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Post by wayvis on Sept 9, 2023 9:19:17 GMT -5
Just started seeing scrapes this past week here in Northeast Florida. Anybody else seeing scrapes in zone C. It seems up here the last few years the rut has started a few weeks earlier then it use too. Anybody else noticing the rut starting earlier?
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Post by 4ward on Sept 9, 2023 9:41:12 GMT -5
I have noticed it running longer for sure. More late season fawns on the ground this year than normal. Too many does in my opinion. We will be trying our best to work on that.
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Post by pinman on Sept 9, 2023 13:15:06 GMT -5
Just started seeing scrapes this past week here in Northeast Florida. Anybody else seeing scrapes in zone C. It seems up here the last few years the rut has started a few weeks earlier then it use too. Anybody else noticing the rut starting earlier? In what county if you dont mind telling?
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Post by wayvis on Sept 10, 2023 7:50:27 GMT -5
Just started seeing scrapes this past week here in Northeast Florida. Anybody else seeing scrapes in zone C. It seems up here the last few years the rut has started a few weeks earlier then it use too. Anybody else noticing the rut starting earlier? In what county if you dont mind telling? Nassau county close to the Georgia line.
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Post by altuck on Sept 10, 2023 12:36:15 GMT -5
Have not seen any scrapes yet at my camp in C5 Jefferson County. Usually, mid-November. Don't expect any at my other camp in ANF until mid-December. I agree. it seems like dates are creeping earlier.
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Post by pinman on Sept 10, 2023 14:56:23 GMT -5
Have not seen any scrapes yet at my camp in C5 Jefferson County. Usually, mid-November. Don't expect any at my other camp in ANF until mid-December. I agree. it seems like dates are creeping earlier. Turkeys are firing up earlier too....
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Post by TRTerror on Sept 10, 2023 18:33:21 GMT -5
Taylor County.. Rut is gonna be hot in about a week. It lasts till about Nov. 15th. Lull in black powder but running hard again about Nov 1st.
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6thgen
Junior Member
Posts: 86
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Post by 6thgen on Sept 12, 2023 8:57:42 GMT -5
I have seen 3 sets of fawns on my cameras this year. Currently the first are losing their spots. There are mid sized fawns and a few little bitty fawns. This is Columbia County and Alachua County. Our main rut has always been Halloween. Then around Thanksgiving. They must have had another around Christmas! Agree there are too many does.
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Post by cracker4112 on Sept 12, 2023 10:40:43 GMT -5
I saw a spotted fawn this weekend in Glades County. The rut where we are is usually sometime in August…
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Post by drgibby on Sept 19, 2023 6:21:48 GMT -5
Just started seeing scrapes this past week here in Northeast Florida. Anybody else seeing scrapes in zone C. It seems up here the last few years the rut has started a few weeks earlier then it use too. Anybody else noticing the rut starting earlier? I noticed scrapes before Labor Day this year. I am East of Hilliard on 108.
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Post by james14 on Sept 20, 2023 16:57:45 GMT -5
I've seen it earlier each year since APRs went into effect, which is to be expected. Breeding seems to be occurring at the same time, but buck activity has definitely been going earlier. It used to take until the 3rd weekend of bow before I saw any "rut" behavior. Now, I see them cruising before the season begins.
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Post by swampdog on Sept 20, 2023 20:23:14 GMT -5
The last couple of seasons I’ve noticed a longer rut duration. I believe the buck doe ratio is off with too many does resulting in does cycling back into estrus keeping bucks on the prowl. I need to check with our biologist on this speculation.
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Post by JS84 on Sept 21, 2023 15:13:49 GMT -5
There are certainly some "second ruts" in multiple counties. I'm not sure how wide spread nor the exact science behind it.
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Post by james14 on Oct 4, 2023 19:12:05 GMT -5
Having multiple rut phases is inescapable on public land because they'd either have to kill a pile of does or restrict buck harvest severely. In all reality, it's a problem in most of FL since the fawn recruitment rate is so low. An even buck to doe ratio would collapse our population.
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Post by cracker4112 on Oct 4, 2023 19:58:54 GMT -5
Both of the places I hunt on private land have multiple ruts, and there are lots of does. The first rut is always the most pronounced and then they will chase to a lesser degree 4-5 weeks later. I think it would take a lot of work to kill enough does to get the ratio 2/1 or so. One of the landowners has no desire to control the does, only to get age on the bucks. They like to be able to see deer any time they want, and mission accomplished.
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