Timing the rut (Virginia area)

DuckHunt · Post by **DuckHunt** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 7:01 pm

Mmmm. These steaks from last Columbus Day are going down well.

I'm sure many people have posed this question before and I'm aware there is no exact answer.

When is the start and peak of the rut in your area? I'm on the very Eastern Panhandle of WV and hunt in Northern VA as well. I plan to be in the woods at least as much this season as last. I'm planning on taking at least a week off just to deer hunt some time before Thanksgiving. Typically I take off the week of Thanksgiving as that is when gun season starts in WV. I'm considering taking off a week sometime prior to then but I'm torn as to how early.

Typically I think the peak of the rut in this area is around the second week of November. Last year I did see bucks obviously courting does before the third week of October. That leaves a lot of room for discussion.

What have you guys seen?

vapredhunter · Post by **vapredhunter** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 8:14 pm

I kill my best bucks on the second week of muzzleloader season every year call it coincidents but these are bucks I only see once or twice during bow season if at all.

Rich · Post by **Rich** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 8:24 pm

Last year I seen the most buck activity the last week of October, then it was very sporadic after that. I am taking leave the 3rd week in October and the entire 2 weeks of muzzleloader. I read the predictions for this years rut and they said be ready at Halloween this year.

Rich

hatchet jack · Post by **hatchet jack** » Thu Sep 06, 2007 9:06 am

here in north east hansas, we generally have our first frost about the 2nd or 3rd week of october, that is about the time the rut starts here.

h.j.

LV2HNT · Post by **LV2HNT** » Thu Sep 06, 2007 12:32 pm

Last year it seemed like the rut hit the week before thanksgiving which would be the third week of Nov. I would guess that the second or third week of the month would be best. Good luck.

Wow bstout thats one heck of a vacation. I am jealous.

crazyfarmer · Post by **crazyfarmer** » Sat Sep 08, 2007 9:51 am

Rich wrote:Last year I seen the most buck activity the last week of October, then it was very sporadic after that. I am taking leave the 3rd week in October and the entire 2 weeks of muzzleloader. I read the predictions for this years rut and they said be ready at Halloween this year.

Rich

Same here.. I saw most buck movement the last week in Oct last year since Bucks were moving looking for doe, but not actaully chasing them hard. I usually kill my biggest deer from Nov 6th-21st though.

The rut depends on the weather.. if its cool early, then bucks will move and start chasing sooner. If its hot, then look for the rut to begin in mid Nov at the latest

No matter what, I try to hunt hard from Oct 24th-Nov 15th