# Walker-Catoosa County 2015



## jinx0760

Just checking in to see when the velvet starts to come off, how your food plots are working (what does work for our area?) any camera pic's you might share


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## poolecw

I saw a nice buck in full velvet this weekend standing on the walker/Dade line.


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## WalkerStalker

Saw a small 6 point buck on the side of the road on my way home from work this morning around 4:00 still in velvet.


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## debo

Only thing on trail cam to date are coons possum and armadillo's


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## tonyrittenhouse

*Walker-Catoosa*

Walker county buck


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## AJLBucks

I haven't gotten any bucks on camera yet but I am seeing them on my property. All still have velvet.


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## Johnny 71

Hears one


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## Johnny 71

*more*

more


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## poolecw

Nice buckss.  Good luck getting on them.


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## poolecw

Just got the trail cam up on a piece of property up on Lookout Mtn..on the Walker/Dade line.


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## georgia sportsman

That deer's got some character.


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## Johnny 71

georgia sportsman said:


> That deer's got some character.



I agree, I like them crazy horns


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## poolecw

Johnny 71 said:


> I agree, I like them crazy horns




I haven't decided to let him walk or not.  If he will widen out through the years, he should make for an interesting rack.  Then again, if there's a genetic issue going on, he needs to be taken before the rut comes in.


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## Gadestroyer74

Walker county area 
Where do I start ! been running 5 to 7 cams since June. Got plenty of young bucks one real good one on cam. All pics on lap top and no internet always on iPad. We planted 3 acres or corn and 3 acres of beans . Every thing is doing excellent deer are killing the beans. Seen numerous fawns and some twins. Have a beaver issue at the moment and that should be taking care of any day now. Land owner Hasma trapper. They have messed up one end of the bean field cutting it down and taking it to block up the creek . Seen a heap of turkey and poults. Some super jakes and couple long beards. Haven't seen many coyotes at all. Which is good . Cams the last 2 weeks have been slow on buck movement. Believe they are staying close to beans and aren't moving much.


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## tonyrittenhouse

*Walker- Catoosa*

I had one out of velvet on cam this week the rest are still holding.


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## Johnny 71

poolecw said:


> I haven't decided to let him walk or not.  If he will widen out through the years, he should make for an interesting rack.  Then again, if there's a genetic issue going on, he needs to be taken before the rut comes in.



I would shoot that deer


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## RustyJeep

View from the persimmon stand Wed evening.  Doe with 3 little ones.  Can't wait til tomorrow afternoon for a chance to burn some black powder.


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## RustyJeep

*Deer Donations*

Anyone who kills something they want to donate, can take the deer to Weezner's off Lyerly Hwy in Summerville and it will be donated to Hope Rebirth Homeless Shelter.  The hunters will not have to pay any processing fees.


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## Inthegarge

*Been slow getting started but missed a big 8 with*

crossbow last Sunday....Hard to shoot behind you with a crossbow from a tree stand.....  Here's some picts...
[/ATTACH][/ATTACH][/ATTACH][/ATTACH]


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## Inthegarge

*Funky Deer*



poolecw said:


> Just got the trail cam up on a piece of property up on Lookout Mtn..on the Walker/Dade line.



Got 1 that looks exactly like that one on camera in Chattanooga Valley


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## Inthegarge

*Doe that almost wasn't.............*

Got a Big Doe this morning but almost didn't find her....Shot her at 60 yards broadside..........Couldn't see thru the muzzleloader smoke but thought I heard her crash down in the draw....Spent an hour looking and could not find any blood....Kept making bigger circles....Gave up thinking I must have missed  ???!!..Hit the old logging road  to head home and saw her 3 feet off the road in a small depression....Very little blood... Exit  hole looked just like the entrance hole.....All the blood was inside her....TC 250 jacketed hollow point sabot with almost 0 expansion.


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## nwgahunter

Acorns are non-existent in my property on the side of Lookout Mtn. I have walked about 1/2 of the 700 acres we hunt on Lookout and I found 1 spot that had two white oaks and one red oak dropping. I didn't find an acorns anywhere else. 

Are you guys seeing the same thing? I mean the cupboard is BARE!!! The last few years there have been too many so I guess it was due.


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## poolecw

nwgahunter said:


> Acorns are non-existent in my property on the side of Lookout Mtn. I have walked about 1/2 of the 700 acres we hunt on Lookout and I found 1 spot that had two white oaks and one red oak dropping. I didn't find an acorns anywhere else.
> 
> Are you guys seeing the same thing? I mean the cupboard is BARE!!! The last few years there have been too many so I guess it was due.



I've got a decent amount of acorns on my hunting property on Lookout Mountain though I have seen better.


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## poolecw

Inthegarge said:


> Got 1 that looks exactly like that one on camera in Chattanooga Valley



He hasn't showed up on the camera in the last few weeks, so you never know.....


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## WalkerStalker

Nice Doe RW.  Congrats.


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## nwgahunter

poolecw said:


> I've got a decent amount of acorns on my hunting property on Lookout Mountain though I have seen better.



Hopefully I can find some but I haven't so far. The normal places aren't producing so I'll have to venture around.


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## Inthegarge

Thx WS........I have sparse acorns over 300 acres..............More at my place on the mtn BUT they are hammering the Food plots...


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## Gadestroyer74

Seeing small bucks Pushing and running does on trail cam bucks sparring and fishing. A lot of bucks see, to be moving and cruising around. I have seen 43 deer from the stand. Went this evening seen a six a spike button and couple does and one decent looking buck but to dark to tell what he was. Most buck pics are at night along with the all the action. Corn soybeans saw tooth oak apple trees wheat and oats make a huge gain in drawing deer !


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## jinx0760

*Just starting up here...*

I am just seeing good scrap activity and movement.  I have 2 huge white oak's in my yard and the deer are on them at night, for now.


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## nwgahunter

Man...It has been tough! I haven't seen a deer or an acorn since the Monday of opening weekend of bow season. Wished we would have put a food plot in.


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## Gadestroyer74

Been seeing a,it of deer lately . Seen 9 bucks some small 8's a 7 a six and a spike. Coupe, other younger deer. Seems the younger bucks are cruising and pushing each other around sparring on cams. Believe this cold snap is gonna fire things up this weekend . Y'all get ready it's about to bust loose


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## AJLBucks

Drove through the battlefield this morning early to see what our local "deer sanctuary" could tell me. I saw a lot of deer! Even some lone does, but not a single buck. From what I have noticed in years past, the battlefield shows rutty bucks about 2 weeks before my area. So it may still be a few weeks. I've killed my 2 biggest ever on 11/11 and 11/22


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## hanglide4life

last Sunday, saw a doe and a buck stare down in a field on 193.. at 1 PM.. after leaving the woods and seeing nothing.. of course, and neighbors on lookout seeing some bigguns moving just before dark.


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## Gadestroyer74

Went yesterday evening seen 25 hen turkeys around 430 fed in the corn and soybeans. Around 5:30 six point came out them a bigger 7 or 8 looked to be 2.5 maybe 3.5 finally a bunch of does came out with the younger bucks including a spike was pushing them around slightly. The bigger buck of the 3 was just kinda hanging around he even bedded once and watched the show. He didn't seem to be near as interested as the others where and was kinda like hey young uns it's not time yet . The 3 bucks left and went to another field . Awesome hunt seen 12 total. Brings me to 70 deer from the stand this year 12 being bucks .. Corn and soybeans works wonders. Seen 27 all last year and 2 bucks ! What a difference a year makes with corn and beans


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## Inthegarge

It's been an odd year.......Got plenty of deer on camera 4-5 nice shooter Bucks, 10-12 smaller Bucks and boatloads of Does (On non Doe days of course)...But haven't found the 1st scrape.....Usually by now you see a little and will see them up until January..... Strange !!


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## ssw

*thief*

Had a cam stolen on Worthington gap so beware of thieves cut python cable


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## jinx0760

My gr-daughter saw a big buck hit on 2-A @ CVS Pharmacy last night about 9:30.  He laid on the road for about a minute, then got up and ran towards The Colonnade.  They're about to get frisky!


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## nwgahunter

Inthegarge said:


> It's been an odd year.......Got plenty of deer on camera 4-5 nice shooter Bucks, 10-12 smaller Bucks and boatloads of Does (On non Doe days of course)...But haven't found the 1st scrape.....Usually by now you see a little and will see them up until January..... Strange !!





Same here...I have seen a very few pencil sized rubs but that is it.


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## Inthegarge

*Brutle wind today.....No Friday 13 here....Shot a Doe*

and would have shot another if my gun hadn't jammed. Had 7-8 Does come in at 10am..........Picked out the biggest and shot her....Thanks to my suppressor the others on moved 15-20 feet....Scoped the 2nd one and FTE....Had to rack action and by then they decided to exit the area....  Buck hunting starts tomorrow !!!! Here's a picture


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## Inthegarge

*Thieves*



ssw said:


> Had a cam stolen on Worthington gap so beware of thieves cut python cable



Bummer...........Nothing I hate worse than a thief.........


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## BuckNasty83

Took a ride through Battlefield just before dark.  Seen lots of deer, 2 bucks for sure, no chasing


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## ssw

Inthegarge said:


> Bummer...........Nothing I hate worse than a thief.........


moving all hunting back to the valley


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## AJLBucks

Got a doe this morning. She was alone


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## RinggoldGa

jinx0760 said:


> My gr-daughter saw a big buck hit on 2-A @ CVS Pharmacy last night about 9:30.  He laid on the road for about a minute, then got up and ran towards The Colonnade.  They're about to get frisky!




My office is right there.  Have a group of does I see regularly.  See small bucks on occassion.


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## Gadestroyer74

Congrats on the does fellers ! Aj how did. Your lane mowing turn out ? Did you post pics ?


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## AJLBucks

Gadestroyer74 said:


> Congrats on the does fellers ! Aj how did. Your lane mowing turn out ? Did you post pics ?



Well...I didn't get it mowed. As with everything I do, nothing is easy. I got to the field with the tractor, and the gear box had nearly come loose from the bush hog. One bolt gone and one loose. I didn't have any to fit to fix it. Just hunted there anyway. The frost had the briars laid down some. But I will mow it this week unless something else goes wrong.


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## Scotsman

Hunted this evening at our place near LaFayette. This season is going well as far as sightings are concerned. I have only had time for four different hunts, but have seen deer every time. I found 16 fresh scrapes this afternoon!

My good friend was hunting with me and he saw 8 does and a spike buck in a single group.

Got to try to go more often!


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## Gadestroyer74

I heard that. Aj sounds like my darn luck ! I'm sure you will get it . Thanks for the updates folks Ina, in Missouri hunting for a bit


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## nwgahunter

Congrats AJLBucks. This season has been the toughest I have seen on our property. No acorns anywhere that I can find. I have been hunting the top of the mountain below the bluffs which is normally spot on. I did some scouting on the property at the bottom of the mountain which has two fields on either side and a huge 15 year old clear cut in the middle. I didn't see much more sign but at least I jumped one. I'm going to position in between the fields and clear cut for the up coming weeks and see what happens. Good luck guys!


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## WalkerStalker

Congrats on the deer AJ.   I took a doe Saturday on the mountain late in the evening.  I hiked until I found good sign and a good tree to crawl into.  Found a red oak that was dropping acorns near a scrape line and tore up trees.  I haven't see a single white oak yet dropping acorns and figured some acorns must be better than none.  Paid off.  Didn't see the buck that was leaving his mark but a group of does came in.  One came right to me and milled around under my stand for about 20 minutes.  She winded me and look right at me several times trying to figure me out but surprisingly didn't spook.  Had to wait until she walked off to get a shot on her.  One heck of a drag out but meat is in the freezer!


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## BowHunter7

*walker county 8pt*

8pt I killed 11-15-15 right outside of chickamauga he was chasing does like crazy.


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## smokey30725

I took my kids to Snodgrass Hill in the Battlefield Sunday evening and we saw a ton of deer. Watched one very large buck head butt a doe and knock her over. Never seen that before. We thought it was a dominant and smaller buck fighting but when she got up we could clearly see that it was a doe.


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## RinggoldGa

Found a host of tracks at my office off battlefield pkwy today.  In the mud.  10 ft from my back door.


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## WalkerStalker

Congrats BowHunter7 on a nice buck.


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## Inthegarge

Wind was brutal today on the mountain....Saw a button Buck early but little else....According to the Rut map it's on next week...We will see.........


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## hanglide4life

Saw one  deer heading up the east side of lookout at 9:30, but nothing special, lots of rubs and some scrapes are in full bloom.


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## jinx0760

*Running in Walker County*

My gr-son shot a fat lady about 8:30 this morning.  A small 6 pt was chasing some of her lady friends.  It seems the rut is kicking in!


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## Inthegarge

Great Jinx..................Hope they are chasing in the morning !!


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## Gadestroyer74

Hunted was ruff going seen two does at 7:15 nothing after most all trail cam pics lately at night and mid day


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## Inthegarge

*11-24 hunt*

Saw a ton of Does starting at sunrise and dying down about 9:30..........Probably 20 total.....Shot two....Only saw 1 Buck with a real big body, a little too far and walking briskly (8:15).... Fresh scrapes everywhere....Starting tomorrow Buck only for me.....


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## Gadestroyer74

Way to go ! Congrats on the Harvest


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## BuckNasty83

Inthegarge said:


> Wind was brutal today on the mountain....Saw a button Buck early but little else....According to the Rut map it's on next week...We will see.........



Thought it was 11/10-11-16 according to the map.  Where are you


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## WalkerStalker

Congrats RW!


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## jlr

Had a couple good bucks on camera this week. Daytime pics. 
The wind has blown 27 different directions this morning. I guess that's mnt hunting.


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## Inthegarge

BuckNasty83 said:


> Thought it was 11/10-11-16 according to the map.  Where are you



Chattanooga Valley & Lookout Mtn....With me old eyes I can't tell between the greens... Just know I saw 20 new scrapes where there were none a couple of days ago..... Just about every deer I saw was working a scrape..


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## BuckNasty83

I still ain't seen no rut activity on my land in Catoosa.


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## Gadestroyer74

I haven't seen much in Walker either just young bucks pushing does around very few scrapes compared to last year. It's about to bust loose I believe


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## hanglide4life

saw one doe scrambling up mt. 7:15, nada else but another couple dozen shots throughout cove end of lookout. at least 20 deer at half dozen different fields driving to spot along the road in the full moon light.


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## BuckNasty83

They were seeking and chasing this morning in Catoosa. First sign I've seen


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## AJLBucks

Buddy shot a nice one today right at 10:00. Chasing a doe. May be a gut shot, jumped him and backed out. Going back later. 

I finally got to bush hog my over grown field. Just created lanes. Try to post before sand afters. I actually cut a little more after I took the pic.


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## AJLBucks

After


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## Gadestroyer74

Looking good Aj


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## Scotsman

I hunted Walker several times this week. Lots of scrapes being used. I have been playing a "cat-and-mouse" game with a long spike for 4 days. He has gotten the best of me 3 times, and I think it was the 2nd time that made me decide to shoot him if I had the chance. All of the meetings were while walking.

1st encounter occurred after sitting till 10:30 and then walking a bit. After walking down a fence row and coming to a gap and easing through and looking left. . .nothing, and then turning right. . .there he was 40 yards away looking at me. We had a stare down for about a minute and then he bolted away.

2nd encounter was the same thing, but at a different gap. Looked right first, and then left. Yep, there he was looking at me from 60 yards. We had another stare down for about a minute and a half and then he took off.

I didn't even think of shooting him those first two meetings. But after that 2nd meeting I started to think about it, 'well, it seems like we are playing a bit of a game here.' 

3rd encounter was at the same spot as the 2nd, except I looked left first and he was back to the right about 75 yards. Same MO, a stare down for a minute. This time, I tried to get on him. I had my chair strapped to my back, my shooting sticks tucked under my arm and I just couldn't get it together. This rascal watching it all. . .dropping the shooting sticks, moving the rifle up, chair in the way, dropping the chair. At this time, I am thinking that the deer sees me as a non-threat.

4th meeting - Thanksgiving morning.  I dropped my son off on one side of the property and then drove to the other side. It was beginning to get light, some of the early morning birds were starting to sing. I was running a bit late. I had to park and then walk 1/2 mile to get to where I was going to sit. I had my chair, shooting sticks, and rifle and was heading to watch a creek crossing from a fence row that is overgrown with privet. I eased through the gap in the fence, turned left to find my spot that I had trimmed up and walked right past it. It was just a bit after 7:05 am and the turkeys were yelping, getting ready to fly down. I turned back to the right and walked a few steps and then back to the left and you know what, there that dude was, looking at me from about 45 yards. I said, "Ah, we meet again." 

I dropped my chair, dropped my shooting sticks, looked at him through my binoculars. . . seemingly doing anything to give this deer a chance to get out of there. . . but he continued to stare me down, so I swung my rifle off my back, bolted a round and centered on the front of his neck just above the brisket. He was looking at me almost dead on. Touched off the .308 and he dropped like a sack of rocks. 

I did not get a picture of the deer, but I did recover the bullet. First time I've done this in 35 years of deer hunting. All others have passed through. This bullet hit in the dead-center of the neck about 12 inches below the throat patch and traveled through and lodged just under the skin in the flank just before the hindquarter.

On another topic, I do have some pictures of a nice young 8 that I have been watching. He showed up to check a scrape at 4:20 yesterday afternoon while we were at home preparing our Thanksgiving meal. He needs to grow a bit. I have watched him several evenings and a couple of mornings. The date is wrong on the camera.

I also posted a couple of pictures of the most butt-ugly buck I have ever seen. We have known about this guy for three years, but never got any good pictures of him. He was there at the scrape last night.


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## hanglide4life

Saw a big buck chasing does full tilt and another following, my dad saw 3 other deer moving in a hurry. Cove side of lookout. 7:30 AM


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## tjgregory

I hunted my grandfather's farm over Thanksgiving and saw a good amount of rut activity, but I failed to get a good look at a nice one.  I believe that the bigger bucks were moving at night because of the unseasonably warm temperatures.  My best chance to put a big one on the ground this season now rests on the elusive second rut and I'm hoping that it will hit over Christmas.  Though I'm eager to get back in the stand, I know that the second rut is a trickle compared to the first rut and experience tells me not to expect too much, as I have never seen a rutting buck outside of the months of October and November.

Have any of y'all ever seen any kind of rut behavior from Walker County deer in late December?


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## hanglide4life

Saw actual rut activity (other than deer running around) 11-28 this year. buck chasing does and grunting all the while. Often gotten good bucks in Dec. though, also seen brand new rubs on lookout and in the valleys week after season end. Jan 2.... go figure.


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## Inthegarge

*Walker Rut*



tjgregory said:


> I hunted my grandfather's farm over Thanksgiving and saw a good amount of rut activity, but I failed to get a good look at a nice one.  I believe that the bigger bucks were moving at night because of the unseasonably warm temperatures.  My best chance to put a big one on the ground this season now rests on the elusive second rut and I'm hoping that it will hit over Christmas.  Though I'm eager to get back in the stand, I know that the second rut is a trickle compared to the first rut and experience tells me not to expect too much, as I have never seen a rutting buck outside of the months of October and November.
> 
> Have any of y'all ever seen any kind of rut behavior from Walker County deer in late December?



My Ex-SIL shot 2 bucks yesterday that we chasing a Doe...Saw a lot of fresh scrapes this morning...


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## huntfishwork

Shot this busted up 8 Dec 4 behind a doe.


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## jinx0760

*Congratulations!*

Nice buck!


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## huntfishwork

Thanks! I hunted all week last week. Thought it would be perfect but I really don't think the does have come in yet. Saw lots of does but no boyfriends with them besides little fellers. Cameras show several mature bucks at night and alone. Good luck seems to be shaping up for a late rut around our place.


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## Scotsman

That's a nice buck!


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## Scotsman

tjgregory said:


> I hunted my grandfather's farm over Thanksgiving and saw a good amount of rut activity, but I failed to get a good look at a nice one.  I believe that the bigger bucks were moving at night because of the unseasonably warm temperatures.  My best chance to put a big one on the ground this season now rests on the elusive second rut and I'm hoping that it will hit over Christmas.  Though I'm eager to get back in the stand, I know that the second rut is a trickle compared to the first rut and experience tells me not to expect too much, as I have never seen a rutting buck outside of the months of October and November.
> 
> Have any of y'all ever seen any kind of rut behavior from Walker County deer in late December?



Yes. Every year. I went out this evening and found several fresh scrapes. We will usually see bucks chasing and hear some grunting bucks from now thru the end of December. Those bucks are always looking.


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## nwgahunter

My buddy hunted Lookou on 12/8 and had 4 does come through. 5 minutes later and nice 8 came through trailing them.


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## Scotsman

I hunted Thursday morning (12/10/15) and had a hot doe trot directly below my stand. The 'butt-ugly' buck that I have a few pictures of was hot on her heels grunting every step until the .308 stopped him in his tracks. He is some kind of ugly. I will post the skull mount when I get it done. He was a heavy buck. . .I was cussing dragging him out. . .one reason not to hunt alone, but it sure was fun!! 

Still a bunch of scrapes showing up.


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## huntfishwork

Congrats!


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## hanglide4life

Got a doe yesterday morning at 8:45, moving w 2 others. Finally freezer meat!


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