Rut question

[JDS]

So I have been told to expect rut in northern middle TN around 2nd week of Nov(give or take some days). My question is when does it fall for other areas of TN out of curiosity more than anything. How about southern edge on bama border? Would that be in Dec then? what about eastern or western TN? Thanks

 

[TN Whitetail Freak]

I've never seen rutting action early november....usually from the Nov 19 to the Dec. 8

 

[ZachMarkus]

I hunt southern middle tn in Lawrence county. Our rut usually begins around thanksgiving, usually see the most chasing the first 2 weeks of December but we see rutting activity till the end of season.

 

[Deerbuster1996]

NW TN is usually right when muzzleloader season starts, so early-mid November


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[muddyboots]

I have 2 leases in Hardin county. The one in northern Hardin county starts first November til thanksgiving. The one in southern part starts first dec til about end dec

 

[Bone Collector]

depending on where you are it could be off by days or weeks. At my brother's in Wilson Co, about the 2nd week of ML. at my place in Rutherford county, right around the gun opener - Thanksgiving.

 

[Ril0]

Seems like the most action in SE TN is those last couple weeks of November and first week of December. I saw a lot of action that first week of December at Ames this past year.

 

[backyardtndeer]

West central typically early November start seeing seeking and chasing, actual primary rut mid November.

 

[redblood]

Thanksgiving here. everything before then is just horse play

 

[hitek7]

Southern Marshall County - Week of Thanksgiving is usually great for us as far as rut activity. Did kill my biggest deer on the property 2 years ago opening weekend of muzzle loader, had been chasing a doe.

Lincoln County , around Kelso - It is typically first week of December there for us.

 

[AlabamaSwamper]

Rut in Southeast wayne a few miles from bama line. Cranks up with heavy searching minimum chasing around the 22nd of November. Chasing is full go by December 1 and pretty much over by the 5th.

 

[Boll Weevil]

In southern Hardeman county things are just starting around Thanksgiving. if I had to choose one week it'd be the first full week of December and into that second week. We just seem to have more daylight matur buck activity both on camera and hunter-observed at that time.

 

[ZachMarkus]

If I had to choose one week it'd be the first full week of December and into that second week. We just seem to have more daylight matur buck activity both on camera and hunter-observed at that time.

Same here.

 

[mcolem13]

So for this rut activity in late November/early December how many of you guys think that's from the "second rut"? I would agree we see and kill most of our mature bucks the week before and after thanksgiving which would be around 1-2 weeks after what some would call the "primary rut" and right after the lock down phase. I'm just not sure why we kill them then. Any thoughts/theories?

 

[Vermin93]

Can't believe how late most guys are observing their best rut-related hunting. First 2 weeks of Nov right next to Savage Gulf. Last year I had deer running all over during the day on Nov 8 & 9.

 

[tree_ghost]

I counted 21 different bucks on November 17th in Rutherford county last year. I shot my 9 point on November 9th last year. In 2013 I shot my drop tine buck on November 27th...all this happened within 10 mile radius. There are multiple theories about what triggers the rut and I'm not certain that any single one of them is the smoking gun so to speak, but one I heard last year was that there is a sensory gland (can't remeber the name of it) in the inner portion of the eye socket on a deer that measures the amount of daylight there is. When the correct daylight to dark ratio is hit then it triggers the breeding instinct in the animal...interesting idea if nothing else

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[Os2 Outdoors]

Pineal Gland. This is the trigger to lots of things in the animal kingdom. The most noted to us would be Velvet shedding of whitetails.

As for the differences in the rut it can very regional below or near the 35th longitudinal line. Below this line your looking at a temperate climate which would allow for year round breeding. That's why there are dates all over the board.

If you follow a hard line north of 35th say KY -TN border you will see almost set dates mirroring the mid west states.

If you're seriously concerned and want to know for a fact. Kill several does in late season and dissect an find their fetuses, you'll then measure them which will determine fairly close the gestation date.

Good luck an happy hunting.

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[backyardtndeer]

There are multiple theories about what triggers the rut and I'm not certain that any single one of them is the smoking gun so to speak, but one I heard last year was that there is a sensory gland (can't remeber the name of it) in the inner portion of the eye socket on a deer that measures the amount of daylight there is. When the correct daylight to dark ratio is hit then it triggers the breeding instinct in the animal...interesting idea if nothing else

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Photoperiod trigger. A lot believe the moon will effect when the rut happens and even how intense it will be, personally think the rut hits pretty well the same time every year but the visible rut signs we see are higher with better conditions. I don't think that light or lack of effects the build in a buck's testosterone or in a doe's estrous cycle.

More people are in the woods with gun seasons, so stands to reason they see more "rut" signs even though what they may be seeing is the post rut or even secondary rut and not the primary rut.

Rut activity will vary in intensity depending on does, with more does the more does that will be in at the same time. Whether that makes for a more intense rut or not is debateable. Not enough does in an area and the bucks will not stick around, too many and there is no or lesser competition for action.

Contrary to what some may think, a buck can breed a doe even well outside of what is typical. A doe will continue to cycle until she is bred. We watched a buck mount a little doe in February here one year, well after the rut was over. This years doe fawns if born early enough can come in their first estrous cycle late in the year, that is where you see some of the late December "rutting" activity.

With all that being said I have read a few articles suggesting the rut this year will be earlier based on moon phase, I know I will be in a stand as much as possible early November on into the rifle season. Buck I killed last year was locked on a doe on November 15th. His mistake was taking a peak to see who was grunting.

 

[Mike Belt]

Here in SW Tn young bucks start to pester does from the end of October on. Many claim the rut has started but couldn't be more wrong. They know it's coming but can't seem to control their anxiety. By the second week of November we may see some of the older bucks beginning to move around if the temperatures aren't too hot. By Thanksgiving the initial rutting usually begins and more of the bucks are up and moving. By the first week in December look out.

 

[JDS]

So generally is my original comment correct for northern middle of about 2nd week in Nov? If not when for that area(Montgomery, Robertson, Sumner, Macon, Clay)?

 

[444 BLASTER]

WHENEVER SHE WILL HOLD STILL. :lol:

 

[Ril0]

So for this rut activity in late November/early December how many of you guys think that's from the "second rut"? I would agree we see and kill most of our mature bucks the week before and after thanksgiving which would be around 1-2 weeks after what some would call the "primary rut" and right after the lock down phase. I'm just not sure why we kill them then. Any thoughts/theories?

I see activity pick back up a bit in late December. To me that seems like the secondary rut here in SW TN. Might also be that some of the hunting pressure is off at that point.

 

[AT Hiker]

Herd dynamics in the South play a major role in rutting activity too. Basically its all across the board according to observations on here.

Simply hunt end of Oct till mid Dec and you should be good[emoji6]


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[TN Whitetail Freak]

So for this rut activity in late November/early December how many of you guys think that's from the "second rut"? I would agree we see and kill most of our mature bucks the week before and after thanksgiving which would be around 1-2 weeks after what some would call the "primary rut" and right after the lock down phase. I'm just not sure why we kill them then. Any thoughts/theories?

I personally believe it's the first rut and second comes into play Christmas week....a couple weeks ago I looked into buck kills on the wmas I will be hunting and logged the dates killed and points of the bucks....off the top of my head most kills of the larger (assuming) 9 points or more bucks were consistent btw Nov 17th-Dec.20

 

[Os2 Outdoors]

So generally is my original comment correct for northern middle of about 2nd week in Nov? If not when for that area(Montgomery, Robertson, Sumner, Macon, Clay)?

Those northern counties follow the traditional mid west dates. Hard seeking beginning November 1 with peak breeding hitting around that second week mark til thanksgiving.

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[Double-D-Team]

:lol: One of the greatest deer hunter questions of all....I always answer this by saying: Just Hunt, it will get here eventually... :stir: