After several days of the slowest deer hunting I’ve ever seen, it looks like Mother Nature has flipped the switch and the rut is on.
Last week the reports were terrible, not just here in Michigan…but in Illinois, Ohio and many other northern states. I hunted hard for six days and never saw a shooter animal, now big bucks are showing up everywhere.
We knew it was going to happen…it does every year, but sometimes waiting for the rut can be a little frustrating.
I know the weather and moon phase play a role in the timing of the whitetail breeding season. Regardless of those conditions though, each year, just a few days before Halloween, things start to happen.
Here’s a good example of that. Mike Baker of BowHuntingOhio.com shot this beautiful 148 inch 9 point a couple days ago.
Mike Baker's Ohio Buck
About the same time Mike was putting down that big Ohio buck, Outdoor Magazine Pro Staffer Gus Congemi was hard at work in the Northeast. Gus shot this nice eight point in Connecticut with his Darton Pro 2500 on Tuesday.
Gus Congemi's Connecticut Buck
Gus was hunting with me in Ohio when the action was so slow, so he definitely earned that buck.
Now, I’m hoping it’s my turn. I’m heading to Kansas to hunt with Ed Barton of B and C Kansas Hunts. Unfortunately, I’ll be there during a full moon, but I’m hoping the rutting activity will overcome that slow period and give me a buck to post here in the next few days.
I’ll let you know.