Do you think that the rut runs latter in the southern portions of counties on the AL/TN line than the rest of Middle TN?
BSK
- Thread starter oldmanelrod
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hunterncoach
Well-Known Member
I know it does....I hunt & live in montgomery county & used to have a place down in shelbyville. Every year we would hunt at home during the rut then a week later, go to shelbyville & it was rocking down there. Kinda cool...wish I still had that place
BSK
Well-Known Member
oldmanelrod said:
Those areas experience some bleed-over from the very late dates common in northern AL and MS. In the northern parts of the southern-most counties of Middle and Western TN, most breeding dates are the last week to 10 days of November. But for areas close to the AL or MS border, you will find some early January dates mixed in. I have a client with property south of Slemer, TN, and he experiences a double rut--one near Thanksgiving and another in early January.
AlabamaSwamper
Well-Known Member
Same here BSK. By closely paying attention to trail cams, sightings and harvests, its obvious ours 10 miles from the AL line is the last week of November into December. A good estimate is November 25-December 5. It is now more defined and obvious thanks to an improved ratio and more bucks in the herd.
We still see the late December push but it's not anywhere near as defined as it used to be. IN fact, I don't think we saw a single chase after about December 5. The two mature bucks were shot in November with does.
I do believe we see the "Alabama" influence with the late chasing as much as a "2nd rut". That is my opinion. The fact according to what I can find we are closer to Alabama DCNR releases than TWRA releases has influenced that opinion. Those Alabama releases were Coosa Co deer which have a January rut.
Perhaps I read to much and want to know to much for my own good. These dates are right on with rut activity we used to see in the 1980's and early to mid 1990's when populations were still moderate. Lots of big bucks shot around Thanksgiving back then. Once our herd hit it's peak (as far as does to bucks) in the late 1990's until a couple of years ago, our rut was more defined later into December. The balancing of the ratio definately pushed ours back, as far as our best time to kill a mature buck goes. Now, the lockdown phase could be at the tail end of that period and probably is so actual breeding is the first week-10 days of December. That's out of my area of expertise (as most of this is). I seem to get a better grasp on this every year which is good I guess.
Down here in Lauderdale Co, AL, it's all over the place depending on where you are. Across the river it's January.
We still see the late December push but it's not anywhere near as defined as it used to be. IN fact, I don't think we saw a single chase after about December 5. The two mature bucks were shot in November with does.
I do believe we see the "Alabama" influence with the late chasing as much as a "2nd rut". That is my opinion. The fact according to what I can find we are closer to Alabama DCNR releases than TWRA releases has influenced that opinion. Those Alabama releases were Coosa Co deer which have a January rut.
Perhaps I read to much and want to know to much for my own good. These dates are right on with rut activity we used to see in the 1980's and early to mid 1990's when populations were still moderate. Lots of big bucks shot around Thanksgiving back then. Once our herd hit it's peak (as far as does to bucks) in the late 1990's until a couple of years ago, our rut was more defined later into December. The balancing of the ratio definately pushed ours back, as far as our best time to kill a mature buck goes. Now, the lockdown phase could be at the tail end of that period and probably is so actual breeding is the first week-10 days of December. That's out of my area of expertise (as most of this is). I seem to get a better grasp on this every year which is good I guess.
Down here in Lauderdale Co, AL, it's all over the place depending on where you are. Across the river it's January.
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Yep i lice 5 min from Lauderdale co. Im in Lawrence. I have seen and killed bucks chasing does from muzzy season to late January and everything in between
BSK, Alabama Swamper, Rockhound,
I live in Limestone County and hunt Limstone in AL and southern Giles and Lincoln Counties. My observations fall in with what you see-especially to the rut in DEC around Elkmont.
I live in Limestone County and hunt Limstone in AL and southern Giles and Lincoln Counties. My observations fall in with what you see-especially to the rut in DEC around Elkmont.
woodsman87
Well-Known Member
you just got to be ready and go whenever you can from rifle season opener until the closer around here. You just never know.
Nealmeally
Well-Known Member
oldmanelrod said:
I'm Limestone county too near the stateline.
Month of December is when I've killed my best bucks. The first 2 weeks of December are the best for my place..
I do see chasing on into January. But it's leftover does mainly.
Usually by 2nd week of January it's calming down.
Mature bucks I've killed were killed within first 2 weeks of December. So I always look forward to those first 2 weeks. And it's always that magic day in those 2 weeks when a light switch gets cut on. Killed some mature deer on December 3rd give or take a day over the years ...
woodsman87
Well-Known Member
The light switched on where I grew up on December 4th-10th. December 7th is when me and dad always got our bigguns.
Call me crazy, but I can pretty much remember every date that I kill a buck on. I don't use a journal, although I wished I woulda when I first started.
Call me crazy, but I can pretty much remember every date that I kill a buck on. I don't use a journal, although I wished I woulda when I first started.
Nealmeally
Well-Known Member
woodsman87 said:
Same here on the journal ..
December 3rd I'm always in a tree all day no matter the weather, I'm there!
Those first 2 weeks you can watch it turn on around the stateline.
Seems out rut always hit in than open week between muzzle/gun glad it changed. Lol
