Illinois rut


soillap

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That pretty much seems to be what everybody else is seeing too. There's a whole long thread over on archery talk about it. It sounds like it has been very hit and miss depending on where you are. I think the doe population is down this year where i hunt, and that EHD was worse than most people think it was. Some people are saying they are in lock down now, others are saying it hasn't really fired up yet. This week would be a greeat week to burn some vacation before gun season. I'll be in the woods all day Thursday trying to stick one.

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Southern Illinois is less than 60 miles from us as a crow flies. Seeing some chasing here, a few does seem to have already come in, and maybe were already bred. Saw some decent bucks chase last week or so. Earlier than usual for that for here. Alzheimer predicted an early rut and a concentrated rut where more does would be ready at the same time, not seeing it here, seems to be a trickle. Watched 4 does last night, had a 2.5 year old buck charge in and chase a smaller doe off the field, then the lead doe took off after them and the rest followed, and a ugly 1.5 year old buck came out and just watched and listened. I listened to them chase through the woods, then heard another chase in the woods on the opposite side of me, different group of deer, never saw them but did hear a buck grunt mid way through. Watched a single doe this morning right at light track her way across a field. After she got in the woods, heard a chase start.

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I hunt Southern Illinois and I agree that they haven't really starting doing to much rutting activity. I do think it is very close to kicking into high gear thougt. I hunted Nov. 4 - 12 and saw no real rutting activity to speak of. Last Tuesday evening I had a 150 and probably a 130 traveling and feeding together. There were seveal does that fed with them and passed by them and niether one of them paid any attention to them. They were concerned about feeding not the does. I did see one nice buck trailing 2 does, but he wasn't pushing them, just following 50yds behind them or so. I hope that this weekend during gun season that they are chasing.

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