Tag: rut

Whitetail Deer Rut Report


Whitetail Rut Report

The whitetail hunting season is upon us and the deer are not the only ones getting ready to roll! Everyone, including the bucks we hunt, are looking forward to the whitetail deer rut. The rut gives us an opportunity to take advantage of bucks doing what they don’t normally do — acting stupid. Big bucks that are normally nocturnal all of a sudden are chasing does throughout the day. So is the whitetail deer rut on in your area?

Source: Down in Texas I spoke with Johnnie Hudman, a long time friend and hunting partner of mine from near Albany, Texas. “Bucks are chasing does and acting like teenage boys in love. The rut is definitely underway, at least the early stages. By week’s end or the beginning of November they’ll be going strong…which really seems a little early.”

I also spoke to my brother, Glenn Weishuhn, who hunts on several places in the eastern half of Texas. “Around home (Colorado County, Texas) our rut is just about over. I saw a couple of bucks chasing does, but it’s slowed down. In East Texas where I hunt (north of Houston about a hundred miles) we’re seeing a lot of rubs, scrapes and some rutting activity. The cooler weather we’ve been having is starting to get the deer a whole lot more active. I’d say the rut is underway in East Texas, especially based on what some of the other hunters on our lease are seeing.”

Whitetail Rutting Activity in Schleicher County

11/20/09

I went whitetail hunting North of Highway 190 between Menard and Christoval last weekend. I observed lots of really healthy deer, bucks and does. The area we hunt had a bluetongue epidemic about three to four years ago, so we still do not see as many 4.5 to 5.5 year old bucks as all the hunters would like. As other hunters I know have stated, the deer look great and it should be good year in Schleicher County. They received much more rain than a lot of the State, so there was abundant food. Antlers and body condition should be well above avergae.

I saw both mature and immature bucks all weekend, but never saw any rutting activity by the deer. I even used some doe in estrus scent just to see if I could get any reaction, but nothing. The mature bucks I saw completely ignored the hot scent and ignored the does themselves, too. The big bucks were still more interested in pushing the others away from the feeder and filling their bellies. Most years, the rut kicks off with the first major cold front in early November.

We will see what happens this year. A lot of things have gone good this year, so we can only hope for the best. If any of you guys hunt out here, drop a line so we can see how the hunting is going.