“Rut Report 2025: What the Deer Are Doing and How My Season Is Going So Far”
This time of year is starting to become my favorite season. Not because one day it’ll be 80 degrees and the next day we’re sitting in the high 40s. And definitely not because of the grande pumpkin spice latte.
Coffee… yuck. Give me a Grape Phrom Energy drink.
It is 100% purely because deer season is officially here. Those 4 a.m. alarms are nothing to wake up to. Honestly, who even needs an alarm during hunting season? The excitement alone will have you awake before your phone even thinks about buzzing. There’s something about climbing 20 feet in the air, in the cold, in the dark, that just makes life feel right.
And let’s be real — as Southerners, we love our camo. Any excuse to wear it, we’re taking it. Grocery store? Camo. Church? Camo. Date night? Camo with the nice boots. It’s a lifestyle at this point.
What the Rut Looks Like Right Now
So here’s the rundown, the rut is heating up, and the woods are starting to feel different. You know that moment when you’re walking in before daylight and everything just feels alive? That’s where we’re at right now.
Scrapes are popping up everywhere. Fresh ones. The kind you walk up on and immediately think, Yep, he’s close. I’ve been seeing more daylight movement than usual, which is always the first sign the bucks are starting to lose their minds. Mature bucks that normally stay hidden until midnight are dipping out earlier, checking does, cruising trails, and showing up on camera like they forgot how to act.
Here is a video just the other morning of a buck chasing a doe before pulling into the property…
And speaking of does — they’re edgy. You know it’s rut time when you see a doe staring into the woods like she just heard a twig snap from a buck she does not want attention from. The chase phase is right on the doorstep.
My Season So Far
Now, I won’t lie, this season has been interesting. I’ve had more close calls than clean shots. I’ve sat in the stand watching young bucks walk around like they own the place, while the big boys play hide-and-seek. The classic early-rut mind games.
One morning I had a nice 8-point slip in completely silent about 100 yards out. No crunch, no snap, no warning. He ghosted in like he paid rent in that tree line. By the time I could put my scope on him, he was already deep into the woods like, “Yeah… not today.” And just like that, he disappeared.
But that’s the rut. You’re either in the right tree, or you’re five minutes late. And the deer love reminding you which one you are that day.
Our Moultrie EDGE 2 Cellular Trail Camera from Bass Pro Shops have been a blessing and a curse. The big ones always seem to show up the second I’m not there. I swear they have my schedule saved in their phone.
What’s Coming Next
In the next week, everything is going to break loose. Bucks will be chasing hard. Does will be running circles. And hunters, well, we’ll be sitting there gripping the bow or rifle like we’re waiting for a starting pistol to go off.
This is the window we look forward to all year. A few cold snaps, a little wind, and a whole lot of adrenaline. It’s about to get good.
Final Thoughts
If your season has been slow so far, don’t sweat it. The switch always flips, and when it does, it’s fast. Stay in the woods, trust your gut, and be where the sign tells you to be. The rut is only getting stronger from here.
And who knows — maybe the next time my alarm doesn’t go off, it’s because I’m already tagging out.
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