ED Rut Report

[Interpolation_Dawg_EX]

Is there anywhere online to get a rut report or map?

In west central Ms, north of I-20 we're seeing signs of rub lines, scrapes, and some light sparring. Bucks have separated from their bachelor groups and are roaming. I've had 4 new bucks show up on camera in the last 10 days and each one was solo. What's interesting is that south of I-20, the bucks are still in their bachelor groups and there's not much sign of the rut starting. What's it like where you are?

[WeWillScrewItUp]

I'm in SW Mississippi and hunt between Mccomb and Woodville. Some public land and some private but every year about the second weekend of December it starts picking up and the peak rut is the week after Christmas. Where I hunt at in SE Arkansas the rut usually starts up around right now and peaks in the beginning of December. I have been hunting Caston Creek WMA this year and have seen several bucks in pairs of 2 so they haven't went solo yet down here.

[BeastMan]

I'm not sure on the rut but I can give you a Madison County road crossing report and they are freaking everywhere! Even in the city!

[Westdawg]

Saw the first signs of rut here in the north delta yesterday. Had a yearling doe come out by herself in a corn stubble and then bed down in it. I am fairly certain the mother isnt killed because there are only 2 of us hunting a few thousand acre farm. This leads me to think momma has been cut off with a buck.
Seeing some scrapes popping up on the edges of fields now. This cold snap really pushed things ahead I believe. It is just now hitting pre-rut. But t is definitely prerut.

[Crystal Balls]

http://www.mdwfp.com/wildlife-huntin...-date-map.aspx

[Interpolation_Dawg_EX]

http://www.mdwfp.com/wildlife-huntin...-date-map.aspx

Shit, I forgot about this thread...thanks crystal!

[Barking 13]

Up here on my place in Northwest Central AL, (east of Lowndes County) There is a boo-koo of does and little ones hanging around in the bottoms eating acorns, and don't even look at the green fields yet.. There's a few single monster bucks slipping around at night but I can't tell if they are chasing yet.

[Interpolation_Dawg_EX]

It's on in my neck of the woods...I'm finally seeing my mature bucks from early season on camera once again over scrapes and a new fat boy that has to be 240+. I'm not leaving the stand this weekend, but damn it's going to be a crappy hunting weather. Best of luck guys!

[Barking 13]

6 pt.jpg Got a nice around 3-4 year old 6 pt on my cam the other night.. nice height and mass..

[RougeDawg]

6 pt.jpg Got a nice around 3-4 year old 6 pt on my cam the other night.. nice height and mass..

I keep getting night pics too. Hunted Friday through This morning and only had pics of bucks at night. Biggest one was last night. A 8-10 pointer with nice mass and height. Not much width. they aren't coming out in day time. I hunt between Aberdeen and Amory on Tombigbee.

October through Opening weekend we had a ton of does, but they have not been moving much the last two weekends. anyone else seeing similar activity changes? They all seem to be bedding up all day. I jumped a half dozen last night walking to check my camera. They were less that 75 yards from the stand I was hunting all daY and never came out. Hoping this cooler weather gets them back into their normal routine.

As for rut activity, the smaller bucks were chasing does opening weekend but overall deer activity has been scarce the last two weekends.

[fishwater99]

You need to shot that one to get his genetics out of the herd. Nice 6pt though..

The pre-rut is starting right now in central MS. The next 3 weeks should be good..

[Barking 13]

You need to shot that one to get his genetics out of the herd. Nice 6pt though..

The pre-rut is starting right now in central MS. The next 3 weeks should be good..

Either me or my son will.... if he steps out in the daylight... he's a vampire

[CadaverDawg]

6 pt.jpg Got a nice around 3-4 year old 6 pt on my cam the other night.. nice height and mass..

Where do you hunt? Are you in East Central MS? We have a lot of deer that look like that in Smith County. Not very good spreads, but they can get good height and mass.

And as for what fishwater said, I used to think the same thing, but I recently talked to some guys at Wildlife Fisheries and Parks about getting rid of deer that seem to have poor genetics. They told me that I should NOT do that, only because they said it may be the does that have the poor gene, so it may do no good. They said instead just focus on keeping mineral licks year round and plenty of variety in food throughout the year in plots, and just give these deer time to grow older. They said a lot of deer that start out looking like this, can develop into really nice deer and develop more of a spread by the time they're 5.5 to 6.5 years old.

I'm really trying to learn to manage the deer herd on the new family land I'm hunting, so I've been asking tons of questions. Good luck getting him if you go after him though.

[Barking 13]

I'm only about 40-50 miles SE of you in Vernon (Formerly Caledonia)

[Cabo32]

I'm in the stand right now in the little town of Tula..the rut is just now starting on one section I hunt on, but not so much on another section which is about 7 miles away on the yocona river.

Anyways I'm hunting a spot where I have 2 shooters on camera. This morning right at day light the deer started moving. Saw 3 different bucks chasing does. It was some good action, I wasn't able to get out of the stand until noon. Hopefully one of the big boys comes through this afternoon.

[Barking 13]

Went down a little fire road in the bottom and there are scrapes everywhere

[Harrydawg]

Seems to getting very close in Yazoo and Warren counties....chasing, Bucks constantly searching.....

The does may not be in estrus yet, but the bucks are ready......

[fishwater99]

The next 2 weeks should be great in Madison, Hinds and Warren counties. My Dad shot this 3 year old yesterday in eastern Warren.
I wish he could have made it 2 more years...
Dad 8 camera.jpgDad 8.jpg

[WeWillScrewItUp]

The next 2 weeks should be great in Madison, Hinds and Warren counties. My Dad shot this 3 year old yesterday in eastern Warren.
I wish he could have made it 2 more years...
Dad 8 camera.jpgDad 8.jpg

That's a great deer. If he made it another 2 years he would have been a giant.

[CadaverDawg]

The next 2 weeks should be great in Madison, Hinds and Warren counties. My Dad shot this 3 year old yesterday in eastern Warren.
I wish he could have made it 2 more years...
Dad 8 camera.jpgDad 8.jpg

Nice buck