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I’ve got permission to hunt a friends land, approximately 15-ish acres in the middle of farming area.
I sat out in a tree stand today and didn’t see anything. I’ve also had a trail cam out on the area for the last month. Reviewing the trail cam footage very sparse deer action. Multiple does in the area and 2 young bucks I’ve identified. None have been through the area for the trail cam in the last week.
When is the rut in SE MI and should I expect an uptick in deer activity in the area or will it be that sparse throughout the season?
I’ve got permission to hunt a friends land, approximately 15-ish acres in the middle of farming area.
I sat out in a tree stand today and didn’t see anything. I’ve also had a trail cam out on the area for the last month. Reviewing the trail cam footage very sparse deer action. Multiple does in the area and 2 young bucks I’ve identified. None have been through the area for the trail cam in the last week.
When is the rut in SE MI and should I expect an uptick in deer activity in the area or will it be that sparse throughout the season?
Daytime buck activity begins to escalate at this time of year. From October 24th-November 14th is all really good, especially the last few days of October and the single digit days of November.
The trail camera if you're checking it regularly can work against you, as it introduces unnecessary scent into the area. Cameras are fun but may not be of benefit to you on a small tract.
Do you have a feel for whether or not deer sometimes bed during the day on the parcel you're hunting? If not, then your best hunts will be in the morning, as bucks will sometimes pass through on the way from point A to point B. If deer bed on the parcel (or near it), then you're hunting could be good morning or evening, but you have to make certain that you're not disrupting their bedding when you leave in the morning or when you arrive for an afternoon hunt.
Daytime buck activity begins to escalate at this time of year. From October 24th-November 14th is all really good, especially the last few days of October and the single digit days of November.
The trail camera if you're checking it regularly can work against you, as it introduces unnecessary scent into the area. Cameras are fun but may not be of benefit to you on a small tract.
Do you have a feel for whether or not deer sometimes bed during the day on the parcel you're hunting? If not, then your best hunts will be in the morning, as bucks will sometimes pass through on the way from point A to point B. If deer bed on the parcel (or near it), then you're hunting could be good morning or evening, but you have to make certain that you're not disrupting their bedding when you leave in the morning or when you arrive for an afternoon hunt.
With the rain storms moving through the nights will that work like a cold front to keep the deer bedded during the night?
I believe the deer are bedding near by sometimes. My trail cam showed a buck walking through at 6 am then a buddy got a shot at him later that evening around 7 pm. That particular buck and other deer have been seen on the trail cam since my buddy taking the shot.
I’ve checked the trail cam twice, the last time was when I went in last night to hunt. From where I’m sitting you can see a road to my left and a cow pasture to my right from the stand. The land owner also does take his kids and tractor back through the woods infrequently. Not sure if that would desensitize the deer or just push them out for the rut?
With the rain storms moving through the nights will that work like a cold front to keep the deer bedded during the night?
I believe the deer are bedding near by sometimes. My trail cam showed a buck walking through at 6 am then a buddy got a shot at him later that evening around 7 pm. That particular buck and other deer have been seen on the trail cam since my buddy taking the shot.
I’ve checked the trail cam twice, the last time was when I went in last night to hunt. From where I’m sitting you can see a road to my left and a cow pasture to my right from the stand. The land owner also does take his kids and tractor back through the woods infrequently. Not sure if that would desensitize the deer or just push them out for the rut?
Deer are rhythm feeders, eating 5-6 times/day at roughly 4 hours interval. Out of those 5-6 times per day there are two major periods, which are the hours around daybreak and nightfall. Rainfall would not disrupt this pattern as it's driven by a deer's physiological needs. At night a deer eats some, moves around some, and is bedded down much of the time.
It sounds as if the pressure on the land is minimal, which means you're well positioned for some good experiences in these upcoming weeks.
Here's how a buck will operate during these upcoming weeks. The majority of deer movement will still be during the first few and final few hours of daylight. Those are the best hunting times. But what's unique about the pre-rut and early rut stages is bucks also commonly move around at two other times.
Firstly, after a few hours of daylight (from 7-9 am after the time changed) the doe family groups are usually bedded down for the day. It's common from the period of two hours after daylight to four hours after daylight (9am-11am) for bucks to cruise from one bedding area to the next, scent checking does to see if any are in heat.
The next 3 or so hours (11 am-2pm) are the mid-day period, which is the least likely time during the day for a buck to be on his feet, but that doesn't mean there isn't any movement, as many hunters have success during that timeframe. It's still a good time to hunt, just don't expect to see as much movement midday as you will early or late in the day.
The final four hours, from about 2-6, the odds increase hour by hour that a buck will be on his feet.
Put it all together and there's nothing like late October and early November for buck movement.
If possible you should be in your stand from before daylight to after shooting hours end anytime during the month of November. I have seen most antlered deer during the first week of November from 11 am til 3 pm. Sit all day during that time if you can stick with it.
You mentioned the farmer bringing kids and a tractor around once in a while. I am not a deer expert or biologist but I know that on the places I hunt a lot of times the deer couldn't care less about a tractor or a quad as long is it keeps going. If the tractor or the quad goes thru then the deer will turn to watch and if someone jumps off the deer will usually bolt at that point. I hunt an area that is bordered by the Kal-Haven trail. I often will see deer watching people walking the trail and they will just watch until the person is out of sight then they relax again. Same with when we go out on the quad, deer will watch us but as long as we don't stop or get off they will just watch and they become accustom to it. As long as you don't get too close or seem to be chasing them most of the time they really don't seem to care.
Best of luck in your first year of hunting and don't feel bad if you don't connect this year. Took me a few years to get my first deer. Just learn from what you see out there and enjoy the time outside.
If possible you should be in your stand from before daylight to after shooting hours end anytime during the month of November. I have seen most antlered deer during the first week of November from 11 am til 3 pm. Sit all day during that time if you can stick with it.
I currently don’t have a stand yet as I’m slowly collecting my gear, can’t drop that much money on it at once. So I’m hunting from the ground but I always try to get in an hour before sunrise and at least 3 hours before sunset.
I have a fairly flexible schedule with my work, would morning or evening sits be the most beneficial?
Currently I’m unable to stay out all day as my wife would skin me alive if I left her alone all day with our 3 young kids.
I currently don’t have a stand yet as I’m slowly collecting my gear, can’t drop that much money on it at once. So I’m hunting from the ground but I always try to get in an hour before sunrise and at least 3 hours before sunset.
I have a fairly flexible schedule with my work, would morning or evening sits be the most beneficial?
Currently I’m unable to stay out all day as my wife would skin me alive if I left her alone all day with our 3 young kids.
If possible I would spend at least one hunting day from 11 am to 2 or 3 pm just to see any deer movement. From the last week of October[now]until the firearm opener is prime time for midday buck sightings.
Are you playing the wind? You should be facing into it. Rt and Lt is good too, but you won't see deer behind/downwind. Check a weather app, it will make a difference where to sit that day.
most of this is my opinion, right now things should really be amping up. The rut is brought on by the photo period, not temperature. However, we were out in Calhoun county for the last 6 days, and did see some activity , but very low, and very few does. and it has awful warm to hot . When it is cold , deer have to move to get warm , to get food, for body heat, and bucks follow them. At daybreak,, and it is 55 or higher, you do not have to move. My feeling is the does were bedding and bucks were prolly 15-20 ft. from them waiting for them to get up. I strongly doubt deer can breed laying down. ( spoon?), I believe, that with the cool down happening Wednesday, things will step up
I agree with most above, prime movement was 10/28-11/13.
Come Nov 15th, I seen 14 bucks in 3 days and they all came into the plots to feed, barely paid attention to the does and then moved on....... Rut was over I think in Southern Mi.
I also had 3 nice bucks come in on the 13th and 14th, 2 10 points and a mature 9 point, all fed and moved on and did not hardly mess with the other deer in the fields. all were 55-65 yards, out of range for bow.
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