I was reading that due to the Moon cycle, based on Data from past years, the Rut would be late, peaking about the third week of Nov. and not as intense as usual. Sounds like the guy might have it right.

Dont seem much is happening here in central NC have seen a couple small bucks following and grunting but nothing big.

I spent about 2 hours on the phone chatting with Roger Rothhaar today. To me, I don't believe that ANYONE on the planet has white-tail deer figured out any better than Roger does. I'm tellin' ya.......he has a "sixth sense" about "exactly" where he needs to be to be within range.

We chatted quite a bit about the deer, and their behavior this year. His opinion is that something is amiss.........not sure exactly what it is, perhaps just something running in a cycle. The only thing that he has killed this year is what he called a "cull buck" that he just wanted to get out of the herd. He also said that the past couple of years that they had killed about 150 does off his place. He said he had seen it before........and to give it another year or two and things will be even better than they were the past few years.

I love talking to the man........he has forgot more about whitetail deer than most people know. I usually call him at least a couple times a year and talk traditional bowhunting. A wealth of knowledge.......and knows how to perform when the shot comes.

One thing, at least here in southeast Ohio is that there is just so much mast that it will be real hard to pin down one buck when they can eat just about anywhere. The full-rut is bound to be close......my wife and I are gonna be out Thursday and Saturday from daylight till dark. Last week there just wasn't much buck sign, or sightings to make me believe that things are going full-bore. I'll report back on Sunday.

Winterhawk1960

things seem to be slightly late here, the pre rut just started this past weekend . . . normally its the weekend of Halloween in my area!

Whew,,,I thought it was me!

In the north east protion of Michigan`s lower penninsula, the rut is right on schedule.

I'm glad it's not just where I hunt! I've seen one mature buck chasing. That was two weeks ago. Since then there have been a few little bucks kind of dogging does, but not really hooked up. Many does still have fawns with them too. My cousin did take a nice buck on Halloween, and he had two does with him. I had seen him chasing earlier in the day, but had no shot. His rack wasn't huge, but he was.

I hope things kick in a bit. It can be hard to get them to stop, but at least they are on their feet more.

Same thing for me, small bucks following the does and the does are not interested.I watched 2 big deer, an 8 and a 10 pointer feeding together yesterday morning and they went into their bedding area together. It always seems to me the middle of the rut in this area is between the 15th and 20th of Nov. so it is still a little early yet.

It's been real slow for me. Seen two does the other day and not a buck in sight. My buddy said he witnessed a buck chasing a doe today. Its got to be close.

No rutting activity of any kind here, I'm off all this week and next I haven't seen a buck of any kind  in 8 days.

Same here in Missouri. I also have the impression that the rut is late, my hunting went to crap last weekend without a single buck sighting. Rubbing and scraping galore, but no buck movement and very little deer movement period.
The reason why I say the rut is late is because when we were packing up the RV and straightening up around camp to come home on Monday, my dad saw a big 10 and a 1.5 yr. old 8pt. crossing the gravel driveway of the RV park....and they were traveling together! That just seemed really odd to me that a big 10pt. would tolerate any other racked buck being in his immediate vicinity this time of year, but a late rut explains everything. They just aren't doin it yet......hopefully everything will change this coming weekend?
Man, I sure hope so!    

I'm so relieved that the rest of you are having the same dilemma and it's not just something wrong with my deer herd.....whew! That's a load off my mind!   :rolleyes:

Nice to see that we are not the only hunters confused.Scrapes are everywhere big rubs all through the woods lets all hope it cuts loose soon, gun season is coming soon and i hate it.And Rodger is one of my idols when i was younger i called him often he is a great man.Now lets start smacking some whoppers.Good hunting all  

Same up here. But any day now!  

I've seen a little chasing but things seem oddly dead hear this season.

When I was down in Noble county hunting, the bucks were moving and tending. I nearly hit a big guy with my truck out there and my wife had the same problem yeasterday up here. A big buck chased a doe across a busy road right in front of her in Mansfield. It may not be super heavy activity, but it is definitely good where I was hunting. Saw a 5 pointer chasing a doe last night as well up here.

Its heating up around here. Last night heard multiple bucks running/grunting through the woods. Had a little guy walk past with his nose to the ground. This morning on the way into work I saw a very big deer standing in the middle of an open field next to a major road watching 6 does up by the road fence. He had them herded up like a cutting horse.

Not much chasing around me either. Last night had the same 2 does, each with 2 fawns, pass through my plot on the way to the cut corn field a couple hundred yards away- no bucks seen in the last week.....
Trail cam over a hot scrape is just showing does...

If you go by the moon phase, be ready later this week and next. The whole full moon/new moon thing was earlier last year and occured later this year. I took vacation a week later this year just to test the moon phase theory.

Had a 125(which is huge for my area in NJ) cross the road in front of me on the way home from work in broad daylight,first big one I've seen. Tommorrow could be good.

you guys are SOOOO lucky you get to hunt the rut. Oh California...