I wonder what rutting behavior people are still seeing at the start of Thanksgiving weekend. I shot a spike buck a week ago that was chasing a doe. Today I took my over/under out for a little squirrel hunting, and walked up on what I can only describe as a roaring buck. It was a long noise like a bullfrog or a deep belch that lasted 4-5 seconds. I caught a glimpse of the buck that made the sound. He did it twice. I actually ran about 1/2 mile back to my truck to switch shotguns and returned with my slug gun. Heard the roar once more, but deeper in the woods. I saw a doe running in the general area where the sound came from. I take it from all this that rut is still in full swing in the Quantico area.

Ed

They were going nuts before and during this latest front.

I just notice they are starting to clean out old scrapes an seen a fresh rub yesterday, i'm guessing there still looking for what does haven't been bread yet. A guy killed a decent sized 9 pointer on the property that borders sum property i've been hunting his neck was still puffed up he only dressed at 135lbs all the rutting has weared them down. I'm going to start looking for them to be feeding soon on what ever they can find.

A lot of rut Activity in past week. My cousin killed two big bucks, one 9 pt 19" spread and a 10 pt 21" spread on Black Friday both chasing does 9 am and 2 pm. Had a huge buck chase a doe around him early that he could never get a shot at. He said it was at least 2ft spread and tall. I saw 4 bucks thanksgiving am chasing does and had a big buck chase a doe through my mother n laws yard in culpeper Thursday eve while I was frying a turkey!

On Saturday, had a buck roar encounter as he pushed a doe. On Thanksgiving morning, had spike push a doe under my stand. Doe was clearly in heat. I think the rut, at least in SW VA is still going strong.

When the dust settles, I would like to know what the consensus is on this years rut. Seems most observed a late rut. I saw some chasing the 2nd week of muzzleloader, but not much.

Was pulling out my sub-division the other morning around 5:30am an seen 2 decent sized bucks locked up in a fight. But there is no hunting pressure where i live so the bucks get big an have hardly any predators an lastnite got home a little late 8ish an seen a doe that had a big ten trailing her with a nice 6 point tagging along behind them, 2 streets over from where my house is. So here it seems like the rut is still going strong.

Seen a basket rack buck chasing today while hunting in bedford county. Im guessing bucks are checking does again. She had her mouth open and he was hot on her trail.