SOCAL RUT Info Questions

[Bowhunter_619]

SOCAL Hunters,

Based on your experiences, when does the pre-rut, rut, and post rut activity take place in SOCAL? Is there any advantage to higher vs lower elevation hunting during the rut?

Based on my experience hunting Pendleton the last week of Oct and first week of NOV has been the biggest producers of Big Bucks. I am assuming A22 and D16 would be close to same time frame since the areas are fairly close.

Care to share based on experience?

 

[Snake Charmer]

We're about a week to week and half later up here in Mesa Grande.

 

[Lungpopper]

I have seen bucks chasing does from the beginning of Oct to Thanksgiving. Right around Halloween is always good.

 

[invisible man]

Middle of Oct thru Dec can be good. Ive heard stories of some pre rut signs happening right now at lower elevations.

 

[toad]

I'm trying to pay close attention this year. At 3400 feet we had acorns falling off the trees in the wind Friday and Saturday. Game cam had two spikes fighting each other and a Forky who broke up the fun.

 

[Bowhunter_619]

Middle of Oct thru Dec can be good. Ive heard stories of some pre rut signs happening right now at lower elevations.

One of the reasons I asked was because last weekend I saw one of the biggest bodied deer I have seen since I've been hunting Pendleton and he was trailing leisurely behind a group of 4 does. He would stare at me for a minute and then back to the does; this went on for about half hour but I couldn't close the distance. I couldn't make out the other side of his rack but one side had 3 very visible points. This was in one of the lower elevation training areas.

 

[TopBuck]

Pre-rut is on, the mature bucks are starting to show up now! 1st week of Oct it should really start happening.

 

[millbro]

copy that, had a buddy shoot a doe last weekend and if he had waited another few minutes, he would have seen the buck tailing that girl and shot him instead. Gotta be looking behind those does right now

 

[BuckHunter]

I'd go hunting tomorrow. Hint Hint 8)

 

[Snake Charmer]

Wednesday afternoon the animals were out in the evening big time, no doubt they could sense the weather coming through. Today they were much more relaxed, the weather change was quite apparent.

 

[stikbrandon]

All I got are doe's on my camera and no bucks just my luck they started tonight and will be done when I get back from Idaho on the 25th

 

[NBK]

We are getting another warming trend...likely will slow things down for a bit.

 

[breacher]

We are getting another warming trend...likely will slow things down for a bit.

Well they're gonna get a break for about 2 weeks until D-16/ AO opens up.

 

[josecasillas]

true that! rifle season will open soon, so we'll be seeing lots of pics then