Went last week to check feeders and saw many rubs and scrapes. I'm hoping they are just in pre rut.

I spend about half my time in Anderson County and half in Cherokee. I can confirm a lot of scrapes and am seeing bucks moving in the day time now. I've also seen a few more dead bucks by the road which is also an indicator.

You think they are close to rut or just starting pre rut?

I have hunted Anderson in the past and can say during my experience the peak rut was the last two weeks of October, give or take. I suspect with the full moon two weeks ago the rut is well under way.

My belief as well

I hunted Anderson all day Tuesday and didn't see one single deer. Disapointing trip but much better than a day at work.

I have been on stand all week. Monday I was late to the stand, and a doe was near my feeder. She spooked and by the time I got in the stand I saw a large buck and a smaller buck passing through the field where she went, unalarmed. Five minutes later I had 2 more bucks show up and started sparring in front of the stand. The smaller of the first two came back, and joined them. I got to watch the 3 of them fighting out in the field for about an hour, but the big buck never came back. Had bucks cruising this morning and yesterday morning, so they are moving in the daylight more.