NJ Hunting
 

Well i went out yestreday and didn't get anything but, i saw some strange things out there. I've been hunting a spot in Hunterdon County all season. There really hasn't been any signs of rubs or scrapes for the bow and 6 day firearms season. I mean really NO signs of rubs or scrapes. Well yesterday i went out and everywhere i looked there were rubs and scrapes. This property was always loaded with rubs all season in previous years, but this year they just weren't there. It seems all these new rubs just showed up this week.

Has seen such a thing or now why?

thanks

RE: NJ Hunting
 

The weather has been a little weird and the rut was going and then stopped in Nov. I shot on buck on 12/1 that was chasing does and there was a buck in my backyard Christmas week that was chasing does. I also spotted a nice rub in my neighbors yard the other day that I would have seen before. Who know??

RE: NJ Hunting
 

I would say the juniors are coming into estrus in your area and the bucks are getting all swelled up again. I would try rattling my next time out. Just a suggestion/opinion. With the not so ideal temps during the peak rut the bucks probably stuck to their core areas for the most part and thats where youd find the rubs from pre and peak rut. Putting in some serious time on stand could nail you a nice late season buck. Good Luck.

RE: NJ Hunting
 

I was out on Friday 1/02/04, at Six Mile Run, and the parking lot was full...had to be about 10 or 12 cars in that one section.

Anyway seen 5 deer....2 were to far to see any headgear. Then I had 2 bucks and a doe come up behind me through one of the green fields that are there. Snuck right up on me. No shot ...they were gone in seconds. This was all in the PM between 12 and 2pm.

Best part is that I had my kid brother with me who is recovering from his 2nd battle with cancer. He was so ansy and fidgity..it was funny. Then the paralized look on his face when he saw the deer just made me laugh...

Good day...

Mike

RE: NJ Hunting
 

report from the field, Jan. 8th, 2004:

saw a young 4 pt in my back yard today chasing a doe in my back yard for like 15 minutes. i have 2 acres so they just ran around. the buck had his head to the ground. lookin for some action. this full moon this week sucks though.

RE: NJ Hunting
 

Went out Monday morning and found a fresh rub and scrape in some thick stuff, couldn't have been more than a day old. Sure puts a smile on your face and some ideas in your head.:)

RE: NJ Hunting
 

The answer is easy if there is alot of hunting pressure in your area. Does only come into heat for a short time and if not breed then come in again the next month. This cycle continues through the winter for several months if she doesn't find a dominant buck. Thus the dominant buck theory. If several larger bucks were shot out of an area before the majority of the does were bread the entire heard has to readjust to that little 6 pointer or fork horn being the new dominant buck. This could keep the rut going each month clean up into March. In 1999 the area I hunt in the state woods saw 4 old bucks killed in less than 3 weeks. I believe as a result of this the does were looking for them to breed and went unbreed for the first few cycles. I was scouting after the season and was finding rubs and active scrapes up until the end of march.