Rut Question... UP

[Djthomas68]

I will be hunting in the UP for gun season, (kinross) and was wondering what the rut condition is (early, mid, late?)... I am down-state and was just wondering what to expect.... Any input would be helpful.

Thanks!

[Biggbear]

DJ- My brother and I are hunting in Kinross too, where abouts are you hunting/staying? We're renting cabins at Northwoods, and hunting south of the old air base. I haven't got any information on the rut, I've got a call in to my buddy up there, if I hear soon I'll let you know.

[Djthomas68]

We are about 20 east from 75, exact whereabouts i dont know, only been there 2 times, and i am not real familiar with the area. My good friend has a cabin there with about 35 acres... I do know that we are about 15 minutes from the casino though! lol... Thanks for the input, will check back to see whats going on with the rut!

[Garret]

I was up at camp in the Ontonagon area last weekend and there seemed to be little sign of the rut. :( I walked about 80 of 160 acres and noticed some well used trails and some fresh heavy hoof tracks that could have been a buck on the trail of a doe? :eek: Or, just a big doe on the move, it was hard to tell? :confused: That’s about it.

Sorry, that’s all I have to report.

[Dedge]

OK guys I am wayyyy north of you so I don't know if any of this info will help but up Keweenaw county there is really nothing happening yet. A buddy was in the blind on monday and he had 3 bucks and 4 does come in. The bucks were all 1.5 - 2.5 yrs old, and they showed no interest in any of the does. He said there was no chasing, or sniffing or nothing. I'm guessing we got a little while yet. Hopefully soon though, there aren't too many days left till the opener is here.

Like I said I don't know if this helps at all, but it is all I got.
Dan

[Eastern Yooper]

As a general rule, the rut in the EUP coincides with the deer opener, give or take a few days.

Looks to be the same this year; little activity thus far so things should be shaping up nicely for next week.

Forecast is snow for the next few days so most likely we'll have some of the white stuff on the ground.

Best wishes to all here at M-S for a fun, safe, and memorable deer season.

Good Hunting!
Chuck

http://photos.imageevent.com/yooper/yooperfirstalbum/websize/93_snapshot.jpg

Shot in the wind & rain Nov 18, 2003 at 3:30 p.m. while chasing a doe

[Magnet]

Found a few rubs and a scrape near my hunting spot in central UP this past weekend. Looks to be about the same as last year.

[bowhuntingrules]

I also found a scrape and a rub this past weekend and I hunt in AuTrain. I hope we have some white stuff on the ground, makes seein those brown things a bit easier. Good luck and be safe out there.

[NorthJeff]

I have a fairly decent age structure around here and quite a few bucks, but I have several scrapes that have been worked over the past 3-4 weeks, a couple since before bow season. The scrapes are still being tended and new rubs seem to be popping up daily. I found a few new scrapes just made over the past 3 days, along with new rubs.

The average conception date is just before gun-season and our gun season seems to fall on a time with bucks who are already with estrus does, and are not typically actively seeking unless looking for the next doe to stay with a day or two. I suspect any day now the bucks will forget the scrapes for the most part, and will be locked in with does for the remainder of the rut unless moving to the next one.

I got back from WI last Friday and the weekend of 10/31 the bucks were hot and heavy traveling and laying down scrapes. As the week progressed into about 11/3-11/4 the bucks finally slowed the activity down considerably and were all locked up with does, basically moving when their hot doe moved, and that was it. We are a little later up here and have a littler shorter rut so in the next few days and into gun season that's what point we will be at.

This seems to be near or at the best of the "peak-rut", and like Eastern Yooper said, the actual rut should be right around the opener.

Right now is a great, great time to be in the woods!

[Djthomas68]

thanks for all the input... good luck to all!

[NorthJeff]

Was out last night and it was the first time that any scrape I saw had not been freshened recently (after the last rain). Really seems like the bucks are now locked with does....which they often will be for 1-2 days with the same doe until looking for the next one.