I think everyone is thinking about the rut in the wrong way. I hunt a bedding area and have been seeing rutting activity non-stop since the 2nd week of Nov. I killed a rutting buck chasing a doe on Friday the 14th, and had been seen this same buck 6 or 7 times in 3 weeks of hunting him. Every time I saw him he was checking or chasing does. I've hunted this bedding area for 6 years now and the same thing every year. As the hunting pressure increases, the rutting activity is more confined to the bedding area. The buck I shot on Friday was chasing a doe like a cow pony trying to corral a cow, but he never let her move more than 125 yds. in the 2 hours that I watched him. If I hadn't shot him, they never would've left the bedding area until well past dark. He finally chased her right to me and presented a shot.
All the does don't come into heat at the same time! I believe if 10 does come into heat the 2nd week of Nov.,and 6 are in heat the 3rd week and 3 come into heat the 4th week, theones thatdon't get bred will come back into heat in21 days I've read. So by using this analogy, their will be doesin heat every week from Nov. through Jan. It may be more subtle later in the seasonas more and more does get bred but if you can stay close to adoe bedding area you will increase your chances of intercepting this subtle rut activity.
This is just my perceptions at my stand over-looking a great bedding area.