Why I bow hunt. This afternoon was a chilly 47 degrees with a NnE wind and a light steady rain. I sat in a treestand and for three hours I watched a mother and three fawns frolicking in and around the oak grove I was in, munching on acorns and an occasional apple. Then running back across the grove

I have apple trail cam set up in the area with 2400 pictures in 2 weeks. Many of those photos are of this little group

Momma is an old mature doe...she may get killed later, but today she anpplennd her fawns were good company

Saturday evening found me on a long hardwood ridge in the national forest. It was heavy cloudy, about 50* with a little mist in the air and a strong 15+ mph northern wind. I was about 3/4 mile from the truck. After watching squirrels all evening I finally had a big headed old doe and a yearling walk right directly to my tree. They stood directly under me for a bit then fed on acorns until dark. I finally had to spook them in order to jack knife the climber down the tree. I hated to ruin it but the minutes having them within a few feet of my tree and directly underneath me was cool. It was a nice brisk hike out by the beam of my headlamp. Good times...

Yep, I spent time watching a three pack of wood ducks horsing around on the little pond in that oak grove and squirrels chasing each other, couldn't think of a better way to pass time. For around few hours, all was right in the world

When I no longer get that feeling, it's time to quit hunting

I didn't see nuffin...but it was still good. I spent most of my time putting my daughter and her fiancé in stands and entertaining. 50* here too!

Early sat. Was a steady down oour, as much as I hated missing opening day, just for the fact that it was opening day, I wasn't thrilled about sitting in about treestand in Ina downoour, we have a local fall festival called the apple and cheese festival. Lots of small craft vendors, local cheese makers, vineyards...that sort of thing. I took the fiancé there and we walked apple round that for an hour or so

We won't see any rutting activity for a couple of weeks. I try not to get too anxious early in the season. It's a good time to make sure everything is in order and get back in the grind though...find all my stuff, make sure stands are safe and do things like ride 9 miles on an utv before daylight to realize I forgot my quiver and arrows.

Yea our rut won't start until late oct, but. I've seen some big bucks early, that's why I hunt waterhole early...and I have no qualms about killing does early

We will very rarely see a deer during the daytime until they enter fall mode.

It was pouring down rain here for 5 days and just couldn't bring myself to get out there and bare the elements. I went out last week for the first time and didn't see much. It's a little hard because of the leaves. So this weekend I was going to get out there, but too much rain, plus I had to work Saturday morning. We've got a long season, so no sense in rushing it this early.

Bucks are running, grunting, rubbing and acting stupid here already and its about a week before normal for us....

Generally won't see any of that until the 15th of October.

Might be a hint there.

Here, on the coastal prairie, the rut peaked almost a month ago. 50 miles north, where I hunt, that won't happen until mid November. Weird how that works. Here are the results of a lengthy TP&W study of when does conceive in Texas. Your observations are right on time.

https://tpwd.texas.gov/huntwild/hunt/planning/rut_whitetailed_deer/table/#coast

I watched the ball games Sat the first day because rain was coming down in buckets. I will hunt this afternoon. The field 20 yards from the kitchen window at my Virginia home had 5 bucks and 5 doe's feeding in it from 3.30 until dark yesterday. Weather is clearing up today. Will get in stand sometime this afternoon.

I was surprised to see a half dozen scrapes along the ridge I hunted Saturday. We got some cold rain and dropping temps for about four days and I guess it got this buck feeling sporty. He hit some 5" cedar trees and scratched them up pretty good so it looks like a good 'un is running around there. It's early for that activity in my neck of the Ozarks.

Spent a couple hours in a new stand tonight, 9 doe and two small bucks, watched those two numbs lulls for 20 minutes, "nuzzling" each other

I shot a nice lone doe that came in this evening, used the Excailber Xbow with the slick trick Xbow heads, took the top of the heart off! a very heavy blood trail. got in with her before dark! feels good to have one hanging!

Congrats on the backstraps!!! I'll shoot a big old doe also given a good opportunity.

Congrats, one of the doe I saw tonight was an Old girl, but she had a spotted little one with her, that puts her off limits for now

Thanks Iv pasted up a couple of does that had fawns this season, all ready. no sign of the rut here yet! not seen a buck in the woods yet. but have a long season.

The two young bucks I saw last night, we're literally nuzzling each others necks

I saw a post last night on a Missouri specific hunting site with a picture of two locked horn bucks, one dead and one nearly dead. The bucks were found exhausted over the weekend by a landowner. Something is definitely going on here - and early.