The Rut

[mdjuh42]

So I have been looking at my logs over the past 10 years of hunting in middle TN. I hunt hard and often mostly in middle Tennessee in various places but mostly private and public land in Davidson and Wilson counties. I have noticed that like clock work the does break up every year about the time muzzle loader opens and clear signs of the rut appear. By second week of muzzle I see the most bucks every year. By the time gun opens, sighting start to slowly decline.

Yesterday I had a few small bucks chasing and grunting but today I saw a few small groups of does back together and a doe with her young. For the past two weeks the only does I have seen were either alone or with a buck in tow.

This has been the case hunting this area like clock work every year. Still I hear a lot of guys swear peak rut is thanksgiving but I attribute that to more hunters in the woods killing due to rifle opening and vacation time.

I'm not saying the rut is over by any means but from observations the rut is on going but starting it's decline. Anyone care to chime in??

 

[cbhunter]

I think it varies greatly from county to county and even property to property in the same area sometimes. Here in Carroll County it seems to just now be heating up where it usually is the first 2 weeks of November IMO.

 

[mowen]

I agree with you, I think it's just getting started here in Saulsbury. I will say Saturday and Sunday we saw four bucks chasing doe like a heard of elephants thru the woods. only had a chance at one, but was too small unfortunately. small 4 and was within 15 feet of me after a doe just left me. 2nd year hunting and I have buck fever so bad. please let me get one! my wife might think im cheating on her if I don't bring home a champ!

 

[Jmed]

The rut timing in Tennessee is all over the board and its hard to state one set of dates as the "rut" for the entire state. Northern middle seems to be the first to pop and then you have areas, especially the mountains of southern Marion, Franklin that peak atfter Christmas. With our liberal season and a good bit of public land a hunter who busts his tail could theoretically hunt the "rut" or some phase of it from Halloween to the week after new year. Not many states offer that. But wherever you live, your peak breeding should be about the same time every year. I dont belive the rut moves back and forth by weeks every year on individual properties. On my lease in KY, its dropped off significantly, but where I live in Hamilton County, they seem to be wide open.

 

[Hunt 365]

It does vary. But while you see action in 2d weekend of muzzleloader, I think it's how you define the rut. I get crazy action during thanksgiving week and always have. We may be in a lockdown phase now, but in my experience they are just as active after the lockdown as before. Now the first week of December, I have consistently seen it all but die. I too keep a log and would be very interested in comparing notes with guys who hunt Madison and Carroll Counties in west TN.

 

[270MONTS]

I've always just gun hunted up till a few years ago when I boaught a muzzleloader. And I'm no expert but from what I've seen is more bucks cruising the first couple weeks of november and more chaising the week of thanksgiving and the week after also. Houston county.

 

[GRIT]

It's not a set time for when the rut starts.It could be 2 weeks difference in between this year and next years rut.
But i can tell you this much it is wide open right now were i live.

 

[mowen]

This might be a silly question, but does anyone use that doe urine? does it work and if so where do you put it strategically?

 

[jetwrnch]

It's not a set time for when the rut starts.It could be 2 weeks difference in between this year and next years rut.
But i can tell you this much it is wide open right now were i live.

And where would that be?

 

[Polar Kraft]

So I have been looking at my logs over the past 10 years of hunting in middle TN. I hunt hard and often mostly in middle Tennessee in various places but mostly private and public land in Davidson and Wilson counties. I have noticed that like clock work the does break up every year about the time muzzle loader opens and clear signs of the rut appear. By second week of muzzle I see the most bucks every year. By the time gun opens, sighting start to slowly decline.

Yesterday I had a few small bucks chasing and grunting but today I saw a few small groups of does back together and a doe with her young. For the past two weeks the only does I have seen were either alone or with a buck in tow.

This has been the case hunting this area like clock work every year. Still I hear a lot of guys swear peak rut is thanksgiving but I attribute that to more hunters in the woods killing due to rifle opening and vacation time.

I'm not saying the rut is over by any means but from observations the rut is on going but starting it's decline. Anyone care to chime in??

Just a couple years of observation in Wilson county. I would agree with that time frame

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[gatodoc]

Just finished a 3 day hunt in Fayette Co. and all I saw was young bucks. Does and matures were MIA.... :|

 

[TNTreeman]

Williamson cty has small bucks chasing. Only seeing mature ones rt at dark.

 

[wsm]

Either I missed the rut or it has not hit were I hunt in Maury County.No chasing as I can tell.

 

[swayback]

Hunted all day in Madison County and seen a doe with her twins about 9 o'clock a button buck about 9:30 and a little spike about 11 o'clock no chasing or rut action going on here that I've seen. Not sure what's going on I figured it would be a circus in the woods this morning .I don't think the does on the property I'm hunting have came in yet . Usually they are wide open by now .

 

[ZachMarkus]

Looking to be about the same time as it is every year on my place in lawrence county, first week of December it should be wide open.


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