Is the rut over? Do any of you continue rattling through December? What about scents? Are they still affective.

I'm not far from you, in San Saba County. Yes, the rut is over in that part of the country. In the past few years we've had some second-rut activity in a few weeks, but it's pretty spotty. We've had some success in rattling during the second rut but it's hit-and-miss and definitely not as good as during peak rut (around Thanksgiving for us).

I didn't see any rut yet. I was down for 6 days during thanksgiving and seen very little activty. Been super slow during rifle season.

Its been really wierd for us this yr. Strange we havent seen it like this on this pl ever. Some rut activitiy second week of gun and since then its over. 15 miles so of mason. Always been good chasing thanksgivin week. Not this yr.

Depends on what you mean by is the rut over!

The main rut where you may see several bucks that are just going crazy, and you see a lot of young bucks chasing or looking, but the rut will continue as long as there are does coming into estrus, and the bucks still have their antlers.

This is the time where you will see that lone buck just suddently appear, and unexpected as he may walk in to your feeder looking for a doe, and may even eat a little corn.

This is the time it may seem dead, and then they'll start moving again for a day or two, and the moon and weather will have something to do with it.

The hill country never has a rut like south Texas. They start rutting usually in Oct. then it is on and off again through Dec. Seems like the does come in heat at different times. And I guess they do because you see fawns born at different times during the early summer.

Rattling is good now. Especially if you have a good doe/buck ratio.

I hunt around blanket and we only had one buck with a doe so far. This past weekend saw 4 buck that have just gone into rut. I don't know what worng with them but they a running a little late I think. We rattled up 4 bucks this weekend

This is the first weekend I haven't seen bucks chasing does since the gun opener in Lampasas Co. One of the guys even had 6 bucks come into his feeder at once Saturday!

When the rut is over you still can rattle bucks in. Deer are very curious creatures and will want to check the activity from you rattling. In the post rut I have found the doe bleet to work extremely well.

Thanks for all the input guys. I hunt in Brown county for those of you who are close by. I was getting 300 pics every 2-3 days up to the second weekend of gun season. Now it is like they have vanished. I saw a very nice buck..(looked to be 140-150class) came out with another buck behind a doe for 2 seconds, picked up my gun and he was gone. The doe nor the bucks stepped out the other side of the tree. I went this afternoon and saw a 8-9 inch spike and had the spike, a 4 pt and fox on cam. Its been like that all year. Ive tried everything this year. Never had a year like this one. I only hunt 11 acres but in the last 5 years theres not a day gone by that I didnt see at least a doe. Did hear a pack of coyotes tonight before I left the stand. Might have something to do with it. Who knows.

In lampasas area this weekend, no signs of rutting activity, had several bucks running together and not really paying attention to any does....

BORN2HUNT: Usually hearing a pack of coyotes means someone either shot a deer and couldn't find it, or more than likely left a gut pile.

I know this from hearing my neighbor shoot, and knowing he connected, and then later that evening, or early the next morning, I hear that pack of coyotes.