GMMAT

Being still new at this.....I want to describe what I've been seeing....and get your opinions. I've been sitting mostly all day for the last few hunts.....(last 2 weeks....on the days I've hunted). I saw 23 deer last Saturday (11/4). 17 were either does or button heads. They were all mingling together....with some VERY minor chasing (1 little buck chased a couple does for 30 seconds....and they never really gave him the time of day). 4 sparring matches occurred that day....none lasting more than 30 sec.. I've seen 0 does with darkened tarsal glands....though the bucks allare. I've seen way fewer rubs, this year.....and about the same number of scrapes as last year.

Is the rut happening at night (out of sight of EVERYONE, here)? Admittedly I'm only seeing younger, smaller bucks. Are the does being bred by the more dominant bucks in the area.....out of sight of me? Is it possible the peak rut hasn't occurred?

If I were not on the deer.....I'd chalk it up to just not knowing where to be. I've seen almost 150 deer on stand, this year. I KNOW where to look for does......and I'm wondering how could I miss what I've waited all year for???

Inisghts? Guesses???

Jeff

Oneshot7

get ready this is the week and that is all that i am saying[:-]

txjourneyman

My brother in law and I just had this conversation last night. Texas Parks and Wildlife web site says conception dates for fawns in our area average between 11/8-11/14 for the greatest % of fawns. We have seen no evidence of rut activiy other than a few rubs and scrapes. We recently had a spell of warm temps, I mean 80s, combined with a full moon. We believe it pushed the deer nocturnal. I hope I am wrong and its going to go crazy any day but I doubt it. One of us has been in the woods every day since the 11th when general season opened. We have seen very few deer after seeing them almost every day during the October archery season.