I didn't notice any action last weekend, but the time should be about right for some of the does to come in the second time and fawns might be coming in for the fisrt time too. I saw a few does last week but nothing following any of them.
I usually start seeing this around Dec 5th - 10th. Like you said, things could pick up a bit starting this weekend.
I really just started seeing first rut signs during the last week and a half. Saw a buck breeding a doe last weekend. This year has been really weird around here, not normal at all and I have no clue why.
Last week my wife and I had a buck trailing what seemd to be a hot doe come by at about 30 yards, they were in the woods so she couldn't get a clear shot. He followed her every move and she always kept her distance. About 15 mins later there was another buck that showed up exactly where the other two deer were, he then followed their exact same trail which leads me to be completely confident she was hot. All 3 deer ran off at the same place, dead down wind of us...
You took the words from my mouth! I saw a little bit of cruising during the first rut, but that was all. I didn't hear a single buck grunt or even see a buck chasing a doe. I've been hunting pretty much from since the middle of Oct.
The rut Is starting to heat up here once again. I've also been seeing allot of doe fawns acting stupid and getting fairly aggressive with other fawns. Somethings up and about to happen again. I checked my trail cams yesterday, my trail cams tell me also that the rut Is heating up again. Lots of pics and video's of chasing the last 3 days. There not 100% there but It's close. This evening I saw 5 bucks, only one was chasing but 4 of the 5 were searching nose to the ground.
I just got back from Illinois yesterday and we saw alot of chasing and cruising going on in southern Illinois. Even managed to come close on two nice ones but no cigar!!Walt
Maybe I am the odd man out, but I have never seen signs of a second rut. I understand it happens, because biologically it has to happen....but I have never seen real buck movement after November 20th or so.
2nd estrous period happens 28 days after the first, so if the first one say peaks around the 15th of Nov, the second one shouldn't be til the 13th of Dec. So either ya'll are seeing late rutting activity of the first rut, which is what I'd surmise or you have some very out of whack does that came in very early the first time and again the second time. Of course this could vary year to year and doe to doe. Many saw most of the rutting activity at the end of Oct so this very well could have been an early first, early second. I missed it totally the first go around. :p At least, nothing indicated it.
I have not been in the tree in awhile but yesterday I Yote hunted, and seen one small buck chasing two Does. I stopped by my Hot stand from this year where all the Scrapes were. There were 4 fresh ones there now. I may just sit in tree tomorrow and Yote hunt, Might see some Deer to.
Funny you posted this, yesterday started the late bow season here(Dec 1 through Jan 2) so I hunted yesterday evening. I had moved my cam to this spot this past Sunday and just out of curiosity I checked it before I hunted. The day prior to my hunt, Nov. 30 I got pictures of a doe and a young buck later, at 4:45 p.m. to boot. Well I ended up getting skunked yetserday evening(mumbles some excuse about a bad moon) but on the way out I took an alternate path out down a side trail(old logging road) I found a big, fresh muddy scrape. I had pulled the cam from the other spot so I placed it right there on the new scrape yesterday p.m. I can't hunt til Saturday but I plan on hunting the above mentioned side trail(if the wind stays as forecast). I'm really excited about seeing the fresh breeding sign. To be honest the way or weather is changing I really wish I could hunt Tomorrow and Fridy but Saturday will have to do. If I get any interesting pics Ill post em up and if I by some odd chance the stars line up and I can get a shot and make it on one of the bucks scraping it up I'll post a pic of that too....lol.
Still seeing late rut signs here, know someone that killed an 8 and a 10 this morning 5 minutes apart on one scrape.
Last weekend I saw a buck following a trail (nose down the whole time) that several does had taken within an hour earlier.
Monday night my buddy had a small buck come out into the cut corn after a lone doe, but other than that, no, haven't seen or heard of any activity.
I'll second what Rob said here. Usually starting around the 10th - 15th of December... I'll see older bucks chasing/rutting again. The younger bucks are still harrashing the does a bit but they have been doing that since the end of September. LOL The bucks should be feeding pretty heavy now to gain back what they lost with the main rut. There may be a doe or two out whack with their heat cycle or does fawn coming into their first but usually it is about mid December before you see the bigger bucks rutting a bit more ( nothing like the first rut ). Not saying to put the can call/ grunt tubes or antlers away while waiting for mid December. You should still have decent luck with that if you haven't over done it already. Food should be top priority for the bucks right now. Tim
Nothing here yet, I missed the first one as well. Saw a few bucks cruising, then it got warm and nothing.
I'll be out Saturday hoping to see something. Last year on December 15th I saw the most rutting activity of the year. Bucks were chasing does everywhere. Without seeing much evidence of the first rut I'm hoping the 2nd rut has them going crazy.