Heading South soon

N

NHSHOOTER

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Heading to So Carolina on Halloween night to hunt for the next week. What do you think the rut will be, any ideas? My friend that lives down there says the deer are moving well right now. Hope I am not too late, I have never hunted the rut in a state where there are alot of deer.
 
Depends on the part of the state. That's the perfect week for hunting the upstate. I don't know if the low country is later but it's usually a little warmer down there.
 
I am counting on that skizzums, I am just looking forward to seeing the bucks chasing does. We dont get to see that up here in NH, just not that many deer.
 
It's been slow this week. The flood has things a little off and deer go nocturnal for a week or two before the rut. We're right on the edge of it. Temps have been warm but it's more about moon phase here anyway.

Pro tip though, make sure you have a Thermacell and bug juice or Bug Tamer, the mosquitos are about as bad as I've ever seen. Big tarydactal (sp) things that take meat with the blood.

Things may be a little different inland some but not by much from what I hear. I'm on the coast. I did have two bucks lock up in the timber off to my left somewhere yesterday AM.
 
Thanks for the mosquito tip, didnt even think of that, I used to use a dirt scented bug repellent up here when I used to bow hunt early, will look for some of that or a thermocell...I am looking forward to some battling bucks..
 
No, you need a thermacell too, bug spray alone just gets them drunk. These things swarm you right out of the truck. I've used Deet to high concentrations. Sprayed my clothes in Permethrin and wear my bug tamer with the Thermacell, if you're close to the ground, it doesn't help. Use all that and get off the ground in a ladder stand or climber.
 
Saltydog isn't kidding about the mosquitos here, they're vicious around the swamps. They are huge too, should be nominated our state bird. :D
And keep in mind the thermacell doesn't work while walking around, they'll still eat you alive.
 
Had two does step out right at dark. I could see them in the scope ok but one was smaller and stayed between my bore and the other one. Couldn't tell which was which due to cloud cover for the moon. As soon as I decided to pass on the sookies I caught movement behind them, big bodied deer but he stayed in the shadows so I never saw the bone. I slipped out as quietly as possible to fight another day.

Those dang bugs didn't leave me alone all evening. Only thing keeping me from being drained was the Bug Tamer. Best $150.00 I ever spent.
 
NH - Salty is not even close to stretching the truth about mosquitos. I grew up not too far his area and hunted all over the LowCountry. Bring a Thermocell and extra fuel/filters for it. Depending on how long you're in the woods, you'll burn through a tank QUICK! I've been using them since they came out and they are worth there weight in gold as far as I'm concerned. What county you going to be in?
 
Not here, it's right on the edge though, last full moon in October usually brings it in. Last week was a lot of nocturnal movement. They'll start moving more in daylight hours as the moon wanes and those hormones kick in. Thing is none of the smaller bucks I've been seeing moving at dusk show any sign of rut. Had a bigger one move through some switchcane the other day and could smell him though.

Mosquitos got worse though since we just got two more inches of rain. Swatted one last night and it hit me back. Shot another one with the rifle a little later and it brought my bullet back to me, told me to bring a bigger gun next time. Been in the woods since August, they're worse now.
 
Saltydog235 Thank you for the info on the rut and the good laugh about the mosquitos. I have my thermacell and no scent deep woods off and extra large silver bullets, hey they work on vampires so why not mosquitos? This coming Monday will be my first day of hunting down south.
 
Didnt have the best week down south, it got warm and the deer just turned off, got a opportunity to hunt a piece of land with very little pressure in Norway. Got off to a late start, got in the wrong stand, then got into the right one and all hell broke loose, had a nice 8 at 150 yds broadside and blew the first shot, total miss, he didnt run off. Jacked in another round and let it fly and he took off like he hadnt been hit, thought my rifle was off. Sat for a bit longer and saw a 8 go running past in the wood line and I thought it was the same one, 10 mins later he came out in the field broadside so I let him have it, knew he was hit the way he took off. Got down about 1/2 later and found him quite quickly very dead, the other 2 guys kept looking after I told them my story and sure enough came up with the first 8, 2 8's in 20 mins...AWESOME!!!. Had loaded some Hornady sst 140's for my 708 and they didnt perform all that well for me. The second deer I hit broadside the bullet didnt even go through..Not good. I am going to try to load the pics..
 

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Congrats, sounds like you had a good go. It hasn't cooled off here yet. 85 degrees with 80% humidity here today. Fog was so thick this morning you couldn't see the feeder at times. When you could it was just shapes moving around. Been a tough season for me here in the lowcountry. I've taken one deer so far, it was a 10 but, normally I've put 4 or so in the freezer at this point.

Glad you had some success.
 
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