beagleman28

It seems to me that the rut has stopped here in VA. I have not seen a buck chasing a doe in the past two weeks. Two big bucks were killed last week and neither was chasing does. There were two more mature bucks hanging out in my hunting area during bow season. One of my hunting partners said that he saw one of them last week just hanging around the edge of a field. He said that the buck had no interest in the does that were in the area. I'm not sure if it is because more people are in the woods now that muzzleloader season has started? Or, do you guys think that the rut is over or winding down? At the end of bow season, I was really excited because I was seeing big deer all over the place. The weather has sure been terrible. If it is not raining that wind is blowing 35 MPH. What are you guys seeing?

geo

beagleman
I was hunting yesterday in courtland va before the rain started getting heavy. I seen an 8 point going nuts looking for does, scent checking etc, around 8 am. Then I seen a 4 point doing the same. Where I hunt its just beginning. I have seen this 8 point 3 times (no shot) and this is the first time Ive seen him doing rut activity. I cant wait for monday..

Silens_Venator

I have no clue as to what is going on. I have observed some strnage stuff over the past few weeks down here in southside VA. Behind my in-laws' place, the woods are tore all to pieces with sign. In an area a hair over two acres, I found 20 scrapes and literally dozens upon dozens of rubs. Unfortunatly, being in the town limits kind of puts the damper on hunting that area.<img src=icon_smile_sad.gif border=0 align=middle>
Traveling west about 15 or so miles, up around the Sutherlin area, several of us have scouted the woods, hunted the thickets, or hunted the field edges of a 100+ acre plot of land and found the grand total of 2 rubs. No scrapes. No rub lines. There have been several nice bucks spotted at various times of the day milling around the bean and wheat fields with does all around them. They all appeared oblivious to each other. It is almost like the rut has never even started in that area, although, I'm sure it has. I can't see where a mere 15 miles could make that kind of a difference.

coolbrze0

I've been seeing tons of new rubs every day around the Northern VA area. I saw a buck chasing a doe yesterday A.M. and another set in the P.M. I believe the rut is going on, but like beagle mentioned, maybe since the opening of BP season, the deer are being more cautious and moving mostly at night.

I'll second what beagle said about the rain and winds though. Hasn't been the best week and a half I've hunted in a while! Looking forward to getting out there tonight. I'll keep you posted.

Redman60

<font face='Arial'></font id='Arial'>Here in Central VA and Buckingham Co. scrapes are abundant. I've heard lots of reports of chasing, but last week in Buckingham bucks weren't moving freely all day just dawn/dusk.

Early breeding seems to have taken place and round 2 (and height of rut) should coincide with the Nov full moon if you believe in those theories....

So starting this weekend (another rainy day) and all next week bucks should be chasing those does. My club will have lots of dogs running so that screws up the &quot;natural&quot; movement somewhat. I like tree stand hunting with muzzleloader during the rut, but this year the rut is a little late and is running into gun season. I enjoy hearing the hounds too, but I wish they'd hold em up until Dec. Fat chance on that

Swampdog

O.K. Silens Venator,You are getting up in my neck of the woods now.<img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle> We just might run up on each other around Sutherlin ,Keeling or Java.LOLI have been seeing deer but they were not chasing last week or this week.Maybe they will turn on by Monday.

Danville Va.LAST CAPITAL OF THE CONFEDERACY

Chubber

I have been hunting in the GR Thompson WMA and have seem much less in the way of signs, scrapes, etc. than I have in past years. I think that the early mast drop in the piedmont and the cold, then warm weather have discomboobulated the deers senses and set off their internal clocks.

Of course, WMAs are very heavily hunted, but it is all I have to go with. I have been out two full days so far and have not seen a single deer, doe or buck. But, tomorrow morning will see me out again...

Chubber

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote<font size=1 face='Verdana, Arial, Helvetica' id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>
I've been seeing tons of new rubs every day around the Northern VA area. I saw a buck chasing a doe yesterday A.M. and another set in the P.M. I believe the rut is going on, but like beagle mentioned, maybe since the opening of BP season, the deer are being more cautious and moving mostly at night.

I'll second what beagle said about the rain and winds though. Hasn't been the best week and a half I've hunted in a while! Looking forward to getting out there tonight. I'll keep you posted.
<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face='Verdana, Arial, Helvetica' size=2 id=quote>

cruiser

Ditto Highland WMA. Not a rub,scrape or acorn in sight.

VaSavage270

Chubber

Where in Northern Va are you, I reside there as well Prince William

Scrub Hunter

I have seen chasing, actual breeding, and tons of sign in Axton this past week. I think the rut started early this year, I saw doe being chased the second week of October. Sign is everywhere and I have spotted 3 HUGE, and I mean HUGE bucks on 41 the past few days around 10A.M.. I will start hunting the Java area this next week and hope things are just as hot there.