January/February Rut in the South

[Cedarsavage]

I been considering hunting the South a bit to hit a "second rut". I've never hunted deer in Jan, Feb.
If you're in an area where peak rut falls in this time is it like November elsewhere?
Also if you're hunting a piece of property that doesn't allow dogs in an area that does are the deer still pretty spooky?

 

[Scottyboy]

I can only speak from a small sample size, but the south (Alabama) in Jan/Feb is like November in the north…but better. I’m heading south again in 1.5 weeks for what turned out to be a yearly thing for me

 

[Meathead]

I can only speak for the very most northeast county in AL(Jackson). January has always been a great time to see bucks moving. I took a 6 pt yesterday that was following a doe and earlier that morning saw another even bigger buck tailing a doe, he was just too far away.

 

[dr.mooseknuckles]

East central Alabama this past Thursday. No mature bucks on our cameras. This guy showed up at daylight. Dressed at 146, estimated live weight to be 187-202 by my calculations. Unfortunately, I think he may have only been a 3.5 yr old. Too bad I didn’t have much time to check him out. 17” inside spread

Solid for our area but much bigger can be found on good years. Not too many folks seeing big deer in Russell County so I’ve been told.

Started turning on in the last week. Saw some smaller bucks chasing on Friday.


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[Ferrulewax]

I can only speak from a small sample size, but the south (Alabama) in Jan/Feb is like November in the north…but better. I’m heading south again in 1.5 weeks for what turned out to be a yearly thing for me

You should be about right. I’m thinking this upcoming weekend should be very good. We’ve been in South Alabama a week and are heading home tomorrow- the action seems to be picking up. Had one field with one scrape in it, came back the next morning and it had 5. Definitely seems prerut/early rut to me but I’m not a great whitetail (or anything) hunter

 

[Cedarsavage]

You should be about right. I’m thinking this upcoming weekend should be very good. We’ve been in South Alabama a week and are heading home tomorrow- the action seems to be picking up. Had one field with one scrape in it, came back the next morning and it had 5. Definitely seems prerut/early rut to me but I’m not a great whitetail (or anything) hunter

Do you think this past week would be better for scrapes and next week would be better for cruising/Chasing?

 

[Mike Islander]

Ah, you mean deep, deep, Gulf-Coast Deep South.

Peak rut in South Carolina is mid-October to mid-November. Around Charleston, we're way past the main rut and bucks are shy, as are most deer. At least this is what we see near Edisto.

 

[Ferrulewax]

Do you think this past week would be better for scrapes and next week would be better for cruising/Chasing?

That’s likely the case. We mostly hunt food plots as the wooded areas we have are impossibly thick to hunt. I’m definitely seeing scraping (had a big 6 working scrapes and wiping his scent on trees last night), and my Dad killed a big 6 that was just passing through an opening rather quickly- not looking to eat. but I personally haven’t seen any active chasing. I’ve been told by others they’ve seen smaller bucks chasing does- but all the small bucks I’ve seen have just been interested in eating.

 

[FLATHEAD]

Coming back from eating out with my wife a few minutes ago.
Pulling in to the neighborhood, a doe and 2 fawns walking across
the road just next to the house. The fawns look to have just lost
their spots, 3-4mos. old?
WEIRD.
This is on the Gulf Coast BTW. (Baldwin Co.)

 

[bojangles808]

i was in bullock county AL the weekend of the 14th and with a front with lows in the 30s/20s I was hoping it would get bucks and more deer moving but I think i was still too early. only saw one small buck and he was feeding the couple days we were there. friend saw a couple more but there wasn't any rut movement from what we saw.

 

[FLATHEAD]

I made 3-4 trips up to the Talladega Nat. forest this year.
I tried to time it around the rut, but I saw the least amount
of rut sign/activity this year than I ever have.

 

[ChrisAU]

I live in the SE corner of Alabama. I have access to a nice property 25 minutes east of me in GA where the rut is in mid to late November. The eastern half of my county in AL peak rut is mid to late Dec, have a place I can hunt 20 minutes south of me for that. The main place I hunt is 15 minutes west of me and peak rut is late Jan. Killed a 9 pt chasing does Friday morning and then this guy this morning cruising at 10 AM. It’s a great place to live as a whitetail hunter. I can hunt rut/post rut from mid November through Feb 10.

 

[Macro]

Wow, all nice.

 

[N2TRKYS]

I live in the SE corner of Alabama. I have access to a nice property 25 minutes east of me in GA where the rut is in mid to late November. The eastern half of my county in AL peak rut is mid to late Dec, have a place I can hunt 20 minutes south of me for that. The main place I hunt is 15 minutes west of me and peak rut is late Jan. Killed a 9 pt chasing does Friday morning and then this guy this morning cruising at 10 AM. It’s a great place to live as a whitetail hunter. I can hunt rut/post rut from mid November through Feb 10.

View attachment 508688

Congrats! What bag is that?

 

[ChrisAU]

Congrats! What bag is that?

Kifaru Gnargali, I’m digging the simplicity of it. Added the Sherman and Claymore lid.

 

[Cedarsavage]

What are you hunting as far as food that late?
Are there still acorns and chestnuts?

 

[LostArra]

East central Alabama this past Thursday. No mature bucks on our cameras. This guy showed up at daylight. Dressed at 146, estimated live weight to be 187-202 by my calculations. Unfortunately, I think he may have only been a 3.5 yr old. Too bad I didn’t have much time to check him out. 17” inside spread

Solid for our area but much bigger can be found on good years. Not too many folks seeing big deer in Russell County so I’ve been told.

Started turning on in the last week. Saw some smaller bucks chasing on Friday.


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No regrets for that buck!
I almost always go with my initial gut reaction: shooter or non-shooter or "oh sh#* buck".
I seem to shoot better once that decision is out of the way rather than question myself as I'm drawing my bow. Indecision almost causes "buck fever" for me. Sure, I have some ground shrinkage issues occasionally but I get over it when grilling.

 

[ChrisAU]

What are you hunting as far as food that late?
Are there still acorns and chestnuts?

Still acorns around, still plenty of green browse everywhere. They don't have to move to find food.

 

[Cedarsavage]

Still acorns around, still plenty of green browse everywhere. They don't have to move to find food.

So there's enough food to keep them on public?

 

[ChrisAU]

So there's enough food to keep them on public?

Deer here won’t change home areas because of feed, no. But there is also pretty much no public land around here.