When do you usually start seeing deer rutting? I have the chance to hunt in the Sam Houston NF area at a friend's place, and was wondering if anyone is seeing deer already moving into rutting patterns, vs consistently seeing them at feeders and such. Per what I've been told, the activity at the feeders has been slightly decreased.

I'd be happy to take a spike or big doe, but was also wondering if it may be advisable to do some stalking.
Any advice on that?

Thanks a lot

If you are looking for the rut in east Texas you have probably already missed it.

Huntsville area. Not sure how that qualifies as rut timing

Rut is always early at our ranch in Leon co bucks we’re pushing does pretty good youth wknd and the general opener last wknd we saw nothing but young bucks during the day but some good bucks on camera at night
It will be winding down soon

Parker county, the rut is pretty much peaking right now, at least this phase of the rut. Sunday evening had a serious buck fight in my front yard. Fairly good 8 and an old very wide 6 with 2 broken tines. The 8 kicked butt!

San Saba is already past

All I’m seeing right now is smaller bucks chasing. Hoping this weekend will be a little better. Also Parker County

I am in Deep East Texas, have hunted here for about 35 years. This year being about typical of past seasons.

Game cameras and my own spottings are of only smaller bucks still cruising around right now.

Seems our 'peak' was about opening weekend and into the next. Definitely much less activity now. I imagine SHNF would be the same.

But we usually see a second flurry the first week of December...though it doesn't last long. My attention from here out will be post rut (the closer to the end of the season the better). A lot of the hunting pressure will have subsided, bucks will be looking for food sources to gain back weight lost during the rut.

Muzzleloader season (an additional 2 weeks after the main season) has consistently shown me some of the best bucks I will see all year with the possible exception of late October (last week, pre-rut). If you've never considered that...it is a good time to hunt. Requires a small investment in equipment if you don't already have a ML.

During January it is common on my property to see bucks back in bachelor groups of 2-4 animals. And some of those 'survivors' are nice mature bucks that had been almost exclusively nocturnal just weeks before.