By Brandon Ray

Overall Activity Status: There is definitely an upswing in movement across the region. Despite warm weather--75 to 80 degrees or higher in many parts of Texas--hunters are still seeing good bucks despite summer weather. The first and last hour of the day are still prime time. November is “the” month in central and north Texas, while south Texas usually sees the best rut action in December.

Fighting: I have no new reports of actual fights witnessed, but multiple reports of bucks in central and north Texas responding to rattling, grunt calls and snort-wheeze calls. It's pre-rut and a good time to try calling. Expect responses to calling to only get better the closer we get to Thanksgiving. I passed a fine 140-class 10-point last Friday morning that had a broken brow tine. It's the second buck in that creek bottom I’ve seen missing a brow tine. Expect more broken tines as we progress through the rut.
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By Eric Bruce

Georgia, South Carolina, Arkansas, and parts of Louisiana are about to experience the most wonderful time of the year—for deer hunters. It’s very close to the rut, and reports are coming in of bucks chasing and following does in these states, suggesting that the pre-rut phase will soon ease into full rut.

The colder weather has been stimulating deer movement overall, too. Most buck sightings are young to middle-aged bucks after does. Older trophy bucks appear to be waiting for the main event, when the majority of does are in estrus and every buck in the woods is active.

South Carolina's Josh Brown has already taken a nice bow buck and is looking forward to some action this week. “There have been a couple guys hunting our lease this week and have seen a good amount of does and a few small bucks,” Josh reports. “They have seen good sign such as scrapes and rubs. But they have not seen a big guy all week."
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By Will Brantley

This morning was cold, in the low 30s with clear skies and a heavy frost, and I’d barely settled into my stand when I heard the sounds of deer crashing across a creek 300 yards the other side of a big green field. Two or three does with a gang of two or three (and possibly more) young bucks burst into sight across the field. The young bucks chased the does until they were sufficiently scattered, then stood around in the field long enough to catch their breath and move on. Later, a big 12-pointer crossed through the same area of the field, nose down. I wish I could’ve gotten a shot at him. 

It's clear that right now is the time to be in the woods. 
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By Will Brantley

Overall Activity Status: The Eastern United States has been a turbulent place, weather wise, during the past week. Hurricane Sandy obviously had impacts across the East Coast, but the inland regions have had their share of weather, too. Blizzards are predicted for West Virginia as I type this. The week has been cold but windy in Kentucky, and with a bright full moon. Winds are dying down a bit in the morning, and deer activity has been good up until around 10 a.m. After that, it’s been slow. Young bucks are definitely on the prowl.

Fighting: Fights are getting intense now. I made a hard rattling sequence the night before last and called up a buck of some sort. Unfortunately, rattling up a buck and killing it with a bow—while a fun way to hunt—is tough. Bucks attracted to rattling are on the lookout once they commit. This one never left the security of his thicket, and I never got a good look at him. Nonetheless, crashing antlers together will attract attention right now.

Rub making: Fresh rubs are everywhere throughout the region.

Scrape making: Scraping has really picked up.... [ Read Full Post ]

By Eric Bruce

Overall Activity Status: What hunters are seeing depends largely on where they are hunting--not only what state they’re in, but also the type of habitat they’re hunting. Last week a friend in Georgia saw 15 deer on a Saturday morning, but a few days ago saw nothing from a different stand. It' not clear how this week’s weather will affect movement. Cold temperatures typically stimulate deer activity, but it is also very windy and a full moon. Most pre-rut states (Georgia, South Carolina, Arkansas, and Louisiana) are seeing good movement as bucks are becoming more active. Numerous good bucks are being seen and taken by hunters.

But not all is peachy across the South. Shane Dempsey is not seeing much movement in Alabama. “Deer movement has still been relatively slow the last week in northeast Alabama. I've talked to several deer processors and they have all said business has been slow as well. By way of trail cameras, I am still seeing a lot of groups of young bucks in their bachelor groups, but I am also noticing some scrapes and have cameras setup to see what's making them.” 
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By Brandon Ray

I’m as ate-up with hunting big deer as any man I know. I think about it year-round, hunt every chance I get, and lose sleep over big racks. But in the midst of that obsession there has to be some balance. So, last week I took a break from my obsession to share what I love with Emma, my 5-year-old daughter.

Emma is a spitfire. She is curious about all things, but especially things outdoors. “Where do deer eat?” “Where do deer sleep?” “Where do deer poop?” “Why don’t does have antlers?” She often helps me put out corn and hay for the deer on the ranch, and rides in the truck with me on evening scouting trips. But she’s never really “gone hunting” with dad. So I told her when she turned five, she could.

My wife Amy packed a pink Little Kitty backpack with everything a girl would need: a coloring book, markers, an I-Pad, snacks, lemonade, tissues, paper towels, and of course B-B, the pink blankie she’s had since she was born. Wardrobe was important, too, including zebra-pattern pants and a leopard-print jacket? I packed her pink Fuse bow and two arrows. 
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