Weird season

[dougedwards]

In Virginia the rut has always been somewhat predictable. Sightings of a few scrapes in Mid October. Herds of doe begin to separate near the end of October. Some sightings of bucks following doe in early November and the hot and heavy between Nov 15-25. Then it's over. The main rut that is.

This year there were many sightings of bucks chasing doe in early September when it is still very hot and humid. Early scrapes were seen in late September then it all cooled off for a while. I can't tell you when the peak of the rut occurred because I am not sure there was a peak.

In talking to many other hunters I am convinced that this was a very strange year. In the dark I would get settled in my tree stand one hour before legal shooting time and would hear and see deer walking under me and around me only to discover no deer movement at all commencing 30-40 minutes before daylight. No more grazing back to their bedding areas at all. Just squirrels and birds after the sun came up and I hunted as hard as I ever have.

I am just wondering about the conditions in other areas of the country. Did this seem to be a very weird hunting season or not? Did nature seem to be disrupted at all in your area? Just wondering because I have talked with many hunters in my area and they repeatedly use the same word to describe this past hunting season.......Weird!

Doug

[Dave W]

Was not a typical season for us either. Pre-rut usually kicks in the last 10 days in Oct., leading up to the peak, around the 8th of Nov.

Never saw one chase this year and only a couple bucks traveling with does. Cruising by the bucks was almost non existent, very hit or miss. One day I would see a couple that looked to be on the prowl for a hot doe and got my hopes up, the next day, no buck movement at all.

Worst bow season we have had in a while and the guys on the next farm experienced the same from what I gather from their blog posts.

[153]

Doug I also hunt in Va., central Va. right on the NC line. I have farms in both states I hunt that are less than 10 miles from the line. I had good movement last week of Oct and first week of Nov then almost nothing during shooting light. Biggest kill all year including bow, gun and ML was a 110" the first week of Nov. Saw and passed over 50 small bucks and about 80 does, with 90% of these in the two weeks above. I had pictures of a 130, 140 and about a 155 in the season with all but one being at night. At least I will have something to hunt for next year.