The Rut

[M R DAWGS]

It’s here. Who’s had success or seen some chasing?

I’m at the camp and off for the next few days, looking forward to hanging off the side of a tree. Weather should be perfect through Wednesday. I saw a small buck following some does this afternoon.

 

[Eleven Bravo]

It’s here. Who’s had success or seen some chasing?

I’m at the camp and off for the next few days, looking forward to hanging off the side of a tree. Weather should be perfect through Wednesday. I saw a small buck following some does this afternoon.

Here in southwest Mississippi the rut is just starting. The cold weather is having an affect for sure. I’ve seen some immature bucks chasing does over the past 10 days or so but the big bucks are still showing up on our cameras only in the middle of the night. Typically we see some hard activity here around January 1-10, and then a secondary rut at the end of the season. We’ve seen does dropping fawns in August instead of July the last 3-4 years, so that second rut is definitely affecting that.

 

[DesotoCountyDawg]

It’s here. Who’s had success or seen some chasing?

I’m at the camp and off for the next few days, looking forward to hanging off the side of a tree. Weather should be perfect through Wednesday. I saw a small buck following some does this afternoon.

Rut is done here.

 

[greenbean.sixpack]

Cold weather has no connection to the rut, but it will make deer burn more calories to stay warm, thus making them eat more often. The rut is controlled by the amount of sunlight and is the same time each year.

The map at this link will show when the rut is in your area: https://www.mdwfp.com/wildlife-hunting/deer-program/deer-breeding-date-map/

 

[trob115]

Rut is not "peak" in my area of east central ms for 2 more weeks. The Mississippi rut is so scattered. Portions of the state have the rut start in late November, and the last rutting activity for the south part of the state is in mid February.

 

[40mikemike]

The rut is more scattered in the southeast than any other area of the country and Mississippi and Alabama tend to be the most ridiculous to figure out. The rut may start in the middle of December in one county and the next county may be three to four weeks behind that. My best deer have all been killed between December 30th and January 11th, so I took off work from 12/30 - 1/10. We’re seeing a few bucks chasing, but it’s really just young bucks getting their first taste of the magic. Sunlight drives the rut and does won’t be receptive for another week or so here.

 

[IBleedMaroonDawg]

The rut is more scattered in the southeast than any other area of the country and Mississippi and Alabama tend to be the most ridiculous to figure out. The rut may start in the middle of December in one county and the next county may be three to four weeks behind that. My best deer have all been killed between December 30th and January 11th, so I took off work from 12/30 - 1/10. We’re seeing a few bucks chasing, but it’s really just young bucks getting their first taste of the magic. Sunlight drives the rut and does won’t be receptive for another week or so here.

I remember the same experience when I was in MS. I lived and hunted in the NE in Monroe county and the rut was different within the county. I used to take off work at the same time and everyone I worked with thought I was nuts but I was able to deer and duck hunt alone and fish for crappie without showing the other people the locations of my submerged crappie trees and brush piles I had found.

 

[DesotoCountyDawg]

Peak rut here is always the second week of December although that was when it was so rainy and dreary so that might have delayed it a little. Either way it’s winding down now.

 

[Dawgbite]

I remember the same experience when I was in MS. I lived and hunted in the NE in Monroe county and the rut was different within the county. I used to take off work at the same time and everyone I worked with thought I was nuts but I was able to deer and duck hunt alone and fish for crappie without showing the other people the locations of my submerged crappie trees and brush piles I had found.

I’ve lived and hunted in Monroe county most of my life. West side of the river ruts early, east side of the river ruts late. My BIL was a game warden and I used to help them do the spring health checks. It was amazing that fawns born on the east side of the river were generally born six to ten weeks later than fawns born on the west side.

 

[Cantdoitsal]

I've always thought it shoulda been called "The Nut".

 

[Pilgrimdawg]

Rut in central noxubee county has been wide open for the last several days and will start to wind down pretty quick now. Just a few miles to the east close to the state line the rut typically starts after the first of January. About 3 weeks difference in 10 miles.

 

[greenbean.sixpack]

If you run cameras all year, when you start noticing fawns, subtract 200 days and that will get you to the conception date of the fawn, In the tri-counties metroplex of Carroll/Grenada/Montogery, fawns are usually dropped in early July which puts conception in mid-December (ish).

 

[Wizard.sixpack]

No rut activity that I have seen in central Ms as of yet.

 

[greenbean.sixpack]

the daughter (no pics) killed a buck yesterday in Leflore County. She said it was chasing does and he tarsal glands were wet and dark.

 

[LordMcBuckethead]

the daughter (no pics) killed a buck yesterday in Leflore County. She said it was chasing does and he tarsal glands were wet and dark.

TMI?

 

[IBleedMaroonDawg]

I’ve lived and hunted in Monroe county most of my life. West side of the river ruts early, east side of the river ruts late. My BIL was a game warden and I used to help them do the spring health checks. It was amazing that fawns born on the east side of the river were generally born six to ten weeks later than fawns born on the west side.

Monroe county is absolutely one the oddest place in Mississippi for wildlife but it is really diverse in habitat at every corner. Probably has something to do with it being the largest county in the state.

 

[Pilgrimdawg]

In Noxubee county bucks were still cruising and chasing yesterday afternoon. Does are mostly laying low but the ones on their feet all had their head on a swivel. My little 10 year old granddaughter killed a nice 8 just before dark chasing 3 does. If it’s like normal, things will start to slow down in another 3-4 days. There will be little spurts of activity until late January but the primary rut will be done in our area by about New Year’s Day. We keep detailed records and it is the exact time every year regardless of the weather.