Anyone seeing any signs of rut in the Hill Country yet?

My dad has been hunting in the Junction area the past couple of weeks but isn't seeing much of anything coming to the feeders, and no signs of rut. He is getting maybe one deer showing up per hunt and nothing else, not even pigs.

We are going out this weekend and hoping the movement starts kicking up more.

Rut was beginning to pop in Brady, TX last week/weekend. Bucks were cruising most of the day, nose to the ground. Obvious which does were hot. Trail cam revealed after-hours booty call.

Similar story in Erath. A lot more action last weekend than that weekend before. I'm seeing bucks on camera late morning and mid afternoon this week.

Its starting here in Burnet County

yup. and of course i'm not there.

Have seen bucks chasing does is Gillespie county during the last cold front. Saw one chasing a doe hard near Ingram earlier the week. It's been very quiet in Bandera County. Not much activity at the feeders and no signs of rut yet.

TresPuertas said:

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yup. and of course i'm not there.

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text me the address and I will go check it out for you.

Started about a week ago in San Saba/Llano counties.

Hewey Calloway said:

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Have seen bucks chasing does is Gillespie county during the last cold front. Saw one chasing a doe hard near Ingram earlier the week. It's been very quiet in Bandera County. Not much activity at the feeders and no signs of rut yet.

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So what's weird is I don't think any does have been seen at the feeders. Just bucks and usually just 1 at a time.

I'm worried that the drought and extreme summer temps knocked out a bunch of the population. Then we've had almost 10 inches of rain in the last month or so. So now everything is wet and creeks are running, so what survived the summer doesn't need to come out for food/water.

Rut is on in Bandera county. They are pushing does all around our neighborhood. I would imagine same across the county

On at the Burnet / Blanco county line.

Driving to work on the north side of 2818 I nearly hit a doe being chased by 2 bucks. Glad I'll be in the stand in the morning.

You can tell by the amount of road kill it has started Llano/Burnet counties.

Rut is on in Mason as well

yeah I shot my buck chasing does last Wed afternoon in Hamilton county(not sure if that is Hill Country or not). There was lots of deer movement. Deer are actually coming back to feeders now and bucks are showing back up at normal times after being MIA for 2-3 weeks.

Bucks chasing pretty good in Comfort.

Horny bucks in Junction.

Started a week or ten days ago in central Gillespie County. Saw 3 bucks running hard after a skittish doe today, all had their tongues hanging out.

Was coming back from a job in Rosebud and saw a mature deer chasing. Looks like it prime time around here.

It's on in Coryell County!

Caught a buck mounting a doe that was bigger than him yesterday while walking the dog in Hays County.

This one has been back and forth the past two weeks in NB.

Kendall County - lots of rut activity now, but usually Thanksgiving and the week after is when it gets crazy.

Got a place between Eldorado and Menard, hoping to see some action this weekend after the game.

It's happening in Blanco county at my ranch and in my yard in Leander.

Hunting in central Texas this week. Sounds like I'll be seeing some activity

Out in west texas, Ozona, it seems to have kicked off in the past week when cooler temperatures and rain came through. Normally used to an after Thanksgiving rut. The young bucks are only mildly chasing but considering that I'm missing older deer at the feeders and have seen only one older buck come in, partnered with a doe, I'd say rut is on

I haven't seen unusual activity in Northeast Callahan county. Last year was right at thanksgiving and a week or so after.

It's on in N Uvalde County. Lots of pics of new bucks and chasing.

The rut is on in Erna, Kimble County….

The day length starts the rut within a few days each year. Fawn drop dates proves this over and over.
The warmer temps and dryer conditions have deer not moving during the day and probable scattered more as they look for food sources.
This cold front will get them moving more during the day light and so the "rut" will magically appear when the behavior has been going on we just haven't been seeing it as much.

Chasing and fighting in New Braunfels like crazy