The Rut.

Okay, I know I'm going to get either a lot of the same answers, alot of conflicting answers, or there's gunna to be some arguments going on, lol. But here we go.

Do you think the rut happens at the exact same time every year?

Let me know what you think and why.

This year, I saw 4 bucks, and none of them were chasing does. They all headed roughly the same way, give or take 20-30 yard diffrences on their trails, an hour apart from each other. Slow walking. Stopping to rub every tree they passed.

Now I've read that once the rut is on bucks, no longer scrape or rubb trees. It's full chase mode for the most part.

Now, when I was hunting and I saw this buck in front of me, I tried stopping him/ getting him to walk towards me or turn him off his trail. I let out 2 doe bleats from my can. 3 of these bucks stopped looking up right at my blind for maybe 3 seconds, put their head back down, turned, and walked away. All 3 of these bucks did this. 3 years ago, I was in a different spot and had a doe blast through the woods right by me. 2 seconds later, a buck full speed leaped right over a massive tree and followed.

After talking to 3 or 4 other groups that were out, no one saw any chasing this year.

I know some people say it religiously happens at the same time every year.

I know others who talk about their moon phases, which I don't believe all that much either.

In conclusion I don't think the rut happens same time every year, but if it does and if that's when we're suppose to hunt why would they switch up the weeks the controlled hunt happen on? Why not make it on the same dates every year?

I understand the whole calendar leap month , etc. I'm hoping someone sees what I'm trying to say here, lol.

Also I do understand there's diffrent stages of the rut as well, but going off of deer cast ( how reliable it is I don't know) the week of the controlled hunt this year said they were in the lock down phase.

If anyone has anything to contribute any other questions or opinions on this, I would love to read what you guys think as well.

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The main trigger to the rut is photoperiod i.e. declining amount of daylight. If this was the single absolute trigger then a doe would be in heat at the same time every year. However there is scientific evidence to suggest that older does come into estrus earlier than younger does and some fawns may breed if they are mature… >86 pounds ( which normally would happen in December on good range). So there is a wide time period in the fall when a doe could could come into estrus. Timing of estrus is to coincide with the flush of green vegetation in the spring that is a result of warmer temperatures and rain. If a fawn is born too soon then it could freeze to death or the doe May not consume enough nutrients to produce quality milk. Fawns born too late may not mature enough to survive their first winter. Timing is everything when it comes to breeding and birthing.

There has been some research, which to my knowledge has not been peer-reviewed, that suggests that the actual timing of a doe coming into estrus is tied to the November new moon i.e. full starts the countdown and breeding is triggered by the new moon. If true, this might account for the differences in deer behaviour on the same dates from year to year. Additionally if this theory is true then birthing dates would fluctuate from year to year… sometimes early, sometimes late.

It’s my belief that rut intensity is directly tied to the state of readiness of the does. Once the first doe comes into estrus then a gun goes off in that particular area. Also, if there are more does to bucks, then there is less competition and less reason for a buck to get worked up.

Anyway, until someone learns how to talk to a deer and get an answer to the question, all we can do is take an educated guess.

that a real tough question. You can read 10 different peoples articles and get 10 different opinions. most I have read have something to do with moons. I don't belief all Doe's are bred at the same time as you see fawns that are really big and others that are no bigger than my lab at this time of year. I have 3 different size fawns on my cameras. I think the breeding goes from late october until into January at times.

Last year I didn't see any chasing or any "real rut" action.

My buddy hunting 200acres north shot 2 big bucks while they chased a doe in front if him. He got 1 buck when they went west, ON the way back east he got the other one.


This year I watched 3 bucks chase a doe, I shot one buck and the the other buck literally bred her 75 yards in front of me.

For the rest of the week I hunted a big scrape line. Witnessed 3 bucks hit every scrape (one buck was one of the chasing bucks from 2 days prior)

So yes I do think it happens same time every year, But not all does are in heat at the exact same time.

Great answers, thank you Sam, you always bring insight to things that I've never really paid much attention to, love the way you explain in detail as well.

Sab yes that's the very reason I want to hear what others who hunt the same areas or province around here to chime in!

Song dog that's crazy! I know we hunt roughly the same wmu so that's so weird to hear! Maybe the ones I seen heading out ran through all the does on the property that night and grabbed a bite of potatoes and headed out for the rest of the week.



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