Deer activity...

[DGF]

How has the deer activity been in your area? Are you noticing any rut behavior settling in? just curious what's going on throughout different parts of the state. Thx.

[flyrod4steelhead]

Deer? We have those in Michigan? lol I have not hardly seen any deer to say that there is even any activity going on where I hunt. 2 day's after opening day, I seen 3 deer, 1 button buck and 2 doe's, a mom and this year's fawn. I have only seen a few rub's, but I beleive those were just rub's from the buck's taking there velvet off. I'm not a expert or anything, I jus don't feel that the weather is getting cold enough for the Buck's & Does to even think about the rut. Usually in my area, the rut doesn't start happening until around the last few day's of Oct through out Nov.


HAPPY HUNTING :D

[marty]

Here same thing seen 5 deer. 2 does and three fawns but since the early doe season all I see is one button buck. I hope this is not a tend to come but it seems every year less and less deer. You can bet the insurance companies are smiling and the farmers are happy campers. Maybe I should turn my place into a golf course. Then I can go to these game farms and kill these big bucks or hunt out of michigan.........marty:confused:

[Icet]

Lewiston: Not much activity. Just spent the week up in that area. Saw about a half a dozen deer. One small buck.

[Hunter333]

Deer, are they those large brown things with 4 legs and antlers? Nope, havent seen a darn one!! Lots of signs but no deer. As for the golf course idea, its a good one! I work at a country club during the summer and would daily get within 25 feet of a 4 and 6 point :)

[kroppe]

Washtenaw County: deer are active, many fresh rubs and scrapes, watched a button for 30 minutes from 25 yds., kicking up several deer per scouting trip. Grunting doesn't seem to have much effect right now.

[Banditto]

Howell has lots of activity, rubs, scrapes, daytime activity. Bucks were still in bachelor groups last week.

Rose City mid-oct saw bucks in bachelor group, many does all moving around dusk. Not much in the a.m.

I took the weekend off to go north wednesday next week.

[Kevin]

As of this week, picking up in Livingston Cty.
a big 6 and and a very big 8 in daylight hours... that is big considering our recent experience.
KML

[klewisd]

Lake and Mason county seem devoid of deer, with the exception of farmland. So monday I head to the U.P. for nine days to see if there's any up there:confused: The predictions of this bow season were supposed to be great! I know of a few deer taken but it seems way down. You don't think the DNR would be telling stories do you?

[plugger]

I agree that mason county has low deer numbers in the areas I hunt. I have hunted the same area for 25 and have never seen less sign. I have actually seen more bucks than does. With the number of doe permits out the next few years may be real slim unless some people wake up and quit shooting the breeding stock.

[Sturgeon-man]

Weather has just started to turn for the better in the last few days (rain/snow/& colder temps). The last few weeks, activity has been SLOW. Acorns have been spotty - the ones producing nuts are the lone oaks among other types of trees and the deer are vacuming them up. Most of my hunting is done in the Pigeon River area and the last couple of days some buds and I have been hoofin' it (compass, fanny packs, etc.) well off the beaten paths. Made some huge mistakes following scrape/rub lines and walked right into the bedrooms of some big boys (if only it was Nov. 15th!). Any oak that isn't producing, check out the beech trees - they're producing plenty. Rattle bags & grunt tubes have brought in a handful of scrub bucks just out of bow range. It's only gonna get better.

[flyrod4steelhead]

klewisd,

When I was up in the UP last weekend, on friday, my dad and I saw 20 deer in 1 day. The sad thing is, THEY WERE ALL DOES. We didn't see one single buck, let alone a button buck. We are rifle hunting to the west of Escanaba, we are only about 30min from being a CHEESE HEAD :eek:.

[dongiese]

Watch what happens in a week, the full moon is keeping them nocturnal. come Nov. 3rd everything should go crazy.

[Airoh]

The only buck I saw on stand was nose to the ground and making tracks on 2 doe that walked through a few minutes before.
He was a young buck.

[frank b.]

Hillsdale co,
Lots of big rubs everywhere on our 300 acre farm but where not seeing bucks except for a couple small 6's and 7's , saw a monster opening weekend got within range but could'nt get positioned before he went thru shooting lane have'nt seen him since 8pt 10"-12" tines est. 22-24 spread? The hunting has turned real slow the last week. Waiting for the first week of nov.

[flyrod4steelhead]

Went to my freinds house yesterday afternoon to do some bowhunting in the evening. Well being kinda chilly all day, I figured they would move pretty good, HA. 5:20, a Doe and her Fawn cam in. He had some button's on him. Can they get button's being their first year alive? Awhile later around 6:30 I seen another deer, but couldn't make out what it was. I thought that I seen some head gear on the dang thing, but I wasn't promising myself to that either. The doe came in and give me a perfect broadside shot. I took it and well, once again, I get to watch a deer run off unharmed.

I am using the Keller Penduilum Sight. I am sighted in for 20yds, and where she was at, I hade marked aroun 20yds. My arrow went flying over her back. GRRRRRRRRRR. Well at least, I didn't gut shoot or hit her in the lung's/heart area and not find her. That would have ticked me off.

[sportsman bob]

I have been hunting In Gregory and North of Chelsea and it has been slow until this week. The deer are moving around more this week, I think it's because it is finally getting colder. I still have not seen many bucks compared to other years.:rolleyes:

[marty]

The deer here in alcona county SE part have went nocturnal. Only deer in daylight hours is a button buck. Early rifle season messes me up every year. If he's not careful some one will pop him rifle season if he leaves my area. Got two bucks 8 and a real tall 6 but not coming in till 10pm - 553am and now time change dark earlier now....... Only one mature doe on my place also Bummer:( :mad:
No runs or scrapes yet but mock scrape with my handy scent got tore up good:D ........marty:D

[The Nailer]

No activity in Hawks.

I now have nine days in the woods w/o a single sighting, not even a tail coming or going to my stands. I have not seen a scrape or rub yet. The neighbor saw two small bucks fighting on the field across from his place Friday night so maybe things will begin to improve. Unfortunately I don't think I'll be able to get up again until rifle season. The wife is getting pretty edgy when I mention another weekend away.

I hear gun shots every morning and evening all year long in my area and the herd has been pretty thinned out. Plus I think I have two neighbors who are illegaly baiting. I found a pile of corn at the end of my road. The way it was spread across the road it looked like it came from the gap between the tailgate and bed of a truck.

[2PawsRiver]

Van Buren County, Hartford Area, I am just starting to see some activity. Found my first rub last weekend and found my first group of scrapes yesterday morning. It is just starting to feel like deer season.

[redwinger00]

Harvested a 5 point that came down one of my runways with his head right on the ground. His neck was all swollen up. He was "ready to go". Activity has been great in the area I have been hunting (Clio area). The deer are moving alot in the evening. Not as much activity in the AM.

[jdt]

seeing lots of does,some nice bucks.best area near my area is between north higgins lake park to moorstown.we have a heavy acorn crop this year.most bucks at night only.going north-

take north higgins lake exit off 127 (us-27) turn left cross over expressway to service road,turn left go to first dirt road ,about 1/4 mile,turn right.the good oaks start about 4 miles out.
miles of state land on both sides.road is about 20 miles long,and there are lots of two tracks,and a couple of lakes on state land!

[mich buckmaster]

I know of seven bucks shot yesterday, the 26th, so the bucks are definately on the move.

I hope you all get out and give them he$$. It is time!!!!!

[Kevin]

Well, Big Boy is out there!
This is the third time my hunting partner (and Bro-in-law) saw the monster buck where we hunt. And for a third time he did not have a kill shot. Big boy slowly loped away; buttock to arrow head. My partner has seen many big deer, and according to him, this is the biggest deer he has ever seen.
He did shoot a doe tonight. As for me, the only deer I saw or heard tonight was his expiring doe, who wandered behind my stand after a clean pass-through from my partner.
Ther are a couple good bucks there though, and the season is long.

[DGF]

Well, I'm seeing an increase in deer activity. I'm seeing many does as fairly usual. Buck sign is increasing, as well as me hearing my first bucks sparring of the season!

[dugfish]

http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/photopost/data/500/2764qdm_carrie.jpg
there activity has slowed down:D :D :D

[Captain]

Well I have yet to see a doe this year, my second trip up to our hunting camp tallied up 3 more buck sightings...14 different bucks so far this season....Bucks are scraping and rubbing hard...I had a huge buck pass by Sat. AM turned out he was a 4 point with about a 18" spread and 9-10" G2's no base tines, WHat the? He was on a mission and kept going, Had a nice little 7 point come right under me, with weeds hanging off his rack...He was really beat up and I decided to watch him for a sec...Well of course he looks up and spooked for about 20 yds and then wondered off..He must have heard me breathing! LOL Still not sure if I would have tried taking him or not, still a little early to tag out on another 7 point...Jumped a buck making a rub that day as well..My Dad had a nice heavy buck cruise by birddogging a doe...At least he's seen a couple does.....

[Banditto]

Saw a ton of bucks in Rose City area over the long weekend. Nothing I would call a shooter. No does??? wonder why.

All I can figure is they were heavily nocturnal. No rubs or scrapes at all anywhere.

My partner hunted in Howell and had a big buck following a well developed rub line chasing a doe until they were both out of breath. Too far to shoot. (save him for me!)