I hunt just south of Woodson (Throckmorton County).As I was puting gas this weekend a local and I began talking , he told me that the second rut was about to begin. and that the biggest deer he sees are usually in late December.Is there really a second Rut? Him being a local and all I would think its true. What do you guys think?

yep its when the majority of the yearling doe start coming into heat and it can be just as good as the first rut. It can last past the deer season to,seen it up into March before. A buck can breed for as long as he has its horns,after he sheds his horns his testosterone shuts of to everything else and starts building another set of horns.

The second rut is 28 days after the first rut. When the does do not get pregnant during the first rut they go into estrus again in 28 days and that is what he is referring to when he says 2nd rut its true

In Parker Co, the second rut began Dec 10 according to my game camera. All the bucks began to show up and were out at all hours of the day light. The went on until Dec 13. I was lucky enough to get my camera on the 17th to see what I missed. I also saw the big one chasing a yearling and he wounldn't leave her for anything.

The buck I killed in Haskell Co.the 15th was trailing a doe.

That is the situation in Schleicher co. Mikes deer was responsive to rattling and ready to fight!

The last 2 weeks of season are always the best,most hunters have bucked out,deer lease road gets quite,the big bucks that have not been moving much can't stand it anymore and start letting their guard down.I can't wait.

The second rut where I hunt up around Shamrock started last Saturday in the freezing ice and COLD. I saw bucks chasing does and they were shooters.
Good luck on the 2nd RUT...

I saw 2 does with their fawns last night. I'm guessing that the does haven't been bred since they still had their does with them? Or do does still let their fawns hang around after they have been bred? I've always been under the assumption that does ran off their fawns when they came into heat? Can somebody clarify this for me one way or the other. Thanks, Jimmy

Seemed like the "first rut" was over by the second weekend of November in Nolan County. However, this past week showed very good buck activity. I have seen two of the largest bucks of the year on the same morning, after 10:00 A.M. and saw three small bucks chasing a doe. I have not seen this in almost one month!

I've also had excellent results from rattling for a couple of guys. I'm an idiot for already filling my buck tags, but I get satisfaction of going with friends. From what I hear, the rut is hit and miss from county to county, though the cold weather is helping with activity.

Here in north east Dickens county I have observed 5 bucks chasing does in the past three days. This afternoon / weekend is looking good!

It is absolutely essential to be hunting during every moment of daylight when they are chasing like that. Those days produce ten fold over any other.

Last weekend when I was out westin Kent cty all the bucks and does were grouped back up and seemed to only care about eating.

Just got back from hunting for 10 days in Live Oak County...George West. I saw NO rutting activity. Sunday evening there were 3 does at my feeder, they scattered and here comes an 8 point, 10 point and a spike running together. They SHOULD be rutting about right now....usually the 15th of December is big time down there. The last three years we have killed every big buck on Dec. 14th-16th. The bucks had no interest in the does at all. Saw very little action. We came home yesterday when the temp got up to 85 degrees...hard to get in the hunting mood with temps like that.

The deer's are just finishing up the first rut where Im at.

We've seen it in the past seasons where the rut kicked in almost as if someone flipped a switch!

There has been whacky weather days here in south Texas when the weather was cold, and then the next day it was shirt sleeve weather.

It doesn't alway's make too much difference as long as the nights stay pretty cool, with warm days, but the nights have also been pretty warm.

Late season is always good for the late rut in the brush country!

Thanks for all the info. I guess i am going to have to miss all the fun of shopping in the crowded stores and go hunting insted.Does anyone know if the 2nd rut has started in the Brekingridge, Woodson area? What is the best way to get them bucks to come in?

I have seen no sign of the second rut yet on my place outside of Breckenridge, I'm hoping it will be on this weekend. Last two times I've been up there in the last week I've seen several bucks come to the feeders together but nothing chasing doe's.

I left work early yesterday to hunt in east Texas and watched a little 6 point chase 3 doe around for an hour. One of them was with out a doubt in heat.

My dad shot a nice 8 point last night and said he ran 2 does off from the feeder. Said he was FULL of acorns.

Caldwell is right on.

Live Oak County, just north of George West

Just got back from hunting in Woodson, north of Brekingridg. The wind were stong all weekend and 20 to 16 degrees morning and night. Did not see any thing,not even a hog.Could it be because of the heavy winds or the full moon?