I have seen 6 different bucks in the last day. I only saw one buck in the last month. The bucks are running around out in the open. 3 bucks ran across the road in front of me. All have been 6 points or small eights. The does are moving around a bunch too. I think I might sit in my stand some this weekend.

Has the rut started in your area?

Keith

WE have this pre rut thing around here. Then It drops off and In my area It starts the 11 of Nov and then It's balls to wall.
When the rut Is In full swing we don't see bucks running together.

Been seeing a lot of bucks walking along field edges and scrapping, but they are not following does yet here.

Common. The YOUNG bucks start testing the waters.
The older bucks sit n the weeds knowing " the rut" is still 2 weeks away.
So no, the rut has not started yet.

Been seeing scrapes and rubs for 2 weeks - but no rut yet.

Many studies have been done that prove there are does that come in and are bred in oct. While most breeding takes place later it does not mean they have not started.

The bucks were starting to chase the does here last weekend. Grunting following the does. Going out in the morning to see what walks by.

Doesn't mean " the rut" has started!
When movement slams to a halt, that's when the rut is in full swing!
Our deer breed from Nov 8-20 every year.
Sure, a few will cycle earlier and later but to me, " the rut" is when the vast majority get breed.

The bucks are still hanging together here. I saw a nice ten point with a small spike this evening.

My son smoked a nice doe a couple of days ago.

Had 4 different small bucks and 9 does/fawns all feeding together peacefully in a small soybean plot tonight. Young bucks weren't even interested yet- but any day now they will start cruising.

dont appear to be doing much here either

I have found that if your Buck/Doe ratio is somewhat balanced the rut seems lethargic, they know where the girls are and lockdown with a hot doe faster. I enjoy the pre-rut when predictability is to your advantage. For me, the breeding phase of the rut is a crap shoot- bucks are trying to cross as many hot doe trails as they can, yes, a ton of deer movement but getting a nice one in the right location and then stopped is tough.

An additional thought, the second rut when bucks are looking for unbred November does can sometimes be more intense, I’ve seen multiple bucks chasing a single doe in December.

I pulled my trail camera I had put in north east pa yesterday and I have a video of a doe trying to mount another doe on October 24th... I’m assuming she’s in heat and that they are like cattle but I’m not sure..

been huntin gamelands the last couple days and the bucks are raging there 8 miles from home where i haven't saw any sign at all of it.few doe on gamelands compared to a high population of doe on my farm.

Interesting -This is also the time that nubbin bucks get kicked out of the family group, so they don’t breed their sister and look like King Tut.

He did not say it was in full swing. The rut is when the vast majority get bred so why can this not be the START of the rut. The rut is not a 7-10 day event. It is an event that covers many more days and stages. Come on you of all people should understand this.