I read about the 2nd rut, but have never noticed it much in TX, AL, PA, MD etc. What are your thoughts on this?
1. I see pre rut activity
2. I see rut activity (3 weeks or so)
3. Mature bucks dissapear....

The book says the young does and does that were not bred should come in 28 days later, which is now....

Our lease owner swears that there are three ruts. I have a doe with twins just outta spots on camera. So it makes since.

Had a buck chasing a doe here yesterday morning. Some doe just come in late.

Supposedly it happens when the doe to buck ratios is out of whack, and your bucks can't service all the does the first time around.

This and yearling does will be "late" allot of the time.

I have 2 new 8's on TC that showed up 2 days ago running does.

When a buck smells a doe in heat the rut for him is on no matter when it happens, not all does cycle at the same time some are earlier than others, some for whatever reason might have not have bred successfully the first time around and will cycle back in 28 days later. On a lease I have been on for 12 years now have seen rutting activity with the mature bucks from mid October to the last weekend of season. Sightings and TC pics see more bucks than does on that place.

My place in Mississippi the buck to doe ratio was 26 does per buck according to the state biologist that lived less than 2 miles from my property, the rut was very extended mostly due to not enough bucks for all the does. For several years there were almost no scrapes or rubs in the woods, guess with those odds the bucks didn't have to try to find a doe. That is what crazy things like protecting the does to archery and Muzzle loader season and several years of a buck a day limit will do. Now the primary rut is getting back to closer to the historic time of mid to late December with lots of scrapes in the woods.

In my opinion the bucks rut like the bass spawn. It happens in waves. There are always some that are early, on time, and late. I see it all the time in Harrison county.

Happening right now where I hunt. Witnessed it first hand leaving the property the other night.

Second rut is real. Just experienced it. Heard a commotion, grunting in the woods. Few minutes later a maiden doe comes out and I take her for the freezer. While dressing her out, it was clear due to the expansion of her privates she had just been bred.