile from here next to his house where he hunts and heard one other fight from his stand. Oh it's on alright. Should be the best 4 weeks or so of the year about now.

[Doggydaddy]

Saw a fork horn cross the road today, he looked like he was on a mission.