original:NEW61375

.........So then what happens? I think that as October progresses andyou finally reach the new moon on Oct 28 that the dark nights prior to(4 or 5 days), on the 28th, and after(4 or 5 days)that new moon cause a spike in melatonin output for the whitetail.That coupled with the factthose levelswereon a gradual rise due to shortened photoperiodincreases both estrogen and testosterone levels which in my opinion probably is the final trigger thatstartsmost does heat cycle (which lasts about 7 days) and causes bucks to become evenmore sexually aggressive. (IMO) Putting the actual breeding part of the rut about7 days later than the time frame ofOct 24-Nov. 5(chasing)which we already establishedis a few days before the new moon and a few days after.(So roughly Nov.1 -12 for the breeding) <<< Shocking I know. .........