Pre-Rut

The pre rut is starting in my area. Was out this morning had deer chasing each other then about 5 minutes later there was an all out war. The fight lasted close to 10 minutes grunting, leaves rustling, and sticks breaking. It was one of the best fights ive ever heard to bad it wasnt 50 yards closer. Its starting to heat up anyone else notice pre rut activity. Will be heading out tonight. Will post later Shoot straight =------>

Ill guessing next week the big boys will start to show up on cameras and moving during daylight. Just my guess from all the years on public first week of november is going to be hot and heavy with deer movement. Then slow down alittle before opener of gun With just a little rut activity during gun

Had this guy cruising mouth open last sunday already at 1:30 pm, also been seeing basket rack bucks chasing through the woods in the afternoon. Also had a new neighbor property buck show up the last two days its getting there!

Was out spot lightig with my daughter last night and the bucks were out in full force. Just about every field that had does in it also had a buck close by, sometime a few bucks. seem some chasing going on also. I've been going out shinning at least once a week if not more and last night the bucks werent running for the woods as soon as you stopped, they didnt want to leave the does at all. There body language was telling me that they had one thing in mind. Seen way more bucks last night than all other nights combined. Also seen a coyote, skunk, coons and rabits. One buck was even bedded down with a doe and would not move until the doe got up and left, he was right behind her. First doe I've seen not run away from a buck this fall.

Last night on my way home I had a doe cross the road in front of me and right behind her was a very nice 8 and a small 6. That 8 was chasing her all around the field and kept cutting her off. Was pretty fun to watch. In the last two days Ive had 2 shooters I haven't seen yet this yet show up on cam....half hour after dark so they aren't too far off.

Finally having bucks never seen before showing up on cameras in Taylor Co.

THE CHASE IS ON!!!!! Get out and hunt!!

A guy I work with had 2 bucks fighting in his backyard yesterday. Said it was loud and aggressive. Marathon County.

Pre-Rut action is definitely starting to heat up. I counted about a dozen rubs on my trek down our road through the 50 acres. One new rub right next to my stand on Saturday morning. On Friday the neighbor said he had a pretty nice buck grunting after a couple does. I've been getting a lot more pictures of bucks in the past week. The mature deer are moving at night and the younger deer are making some daytime appearances.

I would definetly keep the wind in your favor while hunting this scrap line. Also the buck is probably really familiar with this area and i would try to keep everything possible the way it is. if it were me I would try and set up well before the rub line or off a distance to get a view of the buck and where its coming from first, then try and find a place to set up on that buck.

Thanks for the input!! Gonna try the dripper, never have before so why not.. Did put the camera on the scrape so we will see what that turns up too..as far as stand placement goes I found a tree and hunt a stand this morning about 10 am, not right on top of the scrape but about 30 yds off, also can see the line of rubs leading into a pine tree thicket..we shall see if the main character shows up in all this!! ??

I would try to sit just off the scrape, or if you know the direction of the rub line and which way he is comming try following it back to where he is comming from. That has worked for me multiple times but it seems like when you hunt scrapes you will usually only get one shot at him eventually.(at least for me on public). Also try hanging a scent dripper over it with a camera to see when the buck comes through. If he knows theres another buck hitting the scrape he will start checking it more often and earlier. It sounds like where you found the rubs and scrapes is a funnel or pinch point for deer movement. Is the scrape 2 foot in diameter or the size of a truck. If its the size of a truck 90 percent of the time you have more then one buck hitting it. Just be patient and dont get discouraged when hunting it. Just put your time in and he will eventually mess up. Hope this helps and good luck

BB023 what i have found is that hunting over scrapes is either hit or miss for me especially during daytime hours. If you have a cam set it up and go from there. If not, step it up a bit and try a combination or grunting and rattling over a buck decoy. Ive rattled in a few bucks over the years, but nothing big. Mostly small bucks.....Pulled my card today after having it out for 2 weeks. Been getting allot of pics of does coming through with bucks following close behind. If almost seems like were ahead of scedule from previous years. Maybe a week?? Thoughts?

Need some advice, last night 10/17 in the rain and wind decided to take a slow walk around the perimeter of my woods got to the edge of some thicker stuff leading into canary grass. I noticed 1 new fresh rub, about 50 yards after that I noticed another. Needless to say I found 5 of these rubs all in a line with the rubs facing all the same direction. At the end of the canary grass it narrows to a smaller strip separating 2 fields. After finding this rub line I found probably the biggest scrape I've ever seen. So ?? Is so I try to set up off the scrape, or some where on the rub line? Only reason I'm asking is I've found scrapes before hunted them and nothing ever really happened. With the addition of the rubs think it's worth it?