I really did not think there was much of a first rut. I did not see but one dinker chasing a doe all season. Some say it was a trikle rut but i think it was more like a drip rut. LOL... Does anyone have a guess on when the 2nd rut will likely start?

If it is anywhere close to last year it should be around Dec. 14th-15th.

I believe the core of the rut was November 11th through the 18th.... Also from what I can tell deer are hitting scrapes and making new rubs again... Maybe the start of a second rut right now!

Scrapes that were dead three weeks ago, now have a lot of activity from all sizes of bucks. Cams are lighting up again. I might even have to hunt a time or two here soon.

+1

I too am seeing LOTS of hot scrapes out there while running traps, if I had a buck tag, I would be hunting hard NOW.

28 days after the first rut...down by me it was the first week of November. So around me it will be starting about now. Heading to the woods tonight to fill my doe tags.

Ive got a trail cam pick from last season of a buck breeding a Doe Dec. 25th...he had a merry Christmas

Saw a nice buck with a doe cornered in a cornfield this morning,came by two hours later and they were still there.

Lunar cycle or photoperiod... here's all the opinions and "data"...

2013: Late Rut?

In the area I hunt around Lafayette it seemed like the rut was on just prior to the big freeze up. I saw 20 different does over the last 4 days, not one buck any where. I am a strong believer in the the second rut and I think it will come in around December 15. Not to say there isn't a few does her and there that come early, late or in between. The research on conceptions times seems pretty consistent from year to year.

Time to fire this thread back up as I think second rut is here. I'm seeing a lot of deer and especially bucks showing up again right around dark. Killed my buck Sunday after snort wheezing him in and saw three more bucks, one in the field and two on road trip of 5 miles home. Saw more movement including a couple bucks, one bedded right by the road, last night. A buddy also saw two bucks crossing open fields this morning while driving. If you still hold a buck tag, get after it they are moving good in the cold and snow plus a lot easier to see. Does are grouped up and hitting corn fields or other food in my area the last hour of the day or so.

Not seeing much movement or numbers in Putnam and Greene Counties. Heading back out this weekend. Seems like the late evening is when most are seeing movement. Now for the question. What would you suggest for morning and mid day? Areas are small wood along fence lines and ravines between cut bean fields. during bow saw 25 deer. mix of does and about 6 bucks. last weekend of gun saw ZERO deer. not sure where they went at all. looking for others insight on how you would hunt area.

I'm usually a public land guy so I like big woods transition areas to cedar thickets and clear cuts that are growed over. Pinch points and funnels are the same wherever......fence rows into small wood lots. Farm fields picked or standing (preferably) would be my pick at this point. Morning I'd get in as undetectable as I could and hunt near bedding areas coming back from the food. Maybe trashy south facing slopes too for bedding and soaking up the sunshine. If the second rut pops and you get a buck on a hot doe she may run him by you.

evenings have been much more productive for us in the late season, not saying I would not hunt mornings though.

In the mornings, I would be in the thick stuff and bedding areas. Not on the field edges. They will be back in their beds right at or before sun rise if they have been pressured hard.

Also, look at spots you would not expect a deer to bed (or where nobody ever goes) and hunt these. They find these when the pressure gets turned on and will bed in them.

Small brushy spots Right in the middle of huge fields, right behind the farm...you get the idea.

Chevy is on it. We've been seeing them using a big crp field that has little food value but its waist to shoulder high and provides good cover. They go out in it and browse and bed down or just feel comfortable in it and not out in the open. You have to glass hard to find them moving sometimes. But they've been coming to food during the last hour or so since gun went out and its gotten cold.

Beach Grover - you may be way beyond this but google earth is one of my best scouting tricks. You'll be able to see how your hunting spot connects and is influenced by neighboring land. Deer follow geographic features and you can get a good overall view on google earth. Deer don't have be there very often, just gotta time it so your there when they are.