Alabama Early Rut signs???
#1
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Posts: 93
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
Thanks
Chad
#2
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.
#4
RE: Alabama Early Rut signs???
i agree, just across the river/ county line, no rutting scrapes til late dec/jan
ORIGINAL: timbercruiser
Too early in the Troy area, we don't usually see rutting scrapes till Jan.
Too early in the Troy area, we don't usually see rutting scrapes till Jan.
#6
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.
#7
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Ponce de Leon Florida USA
Posts: 10,079
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.
#9
Fork Horn
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 248
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.