Just wondering when you guys think the rut will kick in around here? I'm got about 4 days that i need to schedule off from the office. What would be the best dates?

I'm only familiar with the herd I hunt. If it were me.....I'd schedule time off around Thanksgiving. Let me expound by saying that the herd I hunt is doe-rich. There is ALWAYS an estrous doe after they begin to come into cycle, and there's does being bred throughout season, here (once they begin to come into estrous).

Later is better, HERE.

Last year I took the first two days of muzzleloader season off and killed both of my eight pointers dogging does. That would put me somewhere in the first two weeks of November. Last year we had a ton of does, this year I haven't seen nearly as many. Not sure what the deal is. Lot's of spikes and small bucks, not many does.

I'm probably going to take some time the week of Nov 12-16. I just haven't seen a lot of rutting activity yet with it being so warm. It looks better towards the end of this week so that should help.

the whole week of thanksgiving im taking off

Not much left of Jordan lake these days! I've never seen it this bad.

I'm with you NCRem700, I've yet to see a scrape or rub and I know I have small bucks frequenting my stands. I walked for a solid hour saturday morning after I got out of the stand looking for early rut signs, nothing.

I've seen some rubs but not many. I was hunting near Asheboro sat. evening at my girlfriend's parents farm and there were rubs all over. One of them was a cedar tree as big around as a telephone pole! Needless to say I'm happy to go there whenever the gf wants to see her parents!!

Guys, I hunt in Surry Co. I noticed this weekend that the old does were running any buck in the area off. The bucks kept coming back and thenrun off again. Something is starting now.

Surry Co.???

That's HOME!....lol (Where I grew up)

Shoot me a PM, sometime. I'd love to hear where you're hunting. We likely know some of the same people.