ANY SIGN OF RUT IN NEW JERSEY

BOWHUNTERCOP · 10-22-2002, 04:31 PM

HAS ANYONE SEEN SIGNS OF THE RUT HERE IN NEW JERSEY?

I KNOW FROM OVER 20 YRS. OF HUNTING SOME RUTTING ACTIVITY IS GOING ON PRE RUT STUFF, SMALLER BUCKS DOIN THERE THING... REASON IM ASKING, I HAVE YET TO SEE A DEER IN NORTHERN ZONE 4, MONTAGUE, SUSSEX COUNTY. I USE TO SEE PLENTY OF DEER, BUT LAST YEAR IT DROPPED OFF, BUT THIS YEAR I'VE SEEN NO DEER, AND IM NOT THE ONLY ONE UP THERE. PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU HAVE BEEN SEEING AS FAR AS RUT ACTIVITY. GOOD LUCK TO ALL OF YOU!!!

Stealthy_Bowman · 10-22-2002, 07:56 PM

Out of curiosity how close to High Point S.P are you hunting? I know that place got hammered the last few years during the special muzzleloader season they have. Perhaps that may have something to do with why you aren't seeing any deer.

445 supermag · 10-22-2002, 09:24 PM

I hunt in Burlington county and have not seen any rutting activity at all. I just see a bunch of does but not bucks yet. But with the rut I feel that I am in the right spot as they will be looking soon.

brian

BOWHUNTERCOP · 10-23-2002, 05:28 AM

STEALTHY_BOWMAN: I HEARD THE SAME THING ABOUT HIGH POINT, BUT IM NOT THAT CLOSE TO IT, I HUNT THE NOTHERN PART OF ZONE 4, SOUTHERN PART OF MONTAGUE ABOUT 1 OR 1.5 MILES SOUTH OF RT.206

Broadhead88 · 10-23-2002, 05:44 AM

Zone 2 has been real quiet this Fall. There have been lots of coyotes around and we even saw a bear last Sat. night. We have only seen 1 small spike/1 4 pt/ 1 7 pt. No actively rutting bucks but there are some small rubs and a few scrapes. This cold weather may get things going.

Looking at the world from 15 feet up.

Stealthy_Bowman · 10-23-2002, 12:36 PM

I've been hunting mostly in zone 7 & 50 and I've been seeing heavy pre-rut behavior. The other day while hunting zone 7 (Hunterdon county)I watched two young bucks, a 3 and a 7 pointer chase around a group of does. They then proceeded to spar for a few minutes.
Last weekend while hunting zone 50(Monmouth county) I saw 4 bucks, two of which were chasing does and one that made a scrape in front of me and the other with the 18" spread I shot after watching him chase a couple of does literally out of the area. The bucks are ready, now it's just a matter of days before the does go into estrus.

CatskillHuntr · 10-23-2002, 12:56 PM

Hey Stealthy

Any good spots to hunt in Monmouth county? Is it easy to get permission down there? I hear that its a real sleeper of a county.

I may be moving down there after the new year, and was looking for some info.

Stealthy_Bowman · 10-23-2002, 01:16 PM

CatskillHuntr, Monmouth does have it's good spots, but like every where else in NJ, getting permission is not easy. I used to live down there for about 25 years so I have my spots, but I've also lost quite a few to development. It's getting harder and harder to hunt down there since developments have spread faster than the worst wildfires imaginable.
Good luck to you.

bigmills20 · 10-23-2002, 05:25 PM

I went for a walk before dark tonight on my clubs property(Zone 18). Plenty of deer sign near the oaks with about 5 new scrapes since the weekend the rut seems to be getting underway. Actually lots of deer activity there.

wojtowicza · 10-24-2002, 02:20 PM

i was hunting zone 8 last saturday and man is the rut on. i saw bucks chasing does and watached 2 bucks make scrapes right in front of me. you could smell the rut in the air.