I've always been one to go with the biologists who say the rut happens at around the same time each year, being triggered by the shorter days and decreasing periods of daylight. However, the numbers of scrapes and rubs that I have always seen in late September and early October have not shown up until the past two weekends. And while I have often seen bucks chasing doe in late October, I haven't seen any such action yet in the area where I hunt in East Texas.

With this being one of the worst droughts on record, I'm beginning to believe the increased stress on the deer may be impacting the rut as well.

I went to my lil neck of the woods this weekend, and hardly found any sign of life. This drought is gonna make hunting this winter fun

I am seeing the same amount of scrapes in the same areas as I normally would for this time of the year. I am thinking with the late rains and low fawn crop numbers that the doe will be in much better shape due to not raising a fawn when the rut starts and the rut will happen at a normal time.

we are already seeing the boys taking an interest in the ladies this past week

Getting pretty corny here in the hill country..............maybe I should start that with an H...........

Saw bucks chasing does in Kendall County last week

all the bachelor groups at our lease have broken up. saw a buck tailing a doe this weekend. not hardcore but deff showing some interest.

I have 10-12 shooter's comin' into 2 different feed spot's (not feeder's hand feeding daily) I am noticing mostly smaller buck's on camera now vs. the big boy's we were seeing on camera the past couple week's. Meaning the big boy's are coming to the corn less and less. To confirm my thought's I sat on a huge greenfield saturday (knowing the chances of getting a deer into bow range was slim) but guess what popped out of the woodwork hot after a doe. An absolute giant and he was nose down hot after a doe!

8 bucks last night chasing doe's from my bowstand in erath county.

I don't think the girls smell right yet though.

The rut happens at different times in different parts of the state. Where my place is in east TX things are on the very same schedule they have been on in prior years. Right now,the bucks are split up and mostly chasing/harrassing. I actually saw a big buck mount a doe twice yesterday morning-she was obviously in heat and about ready to stand for him. This is early and she was obviously the exception.(This was a cool sight and the first time I have seen it in person.) Most of the does will come into heat over the next 2-3 weeks as the rut intensifies.

I was told may be early rut out West. I hope so because I can't hunt Thanksgiving weekend.

I had a few pictures on my camera of a doe and fawn, doe was heavy with milk still. I haven't seen any bucks chasing yet.

Bucks are chasing in Erath right now.Time to rattle.

I'm also in East Texas (Houston County) and have seen the bucks chasing a little but not hard. Bucks starting to break up also. In Woodlake, Trinity county where we lease hunt everyone saw some form of bucks interested in does this past weekend and this was about 12 hunters. Should be soon.

Bucks are starting to chase Does in Wood County

It appears the verdict is in.

Best to stay on the stand all day this weekend if at possible.

slow down!! would someone tell the deer to hit the brakes. i planed for week of Thanksgiving....

Scrapes and rubs have been showing up for the last 2 weeks in northeast tx, batchelor groups have busted up.....won't be long now.

I've seen evidence in Deep ETX that deer are already in pursuit.... and when the older deer are hitting the fields behind does, it's not just for show.