Best Hunt

[backyardtndeer]

November

 

[Snake]

Thinking opening muzzleloader if the weather cooperates

 

[Gravey]

The muzzleloader season is my favorite. Seems it's our best rut action during that time.

 

[rem270]

Opening weekend and week of KY rifle is usually the most rut action I see.

 

[Cheshire]

What's everyone's Favorite time of Deer

What's everyone's Favorite time of Deer season?

Peak chasing at my spot in Lauderdale county is Nov 15-20. Amazing how much activity you can see. Next would be October, not so cold

 

[mike243]

The rut aint waiting on my vacation I don't think, been seeing dead doe's on a lot of roads the last few days. I think something has jump started it a little early this year.

 

[Shed Hunter]

Haven't seen him yet. Older bucks haven't shifted up into the hills yet. Last year it didn't occur until right around Oct. 18. After that date, new older bucks showed up every day until peak breeding. In fact, we set a record for total unique bucks photographed last year (54). But then it was also a record acorn crop, unlike this year.

Not to get off topic here too badly, but what is a rough average number of bucks per sq mile in the areas you monitor?

 

[poorhunter]

Veterans Day, November 11.

 

[Lost Lake]

The third week of October through Thanksgiving is my favorite time frame.

 

[TNTreeman]

Late October if it's cold through November. My two biggest bucks however were killed Dec 26 and Dec 31 a couple years apart .

 

[Rakkin6]

Late season for me, so anytime in December.

 

[Tn Joe]

Sweet November

 

[BSK]

Not to get off topic here too badly, but what is a rough average number of bucks per sq mile in the areas you monitor?

Deer density is around 25 per square mile. But you have to remember that's a snapshot in time average. Deer move around, and bucks move around a lot, especially as the rut approaches. Many MANY more deer than the density suggests will cross a given area over a 6-month span of time (which is how long I run my census: Aug. 1 to Jan. 10 each year).

This is something I have to constantly explain to those running camera censuses. The longer the census is run, the more unique deer will cross the property at some point and be included in the census. This can produce some crazy-high deer density numbers. For example, over a 6-month period, census density for my property can exceed 200 deer per square mile, more than 8 times higher than the real average density.

 

[Jaahspike]

Opening weekend of MZ. Deer haven't been pressured and movement is maximized. After that, Nov. 10-12 and 17-20. Those are the peaks right at the beginning of the 10-day peak of breeding and the end of peak breeding on my place. That is when we see the most frantic seeking-chasing.

I hunt a farm in Lebanon which is Middle TN and a farm in W TN (Crockett County). From what we have gathered, they seem to be about a week apart in peak rut action. Around November 11th is what I see in Middle TN and around the 18-19 in W TN. Just wonder if you have any data on either of those locations? Or anyone else that hunts near those locations.

 

[BSK]

I hunt a farm in Lebanon which is Middle TN and a farm in W TN (Crockett County). From what we have gathered, they seem to be about a week apart in peak rut action. Around November 11th is what I see in Middle TN and around the 18-19 in W TN. Just wonder if you have any data on either of those locations? Or anyone else that hunts near those locations.

My data suggest breeding peaks first in northcentral TN (towards the KY border) and the Nashville Basin (the peak 10 days being Nov. 8-17). Breeding gets progressively later the farther south and west from Nashville you travel. By the time you hit Memphis, peak breeding is mid-December.

 

[wobblegobble]

What county?

Yes, southern Franklin county! I still have many fawns with spots right now!

 

[DeerMan66]

I hunt in Hickman County. My favorite time to hunt is November 10th to November 21st. That seems to be when we see the most mature buck activity.

 

[BSK]

I hunt in Hickman County. My favorite time to hunt is November 10th to November 21st. That seems to be when we see the most mature buck activity.

With our peak breeding being about those dates, our best mature buck activity is just before-hand. Probably Nov. 4-10 as they seek the first receptive does.

 

[tellico4x4]

March thru December for me. It's really a year round endeavor & love every facet of it, even the pia plots this year. Started trying to trap last year so that takes up Jan & Feb.

For our place the best big buck daylight activity is first two weeks in Dec.

 

[lafn96]

Haven't seen him yet. Older bucks haven't shifted up into the hills yet. Last year it didn't occur until right around Oct. 18. After that date, new older bucks showed up every day until peak breeding. In fact, we set a record for total unique bucks photographed last year (54). But then it was also a record acorn crop, unlike this year.

How do you tell them all apart? Typical 3x3's, buttons and spikes can look very similar. What has your studies shown for peak rut for Meigs/McMinn county area (halfway between Chattanooga and Knoxville)?