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WEEKLY RUT REPORT



by Larry Weishuhn, "Mr. Whitetail"

While most of the hunting seasons throughout much of North America have passed into the history books, there are a few states where there is still a chance to bag a whitetail. Thankfully the season continue at least for a few more days such as particularly in Texas (Managed Land Permit properties and late doe seasons) and Mexico (where some seasons last until February 4) and Alabama where seasons end the last day of January.

In southern Texas the area west of IH 37 and south of IH 10 some bucks are still chasing does, including some absolutely monstrous deer. I spent a little time the latter part of last week at the Los Cazadores Deer Contest in Pearsall, Texas and while there several bucks were brought in that scored above 160. The largest I saw brought in to the contest likely gross scored in the low 180s. The bucks brought in looked like they had been through a rough rutting season and were quite run down.
While at the Los Cazadores store I talked to several hunters who seemed to think the rut was really winding down, evidenced by seeing several mature bucks and young bucks feeding together without much aggression being shown to each other.
Late the evening of the 4th of January I had a call from Benito Juarez who spends a considerable time hunting in Mexico, particularly south of Amistad Reservoir, which is formed by the Rio Grande between Texas and Mexico. “Traditionally our bucks have been running like crazy the first and second week of January. Seems they started a bit earlier this year, which I think was caused primarily by the fact range conditions were really tough during the spring and early summer, resulting in a very low fawn survival rate. Then late summer we got a lot of rain and the does fattened up quickly and as a result came into estrus a bit earlier this year. And even though that seemed to be the case our bucks are still chasing, even if there are that many does left unbred. This morning I watched 8 bucks chasing the same doe. That also leads me to believe there are only a few does left that have not been bred. Then too, what few does fawns we had that survived this summer grew up quickly because of great late summer and early fall rains, and those are now starting to have their first estrus, which seems to be bringing some of the older bucks out of the brush."
Addressing Mexico, I spoke with Richard Petrini who I’ll be hunting Coues deer with the last of January, he said based on what he’s seeing in Sonora, the whitetail rut there will likely be in full swing starting about the 18th to 20th of January. I hope to find out for sure when I head that way. I’ll also be in Sonora then to hunt desert mule deer and am told by Richard and various wildlife biologists form Sonora that time period is also the best time to be in that part of Mexico for mule deer. Hopefully I’ll be able to confirm that.
Over in southern Alabama, known as the “Black Belt” things are starting to heat up regarding the rut. I spoke with Dennis Smith, a long time friend, and he told me he’s seeing more and more scrapes and these last few days has been able to rattle up some smaller bucks. I got the same report from Jim White, “Bucks are starting to move quite a bit. The peak of the rut in our area won’t likely happen until the last week of the month, but bucks are starting to move. Frankly, I prefer hunting the two weeks before the peak of the rut. That’s when I’ve had my best success on mature bucks, particularly those that I’ve been able to scout.”
For those of you who are no longer hunting. I would suggest this is a great time to start planning for your 2010 hunts, whether that includes scouting your home country, or looking for new country to pursue whitetails. If you’re looking at possibly going on a guided or outfitted hunt, be it for whitetails or other big game species let me suggest you take a look at www.outfittersrating.com regarding some of the best outfitters in the world.
As this is being written I’m headed to the Dallas Safari Club Convention, January 7 -10. In my opinion the Dallas Safari Club is one of the finest hunting/wildlife organizations in the world. They put their money where their mouth is, rather than paying a bunch of administrators. Another organization of which I am a great supporter of is the Houston Safari Club. HSC has their convention January 15 – 17. They too are one of the best hunting organizations in the world.   Speaking of organizations I also think it tremendously important that anyone who hunts, or loves our outdoor life to belong to the National Rifle Association
The whitetail seasons are winding down, much like the whitetail rut. But that doesn’t mean we should forget about whitetails and their needs and requirements. The most important time for whitetail bucks has approached or is approaching as they start to repair from the rigors of the rut…..


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Posted 1/31/2010 4:48:36 AM by TheGreatWhiteHunter

it's definitely over in Tallahassee, per the map. I was out during December for doe week and it was just starting to get really hot around the 24th then xmas got all in my way of killing. just got out again and it's done. no fresh scrapes, rubs are old. damn the man!

Posted 1/21/2010 10:06:20 PM by oscar p

I hunt in Madison county Alabama,(new Hope).I killed a 8 pt friday,he was running with a 6 pt and a 3 point. He showed no sign of being in rut.I've seen several does with small yearling does,it seems the rut comes later and later in the year.

Posted 1/10/2010 3:47:03 PM by CJ Bama

I grew up in South Alabama and have always loved hunting whitetails. To me it's all about the experience and the memories created during the hunt, oh yeah, and it tastes great too. My favorite time of year is the pre-rut and rut, which for us is mid to late January. Why is the rut in South Alabama so late compared to the rest of the country?

Posted 1/7/2010 2:47:53 PM by stewroc

Rabbitt and squirrell is the only hunting here in the northern panhandle of west virginia. It's in the high twenties here cold as hell. Haven't did much rabbitt hunting in my life, put it this way I've shot one rabbitt in my time with a shot gun and it was only because I ran upon it one day by this huge sycamore tree and a few days or so later my dad and i was doing a little hunting and seen nothing but i told him of this rabbitt I jumped up by this tree and we went to see and it was there in the same place by the sycamore tree, so I shot it and ate it and really don't care to much for it. Squirrells I will hunt the opening week then archery comes in the next so I don't shot them with a shotgun usually with my bow, I think I shot about 3 maybe 4 with my bow, missed alot at first but got it down. If you can shot a tree rat with your bow there should be no reason mhy you should miss any deer, at least I don't knock on wood.knock..knock. I'm bored can you tell? I need another hobby. I play a good bit of big game hunter on WII, it's pretty cool pretty easy not the real thing but get yourself the wii gun and it takes the edge off for awhile. Well thanks for listening I have to get my truck inspected at 4:00 so gonna go clean the snow off of it. If your hunting I hope you have good luck and are safe. I need a blogg or something. PEACE!!!!

Posted 1/5/2010 11:38:26 AM by B Ray

I hunt Southeast Ohio, while bow hunting the past few weeks, I have noticed the bucks are "buddied" up more than I have seen in the past. We saw a nice mature buck with a button running a field, then 3 more shooters together in a different field. Too bad they were on other property. Just this past Saturday (Jan. 2), we saw a real mature buck come out with (3) does following close behind. I am hoping that they are still acting like this over the weekend for Muzzleloader. Anyone else noticed this behavior? It just seems like they are running in larger groups than I have nomally witnessed.

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