Rut in West Tennessee?

[TANKIAS613]

I hunt a large farm in South Hardeman County. Myself or someone else have been hunting almost every day since Nov. the 10th. We haven't seen one buck even interested in a doe. The does and fawn are still together, no sign that a rut has taken place or is taking place. Historically this has been a great farm with many large bucks killed. Not one buck this year. Is anyone else in the area seeing the same thing?

 

[wwa7]

Yes. Same thing here hunting a farm in Fayette County... Its tough right now. Last good deer seen was during ML when it was cold. Since then nothing. Does and yearlings together. Small bucks, year and half olds "pestering" does, not chasing. Im sayin week after next, as long as we get some good weather. If weather still sucks, chasing will happen all night long.

 

[Big Gun]

They've been chasing up near Whiteville.

 

[nick2720]

I hunt in grand junction opening weekend saw 4 diff bucks with lone does. neighbors been seeing same activity. its been slow this week and weekend. I hunted sat morn saw 3 does had a buck before shooting time and walked under my stand he was alone. saw two o.there lone deer but couldn't tell what they were. so I decided to get down and still hunt saw lone does walking alone jumped a group of 10 does and walked up on a buck bedded down couldn't get a shot he stopped behind a tree. on my way out saw another group of does and one small.buck was with them. all in all didn't see.much from stand but saw 15 fresh scrapes with piss and no leaves in them. that moon and warn weather is hurting.us. should be on lock down this week or next. I usually see big boys this week with does I thick stuff

 

[gatodoc]

Hunted Fayette Co. fri, sat, and this morn....no chasing at all....:)

 

[TANKIAS613]

Thanks for the info. Just a little frustrated right now need some patience.

 

[bowhunterfanatic]

It's definitely not happening in my part of McNairy county yet either.

 

[Mike Belt]

The rut this year seems to be a strange one in the making. There has been chasing going on while fresh scrapes are being made daily. Some big bucks have been seen chasing does while groups of does with fawns are walking around. I'm not seeing as many bucks on their feet during the day as I was but our warmer weather has alot to do with that. There's no doubt that the rut is happening but I have yet (as well as most hunters I've talked to) seen the all out rutting I would expect to see when it's full blown wide open. Hopefully the weather will cooperate before the "peak" period has passed. The good thing is that as many does as are being seen not rutting the bucks will be cruising for a while yet.

 

[Winchester]

We have had the most "textbook" rut this year since before 2007 and all that came with it! Great acorn crop im sure helped, along with the decent weather for much of November, Classic rut here in East TN.

 

[Boll Weevil]

We didn't hunt during the recent 'heat wave' but in the weeks prior there was lots of chasing (though all by younger deer). As others have said, plenty of does and fawns together (still unharrased) and multiple bucks continuing to tolerate each other. It has been a little wierd but we've been seeing a decent bit of rutting activity, just no bruisers yet. There's lots of rain in the forecast so don't know what effect that may have, if any.

 

[TCounty Hunter]

I had a plotwatcher cam out in a food plot in tipton county for 2 weeks that I finally got to check. It records everything all day, but only during daylight hours. It takes a picture every 5 seconds of the entire day, so I see all daylight movement through there. Its consistent with what many of us have been seeing in fayette county, good activity earlier, then like a lightswitch, nothing for days.

11/20 430PM young buck chasing does around the plot
11/21 5PM does eating right before dusk
11/22 730AM does eating, young buck joins and makes a scrape
11/23 715AM young buck checks scrape, nothing else all day
11/24 no activity
11/25 440PM does eating
11/26 - 11/29 no activity at all
11/30 5PM couple of does eating
12/1 and 12/2 no activity

 

[WRbowhunter]

My deer sightings have picked up over the last 2 weeks which is good but its mostly young bucks. Like everoyne else young bucks pestering does and seeing a few groups of does. Did see a group of 8 does Saturday morning but I'm guesing they were jumped as they seemed to be on a mission to get to a new bedding area. All in SE fayette county.

 

[in the dog house]

Saw and smelled a small buck over the weekend ...... next 2 weeks thing are going to pick up in west tn IMO if we can get some cooler weather :)

 

[muddyboots]

Saturday was great here shot the fifth buck that i saw saturday morning. then sunday it was 25 degrees warmer and saw nada. Just saw a big mature 8 coming home. they are doing it but mostly at night witht the warm temps.

 

[in the dog house]

Drove from Covington to Humbolt this morning and saw a nice buck strapped to a four wheeler near Frog Jump so at least one buck was movining this morning about 10