Midwest Rut Report: The Rut Is Ready to Rock

Oh, how things can change in one short week. While we've had a couple solid October cold fronts that spurred great deer movement, the mother of all early November fronts is on the way, and it couldn't arrive at a better time. Paired with the coming rut, and it'll be the undoing of mega-giants throughout the land. Just wait. You'll see. Thinking of it makes me giddy.

Drilling down on specific states, it was warm in Missouri last week. HeadHunters TV's Nate Hosie, who was hunting there, said the hunting was rough, but he managed to fill a tag anyway. Warm temps and acorns were dropping, making deer movement inconsistent, he said. We stayed consistent to a stand that we had a continual good wind for. Finally, on the last afternoon of the hunt, a great 8-point ended up broadside and in the pins. Hosie expects the next few weeks to be on fire.

Bone Collector's Nick Mundt lives in Minnesota, where he said the young bucks are starting to cruise and hit scrapes. But there aren't lot of mature bucks daylighting yet. Heavy pressure keeps things pretty nocturnal until it's hot and heavy, he said. Mature bucks are hard to come by around my area, as properties are small. This week, we should start to see some more daylight activity and hopefully some more mature bucks will begin to cover ground.

Moving over to Michigan, Realtree.com contributor Tyler Ridenour recently filled a buck tag. "Daylight activity has been steadily picking up in southern Michigan over the past few days, Ridenour said. Older age-class bucks have been on their feet into the mid-morning and moving in the early evenings two to three hours before dark. Bucks of all ages have been checking does and some sporadic light chasing is happening. Scrapes have been very active, especially those in the timber or on the edges of timber and thick cover. Common community scrapes on field edges aren't as prominent this year, likely due to the exceptional acorn crop. Acorns are still the primary food source right now with cut corn fields seeing good activity as well."

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Tyler Jordan recently experienced success of his own in Illinois, where he arrowed a brute from the ground with no ground blind. The deer in Illinois are starting to feel a little froggy, he said. I only was able to hunt one day, but the day I was there we had a significant weather drop, witnessed one younger buck chase a couple does, and then a couple older bucks pushing each other around. I'd say it's a week or a little more out from being close to wide open and the weather is getting right for it.

Realtree pro staffer Carl Drake, who lives and hunts a lot in Indiana, said mature bucks have been moving very little, but that's beginning to change. We are starting to get some daylight pictures, he said. Found a few fresh scrapes this morning and starting to see more rubs as well. With this dark moon, this weekend, really look for bucks to be on their feet cruising and to be getting more daylight pictures. Really think this weekend is going to be a pivotal point for buck activity here in Indiana.

As for me, I'll be spending the next two months bouncing between Ohio, Indiana, and since I've already filled my home state buck tag, sitting in the stand with family and friends here in Kentucky.

Things are looking up just about everywhere. Bucks are starting to move more. The weather is lining up with the kickoff of the rut. It couldn't get much better. If you haven't gotten your deer, don't worry, because the best days are about to begin.

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