The Rut is ON in Saskatchewan.

[Scottyb]

Yesterday we took photos from the windows of the dozen or more bucks that visited the cabin. I put out feed for the Does last week after the heavy snow/ice storm. Since then the rut has hit full swing.

All photos were from yesterday.

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I have my little deer in the freezer already, we like to harvest a smaller one early in the season.

My friend and hunting pal of many years is here today. He is going to harvest one in the next few days

Scott

[Lavoy]

Send some down here, we are down about 100,000 or more available tags from a few years ago. A few bad springs, and an increasing coyote population have been tough on the deer.
Lavoy

[Scottyb]

We had a big drop a few years back as well. Populations were at historic highs and three deer per hunter zones were not uncommon. The Mule deer in our south grain belt are now way down but at the numbers that wildlife managers say is near right. Our Whitetail numbers are off as well due to a late spring and deep snow. Locally, here, the herd is healthy as in cabin country many people help them through the winter.
Today the heavy bucks are not moving about as much as at the begining of the rut rather, it is the does that are running around and the bucks are waiting for them. (as it should be ha ha). Still a nice day of watching the action.

Scott

[whiteclipse16]

Those are some nice pics.
Our population has taken a big hit also due to the coyotes. Our county had a bag limit of 6 last year and is down to 3 this year.
Looks like you got a pretty nice snow up there too. Our first one is expected tonight, only 1" though. I'll be surprised if we even get that, it's a high of 50 and rain this evening then changing to snow overnight.

[Scottyb]

Yes we have too much snow! If there is such a thing... however, 4 inches of freezing sleet followed by 8 inches of heavy snow and all our birches are bent over to the ground, Rats! more un-expected logging. Since that storm last week 10 more inches of light white snow and the sledding seems awesome.
But, the ground is not frozen, The lakes have 2 ft of snow and no ice, and the snowmobile club has many miles of bent over trees on the trails. So, this is not the best start....the only good thing is the rut has been a real show...

[Tigerhaze]

Our Missouri firearm deer season starts Saturday and to this point we have only come close to a hard freeze a couple of times. The leaves are just now falling off the trees, and we are probably two weeks behind schedule on our temperatures. it will be interesting to see how that affects the opening.

[Scottyb]

Not long ago here our rifle season started two weeks after the end of muzzle loader/archery season ended. Most years it meant that there was no season during the rut. now it is continuous as rile follows the next day. Your rut has not even started I will assume?
-25 here overnight and about 2 feet of snow, it really has the deer moving.

[Scottyb]

Today we harvested one good buck. We did not expect what happened after what looked like a well placed lung shot. It ran a short distance over a small hill and fell just out of sight. After waiting a few minutes, to our dis belief and disappointment, it looked like it was trying hard to get up, and, it was head down making a lot of movement. We loaded the muzzle loader to try again but upon sneaking over the ridge discovered that is was a smaller buck that was giving a good thrashing to the downed(very dead) buck. Never seen anything like it, the bully deer was not in the mood to leave and stayed around a while.

[Tigerhaze]

The rut in Missouri is typically around mid-November and the Missouri Department of Conservation makes the firearm deer season start then. We have a lot of different deer seasons (urban area, archery, youth) which start sooner but don't time with the rut, and the antlerless only/muzzleloader/archery also fall afterwards which misses the primary rut but can catch the secondary rut in early to mid-December.

The scene you describe of the "bully" buck is pretty wild- never heard of anything like that.

[Scottyb]

This is the deer, harvested by a friend on monday Nov 11, he was pretty bruised up by the time we chased off the other buck. Perhaps he was getting a little revenge for earlier losses.

[kedorland]

Impressive images of the deer. Bow hunters are out and about now. Hope to post pictures in the coming days.

Kevin From Iowa.

[Scottyb]

Kevin, our bow hunting season starts Sept 1st and runs until December 7. After Oct 1 you can also use muzzle loader and crossbow, and after Nov 1 rifles are added. Archers can use camo all throughout the season but after Nov 1 rifle hunters must wear colours. Scary to be out stalking in rifle season with the bow in camo, but you legally can.
It would be great to see how the hunting is going for you.
Scott

[Scottyb]

Here is a photo from a few weeks ago. We, (my Jack Russell Terrier, Fraser and I), were out with some real fine pointers in south Saskatchewan. On this day Fraser found, flushed and retrieved the first bird of the day. Bred for Ratting, but just as happy Birding. He cant keep up to the pointers but I think his heart is half his body weight, he has a great nose, and we get our share of the action. Later in the same week we were on to the Ruffed Grouse further north and he did well on them. 9 and going strong.