Rut Report Weekly
10-22-2009, 07:02 AM
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Typical Buck
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Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Rochester NY
Posts: 654
Rut Report Weekly
Versus has this great rut report that they do each week and I think its pretty neat written by Larry Weishuhn, "Mr. Whitetail" Enjoy
WEEKLY RUT REPORT
by Larry Weishuhn, "Mr. Whitetail" 10/18 through 10/25
“Buck chasing doe, big 10 point!” Interrupted the cameraman, which caused me to totally forget that we were filming a segment for our “Young Hunters Series”, a series of three DVDs to help not only young hunters new to the world of whitetail deer hunting, but maybe even remind some “old salts” of things they may have forgotten. I watched as the about 140 class buck chased the doe across the little opening where we were filming on the north edge of the city limits of Kerrville, Texas. Obviously the early rut had begun in the Texas Hill Country.
Across North America, temperatures have seriously started cooling and deer activity is starting to increase. However, deer activity might have increased regardless of the cooler temperatures simply because of decreasing daylight and increases in testosterone. I suspect most of us who love the outdoors are also becoming more active as the temperatures cool and more and more whitetail hunting seasons open.
I spoke this past week with several hunters in Canada’s western provinces. They reported bucks are in pre-rut and they are seeing an increase in rubs and scrapes, but not yet any bucks chasing does. According to them bucks are starting to show interest in does, but the does thus far want nothing to do with them. This week too I took some time to stop by the Los Cazadores Deer Contest headquarters in Pearsall, Texas and visit with Trey Moore. “We’ve had some absolute monsters show up at the contest including several 200 plus bucks taken by both bowhunters and gun hunters (hunting on Managed Land Deer Permits). The bucks brought in have had clean hocks and according to hunters, are not yet showing any interest in does. Remember our rut here in southern Texas, south of San Antonio and into northern Mexico generally doesn’t occur until December.”
Ariel Trevino, a biologist who works much of western Mexico, said much the same when I contacted him regarding a couple of Coues whitetail hunts I have set up for December and January.
Over in South Carolina, Bang Collins reported, “Temperatures cooling and we’re seeing a lot of bucks chasing does here in the “lowlands”, looks like the rut is now in full swing…doubt it’s the same farther west in the state. We took some of our best deer ever this past week.”
Jon Priess, an old friend from Lycoming County, Pennsylvania sent an email stating, “Smaller bucks are showing up in feeding areas early in the morning and late in the afternoon. But it appears the mature bucks are still pretty much nocturnal, as evidenced by trail camera photos. I have seen a marked increase in rubs and scrapes and scrapes are actively being worked. Deer food in our area is plentiful, especially acorns which are falling in great abundance. Deer this fall are in great body condition. Think we’re into pre-rut, but the rut is still at least a couple of weeks away.”
In many areas of the country, field crops are a bit late in maturing because they had to be replanted, but in Maryland Richard Hammond tells me the farmers are busy harvesting corn. “Deer patterns are changing on a daily basis as more and more corn is harvested, removing the corn forest. Seeing some rubs and scrapes and with cooling temperatures we should see more deer activity. We’re in pre-rut, based on what friends of mine have been seeing. Hunted deer in Connecticut recently, deer there seemed to be in early pre-rut.”
Clay Barker with Luxus Arms, whose company builds unbelievably gorgeous wood stocks for my T/C Encores near where I’ll be hunting later this year in central Ohio reports “it’s wetter and cooler than usual in our area. The deer have moved from the bean fields and are now feeding on acorns, which are in great abundance. Right now they have so much food available they really don’t have to move hardly at all. I have not yet seen very much true pre-rut activity yet, but we are starting to see an increase in scraping activity. However, I suspect pre-rut activites will increase toward the latter part of this coming week.”
Dropping back down into Alabama and Georgia I talked to several hunters who report there the bucks have separated from bachelor herds and are starting to rub and make some early scrapes.
Then back up in Kentucky I had two reports from friends. Charlie Walter told me he is seeing a dramatic increase in rubbing and scraping on his farm and that he’s seen a little bit of chasing by young bucks and believes the area is in the early stages of the rut. Tim Herald, who you know from various television shows and who like me promotes (www.outfittersrating.com) because of its value to hunters who are interested in learning more about possible outfitters and guides to hunt with, lives in Kentucky as well. His email started with a photo of his young son Drew with a fabulous buck he had just taken the evening before his birthday. Tim reported, “Been raining here for about the past 2 weeks. It’s been cool and damp. We’re seeing a lot of rubbing and scraping. Matter of fact the buck Drew shot made a scrape right before we took him. Friends of ours told me on Friday evening they saw a buck being trailed by five bucks. It appears we’re into the early stages of the rut here. The cool weather, cooler than usual, seems to be prompting deer movement. But, I suspect once we return to our normal somewhat warmer temperatures the activity will again slow down.”
What I find interesting is that I’ve talked to several hunters who have seen early rutting activity in a particular state and county, then have talked to other hunters who hunt that same county and in some instances only a mile or so away who are not seeing any chasing. That’s one of the reasons why we at VersusCountry.com really appreciate the comments we get from our visitors. Please as the rut looms ahead of us let us know what you’re seeing in your particular area!
As you know I dearly love whitetails, but this coming week I’m off to Colorado to hunt mule deer before returning to the whitetail woods.
Be safe and hunt hard!
http://www.versuscountry.com/rutreport.aspx
WEEKLY RUT REPORT
by Larry Weishuhn, "Mr. Whitetail" 10/18 through 10/25
“Buck chasing doe, big 10 point!” Interrupted the cameraman, which caused me to totally forget that we were filming a segment for our “Young Hunters Series”, a series of three DVDs to help not only young hunters new to the world of whitetail deer hunting, but maybe even remind some “old salts” of things they may have forgotten. I watched as the about 140 class buck chased the doe across the little opening where we were filming on the north edge of the city limits of Kerrville, Texas. Obviously the early rut had begun in the Texas Hill Country.
Across North America, temperatures have seriously started cooling and deer activity is starting to increase. However, deer activity might have increased regardless of the cooler temperatures simply because of decreasing daylight and increases in testosterone. I suspect most of us who love the outdoors are also becoming more active as the temperatures cool and more and more whitetail hunting seasons open.
I spoke this past week with several hunters in Canada’s western provinces. They reported bucks are in pre-rut and they are seeing an increase in rubs and scrapes, but not yet any bucks chasing does. According to them bucks are starting to show interest in does, but the does thus far want nothing to do with them. This week too I took some time to stop by the Los Cazadores Deer Contest headquarters in Pearsall, Texas and visit with Trey Moore. “We’ve had some absolute monsters show up at the contest including several 200 plus bucks taken by both bowhunters and gun hunters (hunting on Managed Land Deer Permits). The bucks brought in have had clean hocks and according to hunters, are not yet showing any interest in does. Remember our rut here in southern Texas, south of San Antonio and into northern Mexico generally doesn’t occur until December.”
Ariel Trevino, a biologist who works much of western Mexico, said much the same when I contacted him regarding a couple of Coues whitetail hunts I have set up for December and January.
Over in South Carolina, Bang Collins reported, “Temperatures cooling and we’re seeing a lot of bucks chasing does here in the “lowlands”, looks like the rut is now in full swing…doubt it’s the same farther west in the state. We took some of our best deer ever this past week.”
Jon Priess, an old friend from Lycoming County, Pennsylvania sent an email stating, “Smaller bucks are showing up in feeding areas early in the morning and late in the afternoon. But it appears the mature bucks are still pretty much nocturnal, as evidenced by trail camera photos. I have seen a marked increase in rubs and scrapes and scrapes are actively being worked. Deer food in our area is plentiful, especially acorns which are falling in great abundance. Deer this fall are in great body condition. Think we’re into pre-rut, but the rut is still at least a couple of weeks away.”
In many areas of the country, field crops are a bit late in maturing because they had to be replanted, but in Maryland Richard Hammond tells me the farmers are busy harvesting corn. “Deer patterns are changing on a daily basis as more and more corn is harvested, removing the corn forest. Seeing some rubs and scrapes and with cooling temperatures we should see more deer activity. We’re in pre-rut, based on what friends of mine have been seeing. Hunted deer in Connecticut recently, deer there seemed to be in early pre-rut.”
Clay Barker with Luxus Arms, whose company builds unbelievably gorgeous wood stocks for my T/C Encores near where I’ll be hunting later this year in central Ohio reports “it’s wetter and cooler than usual in our area. The deer have moved from the bean fields and are now feeding on acorns, which are in great abundance. Right now they have so much food available they really don’t have to move hardly at all. I have not yet seen very much true pre-rut activity yet, but we are starting to see an increase in scraping activity. However, I suspect pre-rut activites will increase toward the latter part of this coming week.”
Dropping back down into Alabama and Georgia I talked to several hunters who report there the bucks have separated from bachelor herds and are starting to rub and make some early scrapes.
Then back up in Kentucky I had two reports from friends. Charlie Walter told me he is seeing a dramatic increase in rubbing and scraping on his farm and that he’s seen a little bit of chasing by young bucks and believes the area is in the early stages of the rut. Tim Herald, who you know from various television shows and who like me promotes (www.outfittersrating.com) because of its value to hunters who are interested in learning more about possible outfitters and guides to hunt with, lives in Kentucky as well. His email started with a photo of his young son Drew with a fabulous buck he had just taken the evening before his birthday. Tim reported, “Been raining here for about the past 2 weeks. It’s been cool and damp. We’re seeing a lot of rubbing and scraping. Matter of fact the buck Drew shot made a scrape right before we took him. Friends of ours told me on Friday evening they saw a buck being trailed by five bucks. It appears we’re into the early stages of the rut here. The cool weather, cooler than usual, seems to be prompting deer movement. But, I suspect once we return to our normal somewhat warmer temperatures the activity will again slow down.”
What I find interesting is that I’ve talked to several hunters who have seen early rutting activity in a particular state and county, then have talked to other hunters who hunt that same county and in some instances only a mile or so away who are not seeing any chasing. That’s one of the reasons why we at VersusCountry.com really appreciate the comments we get from our visitors. Please as the rut looms ahead of us let us know what you’re seeing in your particular area!
As you know I dearly love whitetails, but this coming week I’m off to Colorado to hunt mule deer before returning to the whitetail woods.
Be safe and hunt hard!
http://www.versuscountry.com/rutreport.aspx
