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Post by jirvin on Aug 16, 2006 12:47:37 GMT -5
I have read my latest D & DH magazine and I know what Mr. Alsheimer says about the best times to be in the woods,but I wanted to ask you experts knowing what you know about hunting in Ohio when you would want to be out there? I have my own idea but was wondering when,if you could take off anytime you wanted would you go to Ohio.I know some of you are planning a hunt in Ohio.How did you come about your decisions on the time you are going?
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Post by freedomrules3 on Aug 17, 2006 0:04:40 GMT -5
i go by length of daylight more than anything else. you can generally bet that in Ohio the time between say the 1st of Nov until just around thanksgiving you will see the biggest bucks. this is the time period when the bigger bucks will be breeding. earlier in this timeframe more of the smaller bucks will be chasing , why do you think the does are running from them still at this time? because they aren't ready yet my guess. just about the 12th is when the daylight is right for the mature does to come into heat, thus bringing out the bigger bucks. soon after the bigger bucks start to roam, looking for more well...does. thats when the Booner becomes vulnerable in my eyes, his mind is weary from already running the gambit but cant help but roam into "unfamiliar" territory, thus letting down his guard and making it slightly easier to kill the biggest buck you ever shot  . i've read interesting theories on exactly when in Nov the best time is , it has to do with sunset at the same time on 2 days in a row is the best time to be around the woods.  how many miles in the woods do you really think Mr. Alsheimer walks in a years time ? my guess not a whole lot  , maybe i'm wrong though but i certainly wouldnt think he could pinpoint exactly when mother nature's gonna breed her deer  generally the rut will happen within 7 days give or take every year imo. they live their whole lives by the length of day, shedding, when they grow horns (gaining daylight) when they shed their velvet (losing daylight) , so it only makes sense that they would breed when the time comes to breed (the exact length of daylight year in year out) this is just my "theory " on it.  |
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Post by tailnbone on Aug 17, 2006 7:52:17 GMT -5
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Post by freedomrules3 on Aug 17, 2006 8:38:19 GMT -5
I also wanted to add that temperance zones also have a hand in when the rut will happen. in Wisconsin for example the rut would happen earlier (say the last week of oct) and the search phase would be the first week of Nov. as you go farther south in the temperance zones it varies a week or 2 or 3 . i personally dont think the moon phase has anything to do with the rut, otherwise the rut would happen at all places at the same time. temperature (temperance zones ) and length of daylight dominates when it comes to the breeding of deer , just my opinion. all in all its hard to say exactly when and where it will happen but it will happpen in nov that is for sure. i'm also not saying you cant catch a roamer anytime from late oct thru late nov, each buck will be slightly different. but if your looking for a booner i would also say that tailnbone is spot on with his dates. that why i'll be in ohio from around the 6th till the 22nd or so, unless bucky falls before the 22nd  , then i'll be heading to Ky before heading home . |
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Post by jirvin on Aug 17, 2006 8:45:38 GMT -5
You bring up some good points,Rick.I usually like to spend alot of time in the woods for the Pre-Rut like around Halloween,but maybe I should be waiting for more Does to actually come into heat and the big boys actually get up on their feet and make themselves more visible.I'am always worried about I wil hit it too late and they are paired up already.Maybe I have been cheating myself of seeing the biggest because I have wanted to see the most activity.
I agree tailbone about the full moon.I was watching that and saw we were going to get it on the 5th.Right about the time I like to be in the woods,but I was worried about that so I was thinking about the week of Halloween.I hadn't thought as much about after the Full moon like the 10th as you mentioned only because I hate to hit the Rut right on after the bucks have paired up with a hot doe and you get that lull period where your deer sightings really drop off and you are depending on doe movement to see that good buck.They touched on this on the last Drury Bros show on Tuesday night.It seems to be true in Ohio too or at least what I have seen the last three years I have hunted there.It is definately a hard decision because you can make points for each period:Pre-Rut and Rut.
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Post by freedomrules3 on Aug 17, 2006 8:57:05 GMT -5
you also have to keep in mind there is some differences in the actions of a "good" buck and a "booner" buck. good bucks show themselves more but a booner buck , nobody may even know he exists until he gets shot . |
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Post by jirvin on Aug 17, 2006 9:16:30 GMT -5
Rick,Aren't you worried about a lack of daytime movement due to the Full moon being on the 5th?
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Post by freedomrules3 on Aug 17, 2006 9:29:16 GMT -5
i see lots of deer moving during daylight hours during most full moons myself. its normally around the times of 11-1 in the afternoon though. just about the time when nobody is hunting , probably why there is less sightings in the evening at dusk. there is plenty of time between the 6th and the 22nd , they wont sit that long before doing some daylight moving around. as usual its all a game of chance, otherwise it would be called catching and not hunting . Mr NC needs to chime in on this one as i know he has theories on this also . |
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Post by ncboman on Aug 17, 2006 9:41:11 GMT -5
you also have to keep in mind there is some differences in the actions of a "good" buck and a "booner" buck. good bucks show themselves more but a booner buck , nobody may even know he exists until he gets shot . that's certainly food for considerable ponderfication. To that end, I think trailcams set up for the first 3 weeks of November will probably reveal more insight than the entire rest of the year put together in SOME areas. On that magic November morning a hunter can only be at and cover one spot. Given it's a good spot and a monster not seen since last year is observed, I always wonder what's going on at the half dozen other spots within 20miles I also believe to be excellent.  |
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Post by ncboman on Aug 17, 2006 9:51:33 GMT -5
Mr NC needs to chime in on this one as i know he has theories on this also . not feeling good again this morning so I'm in a more or less observation mode. ;D I wonder how many big ol bucks sometimes feel the same way and survive while the competition goes out and gets fooked up. |
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Post by Buckfever on Aug 20, 2006 21:16:50 GMT -5
If I had to pick just one week, it would be the second week in November.
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Post by Buckfever on Aug 20, 2006 21:28:41 GMT -5
Just going over the records from last year. The 2 biggest deer I saw last year I saw both on the 9th and then I saw the 12 pointer again on the 11th and then I saw the big 10 again after the hunt on the 19th glued to a doe.
We were well aware of several other quality deer on that property and yet no one had ever seen those 2 prior to the 9th. So I'd have to go with the second week.
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Post by jirvin on Aug 22, 2006 8:56:52 GMT -5
What do you think about the third week this year?That would be the 13th-17th.That gets you closer to the 20th which was a date I saw somewhere of when the biggest deer were taken in Ohio.That is usually later than I like but what do you all think?
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Post by ncboman on Aug 22, 2006 9:29:23 GMT -5
What do you think about the third week this year?That would be the 13th-17th.That gets you closer to the 20th which was a date I saw somewhere of when the biggest deer were taken in Ohio.That is usually later than I like but what do you all think? Bingo. The 12th thru the 24th the big boys will be moving. Trick is to have them located and hunts set up before this starts. Paired mature deer are a sign the end is near but if you are in the right spot right after the breakup, a good one can be tagged as he starts trolling. My experiences in Ohio tell me 7 to 10 days before the gun season starts things will be very exciting. |
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Post by jirvin on Aug 22, 2006 22:16:46 GMT -5
Thanks for all the good info guys,but I'am still perplexed on this date thing.I understand that the big Bucks know when not to waste their time doing all the chasing and I believe that is why I have not seen a world class like some of you have.The big Bucks let the little ones waste their time doing all the chasing when the Does aren't ready,I understand that,but do you all think that the big boys stay hidden during this pre-rut stage?Are they nocturnal? It seems like this chasing phase in Southwest Ohio last year was around the end of October.I saw alot of Bucks on their feet but all were small.I killed the biggest that I saw during that period.
Maybe I should spend the most time on stand when the big Bucks are on their feet and are chasing so that would mean I would have to wait until some Does have come into heat which puts me into the middle of November.
It just seems that you are trading off a little of the ease of a shot on a Buck just strolling along on your trail seeking a HOT doe,to MAYBE getting a rushed shot on a Buck running a HOT Doe thru the woods.I would at least like to be able to get a chance at a world class.which sounds like I need to hunt later even if the Bucks are more on edge.
How do you all feel about that?
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, then i'll be heading to Ky before heading home . 
