NJ Rut
 

Any one have any commentary on the rut timing in NJ. Any activity yet?

there is some so-call rut activity happening now, but just from the small bucks, the big bucks should be starting to make more rubs and scrapes soon, last week of October thru Thanksgving is great, the best week out of that time would be the first two weeks of November

GOOD LUCK

There are small signs of it starting. I've seen quite a few small rubs and scrapes.

I was hunting in zone 11...hunterdon county....last mon. thru wed. and seen several small bucks running does already. I got a decent 2.5 year old 8 pointer wed. afternoon that came in all by himself. He had a huge neck. Bowhuntercop is right...bucks will be running wild the end of Oct. beginning of Nov.

NJ Rut Answered
 

My question has been answered. The RUT is in FULL Swing. Was hunting in Warren County Zone 5. Shot a doe about 9am and went back to the car to shed some clothes before tracking. Upon re-entering the woods I Saw a big 8 pointer Chasing a hot doe. He was running her in circles. I decided to try to stalk since they were preoccupied and maybe I would get a shot. As I was closing in on them moving from tree to tree, he caught up with her Mounted and did what the big bucks do. I don't know maybe I'm a rookie although I have been hunting for years. I have never seen this live and in the wild. Only on TV. After he was done she started grazing and I was able to get within 35yds of her but he was further away. Well as you can guess the security went on alert and I was busted. She was much smarter that some of the rest of the does cause she did not waste any time having a stomp fest. She was out of there and so was he. What a day. It doesn't get any better than this.

I am very surprized that they started down your way right now.. They haven't up here as of yet.. A few antler rubs and that is about it. I took my daughter road hunting saturday because of steady rain we were getting. We saw eight deer four does and three fawns as well as one we were not sure about.. One of the does had two fawns the others were grouped up with one fawn. No bucks could be found any wheres. One youth shot a four pointer eating some grass and that is about it..

I hunted the same area the Friday & Sunday before Veteran's Day, Vet's Day and the Tuesday after. 2 days I saw nothing and the other 2 days I saw all together about 40 does and no bucks. Was surprised to see the activity this soon as well. I would suspect that this is still the beginning or pre-rut. I think they say that 10% of the does come into estrus during the pre-rut.