Rut Report
Blake Shelton arrowed this buck in south-central Oklahoma and posted it on Twitter just two days after being named Male Vocalist of the Year at the Country Music Association Awards.
Wade Free, northwest region wildlife supervisor, said bucks are starting to show increased breeding activity, with fresh rubs and scrapes.
“Rifle season has the potential to coincide perfectly with rutting activity,” he said.
“The deer are going to breed regardless of weather, but colder temperatures allow the deer to move during the day when otherwise, temperatures make it too stressful if not impossible to go all day.”
In southeast Oklahoma, the rut is increasing in intensity and has not yet seen its peak, said Jack Waymire, southeast region senior wildlife biologist for the Wildlife Department.
“Archers are harvesting mature bucks, and bucks are cruising and beginning to chase does,” Waymire said. “The highest peak of the rut is still ahead.”
Waymire said acorn production in the region was poor this year but that some may still be found along river systems. Deer movement, though, is picking up, increasing the chances for hunters to see and harvest deer.
“If the weather cooperates, it is shaping up to be a good deer gun season,” Waymire said.
In southwest Oklahoma, the rut has been slow developing this year.
“This is probably good news for those planning to hunt the deer gun season opener,” said Rod Smith, southwest region wildlife supervisor for the Wildlife Department. “The cool wet weather last weekend should be the stimulus to increase deer movements and typical deer rutting behavior.”
Smith said deer activity through muzzleloader season and controlled hunts that took place in early November was very slow. Last week, hunters were reporting new scrapes, but adult bucks were also still being observed in groups.
Smith said people in the field were not observing significant rutting activity last week. Though some bucks appeared to be rutting heavily, the majority had not begun rutting actively.
An increase in vehicle-killed deer was noted last week, “a sure sign that the rut is beginning,” Smith said.
In the central region, rutting activity was observed by hunters toward the end of muzzleloader season.
“A cool front dropped temperatures to the lows 30s at daylight and high 50s at sunset,” said Rex Umber, central region senior biologist for the Wildlife Department. “Above normal temperatures have followed with limited activity, but bucks appear to be on the move again.”
Deer harvest is currently down about 25 percent or more in the central region compared to last year’s data, but as usual, some mature bucks were harvested during both archery and muzzleloader seasons.
“The acorn crop appeared good in early summer, but weather conditions were not favorable for development in July and August,” Umber said.
But while acorns are spotty, other food sources are available.
“The persimmon crop is good on most sites and deer are hitting these sites very hard,” Umber said. “Wheat crops are also spotty — some sites good to excellent.”
While Umber refrains from predicting the dates of the rut in the central region, he sites Nov. 15 as the “usual” time to observe the rut taking place in Oklahoma.
According to reports from the northeast part of the state, rutting activity is beginning to pick up and, though it may be winding down in the early part of deer gun season, deer will still be active and hunters should have opportunities to see and harvest rutting deer.
Thank you for joining our conversation on Outdoors. We encourage your discussion but ask that you stay within the bounds of our commenting and posting policy.
Comments
nice try blake you aint pullin the wool over r eyes that aint no oklahoma buck ive been huntin all over oklahoma and kansas and there aint no deer this far south with a head or body that big its head is the size of a jack mules head
No doubt a private reserve or game ranch but you got to have quite a bit of money for those. The last report of deer harvest from department lands was 2008. I don’t blame them for stopping the WMA break down. The “kill all does” propaganda has brainwashed lots of hunters and is now killing the WMAs so don’t expect much excitement on puplic land. Sadly the brainwashing is ruining lots of private land too.
Here are some revealing stats from ODWC website:
Stringtown WMA covers 2,260 acres of south-central Atoka County – 2008 harvest=1 buck
The Tenkiller WMA consists of approximately 2,590 acres in Cherokee and Sequoyah counties -2008 deer harvest=1 buck (pretty sure not like blake’s)
Robbers Cave WMA covers 6,180 acres of Latimer County in Southeast Oklahoma-2008 deer harvest = 2 (never hunted here but based on deer harvest , never want to).
Okmulgee Wildlife Management Area covers 10,900 acres of west-central Okmulgee County – 2008 deer harvest total 37 including does for nearly 11,000 acres. In the late 60s, Okmulgee WMA was known nationwide as one of America’s top archery hunting areas. In those days, I loved to bowhunt Okmulgee because I always saw deer including several nice bucks on every visit. The last time I hunted Okmulgee was a special muzzleloader hunt. In two days with 75 hunters w/muzzleloaders only 1 deer was killed and that was a small buck I killed. No other deer were killed out of 150 hunters.
Area Description: The Cookson WMA consists of approximately 15,469 acres in southeastern Cherokee and southwestern Adair Counties- 2008 harvest = 32 bucks, 42 does (74 deer all seasons combined on 15,000 acres plus, may as well be using the land to raise catfish, it would be just as productive).
The Deep Fork Wildlife Management covers 11,900 acres in southern Creek and northern Okfuskee Counties. 2008 deer harvest = 4 bucks, 5 does. (Really have to work to kill out the deer herd there but it has worked)
With the past 10 years of doe hunts eliminating the deer herd and making the wildlife management areas unproductive, why bother? Back in the 60s they rented camp gruber out to graze thousands of cattle which destroyed the deer habitat for a decade. If not for private landowners, the 2008 deer harvest would have been 6158 total statewide instead of 111,000 which the department seems proud of.
6000 deer from 1.6 million acres is nothing to be proud of in any state I know of. Why not admit that the 35 doe days in 2010 have nothing to do with deer herd improvement but are a product of insurance company lobbying and political compliance with the insurance companies?
The sad fact that the destruction of the deer herd in hunting areas has little to do with the number of deer collisions because most are due to urban sprawl and high traffic encroachment on areas where no hunting is allowed.
Killing off the deer populations in the WMA’s have done nothing to reduce deer/car collisions because most of them are out of high traffic areas. All it has done is made them worthless places to deer hunt and places where those that don’t have anywhere to hunt to waste their vacation days.
Real deer management requires a knowlege of herd balance and habitat and implementing measures to accomplish the desired goals which might be fewer but high quality deer, or more productive hunting areas but real deer management doesn’t begin on the insurance executives desk.
The WMAs are stabilized at levels where “kill all does” can’t make them any worse. I notice that no totals from the WMA’s are on the ODWC website because at one time the season totals now were the same as daily totals in the past.
Gruber/Cherokee at one time produced 300 bucks+ on Opening day or rifle season, now they produce about that many does and bucks combined for archery,primitive and rifle combined.
Deer management by insurance companies? Not sustainable. Too much greed. Happening in lots of other states too. Pennsylvania hunters have figured it out (too late)
Now we have to pay $5 even to apply for a controlled hunt, I will never apply for anything again unless McAlester Ammunition Depot, The NWR near Lawton or one other refuge that is on the verge of collapse (ft. gibson waterfowl) but still has some bucks. I don’t know of any other WMAs or refuges in Ok. that are worth the 5 bucks even if you get drawn.
Just a question that I had after posting the previous post.
Just wondering what kind of “Game Management” is necessary to “manage” 11,000 acres at Okmulgee in order to harvest 37 deer per year? Even a poorly managed 1000 acre plot with that kind of habitat would produce more deer than that. Don’t BS me with “quality” either, I’ve been there. In 1970 you had some quality bucks, doubt that there were many even worth taking a photo of out of the 24 bucks taken from the 11,000 acres in 2008.
Can’t believe everyone has a personally managed lease to hunt. Anyone hunt any public land in Oklahoma? If so, what do you think?
I’ve already posted my opinion, the WMA’s have been ruined. Somebody prove me wrong.
You should be real proud of that Buck Blake, I let that deer walk about five yrs. ago there on your property.
In the big food plot I think we used to call it “cheeseheads”.
Ask o’l Roger, Ivan and I were up there for rifle season and I seen that buck, should of shot him,I think that was the only time I ever had buck fever,man I miss that place,best times I’ve ever had,I’m sure it’s real nice now, you enjoy, and if you ever need someone to show you around up on that property you let me know, know it like the back of my hand sir.
And congratulations on you Weddingyou two make a Grand Couple and so much in common, best of luck and God Bless.
I have read this post really carefully and I must say I’m impressed. Personally you are extremely talented. Gorgeous concept, perfect effect.
Way to go Blake Shelton, a really beautiful dark chocolate antlered Oklahoma buck…