I hunt hard from late September through mid January. I hunt from Hamilton COunty, Tennessee through Grundy, Franklin, Coffee, And as far North as the Paducah area of Illinois along the Ohio River.
As far as I can tell, the mast crop was very low. Not a complete failure, but very scattered, and very low.
I just get home from Southern Illinois where deer have largely obliterated anything green.
If you could find Honey Locust pods, you were in the money.
Deer were readily eating honeysuckle vines and bark off trees.
Our rut, in every State and or County I hunted, was very difficult to distinguish. Chasing did occur in mid-November but it was slight and not wide spread.
I regularly communicate with hunters in Lincoln County, Rutherford, Montgomery, and many others as well as the golden triangle of Pike, Adams, and Brown in Illinois.
THE RUT WAS WAY OFF for all hunters (aka-stump sitters) with whom I spoke.
Out deer kill totals were off as well.
It was a tough year.