7.62NATO

With your report in mind and my experience this past Saturday, plus the other recent reports here, it makes for a very confusing analysis of the rut, indeed. I heard numerous times that the rut really started picking up the last weekend of bow season. That made sense to me because on opening day of muzzleloader, I tagged an 8 chasing a doe. Maybe he was a 7. I digress. On Saturday, I passed on a 6 and a spike that passed within 10 yards of my stand. I thought "bachelor groups". But then, posts by ADVWannabee (is that a semi-auto?) and cpljbuck seem to contradict the notion of "bachelor groups." Is this the second rut they are seeing??

cpljbuck

Indeed 7.62NATO. I even reported bachelor groups on this past Friday when I shot that 9 pt that I posted. However, the very next day, it was hard to keep up with the chasing that was going on. Mind you that this is in Fauquier County and I can't speak for counties south of me. The rut report on F&S showed peak rut with the winter movement moving in. One thing I did notice on Saturday is the front moving in. It has always been productive for me to hunt on the front side of a front moving in. It was warmer in the early a.m. than it was at noon. As much information that we all gather and try to understand these great animals, I think the unpredictablity is what keeps me coming back for more. You NEVER know what you are going to come across in the woods!!!!

7.62NATO

It wasn't that way down here. Saturday continued to warm. We have a 40% chance of rain tomorrow with a high of 61 (it was 70 here yesterday), and then the low tomorrow night will hit below freezing. I am going to hunt tomorrow afternoon/evening and Thursday morning. I hope to see a few does. I haven't been to Pocahontas to scout in a couple of weeks though, so I hope they are still concentrated in the same area.

DROX

Cpljbuck,
Sorry for the slow reply; the stink bugs got me! Or rather my internet. It seems a stink bug got into a piece of my internet supplier's equipment and fried it! No internet for Drox for a few days.

Anyway, wow that was a really nice buck you took last week. And if I only knew that taking down a stand would result it a buck like that, I would drag my stand through the woods all day long! Well, I did go out last Friday, and saw eight does all by themselves!? I hunted both morning and evening; eight all day long! No mating going on, no chasing, no mounting, just eating the green grass. I think its this weird weather we are experiencing that has the rut freaked out! Both Saturday and Sunday's weather was beautiful as long as a person wanted to harvest their pineapples. But no bueno for rutting deer.

I'm thinking 7.62NATO may be on to something with the idea of a second rut!

bowhuntr09

I took this guy on 12/1 chasing a doe in Lunenburg. I think this was the second rut. We experienced a lot of chasing on opening day of muzzleloader and I mentioned to my buddy on Friday that it was about time for the 2nd rut. Then the next morning this guy comes in grunting and chasing a doe.

VA5326

Good looking buck bowhuntr09. Congrats!

DROX

Bowhuntr09,
Thats a nice animal. Those antlers seem tall. Maybe three times as long as his ears? How old do you think he is?

bowhuntr09

Thanks! He was very tall. I have no idea on his age, I didn't even take a casual glance at his teeth. His main beams were about 22 inches each side.

QuanticoKidd

Is anyone seeing any rut activity in the Stafford or Prince William County areas ? I hunt Quantico and it seems to have died

DROX

My neighbor shot an 11 pointer this morning. I did not see it, however, other neighbors did and they were impressed. I believe, as the legend goes, the buck was walking by himself; no does around him.

I hunted all day and only saw a small doe bedding down near by tree stand. No activity! Last year my spot was "deer central" this year its a "deer desert!" Oh, don't get me wrong, there are deer around. Other neighbors are getting their's. It just seems that either my timing is all wrong or I got "the stink" on me!