ORIGINAL: sproulman
ORIGINAL: BTBowhunter
Went out this AM in area 2B to try and take a doe (It's does only now here till after Christmas) and wound up getting in the middle of a fracas normally seen around this time in November. Four does came in while the light was just not quite good enough and went on by but came right back past a few minutes later followed by a 6 point, then two more does and then a decent 8 pointer grunting and chasing the does. Not long after that, here came a nice shooter that was obviously tending a young doe.
With all that going on, the only decent shot opportunities I got were at the bucks.
All in all, it was a great morning though. However short it may be, the second rut gives some extra incentive to get up and get back out there when it's getting easier and easier to just roll over and hit the snooze button.
i dont know what is so UNUSUAL about LATE rutting this year.
rut is later this year than normal,seen this a few times in past.
write this down as LEARNING experience on your part!
I learn every time I go out in the woods. Maybe some day, I'll know as much as you think you do.
It's not a late rut but the second rut is whats happening. Most reports I heard say that the peak rut actually started a little early this year but was more of a trickle rut with a less intense "peak"
This years doe fawns that reach a body weight of around 75 pounds will come into estrous this time of year as will does that didnt get bred on their first estrous cycle. Any doe not bred will cycle back into estrous approximately 28 days later. The average conception date in PA is right around Nov 17 so the second rut should peak around Dec 13-14.
Second rut activity among adult does is more pronounced in areas where the buck doe ratio is still too heavy on does. If there werent enough bucks to breed the does the first time , the unbred does come back in estrous a month later.
In an area with a healthy population, the second rut activity will be mostly doe fawns that now have sufficient body mass to become pregnant.