Morning Hunting Trip 11/16/2013

Headed back out into Loch Raven for a morning hunt Saturday with a good friend of mine. Was worried about the rain, but what a perfect morning.  The rain made it easy to get into the woods without making a ton of noise and the rain was gone and it was cool but not cold.  Just a perfect morning to be hunting.  My morning got started quick and was none stop,  around 6:40 I had a spike come down the hill to me walk about 27 yards in front of me and kept on going. I wasn't about to shoot him so he got a pass until he gets bigger.  About an hour later I had a doe and fawn appear 70 yards away, I quickly saw where they come from but because I couldn't hear anything walking I was focused on another area of the woods and missed them coming in. I may have been able to get a shoot, who knows.  But they walked up the hill and away from him.

Shortly after the doe and fawn left my friend that was hunting in the same general area but a good 75 yards away shot a doe that was with a small buck.  That didn't seem to effect the morning at all, short time later I had a doe walk in but never gave me a shot, and while she was feeding in front of me I had another deer come up from behind me that turned out to be a little 4.  He went up the hill like a man on mission.  By this time it was shortly after 9 AM and we decided to get out of the woods and deal with my buddies doe.   Great morning in the woods even if I didn't get a shot. My favorite place to be this time of year!

I have heard rumors of several people getting does out of Loch Raven yesterday and even saw a message that I have no idea if it's correct or not but that a "big" buck was taken last night in Loch Raven but the email didn't saw where just that he saw someone loading a really good buck after dark last night.  Anyone who might know anything about it love hear about it or see a picture!

Should be a great week in the woods with the full moon this evening.  Rut should really kick into full swing any day now!  Good luck to everyone and keep us posted on how your hunts go and what you see!

2013 - 2014 Hunting Season Journal
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  1. Clay
    Hello, What is the rut status? I am hearing people saying we're in the rut now, and others saying pre-rut. When I checked the Field and Stream website they are indicating pre-rut. My son bagged a doe during Saturday's youth hunt. We witnessed 2 does being chased by 3 bucks. However, at my trail camera I am not getting any mid day pictures of bucks and I was in mid October. Thank you.
    Reply
    November 20, 2013
    • admin
      Clay, That is a very good question. I have been in the woods the past few days and one minute you think rut is full tilt the next you think it's not happening. I am thinking this year is going to be what is known as a trickle rut which means some does went into heat in Oct. some are going into heat now and others will in Dec unless something changes here in the next few days. I saw a mature buck chasing a doe yesterday morning, and very serious rut chasing, but I haven't seen any signs of daytime movement at all. They are moving during daylight, but not during the day. Most of the bucks I have seen have been late morning 8 - 10 and right at dark. I think rut is happening it's just not something that is going to be wide open this year :-( it's going be you have to be near a hot doe at the right time to see a big boy kinda rut. As for Oct and pictures, we experienced the same thing, day-time pictures of decent to mature bucks. Guessing that was when they were trying to figure out dominance and that full moon got a couple of does hot and it was just enough to trigger rut like activity. That being said I would not be shocked to start seeing mid-day pictures of bucks again in the next week or so. Normally bucks peak activity is somewhere between 7 - 14 days after the full moon. Or at least that is what my findings have been over the last 4 - 5 years. Hope this answers your question!
      Reply
      November 21, 2013
      • Clay
        Yes, it did, thank you and happy hunting.
        Reply
        November 21, 2013

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