Hi all,

I've learned a lot when it comes to deer behavior during early season, pre-rut, and during the rut. I'm fairly ignorant when it comes to hunting into December and January. I have a rifle hunt coming up December 3-5 at Pat Mayse WMA. From what I've seen the past few weeks, the peak rut will be past.

In early December, I assume we'll still be seeing some rut behavior, but I'd love some tips for patterning post-rut bucks. Will the majority of bucks be spent by this time and resorting to their old ways? Would it be best to focus on food sources and travel corridors? Should I still be trying to get as close as possible to doe bedding areas?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

The first week of December has always been the slowest week for buck hunting here at my ranch. That's the week I do my Doe killing. Mid December when the second rut kicks in it starts getting better. This is observation of 24 years on my ranch. First rut is usually just about done Thanksgiving weekend here.

I would key in on key food sources and travel pinch points if it was my ranch. Rut will be over and the last week of November into the first week of December is when we see bucks hitting protein feeders hard before the secondary rut, if in shooting light we hunt the food source, if in dark, we hunt the travel pinch leading to it. I’m not familiar with that WMA or part of texas as a whole though to know what areas to key in on.

Good to know. I'm hoping since this is north and east of y'all, that maybe the second rut might be getting started.

Early December up here will have the late comers to the rut party and you’ll have a few still running doe’s, the best part about this time of the month is if you have a hot doe come through she will have several bucks right behind her. December 5th of last year we had a single doe carrying 9 bucks with her. It’s typically a slower part of the year but it brings out all the players for one last bang bang party.

Are you alone?

That's encouraging to hear! No sir, my brother drew with me and we will be camping out there. We will be hunting all day long for the three days of our hunt. This is most likely my best chance for getting a buck and filling the freezer, so I'm pulling out all stops.