From what I've heard so far the pre-rut activity for northern counties is on. I have a lease just across the Red River in Oklahoma, just north of Wichita Falls, and the bucks have definitely come out of hibernation. I bow hunted this past weekend and there were literally bucks everywhere chasing does. It was incredible; the peak is very near. Even here in Nolan county, I have seen a few small bucks running does around, however, I don't think the does are ready in this area yet.

Has anyone been seeing any rutting activity other than little bucks doing what little bucks do before the rut? I am thinking that Thanks Giving week, it will be on. I am taking 11/16-11/26 off work in search of the Muy Grande in Ok. Good luck to everyone this weekend!

The two bucks on my wall were both taken the week prior to Thanksgiving. Both were taken in Throckmorton County.

Got their tongues hanging out in northern Bowie county, near the OK line. Just got the call this morning from a guy up there. His words, "They're going crazy!"

This past week-end in East Texas I watched a doe and a yearling walk around me for a while until a spike came in with his nose to the ground chasing the yearling. He never did even look at the mama. He chased it around for a minute then left. Made me wonder if a hot doe had came thru before I got in the stand.

` I hunt in Grayson county and we have yet to see any activity. There was a buck run over on hwy 377 at Buck Creek bridge Sunday morning though. When they start running over deer the rut isn't far behind up there. Last year it was the week before Thanksgiving.
Ae they were running crazy in Brown county last weekend.

I just got off the phone with a buddy of mine and he said there was a 140" class buck, a six pt., and a doe standing out in the middle of a small wheat field in the city limits of Wichita Falls (loop 11 for all you home-gamers). Supposedly, someone told him about it and he had to go check it out. They had been out there since 9:00 A.M. and he drove by at 1:30 P.M. and they were still there! He said a number of cars have been stopping there off the highway looking at them. If anyone lives anywhere around Wichita, it is time to go hunting. The rut is on!

Mark - WTH are you doing?!!! This is a public forum...no telling who's reading what you just posted!!!! LOL!

I hope no one shoots him off the road. If they do, they will have an audience. I'll be up there, one county north of Wichita in the morning. I'll post a pic of big boy when I stick him tomorrow.

Can you send coordinates for MapQuest?

Of what? The deer on loop 11 or the gut pile I'm going to leave behind tomorrow?

I talked to ole Rick Roy, a buddy of mine in Wich. Falls, and he told me he was going to put out old Leroy and Candace to test the waters, beleive me when I tell you that while you are looking at Leroy and Candace from loop 11, somebody else has there eye on you

I haven't seen much activity at my place near Mason. I haven't been there since the first weekend in November, so I am hoping for a little action next time I am there. My wife and I are leaving midday on Friday and we will be staying there until the Sunday after Thanksgiving, so hopefully they will be rutting while we are there. I stuck a really messed up 9 point during bow season and a doe. My wife is hunting for a particular buck she has seen 4 times in her camera, but she didn't see him opening weekend of rifle season. It appears that the moon will be in our favor during our stay there so we are both highly optimistic that we will both get nice bucks and a couple more does for the freezer.

I got him!!!! and he didn't even leave a dent in my bumper!! Sure will look good over my fireplace!!!
Joking! Those deer on loop 11 drew quite an audience! They stayed there all day. I got some good video footage of the bigger buck and got up close and personal with my spotting scope. Hopefully he will make it back across loop 11 late tonight without meeting the bumper of a car or any straying bullets. None the less he is a great buck. Just think of how far we go and they are right in our backyard!

Grayson County the rut is on!!! I watched a nice 12pt this morning keeping a distance of about 30yrd's from the doe at all times, tail wagging and scraping every bush or tree he walked by. 2 does came in with him, but he was focused on just one. 30 min later she winded me and off they went. First time I have ever witinessed the way a buck could care less about his surroundings and just that female in front of him...

Shane

I hunt in NW Motley county and the rut is getting started there. I went down last Thursday morning after the high winds the day before and seen 7 different bucks, all working scrapes and noses in the air. Had a nice nine point hang around the feeder for a few minutes, then put his nose in the air and took off. There was a 10 point before him that worked the same scrape the nine point did. Both nice deer but I now there is one bigger if someone else hasn't got him yet.

We found several scraps and a lot of movement from the small guy,s, around Lohn. Hope it,s this weekend.

The rut is definitely on in Panola County on my lease. My dad and little brother went hunting this morning and my brother ended up killing his first deer. It was a spike. They saw a total of 7 deer: 4 does and 3 bucks. They saw a shooter 8pt that would never stand still because he was chasing does the whole time, a 4pt, and of course the spike.
Can't wait til I get back in the stand on Turkey Day.

Anyone seeing any rutting activity in the Sweetwater/Abilene area?

Just got back from hunting southern Dickens county for 4 days and the rut has started. The bucks are not running together any more and I saw them chasing does hard. Watched 1 buck chase a doe for about an hour and a half befor I lost them. I got lucky enough and got in his way the next morning.

It's all but over in Collingsworth county. Just a few straggler does coming in but that can be the best time to find a monster buck looking for the last hot doe.

MC

Mike C,

By all accounts that we can tell, the rut is still going strong on our place. Seems like the majority of the does went in to heat about a week ago. Wonder why the difference on our two places while being so close to one another.

Just started going well in Leon county. This current cold has them moving well. I took an 8 pointer that was behind a doe this past weekend. Another hunter saw a 12 point on the wrong side of the fence sniffing at a doe. Still, I believe most of the does will come in season in the next week or so in this area.

This is the exact same time as last year when the rut was going on in Kent/Dickens counties.