Rut timing around Winchester, TN?
- Thread starter JUGHEAD71
- Start date
Can't speak of Winchester but around chattanooga, soddy Daisy area. Historically November 4-13th is when I have consistently killed good bucks on the move or at least seen them chasing.
gobblesandgrunts
Well-Known Member
Warren/Cannon I saw 3 bucks in a group sat afternoon. 2 of them looked pretty good.
dhpro
Well-Known Member
Winchester = Christmas rut
Franklin county doesn't have a rut
I'm next door in Coffee. It could be anything from now through March, honestly. It's on when it's on then it's off until it's on again. See-saw action is what I've experienced. I've been out for days on end in November and not seen a rutting buck. But I've seen days and killed bucks chasing does & grunting like pigs in October, November, and December. I've seen them rutting on cam all the way til spring. Not nearly as defined as northern herds, but when there's a hot doe you'll see incredible action.
About like my experience last year. End of October first week of November saw bucks cruising back and forth. About a month later first week of December had a 150" buck pushing does hard through a thicket. Sounded like deer running everywhere back and forth. He finally pushed one out of the thicket into a ravine/ditch. Gave me just enough time to get on him before he pushed her down the ravine more.
That's a stud for this area! Congrats!
Thanks and for some reason I always hang on to the idea that a bigger one is around lol. I guess that's what keeps us out in the woods when it's freezing up on the mountain.
Thanks for the replies so far! Any other opinions?
I have friends who hunt in Lincoln County, near Fayetteville, who swear Thanksgiving is the best hunting year to year. I was kinda hoping for the same answers at approximately 30 miles away, but I could probably work with Christmas timing as well if need be.
I have friends who hunt in Lincoln County, near Fayetteville, who swear Thanksgiving is the best hunting year to year. I was kinda hoping for the same answers at approximately 30 miles away, but I could probably work with Christmas timing as well if need be.
BSK
Well-Known Member
Unfortunately, I don't have any breeding data from that area. My knowledge of the Plateau and East TN in general is limited.
dirtyhands
Well-Known Member
I hunt bear hollow once a year and a couple years ago I spoke to an old couple that camps there and hunts for a couple weeks. We used to hunt the rifle opener but the guy told us that December is a better time to be in the woods around there. I've heard before that the rut is end of December into January but I have no idea if that is correct. To be honest I've never even seen a buck down there on the mountain. In seven years of hunting there I've only killed two does but I've had a blast hunting and camping there.
BSK
Well-Known Member
I do know that the TWRA's data showed that there is a significant shift in peak breeding dates very close to the AL border. They found late December into mid-January conception dates in the southern half of the counties bordering Alabama.
BSK
Well-Known Member
Might try their website, and if nothing there, contact the head biologist for that Regional Office.
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Lincoln County has always been wide open for me from Thanksgiving to mid-December and then the action dies off. It's great hunting during that time and very pronounced. Bear Hollow WMA has a rut after the season has closed in my opinion. The rut timing changes drastically with just an hour drive in either direction.
Quailman
Well-Known Member
I live in Franklin County, and typically early through mid-December is the best time to hunt, IMO. Much later rut than what I've been used to, but it really stretches out the season for me! The last 4 bucks I've killed in Franklin County have been 12/3, through 1/5 I believe. Three of the 4 bucks were tending does at the time.
And FYI, TWRA collected samples from a friend of mine's farm on the eastern part of Franklin County on top of the mountain about 5 or 6 years ago. They were looking at fetal conception dates, and most of the does were being bred between January 1st-10th.
BSK
Well-Known Member
Thanks Quailman. Very useful and enlightening information.
Your observations makes good sense as Marshall and Limestone Counties AL that boarder Franklin County usually have a primary rut 2-3 weeks of December. Those deer moving a few miles North must have had some influence on the Franklin County rut.
garnermtn
Well-Known Member
I live in Cowan and the week of Christmas is probably best. I do think mountain deer rut a different times than those in at fields in the valley.
