After over thirty years of hunting it seems like the rut is occurring earlier and earlier. When I started hunting it generally started between the first and second week of Nov. now it seems to be starting the third and fourth week of October. What do you guys think? Am I the only one who thinks this? What might be the reason?

The does and bucks I saw last week were not close yet. I still saw several bachelor groups of bucks together. Once rut starts, these buck groups split up. I hunt between Graham and Breckenridge, near Hwy 67.

A friend from Medina Lake called this morning and said that 2 bucks were chasing a doe by him. I am starting to see scrapes and rubs.

Opening weekend I seen a small buck try to mount a doe, but she just kept running away

Have you hunted all 30 of the years in the same place?

The rut takes place over a long period of time if you look at the state as a whole. Some places the rut may begin in October. As of a week or two ago we still have deer in velvet and our rut typically begins in mid to late December with second runs coming in January and even February.

Mine is already getting started... will be in full swing next week

In the hill country just north of San Antonio I've seen bucks in full rut around the last week of October, and just 30 miles to the south it starts anywhere from Thanksgiving until the first week in December.
It can vary from year to year, region by region, but usually only by a couple of weeks.
I've hunted in DeWitt county which is east of S.A. and you can pretty well figure on the rut being in full swing on or around November 16th. South Texas usually around Christmas and into January, thus the late season.

If you are an oldtimer like me, you'll remember when the statewide season opener was always on November 16th. I think there was a reason for that, and that was the rut.

You see the pre-rut and younger bucks getting more rutty. With AR's and management there are far more younger bucks in some areas than there used to be. The rut is not much different today than it was 30 yrs ago in all areas.

depends on where you are - was on a ranch in Duval county and then moved to one in Maverick county and there is a difference in timing between peak of the rut in those two places - Duval seemed to peak around Dec. 17-25 while Maverick is usually later - Dec.25 -Jan 5th

Agree or disagree, this is from TPWD!http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/huntwild/hunt/planning/rut_whitetailed_deer/

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

There you go jimbo

It all depends on your latitude.

I've posted this same information before and it always starts an argument. I agree with you. I've hunted East Texas my whole life so I'm not speaking for other parts of the state. The rut seems to start earlier each year. If you are a rifle hunter that does not hunt mld land then you will miss the best part of the rut, the seeking phase and the first part of the chasing, which is the last two weeks of October. On one of my properties I am finding very active scrapes and have tc pics of a mature buck following a doe on 10/8. I think I will see chasing there by this weekend.

Better guess than most, Texas is so big the rut starts at different times across the state.

Seems to fluxuate a week or two every year. But I beleave the moon phase has a lot to do with doe meunstrual periods begin and a full moon this time of year seems to be key I've noticed last. Couple of seasons. There's a full moon this weekend. Il be ready to try to call a curios buck in.

Around my place in hopkins co. it starts the last weekend in oct. but have seen it start earlier.

With this cool weather blowing in. I wouldn't be a bit Surprised to see a little pre-rut action going on by the end of the week here in North Texas. Im seeing buck scrapes and bucks singling off on their own.

Been hunting our place in duval sinc 2008. Acording to when most fawns show up your a month early.

I hunt near San Angelo and last weekend all of the bucks were still grouped together. However it was miserably hot on the days I hunted. Now there is cooler weather moving in and I am interested to see what happens this weekend.

keep us posted

As with all things in nature, there are exceptions and outliers. There will always be a lead up to a peak, but if you happen to be on stand when a particular doe nearby is hot, you will swear the rut is in full swing (and for you, it is). This could certainly be what you have witnesed.

It really doesn't matter when the rut is peaking in your region. It really only matters when it's happening within a couple hundred yards of your stand/spot. That my friend isn't on any website or in any almanac.

*Drops mic, walks off stage right*