Whitetail rut in Cottle County

[Palehorse]

I'm doing the whitetail archery hunt at Matador WMA starting Oct 17. For you folks that have hunted that area in the southern panhandle, is there some pretty good rutting activity that time of year? TPWD has the rut just begin on their "Rut in Whitetail Deer".

[Yak blue]

In my experience, Way way early for true rutting activity. Best bet is to find a scrape or rub line or a licking limb. But too early to be rattling/grunting/hoping for chasing. Chance it’s also still 80-90 degrees too.

Hope you do a live hunt

They’ve gotten quite a bit of rain recently. Too late to help antler growth (or lack there of) but can help deer put on weight before the rut/winter.

[PondPopper]

16 years ago I hunted a ranch west of McClean(Gray county)and the bucks were chasing hard, fighting a bunch and coming to horns really good the week of Thanksgiving... A lot of bucks were busted up pretty good already so it definitely wasn't in the beginning stages.. I actually rattled up the buck I killed from out a creek bottom thick with cedars.. I watched him run a doe in there that morning and went in mid morning and rattled and he busted out of the cedar highly pizzed heading straight to me and I shot him at 30 yards.. 154" ten point..

[hunter68]

I would say the mid November until end of the month they will respond to the horns in my experience.


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[Deerguy]

Mid October is a little early. That said, there are always a few does that start earlier than the rest.

[175gr7.62]

There won’t be any significant rutting activity then. It gets good about the 20th of November….every year…..like clockwork.


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[easeup]

In my experience, Way way early for true rutting activity. Best bet is to find a scrape or rub line or a licking limb. But too early to be rattling/grunting/hoping for chasing. Chance it’s also still 80-90 degrees too.

and same here and like all those above me too

[eradicator]

That's way early.

[Shane]

Yep, the rut is closer to Thanksgiving in that area.

[Mudslinger]

There are ZERO deer on that place! LOL! It has been a while but I have seen some giant muleys and whitetails there. Good luck and be carefull if you see a road that is really sandy. That sand is deep and can sink a vehicle in a heartbeat.

[lmartin5]

In my experience, Way way early for true rutting activity. Best bet is to find a scrape or rub line or a licking limb. But too early to be rattling/grunting/hoping for chasing. Chance it’s also still 80-90 degrees too.

Hope you do a live hunt

They’ve gotten quite a bit of rain recently. Too late to help antler growth (or lack there of) but can help deer put on weight before the rut/winter.

I agree above, but congratulations drawing this tag.

I hunted Turkey there this Spring, and love that area.

Feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions related to pastures/compartments.

I was fortunate to see a great deal of the WMA, and saw a ton of WT and Mule Deer.