Early Fall, Early Rut?

I don't know what you guys are seeing out there but on my farms it certainly looks like it's going to be an early fall with some early rut activity. Leaves seem to be at least 2 weeks ahead of schedule as far as changing colors and falling off. Yesterday morning was a little breezy and at times they were raining down like it was October 25th.

I also started seeing scrapes open up and be hit hard a lot sooner than usual. Around the 20th of September we put a camera on a scrape and had buck activity at it just about every day for a couple weeks now. Serious licking branch and ground scraping.

Then last night I had one of our big hit list bucks come flying in right after dark chasing a doe and a little buck and grunting like it was early November. I've never seen anything like that on October 1st when it's near 70 degrees out....

So what do you think? Early fall and early rut this year? Just a fluke? JZ has gone insane?

 

Not sure around here the leaves are turning and falling early it seems also. But the deer activity has been about the same as usual for early October. Still seeing fawns with mama and 0 mature buck sightings in daylight.

 

Somewhere in the 11th-18th is when I bet scrapes and minimal pre-rut kicks in due to the New Moon being the 23rd of October....last few years every property has started ticking somewhat 7-10 days prior.

 

You're just trying to get me pumped up even more for opening weekend. I have several cameras over scrapes and I can't wait to see if I'm getting any mature buck activity over them.

 

I am hunting Saturday first sit of the season, about 3 weeks ahead of schedule

 

I go with JZ is insane


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Doesn't take leaves turning early to know that though

 

We haven't opened here yet in PA so I can't comment on the activity, but the foliage is definitely changing early. All of the Maples are lit up like mid October here. I would say a few weeks early.

 

I spoke to a buddy about this today. Velvet came off early along with rubs showing up. Found 4 fresh scrapes last week. I think end of October is going to be pretty exciting this year.

 

I have seen really good scraping activity for this time of year.

 

I've had two scrapes in my Last Heart Beet plot for over two weeks now. We were unseasonably warm during September, but I am starting to notice the colors starting to change. I haven't had any other signs of rut activity on my place yet, but that probably is because I have had an absence of bucks so far this season.

 

Buddy sent me trail cam pictures the other day of three separate bucks running a same trail all with their noses on the ground from 930-1130 am.

 

Photoperiod will still dictate when the does come into heat.....easy boys.....it's only oct. 1

 

I shot a doe last night that was still with her fawn. My mother had a bachelor group of young bucks show up and my step dad had a group of does with fawns still. I did stumble upon an active scrape while tracking my doe last night, but other than that Ithink you're crazy, Justin.


FYI, I have seen some pretty heavy chasing real early in the season before, but never by a mature buck.

 

I think everybody is going a little crazy. My guess is that we will see the does come in heat about the same time they do every year.

 

Acorn drop and leaf change is about 2 weeks ahead of schedule here also. I believe the bucks will be amped and ready to go early this year, even if the does do not cooperate....does will probably come into estrus around the same time as usual. We should see a lot of early scraping, cruising, and chasing.

 

The acorns in my area have started to drop in early august and all the scrapes on my property have been hit pretty hard really early. I think that might be the case this year.

 

Perhaps, but you can't deny that some years the rut activity starts and peaks at different times. I have a feeling this year is going to be one of those years when late October is on fire.

 

I'm a firm believer in hunting the sign/conditions. Basically hunting based on what I see happening not what I think should be happening. We are also seeing more scraping and heavy sparring. Not just a little antler tickling these guys are pushing each other around. Watched it Saturday and another friend got bucks sparring on camera 9/29.

 

It was only a quick beaver shot and Justin is rutted up already.........



But seriously here in RI i found a few scrapes and shredded trees last week...which is a few weeks early round here