# Is the rut over



## dixiesportsman (Dec 21, 2007)

I have seen the least amount of buck sign this year in North Georgia than i have ever seen.  I have seen a few deer running does still this week.  Is the rut just patchy because of the weather and food this year or has anyone had better success than me?


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## CARDNUT (Dec 21, 2007)

I think the rut is still on. It's very scattered.. Some are and some are not.. This has been the weirdest season I've ever seen. Anywhere............. NUT


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## irishleprechaun (Dec 22, 2007)

I think we didn't have the typical end Oct/First Nov rut due to the drought...these recent rains have set it off though.  I killed a 10 pt the first weekend of December and he was chasing.  I saw a nice buck day before yesterday morning in my pasture chasing 2 specific does out of a group of 7.  It was awesome to watch him working the scent and the reaction of the does in the heard.  He was a nice 6 pt with tall brow tines and nice g2's (about 8-9 inches) he was just to the edge of his ears, probably about 14-15 inch inside spread.  He should be a nice shooter next year.  I watched him in the bino's and his hocks were black as tar and streaked down his legs.  He went over to the bushes at one point and rubbed the limbs with his antlers and licked the tips...then he scraped out below.  He turned and chased a doe all the way across the pasture, through the creek and across the next pasture and up the hillside.  It was cool to watch...


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## shadow2 (Dec 22, 2007)

i am still finding fresh scrapes and rubs....just not seeing many deer


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## DASUTT1661 (Dec 22, 2007)

over the past few years, i have killed several newborn fawns in Habersham county with a hay cutter. Many of these were born in July.  This indicates does were being bred in January, which i think is due to trickle rut.


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## jinx0760 (Dec 22, 2007)

*Trickle Rut?*

That's definitely what we're having...Still chasing in Walker County


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## bowbuck (Dec 22, 2007)

Yep I think the trickle rut is the deal here in Habersham and White.  I saw some chasing around thanksgiving and then nothing for two weeks and then dead again.  Just yesterday one place I hunt was tore up in chasing tracks all up down the road going in.


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## syates32 (Dec 22, 2007)

Where I hunt the rut doesn't hit hard until late Dec or probably into January as we just started seeing good scrape lines last weekend on Lookout Mtn Walker County. Further more reason to start the season later and run it into Jan.


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## willyb (Dec 22, 2007)

my hunting area is showing more sign than i have seen all year.Just today on the way to do some last minute Christmas shopping i went through the battlefield park saw a nice 8 chasing some doe


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## Retired Army Guy (Dec 23, 2007)

Every one Ive talked to including myself who are mountain hunters(Lumpkin/Union county) has agreed this has been the worst season for seeing deer in the mountains. 
On the other side of that coin some of the best bucks ever have been taken in the mountains this year.  
Rut action???? Whats that????  Its hard to find a good rub line in the mountains this year yet alone a scrape line.

I hunt Franklin county also their rut was closer to normal; probably a little healthier deer herd as they have some farm land in that county to feed them.


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## shadow2 (Dec 23, 2007)

Retired Army Guy said:


> Every one Ive talked to including myself who are mountain hunters(Lumpkin/Union county) has agreed this has been the worst season for seeing deer in the mountains.
> On the other side of that coin some of the best bucks ever have been taken in the mountains this year.
> Rut action???? Whats that????  Its hard to find a good rub line in the mountains this year yet alone a scrape line.
> 
> I hunt Franklin county also their rut was closer to normal; probably a little healthier deer herd as they have some farm land in that county to feed them.




I found one good group of rubs in the mts this year.  They were in two groups one was not far off the road and the other was in the middle of nowhere  a real pain to get to.  I do a lot of walking around and saw way less sighn this year than i have in past few years

I will post some of the rub pics once my wife gets home with my cell phone.


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## Retired Army Guy (Dec 23, 2007)

If you drive a white Toyota P/U  I know where your huntin LOL


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## shadow2 (Dec 23, 2007)

Retired Army Guy said:


> If you drive a white Toyota P/U  I know where your huntin LOL



Nope that is not me...


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## Retired Army Guy (Dec 23, 2007)

you have the Ranger demonstration on your avatar I assume your stationed at the Ranger Camp....I retired from there 5 years ago.


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## shadow2 (Dec 23, 2007)

Retired Army Guy said:


> you have the Ranger demonstration on your avatar I assume your stationed at the Ranger Camp....I retired from there 5 years ago.



yep i am at camp but that is not from the demo we do there.  It is a pic my wife took of me a BRC last year.


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## Retired Army Guy (Dec 23, 2007)

yes, I know...Roger Out.


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## Ozzie (Dec 23, 2007)

The trickle rut or whatever you call it is still on.  I killed a doe yesterday evening in Ogelthorpe county and she was definitely in season.  When I opened the back of my camper shell to pull her out at the processers, the whole back of my trunk stunk and it looked like her moneymaker had been recently hit.  (Alright I know I'm really opening myself up for abuse here  but it's just an observation on her condition. )


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## shadow2 (Dec 24, 2007)

*Pics from the MTNS a week ago*

here are some rubs that i found about a week ago up in the National Forest


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## NorthGA Hunter (Dec 24, 2007)

found a fresh rub line today that wasn't there 3 days ago.


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## eaglewings (Dec 24, 2007)

the rut isnt over. I think its just started. I saw spike today
taking care of a doe. then i scared the doe and my buddy
shot her. we had to run the buck off. He would not leave. I think we are just a little late this year.


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## Greg Tench (Dec 24, 2007)

eaglewings said:


> the rut isnt over. I think its just started. I saw spike today
> taking care of a doe. then i scared the doe and my buddy
> shot her. we had to run the buck off. He would not leave. I think we are just a little late this year.



This in my opinion is what is referred as the second rut. The does that didnt get bred the first go round(around Thanksgiving up here) come back into their estrous cycle 28 days after the first cycle which would put the timing about now.I killed a big 10 pt a few years ago the week of Christmas trailing a hot doe.


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## Sterlo58 (Dec 25, 2007)

*Chasing*

Saw a small buck chasing does yesterday in a field in Jackson county


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## champ (Dec 25, 2007)

hunted noon till dark today, on the way out seen several does and one buck grouped and feeding together. Hall/Jackson line.


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## tbonestep (Dec 27, 2007)

Saw a pretty decent buck this evening, bout...5:00 or so. He was with some does and possibly another buck. Couldnt really tell what size it was though.    Middle Jackson County


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## JD (Dec 27, 2007)

Me and three others were hunting a small property in Gwinnett this evening and all of use either seen chasing or bucks with there nose to the ground looking.  I was walking the woods today before the hunt and seen fresh scapes and rubs everywhere.  Not sure if it's the first rut or if the second one has just kicked in.  Either way I'll be in the woods for the next few days.


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## irishleprechaun (Jan 2, 2008)

Well those tall brow tines ended up being his G2's.  My daughter took him on new years eve (see daughters first deer is a buck in braggin board) and he was still chasin and black tarsals.  I have some safe haven property in amongst some horse farms, there are about 4-1 doe to buck ratio which I know is a little high.  This trickle rut has been good because does coming in at different times is resulting in him chasing quite a bit more than typical.  Fortunately for my daughter this was a terminal condition for him....



irishleprechaun said:


> I think we didn't have the typical end Oct/First Nov rut due to the drought...these recent rains have set it off though.  I killed a 10 pt the first weekend of December and he was chasing.  I saw a nice buck day before yesterday morning in my pasture chasing 2 specific does out of a group of 7.  It was awesome to watch him working the scent and the reaction of the does in the heard.  He was a nice 6 pt with tall brow tines and nice g2's (about 8-9 inches) he was just to the edge of his ears, probably about 14-15 inch inside spread.  He should be a nice shooter next year.  I watched him in the bino's and his hocks were black as tar and streaked down his legs.  He went over to the bushes at one point and rubbed the limbs with his antlers and licked the tips...then he scraped out below.  He turned and chased a doe all the way across the pasture, through the creek and across the next pasture and up the hillside.  It was cool to watch...


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## bany (Jan 2, 2008)

NO!


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