Alabama Early Rut signs???
 

The past week I have hunted a couple mornings. One the way out I have found two different scrapes. I usually don't start seeing scrapes until late December. What is making the deer start early this year? I haven't seen any chaseing of does yet, or rubs, just the scrapes. Could someone enlighten me on this.

Thanks
Chad

RE: Alabama Early Rut signs???
 

Kinda odd especially around here. Im also in Tuscaloosa. I saw a few rubs this weekend actually but I think they were just used to get velvet off earlier. Let me know if you notice anything else.

RE: Alabama Early Rut signs???
 

Too early in the Troy area, we don't usually see rutting scrapes till Jan.

RE: Alabama Early Rut signs???
 

i agree, just across the river/ county line, no rutting scrapes til late dec/jan

RE: Alabama Early Rut signs???
 

I saw a few scrapes this weekend which was kinda odd. My buddy also said he saw 2 bucks that were beginning to swell in the neck. Anybody else noticed anything?

RE: Alabama Early Rut signs???
 

I've been hunting an area near Selma that has had plenty of scraping activity and numerous rubs since the first week of bow season. Unforunately, it is all young bucks. I've seen 9 different bucks in the one samll area and only 1 looks over a year and a half old. The older deer was culled out as a 170 pound spike. Other than this particular area, I have only found one scrape. As we roll into December I normally begin to see a few more scrapes but nothing major until around Christmas.

RE: Alabama Early Rut signs???
 

A friend shot a buck Sat morning that had a lot of swelling in his neck. Last week I watched a little 5 point chase a doe all afternoon in a food point. We have been seeing a lot of scrapes also. Maybe the rut will hit early.

RE: Alabama Early Rut signs???
 

I have also come across 2 scrapes. Very odd this early!

RE: Alabama Early Rut signs???
 

I have read articles that deer will use scrapes the same way dogs use hydrants. Just marking their spot. Not necessarily using them for rutting activity.They won't be as big and there won't be as many brokenlimbs and stuff around it. I've found active scrapes in bow season and they were still being used on through turkeyseason on our place. Thats what prompted me to look to see why. We don't see rutting activity until late Jan.

RE: Alabama Early Rut signs???
 

I killed a nice 7 point Wednesday morning on a scrape line. His neck was swollen and he really stunk. I think this cold spell is messing with their heads alittle.

RE: Alabama Early Rut signs???
 

I hunted the Upper Delta WMA yesterday, just north of Mobileand found two fresh scrapes.
One was actually under a swamp chestnut tree on an old road, first one I'd ever seen, under a low hanging branch.

I killed a doe during muzzleloader season near Demopolis that smelled very much like she was in estrous.

Maybe we are starting to have a "normal" rut in Alabama since they have liberlized the doe harvest?

RE: Alabama Early Rut signs???
 

Can't wait to see what happens!!

RE: Alabama Early Rut signs???
 

I killed a nice 12 point Sat morning in East Alabama. His neck was almost as swelled as it could be and his tarsal glands were soakin wet, and man did he stank! I found 3 fresh scrapes still steamin' on Thursday last week and followed his trail that circledaround a pond to find over 6 or 7 nice sapling rubs. I've never seen this much sign this early in the year where I hunt.Maybe the cold weather had somethin to do with this one gettin riled up this soon?? I doubt the does are comin into estrous already. Either way I'm glad that buck decided to start postin his signs up everywhere. My buddy killed a nice 6 point down here in Auburn yesterday that wasn't even close to ruttin'.

RE: Alabama Early Rut signs???
 

I agree. Not all scrapes are created for the same resason. Some are just territory markers. That said however, the rut in Alabama is crazy. It comes in at different times depending on the area of the state you are in and it can vary quite a bit from year to year. Usually we don't really see any intense rut activity in my area until January butI did find a large scrape under a licking branch in the middle of a logging road about 10 days back.

RE: Alabama Early Rut signs???
 

killed a nice 8pt 12/4 following 4 does. he was about 5 min. behind.neck was swollen.hunted choccolocca wma later in the week and heard buck grunting after doe.