Weird Year

Hey guys, just wanting to know if it's the same where you hunt? I hunt in south Montgomery County on the Crenshaw County line. Last year in November we had rubs and scrapes everywhere. One food plot had 14 scrapes before the end of November. This year we have counted 3 scrapes and very few rubs. We had more bucks on camera this year in Sept-Nov than we have ever had. Come December like always they are gone. Usually, they come back the last week of December but this year its crazy. All our bucks that we are getting are still together. Their hocks are not dark yet. Just a weird year.

Now the great part, I have never seen so many turkeys. They are everywhere. Can't wait for March!!

I definitely have noticed the lack of rubs/scrapes.

Been a lot of bucks shot over the last few years

Our rut in Lamar has traditionally been best around Dec 23-26, I shot a 7pt last Saturday absolutely no smell or dark hocks, and I know of a few more the same way.

I hunt in Talladega county. Similar situation.

Very few scrapes and slower to appear than years past. Hocks not anywhere near dark. We usually kick up now thru the end of the month.

Rubs and scrapes all over our place when we were there last week. Should be many more when we get there this weekend. The 2 bucks we killed had a little smell to them and their hocks were a dark. Right on par for our place.

I wonder if it has something to do with corn, it is the same at our place as well

Fixed it for you!

CNC was right the first time. These feeders has got an ass load of 2.5 year old racked bucks killed. Or that’s my opinion lol

To the OP, they about right in northern Randolph county and northern Tallapoosa county. Same as they always been. They rutting right now in northern Randolph and starting to rub and scrape in northern Tallapoosa.

Do you think bucks killed at feeders out number the bucks that were killed back in the bucks only days or dog hunting days?

I’ve heard stuff like this being mentioned by a lot of folks……My theory is that its due to a change in population dynamics caused from the additional harvesting of more bucks over the last few years……A worsening of the buck to doe ratio in many places so less “sign” and intensity.

They have where I hunt. One reason is the amount of people that hunt. Everyone hunts now days, it’s easy and they can display it on social media.

Throw in corn and cell cameras. I know guys that kill big bucks every year and don’t hunt 5-6 times. A year. They running 10 plus cameras over feeders, they hunt 24-7 from their phone. When he shows up, they go bust him. Lol.

same here in ramer. the last 2 weeks seeing very few deer. saw 2 fresh scrapes this past week. zero fresh rubs.

Hunted in Barbour County this past weekend and did a lot of scouting. Zero fresh buck sign. We normally start to see scrapes and rubs by the first week in January with rut taking place late January. Watched a 6 point and 8 point in a field with about 14 does and they showed no interest. The bucks came in separately but fed next to each other and did not display territorial behavior. Seems we are a little behind.

I think we're just behind. I know the lack of scrapes isn't for a lack of bucks b/c I have them on camera and seen a number in person. Had a group of 3 on camera, so still running around together in some cases. Conecuh county.

You gonna take me this year? I've always wanted to kill my first turkey

Very slow for us. Normally see 20-30+ deer. Went yesterday and saw four yearlings. I don’t believe anything is “wrong”. Just a much slower developing year. I believe two weeks from now to end of season will be good. But as of now I’m not even getting deer on camera.

Hmmmm OP Didn't mention nothing about NOT seeing bucks deers (the complete opposite) but i've noticed, this seems to be your answer to all of Bama's problems 😏

Year before last was like that for us, and we started hitting the woods and YEP there was all the deer! Bastages just wasn't hitting the fields much at all. Of course the neighbors to the north have several of those fancy feeders that hold a ton of feed and open and close, that kinda changed things too lol.

The reason I asked is because we used to be neighbors with some big dog clubs in Georgiana and they all mentioned killing hundreds of deer per season. Mostly bucks. Also I’ve been knowing people that’s been hunting in Alabama since the 80s and heard the stories of all the bucks killed back then because there was only a few doe days. Most hunted in Clark co. and would haul corn by the trailer loads. They’d kill them day and night. Can’t say all the stories were true but I’m sure most were.
In our case, corn has helped us be more picky on which bucks we want to kill. We actually kill less bucks per season now then before corn was legal. Cameras helped a lot with this also. Definitely no lack of bucks on our place. Especially they younger age class bucks.
I can see how it could negatively affect areas with lots of small properties that all have corn piles and every deer seen is shot. But however, the whole state is not that way. Especially South Alabama. If a goofy coonass non resident can figure this out, anyone should be able to.

Just because a guy has a certain amount of bucks concentrate on his property in Sept and October doesn’t necessarily equate to there still as many total on the landscape around him when the bucks spread out for the rut later in the season

I am in Lowndes County and seeing the same thing. Our bucks are still together and not seeing many scrapes and rubs. Last year they were chasing the weekend of the 15th but this year I think it's going to be later. They are there just not moving very far from bedding. Patience.....

What does this answer have to do with James statement?

The OP and others are inferring that the rut isnt happening the same this year…..……I suggested that the population dynamics may have changed...... James said “But the OP didn’t say anything about not seeing bucks”….And I responded……”But that doesn’t mean that the overall dynamics for the bigger area around him hasnt changed…..”

That’s kinda the cliff notes version….

I have as many or more scrapes and rubs as ever but all bucks and a lot of the does disappeared 1st of December. No pics, no feed being eaten, nothing. This week they have started to show back up? I killed a buck Saturday that I had pics of all summer. The last pic I got of him was Sept 13th. Saturday he walked back into my life and got a tailgate ride for his efforts. It has been a strange year at my place.

Opposite for us. Choctaw Co. Saw more fresh hooked trees & more scrapes this past weekend than same time in prior years. Some bucks (on camera) beginning to show tarsal staining. Spikes & small bucks actively trying to get it in before the big boys join the party.

we have a lot of does. The bucks I have seen won't be the ones I am interested in shooting in the weeks ahead. The bucks of interest will be "cruising"- then hit the numerous " singles in the area" and it will be on.

The behavior eclipse is describing is the same thing I’m talking about……Any individual hunter could have still been seeing good buck numbers early this fall like a school of fish holding on a point. They disappeared though like they often do and now when its time for the rut to kick in some of them show back up, some of them don’t……Maybe there’s less showing back this year because overall population dynamics have changed for the bigger area around you……. Why would bucks come back and concentrate on one property when there are empty holes out there around you where this isnt as much competition for does? Not saying its happening to everyone but that its likely happening to some

Basically what deer have been doing for as long as I’ve been deer hunting. It’s not just an Alabama thing. These same behaviors happen here at home,they happen in Texas, they happened when we hunted in Missouri, and the same thing when we used to hunt in Georgia. The girls will make boys do weird things that they normally wouldn’t do. They make them fight their brothers, best friend and sometimes daddy and grandpa. When daddy or grandpa gets finished whooping up on em, they figure out quick that they better move on to some other place and hope they can find another girlfriend. Bucks do what bucks been doing forever and they move a lot and a long ways when those girls start putting out that perfume. It’s not complicated. It’s nature!!

Some of y'all think too much. Ever heard of Occam's Razor?

The entire state or at least a pretty good chunk of it was in a drought from August until now. Most food plots failed. There were a lot of acorns in my area, but how many are good? I don't know. It's very likely that the deer herd is below their normal winter weight, which effects reproduction and everything else. They're not all dead.

People traffic. Where no one has been . (Rut is on)has been said many many times. Hear a lot of this is my first time to go. Folks waiting on the rut and we tell them when it’s on. Yes…..Deer change to get out of harms way. WMA gates and road ways were crowded this weekend and will be next. GW said more people checked in hunting than all year in the next few weeks Yes deer do what they have to, to survive.

So you’re saying to shoot more does to get the ratio back in check?

It all comes full circle don’t it

I think y’all need to stop worrying about sign and what you’re seeing and go hunt. It’s happening at the same time whether you’re there or not.

Heck, I sometimes don’t even go hunt when it’s “good”! I just like to walk up to the guy wearing camo in the piggly wiggly and say “deer been moving slow last few days, what about you?” no matter what the situation is. Same on here

I agree with Marsh, feeders and cell cameras have allowed us to be more picky about what we shoot. I’d much rather have numerous pics of a buck and try to determine age from a pic than have to make a quick decision when he crosses a road chasing a doe. I have had less bucks on camera up to this point this season, but think a lot of his has to do with what’s going on around us. Rayonier is cutting like crazy west of me right now. The acorn crop this year also changed a lot of patterns.

Our rut in Conecuh is normally around Jan 24 +\- a couple of days. New bucks are starting to show up now just like normal. A few bucks we had on camera last year are just showing up for the first time all season as well.

We’ve had a very good year. Lots of bucks, lots of does, and a lot of rut activity.
FYI, I feed a lot of corn, but I haven’t shot a deer over a feeder in two years. I haven’t shot a deer sitting in a shooting house in two years either.
I’ve been on the ground standing.

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Some of y'all think too much. Ever heard of Occam's Razor?

The entire state or at least a pretty good chunk of it was in a drought from August until now. Most food plots failed. There were a lot of acorns in my area, but how many are good? I don't know. It's very likely that the deer herd is below their normal winter weight, which effects reproduction and everything else. They're not all dead.

This Man gets it. 👍

Opposite for us, more rubs, scrapes and busted up racks than typical for this time of year in SW AL. My 5yr old killed 8pt on Sunday morning that smelled awful and had been gouged in neck pretty good. I spoke with neighbor yesterday that has a lot of busted up racks as well and we were curious if it was drought related.

I’ve been hunting and scouting the same piece of public land now consistently for 7 years. The sign is the same with scrapes and rubs in all the usual places.

Same as always. Rubs and scrapes were everywhere three weeks ago. Around Dec 20 they went dry and bucks started doing their thing. Daylight pics of bucks went nuts around Christmas and are still the same.

Everything on schedule at our place.