I've scouted about 120 acres hard this week and have found 0 scrapes, and 2 rubs. I have the bucks they are on camera and I passed up a real good 3 year old on an afternoon hunt. I'm finding some red Oaks but very very few, white Oaks are almost none, and persimmons are hanging on like prunes in some trees. I believe the lack of food and mast is the main cause for no sign but I talked to a neighbor and he as one ridge line that has scrapes all the way down it. I find the lack of sign odd, I figured the sign would be low due to no mast but not none existent. This is in NW Williamson County. What are you guys seeing for buck sign anything?
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Little to no buck sign
- Thread starter Dumbluck
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double browtine
Well-Known Member
I have the same thing here in West Cheatham County. Hoping things will heat up soon. Acorns are slim to none. The areas I typically see scrapes and rubs there aren't any.
My problem is too many acorns. I don't worry about buck sign too much. They will be dispersing soon. No need to worry about something I can't control
Your neighbors tore up ridge line could have been the result of one buck that was feeling frisky. It will happen for you when the time is right for the deer.
I have a camera on a tree that they scrape under every year. Have had multiple deer chew the branches but have not made a scrape yet. Seems a little late for me as well. It's going to happen though.
I have a camera on a tree that they scrape under every year. Have had multiple deer chew the branches but have not made a scrape yet. Seems a little late for me as well. It's going to happen though.
BSK
Well-Known Member
The same (Humphreys County). The usual fall shift away from ag fields hasn't happened, scraping is virtual nonexistent, no rubs, etc. Very worrisome. Other than does, fawns and yearling bucks feeding in dried up food plots, the woods are dead. The severe drought and acorn failure (and soft mast failure) are killing us. A buck finally opened one of our most traditionally used scrapes on the 26th. Normally that would have occurred around Oct. 1.
Haven't looked hard but I haven't come across any scrapes yet, either. No fresh rubs come across either. Still lots of red oak acorns but weevils got a lot and I'm not sure how long the good ones will last this year since that's about all the nuts there are. No nuts from the hickories and white oaks that I've found. Wanted to get just a little power nap on stand yesterday morning but squirrels were feeding heavily all around me all morning, making it impossible.
Yep it's a strange year. Not just TN. I'm in Ohio right now and it's the same way here. No idea what to make of it. I've never seen this before.
JeepKuntry
Well-Known Member
We'll see what West Tn holds hopefully in 2 weeks. As for East Tn I never see many scrapes. Handful of rubs but it's public with smaller deer numbers. Speaking of acorns they are everywhere!
Same at my place, no rubs or scrapes at all. I did get a picture of one nice buck crossing my food plot two nights in a row. Camera is placed where they usually make a scrape but nothing so far.
I have a big oak in the yard every year when it starts dropping the deer show up. This year I have not seen the first deer under it. The acorns seem smaller but more of them than previous years. My yard is full of squirrels getting them though. Even seen a groundhog several times which is a first.
Found a couple rubs here in Rutherford, but there is what I'm assuming to be a signpost rub that has not been hit yet. Last year and the year before it got hit between Nov 5 and Nov 10 so I'm not too worried about that one.
Found 4 scrapes total so far. 2 are right outside some bedding and have some smaller tracks in them. The other 2 are more promising. One is pretty good size and is in one of my favorite rut funnels. I should hang a camera but these past couple years I've enjoyed not knowing what's coming through (if that makes sense lol)
Found 4 scrapes total so far. 2 are right outside some bedding and have some smaller tracks in them. The other 2 are more promising. One is pretty good size and is in one of my favorite rut funnels. I should hang a camera but these past couple years I've enjoyed not knowing what's coming through (if that makes sense lol)
I haven't been looking for sign, but I've counted 9 bucks so far on camera. Some were fighting. More buck activity than I've ever seen here. Very few does though.
DoubleRidge
Well-Known Member
Last weekend worked at property...bush hogging for hours....worked on plots several hours as well.... normally see multiple rubs from tractor but saw none? Did see one scrape but that's it.... checked with buddy of mine who's scouted a couple different properties...he's found 3 rubs and zero scrapes.... certainly different than years past for this time of the year.
I hunt very near you (Davidson/rutheford) and ive found the same. I have cell cams on multiple historic scraps that have in previous years been wide open already. Only 1 is open and is getting any attention at all. Same deal with acorns too. All my good historic trees (red or white) aint really dropping. It has forced me to scout deeper and so far have only found Shingle oaks trees to be doing really well. I did not even know what a shingle oak looked like before this year!
BSK
Well-Known Member
Well, at least it's not just my place. That makes me feel a little better!
Well it sounds like everyone is seeing the same thing which is good I guess. It just seems odd to be going into November with little to no buck sign.
I filmed this buck the other day bow hunting and watched him hit a licking branch, he did did pee in the spot but did not work his tarsals nor open up a scrape. I figured he was probably 3.5 and is one of the more healthy deer I've seen. I have seen a lot of very thin deer this year. Notice how clean his tarsals are
I filmed this buck the other day bow hunting and watched him hit a licking branch, he did did pee in the spot but did not work his tarsals nor open up a scrape. I figured he was probably 3.5 and is one of the more healthy deer I've seen. I have seen a lot of very thin deer this year. Notice how clean his tarsals are
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Same here. Some of the deer look like they're pretty thin with ribs showing. Not fattened up for winter.
