Secondary rut for Piedmont?

Sigequinox220

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Evening all,

First generation hunter here who sees more tail running away from him than a fat kid in high school...Primary rut was a BUST. Been hunting Jordan Lake. Doing all the theoreticals correctly, save for maybe taking a spot despite less desirable wind patterns here and there--but I balance that against the mine field of crunchy leaves at some other spots I found with potential.

Hoping to have move luck during secondary rut, or even some good public land tips for the area during the between rut period.

I spent the first 3 weeks so far off the beaten path, yet I seen multiple people killing deer in the same SPOT 100 ft off a parking lot for the entirety of that period. I keep telling myself, those deer will get pushed this way...day after day. nada. are the deer here suicidal?

Saw no more than 1 buck and maybe 4 does the entire time. the does running away from me while heading to 'less accessible places' and the buck never stopped for me to get a shot. errrr.
 
I think you have your answer. Sounds like you are pushing them on the way to the "good spots". Might try letting them come to you.

As to second rut, it all depends on whether does were bred or not. The second rut is when unbred does from the first rut come back in. Which means it's very sporadic and dependent on the does.

But the deer still have to eat and still have to move. I went down and hunted off of Stagecoach one year. Left my gear in the truck since I really didn't know where I was going. Walked in in the dark and leaned up on a tree about 100 yards in. Right at daylight a doe walked by about 20 yards away coming from the direction of the road.
 
With fawns being born in September around here, it is my current belief that the so-called rut doesn't end until after the season ends on January 1st.

The dynamic.may change and food sources become more important in December but the rut drive is still there for bucks.
 
So many people refuse to shoot does and the buck to doe ratio is way out of whack because of it. Many does don't get bred until they've come in estrous several times...... a local biologist told me several years ago that many parts of eastern NC have 12-14 does per buck.
 
So many people refuse to shoot does and the buck to doe ratio is way out of whack because of it. Many does don't get bred until they've come in estrous several times...... a local biologist told me several years ago that many parts of eastern NC have 12-14 does per buck.

Phone brainfarted.

If you look at the counties with the highest harvest, their buck to doe harvested ratio is very close. Anson, Halifax, Northhampton, Warren, Bertie...some of the best hunting in the state and this is what they have in common despite different habitats and food sources.
 
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