Thanks all ...
Lake Shooter wrote :
On the third rut thingy, when was the first?
It varies from area to area ... Our 1st rut was last week of October into the 1st week of November .
I wrote a basic whitetail behaviour section on a past thread based on info I picked up at a seminar from about 25 years ago ... I also believe in the moon phase > these last few days have been poor moon phase so the deer seem to be moving late ... but throw a doe in estrus into the mix and the bucks go nuts > get a group of bucks chasing on a property and evrything keeps moving !
http://www.excaliburcrossbow.com/phpBB2 ... rd#p477583
Bottom line > I believe the best way to success is get out in the field / get out in the field / get out in the field ... That way when an opportunity does arise , you are there to seal the deal !
I had a real slow year to start , but I still got out as much as possible .
I'm scouting / taking mental notes / learning every day ... Driving to work , driving to Christmas and family events , talking to local farmers and neighbors at the store , talking to other hunters at work / reading Excalibur Forum posts > getting info on what deer activity is from farm to farm in our area and other areas , then comparing notes and observations ...
Ask Wylie H . > ![Laughing :lol:](./images/smilies/icon_lol.gif)
I bet I called him three times today with updates ( he and Bobby S. are planning to stop by on Tuesday so I keep him in the loop of what cureent activity is )... all in our group are the same ... the phone keeps ringing with someone saying I saw this today / I saw that today ... It's a fever of this hobby , I'm sure many of you are same ...
Also for example the deer only started showing up on my farm over the past few weeks > first doe and two fawns , then couple more does > then couple bucks > then Monster buck ( we 1st saw him on Christmas day ) ... I think some deer were pressure here from other properties after three weeks of shotgun / muzzleloader season in my area ( We don't gun hunt my place ) .
I guess I could put out trail cameras to get a more accurate count , but I still like the old fashion track and see route .
And I watch the turkeys as well ... today and about every day since Christmas a lone hen turkey walks across my back field around lunch time > it is odd to see a lone turkey > usually I have a flock on the property ( yarded up like the deer ) > but this year the main flock is at a farm at the far North West of my road ( huge flock ) ... this lone hen must have got seperated from the flock at some point > I'm guessing as the winter progresses , she will hear them on a clear calm day and work her way North / West ? Or maybe the flock will work it way to my farm ?
Anyway ... it's late and I'm rambling on .
Good Luck to all that are chasing whitetails over the last days of the season ! Have fun ? Safe Hunt and take lots of pictures !
See Ya. ... R.J. > " Remember , Trophies are measured by the time and energy expended to get them , not the size or quantity of the quarry "