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- Josh Honeycutt
- The Pre-Rut. Late October to Early November. As fall progresses and dulling green leaves give way to brighter colors, relaxed whitetails turn into testosterone-driven knuckleheads.
- The Early Rut. Mid-November. Things get more serious as the second full week of November nears. The first wave of does—albeit a small one—are entering estrus now, and deer respond accordingly.
- The Peak Rut. Second and third week of November. The Midwestern rut is in full force. The bulk of does are courted during this 10-day window. This can actually make it more difficult to see a mature buck.
- The Late Rut. Final week of November. Most does are finished with love and unreceptive now. Instead, they're back with their fawns and shunning any and all advances from male counterparts.
What triggers the whitetail rut? Is there a link between moon phase and the timing of actual deer breeding activity? How many rubs does the average buck make? Can a doe breed in its first fall, as a fawn? When do bucks visit scrapes? Is the “Lockdown Phase” a Myth?
People also ask
What is the whitetail rut?
Why do deer rut?
Why are whitetail deer short day breeders?
Does a rut affect a deer breeding season?
Oct 30, 2023 · The answer is simple. Whitetail deer are known as short-day breeders, meaning day length plays a role in the hormonal balances that drive the rut. This causes an increase in observed movement and allows hunters afield during the peak of breeding season to harvest more deer.
- Clint Mccoy, DVM
- Photoperiod Is The Trigger
- Whitetail Rut Factors in The North
- Whitetail Rut Factors in The South
- How QDM Intensifies The Rut
Photoperiod is the interval in a 24-hour period during which a plant or animal is exposed to light. Photoperiod is directly tied to growth, development, and seasonal behaviors in plants and animals. With respect to whitetails, photoperiod regulates some hormonal productionthat is directly tied to antler growth and the breeding season. A diminishing...
In northern regions photoperiod is a much more precise timer of seasonal changes. This is likely due to: 1) northern regions having a wider range of daylight lengths from summer to winter than southern regions, and 2) climate being critically important for doe and fawn survival. Does bred on time put little energy into fetal development during wint...
In southern regions, breeding dates aren’t as cut-and-dry. The photoperiod change is less dramatic, the climate is less severe, and there is less need to breed “on time.” This may explain why the breeding window is wider, but it likely does not explain why published reports show peak breeding in October in east Texas, December in Arkansas, January ...
Not seeing many rubs and scrapes in your area? This may be directly related to an absence of older bucks. According to Karl, one mature buck can make 1,000 to 1,200 rubs per year. Over a 90-day period that is 10 to 15 per day! This means a deer herd with an older age structure and balanced sex ratio can have over 3,000 rubs per square mile! Contras...
- The peak rut is the best time to take a buck. It’s easy to have a Pavlovian response to the words “peak rut.” We can’t help it. Decades of magazine articles and deer-camp conversations have created a conditioned reaction that makes us take our vacations during the height of the whitetail breeding season.
- Rutting bucks are impossible to pattern. Deer hunters rarely complain about the rut, but when they do, this is usually their gripe. It happens because once does begin coming into estrus, bucks do indeed leave their home areas, abandon their rub lines and scrapes, and begin traipsing over the countryside in search of ready mates.
- When the action is over, the rut is over. Just about every serious whitetail hunter has spent days watching deerless woods in mid-November and thought, The rut must be over.
- You might as well stay home during the post-rut. Not if you want to tag a trophy. Although it’s almost certain that you’ll see fewer bucks immediately after peak breeding than you would during the seeking-and-chasing phase, research on Texas’ King Ranch by noted whitetail biologist Mickey Hellickson revealed an excellent reason to keep hunting—and to bring a set of rattling horns with you.
Hunters and outdoor writers often talk about the rut being early or late. In Texas, at least, the breeding season for white-tailed deer is fairly predictable from year to year. Within a specific area, habitat conditions not only affect fawn survival, but can affect thetiming of breeding.
Nov 15, 2023 · This week’s Deer Season 365 episode is all about the whitetail rut. We’re talking with NDA’s Chief Conservation Officer and wildlife biologist, Kip Adams, about the science behind the rut along with his personal rut-hunting strategy. Kip debunks some common rut-related myths and shares a wealth of deer knowledge.
