2025 blacktail rut thread

[ljsommer]

I was still-hunting this evening and snuck up on two does about 75 yards away. There was a buck some ways off to their right, I am estimating about 50 yards away from them, roughly 100 yards away from me (guessing based on sound and smell, though I never laid eyes on him). The buck never made any effort at all to go near those does. Either he'd already "known" then in the Biblical sense, or he just didn't care. Either way, not a lot of rutty behavior going on. I was really hoping that buck was going to make a move towards those does, and I was ready for it. The last shreds of light evaporated from the forest after two hours of hyper focused attention and extremely uncomfortable body conditioning. The buck never made his move.
Does that mean I am too late for the rut? Or too early? I keep seeing comments about how warm it was this season; does that mean estrus was pushed back further, or that it happened early and is all wrapped up? Sadly I didn't get many opportunities to hunt this season so I was really counting on late rifle to provide, and the woods were very quiet.

[blackveltbowhunter]

The rut certainly seemed to lack intensity across the board with sporadic localized action during the season. I killed a good buck on the 24th of October who was clearly cruising and with 3 does but weather and cover are what had him on his feet and he was deep from any clearcut. I spent the last 4 days of general out and about. Action was slow with a couple young cruisers spotted and seen a young fork get killed that was on a doe and slightly stinky.  The 31st my bro in law and I saw 4 bucks only one was with doe and he was bedded a young 2x3. Seen 2 young bucks bedded together no does in sight. He killed a handsome 3x4 nose to ground nearing last light again a long ways from a cut.  Neither his buck or mine  were showing much for physical changes. And neither stunk. 

The last 4 days I spent trying g to get my daughter her first buck and we spent every minute in the woods. Saw a handful of bucks, the largest was on a doe in expert level cover and she just couldn't get on him in time. That was 10 minutes into opening morning. Seen 2 spike bucks she elected to pass, and just couldn't get a branched buck to sit still long enough for a comfortable shot.  Saw double digit doe and fawns each day and never had a buck with em.

I think a combination of early storms timed right and a bit of cooler weather to get more first cycle does covered, combined with overcast high pressure the end of October and likely paying the piper for the last couple years of great rifle season rut timing lead to a more prolonged less intense scenario.  At least that was my experience.

In regards to quality tags the first 10 days in november still had the best buck movment across the board.  FWIW