Aldeer.com Forums Alabama Deer Talk Serious Deer Talk Forum Early rut in South Bama??

I hunt in Monroe county (just north of Monroeville) and I have seen more scrapes and rubs this month than I have in several years. I have talked to other people and they are witnessing similar activity. I talked to a guy as far south as Mcintosh (in Washington county) who said a guy in his club killed a buck that was chasing a doe last week. He witnessed a buck chasing a doe himself a couple days ago.

In the last 8 years, I have only seen one early rut. It was pretty much over by the last week of the season with hardly any activity. I'm not 100% sure, but it sure seems to be shaping up for an early rut . It would sure be nice to hunt the entire rut for once. (Like you north Bama guys )
You might want to reconsider that vacation at the end of Jan. and take off a little earlier.

Is anyone else seeing this type of activity? What are your thoughts, opinions?

My families land is in the Northwest corner of Monroe County and I started seeing lots of scrapes and rubs earlier this year than any year I can remember. Typically don't see this many scrapes and rubs until much later into January. Haven't seen any chasing yet but I am encouraged that the rut may be on earlier this year.

I might very well be wrong....

BUT, what I would guess is that you are seeing the signs that many of us in this area have been seeing for many years. The buck:doe ratio is balanced and the overall population low and stable. This creates a lot of competition between bucks and a lot of posturing/marking/sparring/fighting as bucks of the same age class AND in the mature range try to establish dominance.
It is the proper time for that in this area. The main breeding date that I have witnessed over most of my 44 years has been within a few days of Jan 16th. That is only just over 2 weeks away! The BEST hunting is the peak just before the actual breeding begins. If the weather will hold out.......it ought to be good!!!!

Good hunting!

I welcome a balanced ratio, if that's what it is. It will make for a more intense rut as the bucks compete for fewer does, but several clubs that I've spoken to seem to be seeing the same thing. (much more scraping than normal for this time of year)

We don't seem to be overpopulated with does, so I feel we're fairly balanced (not 1:1 of course). Historically, the rut (or the pre-rut as some call it) has always been the last 7 to 10 days of Jan. or later where we hunt. Either way , it seems like it's going to be a very interesting end of the season.

Bullcrap. It is a firmly established fact that the rut in south Alabama doesn't starring until February 1. Just ask around. People have studied it for years and determined The state is screwing them by ending the season before the rut, so you have to be mistaken.

We hardly have seen any scrapes and rubs on our club since we picked up the lease three years ago. We started shooting alot of does and letting the bucks walk and this year you can actually see scrapes and rubs in the woods, that is a first for this peice of property. Cant wait till mid january hopefully we will see a good rut.

We have a early full moon this year on the 9th I believe it is. I have hunted the rut in many different states and I fully believe the full moon is one of the triggers for the rut. I have seen it to many times to believe anything any different. This is my personal experience and based solely off that. I also have trail cameras that stamp moon phase on the pics I always notice more buck movement the week prior to the full moon and during. With the full moon being on the 9th the week before and the two weeks after will be some prime hunting in my opinion if the weather will cooperate.

With the full moon on the 9th the woods should be showing signs of the rut as the bucks are getting ready to begin the seeking phase of the rut.

We live in Lee County and hunt just over the Lee-Tallapoosa county line. I'm seeing more rubs and scrapes at my house in Lee County than I ever have. We also put a camera out at the house and are seeing a lot of spikes, as well as a young 6, young 8 and a mature 9. However, i haven't seen more than 2 rubs where we hunt in Tallapoosa. Haven't seen any scrapes yet. Started 3 mock scrapes in that areas I've seen them in past years but they haven't freshed them yet. So, from my opinion, Tallapoosa doesn't look like it's aheadof schedule.

Lot's of scrapes and rubs in Clarke county. Not any chasing yet. My thought is that this the calm before the storm...

I hope it starts thundering a little by next weekend, I hunt right on the Clarke and Marengo line, I am going to go for 3 day weekends starting January 6th through the end.

Nor here. Watched some bucks, young and old, feeding along side some does for the past 3 days. They acted as if the does weren't even there.

Someone once said that scrapes & rubs are made to confuse hunters. I believe it.

Say what y'all want to but, where I hunt in Dallas County, chasing is always started between the 7th and 13th and lasts about a week. Last year it was the latter. I'm putting my money on the 7th.

I hope you are right because come the 3rd I'll be laying with them for 16 days straight in Dallas Cty.

I too think this next full moon will be the trigger that sends the does into estrus. Once it hits the air it'll be on like Donkey Kong!

We were seeing alot of early scapes untill about a week ago and everything just stopped. I hope this is just the quiet before the storm sure was looking for a early/ more normal rut than the last few years.

Shortly after I put this post up, I was looking at the calendar to see what days I had put in to take off for vacation and I noticed the early full moon for Jan. I do think as well that the moon is whats going to really get it kicked off. Cant' wait...

I'm going to second Hogwild on this one.

lots of scrapes in dale and geneva county for the last month. lots of different bucks coming to them. last week they seemed to stop working them as often and when they did, they just pawed a time or two and moved on. haven't seen any chasing, but bucks seem to be roaming and looking.

Not 20 miles south of the AL line in Walton county, FL the bucks are still together. There was a 7pt killed on my place this morning still running with another buck about the same size. Didn't stink and his tarsals were not very dark yet. So they haven't come close to starting here in FL yet. Still about a month or so out here. I would think it wouldn't be too much different in South Alabama. Our mean conception dates here run between Feb 6th-19th for the does that have been tested in the surrounding areas.

I hunt Elmore County. I only have 63 acres but I have seen lots of rubs and scrapes . Me and my buddy found 2 new scrapes and 2 new rubs today. I also hunt some in Autauga County and I have been seeing rubs and scrapes there since beginning of dec.. BUt I have not seen any rut action