Hey guys this is my first time starting a topic and not sure if I'm doing everything right but I was curious when the rut takes place at Freedom Hills WMA. There are 2 more gun hunts and me and my dad were going to see what we could come across. We've been hunting public land all year on Lauderdale and Freedom Hills but haven't gotten the first deer yet. Went 5 times at Lauderdale and twice at Freedom Hills. From what I've read the rut in Colbert county is in January but I couldn't really find any specific dates and I'm not sure what part of Colbert County that's referring to either. Does anyone know?

Mid December- now and on into February. Trickle rut. No specific dates and times and etc. If you only have a few days to hunt during gun seasons, pick a thick spot / edge of old cutover and get really high and sit all day long.

I bet jdbowhunter has sum insight he lives there

Ok, maybe he'll drop in. Thanks. The couple of times I went to Freedom Hills I hunted at the same spot. Right off of the main road into the woods in between two green fields. Seems like a good spot. I don't think anyone else hunts in this particular spot ever LOL

Jan. 10 - Jan. 31 Older bucks is usally the last week in January.

If Alabama keeps records, go look at which gun hunts produce the most older bucks over the last 10 years. That’ll tell you all you need to know.

I've hunted western Colbert County for the past 30+ years.

The rut almost always falls between Noon and 5:30pm on the first Thursday with Waning Gibbous moon, following a Super Full Blood Wolf Moon.

If you can't be in the woods at that time, then ANY dates between mid December and the end of the season is your best bet.

Seriously, by FAR I've seen more bucks AFTER Jan 15 than before over the years. I have a friend who participated in a state-conducted survey for breed dates on his property back 6-8 years ago (in Colbert) and something like 90% of the does had been bred in February. The others were late January.

Get to the woods!

years ago I was in a club that is now forever wild land there. Back then we would rarely ever see a deer until the last week of Jan. Then we would have rubs just pop up all over the place the last weekend. Was some good deer there!!

Ok thanks! I'm more excited now than I was yesterday lol. The next gun hunt there is jan.30-feb.2nd

Good luck. That should be great there. And welcome to the forum.

Bucks are for sure laying down the sign heavily right now at FH. These next couple gun hunts should produce some good’uns.

I love Freedom Hills but it’s about two hours away from me so I have been waiting for this last hunt to get back up there. We have seen some good deer there.

I grew up hunting that place, I need to get a management area license and go back and look around. Sure had some fun hunts back in the early days of the muzzleloader doe hunts.

It's a beautiful place IMO.

Am I reading the map & regulations right that the Zone A hunt from 30 Jan - 3 Feb is a GUN hunt? Those dates aren't listed under the gun weapon section. The way it's written is kind of confusing. Anyone have any insight?

Yes you are correct.

Always amazed me how they rut so late over there yet they’ve been done here for well over a month. I’m seeing bachelor groups in Lauderdale and a couple with one side dropped already

Well me and my dad went this morning. I had a doe walk right under my stand but buck only of course lol. I just knew a big buck would be chasing the doe but nothing.... My dad had what he thought was an 8-point in his sights but too many trees were in between him and the deer to even get a shot off. We did an evening hunt going back Saturday morning for a morning hunt

Sounds like a good place to go

I’m headed up in the morning, setting up camp and then hitting the woods. I have a pretty good spot that I have seen several good bucks at. It’s in between some really thick bedding so not a lot of shot opportunities but that’s where the deer are. Good luck