Dr. Deer & Late Rut

[Pineywoods]

Just saw this and thought I'd share... Not sure I'd agree with the rut being 21 days late for the first time in 38 years but I don't have a degree in the field. I do know that it's been a strange season for activity.

[LukeDuke]

I used to buy his moon phase theory...but living in the same deer woods for going on 30 years convinces me that rut timing is 100% photoperiod. Big bucks show up...chasing peeks...and scrapes start gathering leaves the same time every year in the places I hunt.

[Dave_]

I was seeing bucks chasing and active scrapes a month ago here in Central TX

[Anvilheadtexas]

So… this is the theory everyone that did not see what they expected/wanted to see this November will grip onto? Looking forward to a mid December report from East Tx.

[Pineywoods]

I used to buy his moon phase theory...but living in the same deer woods for going on 30 years convinces me that rut timing is 100% photoperiod. Big bucks show up...chasing peeks...and scrapes start gathering leaves the same time every year in the places I hunt.

I agree with you. 18 years of hunting the same property convinced me that the length of days determines it.

[flywise]

I’m hunting East Tx for a full week starting dec.3. Maybe I’ll get lucky. As for the hill country I saw the biggest buck I’ve seen in 30 years on this ranch 2 weeks ago chasing a doe and ALL other bucks with no interest at all in the girls. Same last week.

[ctom87]

Who is more accurate, rut predictors or the weatherman? Or is predicting the rut a side gig for tv weathermen?

Point being I focus on getting out in the woods, controlling what I can controlling, and enjoying the time spent hunting.

Sent from my SM-N9600 using Tapatalk

[Chad C]

It's wide open in North Tx, We saw 26 fresh buck kills on the road side from Graford to Weatherford, all within the last few days and still had their antlers...coming home from the lake.

[Bayouboy]

No rut without the Beaver moon

[Triple 7]

The bucks were going nuts in Nacogdoches over the weekend. More rut activity than I have ever seen. I had a big 8 walk right up to my truck as I was loading up. His nose was down and he was on the hunt for a doe. My son shot a big 11 yesterday morning that came busting through chasing two doe.

[Drycreek3189]

He’s full of prunes about that.

[texan16]

No rut without the Beaver moon

No doubt the Beaver Moon is the deal maker ……..

[AntlerCollector]

So… this is the theory everyone that did not see what they expected/wanted to see this November will grip onto? Looking forward to a mid December report from East Tx.

Lots of East Texas hunters will be disappointed when the December report comes out.

[AntlerCollector]

Does this mean the South Texas rut will start in January or February? Lol

[Native Texan]

I've been seeing chasing for the past month. The doe I shot on the 13th had been bred around the 6th of November. This weekend I saw 2 bucks trotting with their nose to the ground like bloodhounds. I expect to see does being bred as late as Christmas like happens every year.

This time of year it's best to just spend every hour you can in the stand. The bucks may not be actively breeding does but they are searching far and wide for the opportunity.