I just read a blog on Field & Stream site by a hunter in Nebraska where he commented on what some people have called a "weird rut" this year. I got to thinking about what I have seen over the last couple of weeks since the season opened.

I have probably hunted more this year than I ever have and I've seen alot of different things. Opening morning(11/5) we saw lots of deer moving, mostly young bucks and does. Nobody saw any bucks running does so we had assumed the rut hadn't started yet. The next weekend(11/12) was off the charts. My brother shot an 8 point that came running in so fast our heads were spinning. I hunted 4 days straight(Sat-Tues) and passed on buck after buck, hoping to give my dad a chance at taking the big one. They were fighting, moving quite a bit, and all together making themselves visible to me.

Been hunting before and after work this week and it just seems like the buck activity has really slowed down. I've only seen one buck running does and he's been running a group of 5 does behind my house since opening day. Anybody else seen any "weird rut" activity here lately? A calendar I looked at said this Saturday is going to be a good day to hunt according to moon phase so we'll see what happens.

I guess if we could figure these deer out it wouldn't be any fun.

I've been hunting deer for about 35 years and am still wondering what a "normal" rut is like.

Rich, every year seems to be a weird rut to me. I've been hunting whitetail for over 25 years in many different areas, not just in Texas (Hill country, Cross Timbers, South Texas) as well as Ohio, Pennsylvania and Oklahoma. I can count on one hand when I have actually witnessed a full rut. When I think the rut should be on it isn't. No advice, just keep at it, and best of luck!

I was hunting in Tarpley, Tx this morning about 11 AM..saw deer
moving yesterday about 10AM..Killed a meat buck for my sister
hocks are dry, but saw another following a doe, not running
her yet...Next week they should rut..at least a little, if the
weather doesn't get real hot..DD

My lease is in southern Comal county. All the does I had been getting on camera have disappeared this last week. I sat in a 13' tripod for 5 hours yesterday and finally saw a single doe being chased by two fork bucks and a spike out in the main meadow. Saw a total of 5 bucks and the 1 doe yesterday. Most activity I have seen all year and I have been hunting since the bow season opener.

Not sure if it's been the unseasonably warm weather or the moon phase we just came out of, but most all of my bucks are still nocturnal. Hoping this week really kicks it up a notch.

Bucks have been unusually nocturnal on the 3 ranches I hunt in West Texas (howard, midland, and glasscock) I've seen a couple young bucks harassing does but that's about it. I've only missed 2 days of rifle season but where I currently am here in Howard, bucks sure did split up early. They were together and easy to pattern till the rifle opener and activity has all but come to a hault. I've only been deer hunting for 18 yars now, but this is the oddest deer season I've experienced. I can't help but think the drought has somethin to do with it. I need to get down to my hill country properties. Seems like things are better there than here. Quality of deer is the only thing keepin me in the west.

Although, "there aint no deer in west texas"

Very weird in the HILL COUNTRY.. Took off hard... tapered off some.. Picked back up.. Then thought it was over.. Nope they are chasing again.. IDK WTF is going on.. This weather has been crap.. The lack of rain?? Who knows?

Have not seen a doe topped this year, but I have seen bucks bedding with the same looking doe for a few days.. They are gettin it on..

I have bucks with busted main beams, brow tines, G3's and scars on their side and neck. No does coming to my feeder now at all. Had 7 bucks there. A doe fawn came in and 3 bucks went to chasing her around so much that she left. Of course the awesome 6 year old that came in has broken off his right main beam. He broke off the main beam on the other side this same time of year last year.

Glad to hear that I'm not the only one. BruiserOutlaw, I'm with you. It took off hard then dropped off. I know we had some warm weather and a full moon and that probably had an effect on them. But I would have thought the 1.5" rain and cold front would have got them going again. Gonna hit it pretty hard next week so we'll see what happens.

Good Luck Fellas.

Saw a bunch of does in the field yesterday around 5 PM eating. No chasing going on at all. Nearly put a young buck on the hood of my pick up around 10:30 PM. He was just standing in the road looking around. I think next week ought to be a lot better for morning and evening hunts.

Just got a pic sent to me from a buddy in North Nebraska of a 150 inch slick 8 that field dressed 225...he called it a crazy rut and that the bucks are just everywere...i cant get over the size of the bucks up there...he says an old deer up there is 3.5 and rarely get to 4.5 but has some 2.5 yr olds he shot that scored in the 160-170s thats just insane...

Id say the main reason for the bucks slowin down is that there are acorns everywere right now and they seem to be out of the seeking faze of the rut here and are locked on the does...happens every year here after about 3 solid weeks of chasing...sucks because when the doe are about to be in standing heat they usualy dnt go very far at all and the bucks wnt let them outa their site

This may help. If you look you will see the Rut can cover up to 2 months in some parts of the state.
This will remove the meths and old hunting talls that you may of heard.

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/huntwild/hunt/planning/rut_whitetailed_deer/

My buddy at work just got to Kansas last night, hung the cameras and pulled cards this AM. He said bucks running everywhere. But they also had 28 degrees and a frost yesterday. If I can figure out how to put a pic in this message I'll post one of the Kansas bucks.

Heres the Kansas buck:



Here's a couple of Williamson County bucks running around the place:

Nice bucks!!!

I'm hunting in South Comal County as well and I can certainly agree, I've only seen one doe in my last 3 days out.

Hunted Llano Co all day yesterday. Out of the 8 does I saw, only one was still hot, with a 1.5 fork-horn giving chase. Never did see any mature bucks. Shot a 2.5 yo spike who broke off the last 2" in the previous 2 days. Weird year.

Good looking young bucks you got there RichR. Our place is off CR254. Where is your ranch?

x2

Rut seems the same to me. Have seen small and older bucks chasing does.

We are near the Brushy Creek bottom south of Thorndale and Thrall. Right on the edge of the black dirt farmland where it meets the Post Oaks. The majority of our place is just Elm thicket with some scattered mesquite pastures. Quite a few creeks and sloughs run through here.

On our club in Walker County the youngest bucks have barely begun to show interest in does. Seen a couple scrapes pop up but, man, to have the rut in east TX not even really begun this late in November seems very strange.

But then again they didn't start chasing till Thanksgiving last year, too, so I dunno.

I am not 100% sure that the weather really has a effect, but I like to pretend it does Seen bucks chase em and it be so hot you don't wanta sit.. Deer will lather up.. Tongue will hang out.. Then seen a cold snap hit and feels like that sets it off..

I know this.. Last year it was all over by Thanksgiving and it was colder than a witch's tit.. I tell ya what, It seems to hit earlier every year.. I don't have the stuff figured out.. Maybe someday I will get a wiff of what sets it off.. Tell then.. WEIRD sometimes..

Here in Ellis county it's been wierd too .. Saw bucks ready in later half of October then saw bucks together just feeding after that . Havent noticed the does ready yet .. So I dont know what's going on .. My brother harvested a great 10 on nov 1st chasing a doe at 12 40 in the afternoon