ORIGINAL: crokit
My observations have been, for the Southern tier of NY, that the 96hr. period that follows the second new moon after the fall solistice { sp },-of which, only 40+ hours are available for hunting- provides that window. I spend as much time as possible in the woods during that time frame, and it has NEVER failed me. While getting info from people making a living of such info certainly helps, i TRUST what I have observed, which carries no agenda other than to have fun, enjoy the hunt, and maybe be successful. The day I start TRUSTING someone I have never met, or their blanket statements, will be a sad day.
We MAY be having two (2) problems here. One is the use of the terms "rut" and "peak rut".
Some people use the term rut to mean the whole breedin seaosn, others use it to mean the week of peak breeding, others thnk of it as chasing behavior, others think of it as actual breeding behavior, other think of it as any breeding realted behavior. So, some of us may be thinking of one thing - when something else is meant.
Let's explain some of these terms - using sci entific defintions - so we are all on the same page.
The "rut", by scientific definition, refers to the time-frame of anything related to breeding behavior, which includes the sate from when the first run or scrape occured, to the dates of all of the rubbing and scraping - and breeding activity, to the date the last rub, scrape or breeding occured.
"Peak Rut" refers to the one (1) week of the year when more breeding occurs than in any other week of the year. THIS IS THE TIME FRAME given on most "Peak Rut Charts. Ita has nothing to do with any activity but actual breeding dates.
"Breeding Season" refers to the time frame from when the first doe got bred, until when the last doe got bred.
Crokit,
Explain exactly what you mean when you use the term "full blown rut". Is it any breeding behavior (bucks chasing does, rubbing, scraping) or is it does actually getting bred?
If you are implying "full blown rut" is the one week when peak breeding occurs, then what you describe as "full blown rut" when you SEE rubbing, scraping or chasing - is not a good indicator of when "peak breeding" actually occurs. The only way to determine when peak breeding occurs (as relates to any phase of the moon) is if you 1. actually see the doe get bred, 2. actually see the fawn born, 3. conduct "back-dated" conception dates on dead does, to measure the fetus to determine when it was concieved.
So, unless your study used one of those "peak breeding dates determination" methods, your study IS flawed, and your conclusions MAY be highly suspect (wrong) - if you are purporating to put forth the dates of the "peak of the rut".
I suspect you are not refering to "peak breeding" when you refer to "full blown rut", and thus, you may not come up with the same dates as those on any Rut Dates Chart.
God bless,
T.R.
God bless