The Rut in NC
 

Hey guys new to the site. Just wondering how many people on this site hunt in NC? Also wondering when does the rut come in here in NC? I have heard many different dates. Northern states the pre-rut comes in during the October 1-Nov 3 months, or sometime in that time period. I have always been told here in NC it occurs around the harvest moon. If that is so we are in the pre-rut right now. Any opinnions?

buckshot...First off, Welcome to the Forum!!!

They're plenty on here from NC...

Now, it really depends on how you define the rut...Actual breeding depends on the does coming into heat which occurs about 5 1/2 months after the fawn drop in the spring...This happens a couple of weeks earlier in eastern NC than it does in the Piedmont simply because their winters are milder and spring comes a bit earlier so the fawn drop is a couple of weeks earlier...

The pre-rut as you know is when we all see bucks crusing during the middle of the day, more road kills, more bucks chasing does and responding to agressive grunt calls...From what I've seen over the past 40 years this starts about mid-October depending on the weather down east and the last week in October or the first week in November here in the Piedmont...

If you are thinking about taking vacation for the hottest time then I'd go with the last week in October until Thanksgiving week...That's the hot time to be in the woods...

Good Luck...

Appreciate the input. Thanks for the welcome as well.

buckshot-
been visiting the site for a while now time to contribute some.
I Hunt N Eastern NC...the rut for me is when the bucks are actively searching for does ie 'getting stupid'. This is usually the first 18-21 days of November for us.

Oldschool...Do you hunt near Gates County???

I always take the week off of the Central Muzzle Loading season. This is a great time to be in the woods for the central part of the state. The action usually stays pretty good until Thanksgiving.

Close to Gates nchawkeye...Camden/Currituck/Chesapeake is home for me.

Oldschool, you don't know any West's do you? Also I used to play a lot of baseball round your way-Camden that is.