about four weeks ago i had two nights worth of checking scrapes and then it just stopped and in years past i would have at least a weeks worth maybe two weeks of checking what does everybody think of this? last week a buckgot hit crossing a road his neck was swollen but his hocks or glands did not stink, which is also very unusual usually you can smell them a mile away. what does everybody think rut is going to be later, notmany adult does, more younger does so its going to be later, etc. cameras have been on some scrapes but like i said two nights worth then nothing on the mountain i hunt havebeen reopened. seen some bucks cruising by themselves. any input would be helpful and this is in massachusetts.

Sounds like the rut is in full swing! Mature bucks tend to stay with a doe in heat for 2 or 3 days until she is ready to breed. He will not leave her until he breeds her then will go looking for the next one. He may stop by to freshen a scrape then or come across another doe in heat. Hunting scrapes right now is probably not the most productive way to hunt bucks. Wait a few weeks until the right is winding down and he may start paying more attention to the scrapes again as fewer and fewer does are available. Good luck!

Here in northern MN, I believe that our does are already bred.[:@]

Here in NC I have not seen much of scraping or rubbing in the last two weeks. I have seen some bucks with dark glands but no swollen necks and they have not paid any attention to scent canisters,just interested in eating acorns.Thurs. afternoon at 3:45pm I saw a nice main frame 9 with 2 extra kickers chasing a doe hard.Could not get on him. Could not hunt Fri. but shot him Sat. Afternoon,from the same tree,at 5:25 by himself re-opening a scrape. His neck was swollen, glands black, could smell him before I found him and he was already worn down, looking like he had lost 10#s or more. It is kind of weird here. Bucks in one place seem to be rutting hard and you drive 2 or 3 miles to another spot and nothing?

The rut has been very lackluster here in NY where I hunt. This has been the second year that this has happened. They claimed that the 19th would be the peak breeding day, which just happened to be the opening day of our gun season. Guess what, I seen 20 doe with fawns and NO bucks on that very day???? I'm seriously starting to think the best time to hunt them would be the last week in October. After hunting 10 out of the first 13 days in November, I had it with the rut, it doesn't pan out for me.[:'(]