A good idea from a member, how about a NJ rut report? Date and zone and what kin...

[UBNJ]

A good idea from a member, how about a NJ rut report? Date and zone and what kind of activity you are seeing, thanks!

 

 

 

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[Nomad]

Zone 5, bucks hitting mock scrapes, rubbing,  no seeking observed yet.  Had does bedded all around me today, with nothing bothering them.

[TroutandBucks]

any zone 6 reports

[NJBowman]

Walked around my property in 51 today. No rubs scrapes or anything. Very strange.

[BowhunterNJ]

Watched a nice buck rub a tree and spar with a smaller buck in 18.

 

 

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[Matty]

any zone 6 reports

 

From the house (which is in zone 6), I have seen a doe being bred and another buck on lockdown with a different doe all day and night.

 

The one being bred was early October, the lockdown was maybe 5 days ago. Never watched him breed her, but he probably did that night or after they left.

 

You have to remember, breeding would best be represented by a bell curve. You'll have some (very few) does being bred very early. From there breeding will eventually peak when the most does come into estrous around a certain date. That date is almost always the same every year. I generally see the most activity between the 5th and 11th of November give or take a few days, narrowed down to the 7-8 if I had to...(usually a little earlier if not then). The next peak usually falls around December 6th-10th or so. From there it will taper back off. This is pretty consistent year to year for a large number of years now.

 

I know that can be hotly contested and someone else may have different observations, but these are my observations from the woods, spotlighting and the yard. What I noticed can change drastically is how much activity we see based on weather. Not to say they aren't breeding, they are, but movement is cut down by heat and I think hunting observations are cut down by high wind or heavy rain (because we aren't out there). So what we see may not tell the whole story.

 

If you don't want to miss "the rut"...I'd say put in as much time as possible from just before Halloween to the end of November. You have to catch some "rutting" activity at some point in there. If you don't you're doing something wrong.

[BowhunterNJ]

Checked cams today...2 new bucks moved in at my spot in 18, and nothing new, dead zone in my spot in 16. Weird on the latter, I expected more activity for sure.

[PV216]

I sat four times last week in zones 16 and 50. Saw barely any rutting activity. Only a couple rubs and one scrape. Had four does one day. Decent 8 point came out and he payed no attention to the does. Pretty unusual for my spots but I think it will pick up from here.

[Bucksnbows]

In zone 8, I've watched lockdown for the past 4 days including this morning.  Multiple bucks following a single hot doe while the other does and BBs move around the woodlot in what appears to be annoyance at all the buck activity.  I watched a decent 8 rub a small sapling yesterday while a larger 8 was locked down nearby on what appeared to be a young doe.  Saw the same two 8s cruising the woodlot this morning.     

[BowhunterNJ]

Had a small buck (1.5 yr old) nudging does around the yard last night. Lots of does in the yard and no bucks really checking them out. Either those bucks are pre-occupied with other does somewhere else, or just aren't ready yet.

[BowhunterNJ]

Been watching does all night at the house, nothing checking em out that I've seen.

 

 

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[BHC]

Zone 4 chasing this morning

[BowhunterNJ]

Very little activity in the yard this evening. Couple does but nothing checked them out again. Bucks maybe tied up with other does?

 

 

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[Bucksnbows]

Yesterday was very quiet for the first time in 4 or 5 days here in zone 8.  This morning I watched a nice, old 6 point (never going to be a bigger rack) eating, and he is a new buck in the woodlot.  Lots of does this morning on their feet here as well, but I'm not seeing the bucks on lockdown or even following a hot doe.  Just cruising the woodlot. 

[Hetley75]

Zone 48 I'm not seeing anything. Few new scrapes but bucks disappeared. Still seeing does with there young ones. Haven't seen any chasing or bucks on move. I either missed it or it's yet to come.