2025 Rut Report
- Thread starter Concordmeadowsfarm
- Start date
My first sit of the season will be Sunday morning. So far the youngins are moving pretty good. Should pick up as the week goes on, and the bigger bucks will be showing up by the following weekend if they follow the script from years past…..
Took a long route to get gas this morning. Spotted the first cool rut scenario for me this year. Saw a mature buck defending a doe from 4 other bucks. One of the other 4 was nice and would be a good fight to witness. Didn't see any other activity or many other deer on my drive though.
Had a doe go by the camera, tail sticking out horizontal. 2 minutes later a 1.5 year old 8 point on the same trail. Then a minute behind him a better buck right behind him…. Heating up…..
Following this rain. Sit on a scrape line.
Most don’t do this anymore but great hunting strategy back in the day.
Id say the deer haven't changed!Most don’t do this anymore but great hunting strategy back in the day.
Buckmaster
Senior Member
Possibly but wonder if the massive move to dumping piles everywhere where does tend to congregate now if that hasn’t only effected the number of scrapes or the need to but moved the scrape locations closer to those piles? Just wondering with no analytical based facts to back it up. Piling has definitely changed behavior in traveling, feeding and bedding IMO but not sure about scrape or rub lines.
Not every property gets piles of corn dumped. There are plenty around here without any. Or the gun season guys who dump a bag the weekend before thinking it's a sure thing. Not arguing or trying to cause a debate. I just think it is still a sound strategy in many areas.
People feed them on the properties north and south, they have to go by one of my 2 stands with one being within bow range of the easiest part of a creek crossing when un pressured….. Natural movement over well established game trails is my go too…..
Another 4 days of disappointing hunting in Athens. A 5pt, a spike, two does and a fawn. My area has been nuked by ehd and itchy trigger fingers. I cant imagine things could ever bounce back or that next year wont be another drought.
Same situation in Morgan county area farm. Just a few deer on camera since August. Sad
Buckmaster
Senior Member
I would say it may depend upon how hard you're hit. We got it. Estimated herd size was 1/3 to 1/2 (on the high end) prior population. Year three was looking better. Population was probably close to previous numbers but it seemed like all the deer were physically smaller. No monster bucks or nanny does. We are in year four and I'm seeing some physically bigger does now. Numbers are on par with pre-EHD numbers. Starting to see better age structure in bucks. Makes sense. The 1-2 yr old bucks that survived are 5-6 now. Still don't see many but how often do you really? Lol
Rut report? Fire. Lots of searching. Pestering now taking place by mature deer. Not just the young bucks. Saw a young doe with her fur ruffled up like she was used up and doing the walk of shame back to her apartment. I believe Bill Cosby was involved because she didn't know what to do. Sort of lost wandering alone thru the woods.