Has the Rut Started?

[LTC24]

This morning about 6:20, 37 degrees, I had a decent sized 4pt in the field behind my place following two does and two fawns.  He was acting all kind of excited.  Kept tryig to get close to the girls who would have nothing to do with him and pushing one of the yearlings around - probably a button buck.

Anyone else seen signs of the rut starting up yet?

[Geno C]

that cold weather gets em going. he was prob just scent checking them. seems kind of early but i have seen behavioral patterns like that when the colder weather comes through... pretty neat thing to see in spet. ive seen it early Oct before. i wouldnt call it a rut, but maybe a warm up of to some pre rut status of the sort.

[Buckstopshere]

Typical for young bucks to "feel their oats" at this time of year, especially about two weeks before the first of the three annual major rut peaks. Usually what happens in my experience is the activity diminishes during the Full Moon, like now, and then about 10 days later, around early October, rutting activity goes through its first real spike (no pun intended.)  ;D

[nyslowhand]

Beginning to see a few more, light rubs every week.

Like the "Moon-man" mentioned, annually in early October the number and intensity of rubs will greatly increase.

Think right now the bucks are looking for areas with does to set-up camp for the rut.

[bubba]

it is the pre pre rut.  It is like seeing turkeys in the end of march, early april strutting, or like young guys on a friday afternoon waiting to go out and attempt the mating rituals.  Bucks have nothing to do with the rut, it is the does that control it.  Kind of like the friday night thing lol.  The bucks are just excited and getting ready for the whole encounter.  I hope it 5 days they are that way when archery starts here in the north.