andesman

Guys, The does are Full NOW! On monday eve I tried a new stand where I need the perfect wind. Well, was only on stand 5 minutes and fawn showed up alone. I knew that her mother was either dead or with a buck in heat. It was the latter. For 3 hours I watched 7 different bucks fight overher. The main one was a mature 3 legged 9 pointer. I watched him actually breed her at 35 yards. A 2.5 yr old 5 point eventually worked her away from him. He bred her right UNDER MY STAND!! Two bucks actually went the whole way with her and I had no camera! I have hunted for 30 years and that was a first!! I wanted 3 legger as he was non-typical. This is central MD. The pre-rut was great where I hunt as the weather was cold. Does seemed to start comming in heat around election day and big bucks have been with does since then. I think there will still be some does during this weekends cold shot. Big ones should start trolling as fewer does are in heat and harder to find.

HammytheHunter

I doubt that the rut is over. If anything, the rut should be coming into more of a full-swing period now. The end of October and the first week of November was more of the "pre-rut" action, where the bucks are chasing the does around, but the does aren't fully ready yet. Now should be the time where a good majority of the does are ready to breed and therefore the action should be steady. This is just what I've observed over the last 12 years of hunting Maryland, so I could be wrong, but then again, I wouldn't say that the rut is an actual science either. Good luck to all who go out today, I'll be out.