Ready for the Southern Rut

[TurkeyBowMaster]

Merry Christmas ebbody. My present to you is you get to follow along on one of the nations low odds hunt...bow(recurve) hunting whiteys in the deep south.

I had 2 close encounters last year during the rut and that was off the charts. It's fairly normal not to get one into bowrange down here. These are not your typical Midwest bucks and it is so thick around here you seldom see one so don't expect much.
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I am going into the rut better prepared than last year. Been working hours too long to hunt but short enough to get the needed practice. The downside which may not be a downside is we don't have any food plots planted so all my hunting will be in the woods. Most of it would have been anyhow.

Got until February 10 and can't promise I wan't shoot a doe or two, but mainly will be buck hunting. Got 3 tags for bucks.

Bow-Hoyt Buffalo riser w/ Savora limbs(63#)

Simmons Tigershark heads.

Shots will be kept under 25 yards.

All hunts will be from lock on stands, climbing with gafs.

 

[mtswampfox]

It always amazed me how we in ga have the rut mid to late nov. and y'all not till feb. good luck sounds like you will need it

 

[TurkeyBowMaster]

We have about 5 different rut times in Alabama alone. The latest one is in our area...comes in after 2 months of gun pressure and is very subdued. I saw more rut craziness in Ohio in 10 days than I've seen in 40 yeas in Alabama. Some years it's nothing...done all at nite.

 

[TurkeyBowMaster]

Bucks are beginning to walk up on their toes, stiff legged and flexing stuff... good for me and bad for them. I'm starting 8 hour shifts morrow after 13 weeks of 12. 6 weeks of pre, during, and post rut coming to a station near you. Close range recurve action.

 

[MTHunter20]

Good luck man. Bust a biggun. I've always thought it was weird how the rut is so late down there. I live near the TN-AL line and our rut's in late November. Had a buddy from Hattiesburg, MS that would tell me about going home for Christmas and the rut would just be getting goin.

 

[MAT]

I have an even lower odds hunt coming up with a recurve - Coues deer in AZ. They are in rut right now too.

 

[TurkeyBowMaster]

Actually I have been thinking seriously about doing just that...well almost. I sort of would rather hunt mule deer first. Don't have a clue about where to start. I also don't think my skill set would make it easy...I am more of a tree stand guy or run n call animals that come to calls...spot n stalk not so much.

 

[TurkeyBowMaster]

Everything rut related is going to be subdued by the unseasonable hot temps. Considering the southern rut is already subdued by northern rut standards basically means hunting a bunch of no see ums right now. Odds are much better in Arizona for coues or mule deer so I am considering starting a ritual of doing that trip and hunting here less.

Hopefully temps will drop and we and get that magic day or two when you might see a couple quality bucks.