Finally, signs of the rut

[tellico4x4]

Traditional scrapes started opening the past few days and some big rubs popping as well, here in SW Wayne Co. That's just 4-5 weeks later than anytime in past 20 years. Fawns are still with does ( saw 7 each yesterday) & young bucks are feeding in plots along side of does showing no interest whatsoever. Rut typically peaks Dec 7'ish for us. Curious to see if it's going to be shorter & more intense, or just drag on for rest of season.

12 yr old grandson called me last night & asked if I'd leave camp this afternoon & pick him up from school in the " hunting truck"? He wants to come to camp for weekend so you can bet I'll be there waiting on him . Rain and/or non-cooperating deer won't keep us from having a great time!

 

[Ski]

Rut typically peaks Dec 7'ish for us. Curious to see if it's going to be shorter & more intense, or just drag on for rest of season.

My guess is right on time, but intense. That's what I saw happen here anyway. Hope yall have a good one.

12 yr old grandson called me last night & asked if I'd leave camp this afternoon & pick him up from school in the " hunting truck"? He wants to come to camp for weekend so you can bet I'll be there waiting on him . Rain and/or non-cooperating deer won't keep us from having a great time!

And THAT^^^ is what life is all about right there

 

[JCDEERMAN]

Best of luck tellico! I'll be out there in the rain as well. Hoping a bruiser finally does some shifting. They're only about 7 weeks overdue

 

[DoubleRidge]

I hunted hard second week Muzzleloader and first week of Gun... several all day sits and saw tons of deer, cruising, chasing, etc...let couple a decent bucks walk but majority of the activity I saw was 1½ year old bucks pestering and chasing does....then yesterday buddy of mine kills a mature buck and on my drive home going in my driveway 3½ year old 8pt chasing does all over the field....seeing deer to and from work and hearing reports of others seeing chasing in recent days.
To say this year is different for our area is an understatement....normally first week of December would be slow...but that's not the case this year....rain or shine I'll be hunting tomorrow.

Good luck Tellico...hope y'all bust a giant!

 

[BSK]

Just saw a shooter buck "guarding" a hot doe in a small patch of woods in the Harpeth River bottoms in SW Nashville. That's VERY late for SW Nashville.

 

[Ski]

Just saw a shooter buck "guarding" a hot doe in a small patch of woods in the Harpeth River bottoms in SW Nashville. That's VERY late for SW Nashville.

Pretty much exactly what's happening here. I'm not hunting anymore but think I'll take a walk & collect all my camera cards just out of curiosity. I've said it a dozen times already, but this is a STRANGE deer season.

 

[wsm]

Saw four doe deer this morning ,no bucks .

 

[Buzzard Breath]

Just saw a shooter buck "guarding" a hot doe in a small patch of woods in the Harpeth River bottoms in SW Nashville. That's VERY late for SW Nashville.

Same thing, 2 days ago in Maury County.

 

[Antler Daddy]

perhaps I should travel this weekend to hunt in Lawrence and Wayne. i saw and missed huge buck chasing doe hard all over place last weekend in Montgomery and some big fresh rubs.

 

[Hduke86]

Made a trip down Hwy 27 yesterday from Dayton Tn to Chattanooga and noticed probably about 5 bucks with their horns cut off on the side of the highway. I honestly feel that anytime in December in Tennessee you can have a mature buck going for the does.

 

[Mr.Bro]

Hope my part of KY will bust loose this weekend.

 

[OldFussNFeathers]

My guess is right on time, but intense. That's what I saw happen here anyway. Hope yall have a good one.



And THAT^^^ is what life is all about right there

You're dang right!!! Great times as a young one!!!

 

[JT262]

Sounds like what I've seen in Morgan county no buck sign or good bucks on camera just young small rack bucks. Seen a lot of does most have their fawns with them. Watched 5 does yesterday Dec-1 evening come into the hayfield to feed just before dark stayed till dark not a single buck showed up.it's been this way all season. Usually see a lot of action during muzzleloader , but for some strange reason it's been completely dead. Haven't had any problem seeing does just no bucks. There are plenty of acorns been on them also without a single good buck to ever show up. Hunted catoosa on the 2-3 hunts searched all the places I usually find sign and also some places I don't usually hunt searching for sign nothing it got me baffled. i usually find buck sign begin in mid October in my area and start running cameras over scrapes generally see several good bucks doing this but not this year only a few 1 1/2 bucks. They are also the ones I've had on camera chasing does.

 

[74MOPAR]

Seems to be over in my area of northern sumner county. Does are grouped back up, just see a stray buck ever so often.

 

[tellico4x4]

Did rattle in a 3 yr old 10 pt at 7:30 this morning. He came in on a string after first sequence. Promising for things to come I hope.

 

[Antler Daddy]

how do the buck kill numbers compare this year with same time last year?

 

[AlabamaSwamper]

I still got bucks feeding together

Weird this year

Should be chasing in SE Wayne

Nope nada nothing.

 

[tellico4x4]

how do the buck kill numbers compare this year with same time last year?

Opening of ML thru today 12/3
Total statewide bucks 1 less which is amazing
Total Wayne Co bucks 253 less

 

[-JLB]

Rubs show up earlier, but scrapes rarely show up before Christmas week. Western Dickson Co.

-Joe

 

[LongBranch470]

I was hunting Wayne yesterday and finally saw the first of the rut activity. Some chasing and grunting. I think it will be good the next several days but might be slower than normal with all the rain forecasted.