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Rut report

It was 2:30 pm and I had just parked and was only 1/4 mile or so into the WMA when I heard grunting and sticks breaking. 10 seconds later doe comes screaming by about 30 yards followed by a really nice looking 8 point and a spike running behind him. I just hunkered down where I was to see if I could get a shot. They ran back and forth for 15 minutes until finally the doe led them off out of my viewing distance. Was interesting though, the spike stopped to work a scrape before they left. The larger buck didn't care about the scrape he was only concerned about the doe. Chasing is definitely occurring in davidson/Rutherford counties.
 
Both of my mature bucks that I have had on camera have been non existent on my trail cameras since October 30th. Anyone know the reason maybe for this? I just thought it was weird because they were non stop on camera leading up to that. Also, have not had many pictures of bucks on camera lately either. I'm located in Rutherford County.
 
OutdoorJunkie said:
Both of my mature bucks that I have had on camera have been non existent on my trail cameras since October 30th. Anyone know the reason maybe for this? I just thought it was weird because they were non stop on camera leading up to that. Also, have not had many pictures of bucks on camera lately either. I'm located in Rutherford County.
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Possible rut range shift. Some older bucks shift to a completely different range come the the 5-6 weeks of breeding, and the range can be a couple of miles away. In my area, the rut range shift usually starts right around Halloween.
 
philsanchez76 said:
It was 2:30 pm and I had just parked and was only 1/4 mile or so into the WMA when I heard grunting and sticks breaking. 10 seconds later doe comes screaming by about 30 yards followed by a really nice looking 8 point and a spike running behind him. I just hunkered down where I was to see if I could get a shot. They ran back and forth for 15 minutes until finally the doe led them off out of my viewing distance. Was interesting though, the spike stopped to work a scrape before they left. The larger buck didn't care about the scrape he was only concerned about the doe. Chasing is definitely occurring in davidson/Rutherford counties.
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Because I can't kill does late in the winter to age fetuses, I have to use a series of "indicators" to suggest when peak breeding for an area was. One of those indicators is a window of time (usually a week to 10 days) when older bucks stop hitting the scrapes, but young bucks dominating them. I suspect this because the older bucks are too busy chasing hot does to spend effort working the scrapes, but the yearling bucks - "left out of the action" - having nothing to do but hit the scrapes.
 
BSK said:
Because I can't kill does late in the winter to age fetuses, I have to use a series of "indicators" to suggest when peak breeding for an area was. One of those indicators is a window of time (usually a week to 10 days) when older bucks stop hitting the scrapes, but young bucks dominating them. I suspect this because the older bucks are too busy chasing hot does to spend effort working the scrapes, but the yearling bucks - "left out of the action" - having nothing to do but hit the scrapes.
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BSK have you observed a time line from when young bucks start to seek and chase vs mature bucks? For example if you see the young bucks running does, are the mature bucks a week behind? Or do they overlap. Thank you
 
BSK said:
Possible rut range shift. Some older bucks shift to a completely different range come the the 5-6 weeks of breeding, and the range can be a couple of miles away. In my area, the rut range shift usually starts right around Halloween.
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I was thinking that could have been it as well because they have completely disappeared.
 
UTGrad said:
BSK have you observed a time line from when young bucks start to seek and chase vs mature bucks? For example if you see the young bucks running does, are the mature bucks a week behind? Or do they overlap. Thank you
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Young bucks start chasing several weeks before actual peak breeding. Mine started chasing hard here Oct. 22, but peak breeding is still a few days away from now. Mature bucks are cruising now. I'm getting them cruising through the food plots at night the last few days.
 
Maury Co.

5 doe standing behind the house last night around 1730. Small 6 pt comes running through the field with his nose to the ground. Chased off one of the does. They're up and runnin
 
on the way home last night on highway 96 from Cool Springs to Murfreesboro. Saw a nice buck following a doe in the field across from the volunteer fire station in Arrington.
 
OutdoorJunkie said:
I was thinking that could have been it as well because they have completely disappeared.
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What do you have your cameras on? Scrapes? Most of mine in this area were on or near scrapes and I only have had pictures of spikes the last few days. I would've never known there was a big boy in there if I hadn't gone in and actually seen him with my own eyes. In fact seems like all my scrape pics have declined drastically in the last 2 days alone.
 
BSK said:
Because I can't kill does late in the winter to age fetuses, I have to use a series of "indicators" to suggest when peak breeding for an area was. One of those indicators is a window of time (usually a week to 10 days) when older bucks stop hitting the scrapes, but young bucks dominating them. I suspect this because the older bucks are too busy chasing hot does to spend effort working the scrapes, but the yearling bucks - "left out of the action" - having nothing to do but hit the scrapes.
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Now its making total sense why most of y'all do not really hunt scrapes! I get it now. Just had to see it with my own eyes
 
Had a buck come in with 3-4 does. He wasn't chasing. Came in just in front of them and ate acorns at the base of my ladder stand. Guess it hasn't started in Union county.

Let him walk and took the big old doe.
 
Went out yesterday morning to Hardeman. Saw a spike come out of a bedding area. About 5 yds behind him was a 4 pt maybe a 6 pt. Thought it was odd they were still together. They weren't acting like the typical young rutting buck.
 
had a small 8 come running through grunting saturday morning.. killed a 10 yesterday at 1130 who was laying in the middle of the beans with a doe.. cheatham county
 
Had bucks showing up the middle of October through the end of October. Pics of a nice buck with a doe on the 22nd of October in daylight. Had small bucks pestering does on the juvi hunt, Sat all weekend and saw a few small bucks by themselves, then yesterday a group of does and fawns together, and as I was leaving another doe with two smaller deer together... Its been a odd year.
 
Saturday and then this morning.... multiple young bucks cruising.....one spike pestering does.....did see young 8pt this morning cruising alone....few does feeding.... haven't seen any hard chasing yet.... Northern Middle TN.
 
Sitting on the ground this morn, had a 2.5yo buck run a doe into me (5y) grunting and crashing all over. She wasn't ready, but all the racket pulled a 130in 17inside 8ptr out from a thicket to check out the action. He made 4 scrapes, then the 2.5yo went behind him and pissed in every single one he made. We are still a week out from does actually coming into heat on my places.
 
I did see what I am calling Brutus the Buck pestering a group of four does on Saturday afternoon in Williamson County. This was on my way home, so I pulled over and observed from the road. One particular doe would move and he would move accordingly. They were all hanging out under a lone tree / scrub patch in a field. FWIW, these are deer that most likely are not hunted on the parcel of land, given the location (although it's a couple hundred acre field)…I've never seen a truck or hunters on this property in 15+years.
 

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