i have never had the opportunity to hunt a place that has what i would call a herd of deer. just stragglers running through the woods.

this year i am hunting a 215 acre farm with lots of deer. the other day my buddy saw a group of 12 deer crossing the river with 3 " good size" bucks.

we never saw a big time rut around here but how soon after the rut do they herd back up and start running together?

Around my area we call it yarding up......generally the last of December or early January. The 2nd rut has not come in yet but will in a couple of weeks.

When yarding up for the winter, deer seem to congregate into herds. Might be none in some areas and other areas contain lots, even a hundred or more!

I saw chasing hot and heavy from Nov 3rd to the 14th and lots of bucks than.

This morning I saw 2 bucks with 5 does early and about 10:30am 5 bucks with 8-10 does all together. I think they' ve already started here. I always here about a second rut here, but have yet to see any verification of it first hand.

at the place i hunt, i seen 8 does with 2 scub bucks.i think they are starting here in tennessee.



go deep hunt hard.

Where I hunt south of here, in Gonzales, they are running in packs but some of the does are still hot.
We spot lighted the back pasture Thursday night, just to count the herd.

We had one really nice thick neck 10, that is boss. A small basket 8, 2 first year spikes, a fork horn and 15 young and old does, 2 of which were bigger then the boss buck and definitely the leaders of the herd.


We have a second heard down by the " honey hole" , that I harvested the boss 8 on Oct 4th. That heard isn' t as big since I took the boss, and a smaller 3 year old 8 has taken over the duty. I think the bad boy 10 down the road has culled some of those does. I only saw 8 does with 2 young ones in tow. Also a big spike or fork horn.