Early fall...?

[Bob B.]

Well, I am at a loss to explain what I am observing this year.

The Deer are coming out of velvet early.
The Elk are bugling early.
Acorns are dropping now.
Walnut leaves are dropping early.
Leaves on vines are red already.

I realize the amount of sunlight per day as well as the angle of the sun triggers hormone responces in both plant and animal species. This is what accounts for these changes. That being said I find it very odd I am noticing these changes about 3 weeks prior to their usual sightings.

Just find it very interesting is all, thought I would post that.

Bob.

[jimmerc]

Bob, I'm starting to notice the same here in new york, It does seem a bit early, beechnuts are dropping like crazy, bucks I've been watching started to rub this past weekend, should be an interesting fall!Jim

[James Wrenn]

We can only hope.  :D  Now I am ready for some cooler weather and all will be right with the world.  

[richbat]

bob,still pretty green here in my part of pa. it's been cooling down though,can't wait for the change.i love the fall time,and absolutely hate the summer.

[NoCams]

Hoping for a early fall here in the SE this year. We have had several years of severe drought and high temps. We finally got a decent summer with plenty of rain and cooler temps. Bucks are still in velvet, season opens Sept 26th and it will be gone by then I am sure. Most bucks peel off the the third week of Sept around here. Also hoping for a short Indian Summer in Oct, those can be brutal too !

nocams  

[Tim Fishell]

We are seeing the same things here in Michagan.  It will be interesting to see what happens since deer season is still a month away.  I was at an elk farm on the 22nd of August and the elk had started to bugle and the cows were calling.  I also noticed that weekend that the acorns were falling.

[mscampbell75]

In NC, we've had unseasonably low temps the past few days. Highs in the upper 70's and low 80's.  Walking out of the house in the mornings w/ mid 60's.  Man, I absoulutly LOVE the fall time of year.  I'm worried that the heat will come back before the cooler temps are here to stay.

[yekrut]

I notcied a rub, like 2 weeks ago. I think it a little early here to, ya and the leaves are turning already, geez its early. Its only sept 2nd. What doese this mean , an early winter?

[Paul Mattson]

According to the latest Farmer's Almanac this winter is going to be a cold and snowy one.

The almanac puts it this way:

"A large area of numbingly cold temperatures will predominate from roughly east of the Continental Divide to west of the Appalachians. The coldest temperatures will be over the northern Great Lakes and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan."

[fireball31]

Hopefully that will push the rut farther in to archery season.

[VAFarmer]

Lots of strange things going on here in Virginia.

Seen more bear in broad daylight this year than I have my whole life.

No velvet, all antlers, and they are out early in the evening.

Nocturnal animals are out at all times of the day.

Nature is changing, on a global scale I think.

Watch for more changes, they are coming.

God bless ya'll,


Farmer

[frank bullitt]

Same here! Weatherman said this summer was the 11 cloudiest since the late 1800's. Fall, I'm still waiting on summer!

  I have also notice the squirrels nests where im hunting, are alot lower in the trees. Any theories on this. Good shootin, Steve

[Hot Hap]

Global warming is over and we are now entering a ice age. Hap

[Deadbolt]

What do you guys think this will do for the rut?  Think it will kick in earlier and last a lil longer thisyear?

Last year the rut in my area was horrible...lasted about 3 days and them deer were locked up...they never searched after that period.  Because of the weather all the deer were moving at night not during the day.

[craftwelder]

Its been in the low 50's and high 40's at night around here...I work nights...pecans are almost ready to drop....paw paws are ripineng....should be a good archery season this fal...my first one in Il.

[NightHawk]

nuts are dropping here in Indiana also. I've noticed the skin on the tommatos from the garden has been noticeably thicker this year and the corn husks are denser on the sweetcorn, all signs of an early fall this year

   Global warming is a myth perbetrated by those seeking to make money from it ie cap and trade or as it's best put cap and tax

[centaur]

I went hunting today in a tee shirt, and it was 85 when I got home at 1PM. Supposed to be 90 tomorrow. Last year on this date, I was in about 3 inches of snow. Go figure.

[razorsharptokill]

Seems like the end of October here in Oklahoma.

[spike buck]

In regards to the rut being early, I watched Deer and Deer Hunting (I think that's the name) this past weekend. They were talking about studying moon phases and how it corresponded w/ the rut. Anyway, based on their findings this year the prime time big buck chasing will be earlier by a week or more. This was for the northern zone.

[adeeden]

I saw my first buck out of velvet for the year yeasterday, I also saw 2 today in full velvet. This is not uncommon for this area in fact I almost always see my first hard racked deer between 9/1 and 9/5 every year. I always find the first rubs of the year during this same period. As far as the rut goes I'm sure it will peak around the same time it always does it's the amount of daylight that sets it.

As far as the cooler than normal summer so far I'm loving it! I hope the pattern holds as the deer should be much more active during daylight hours if it does!

Only 29 more days till the fun begins!