bowhunt the early season and watch their behavior progress.
when you first start to see yearling does away from their mothers is when the rut starts.
they aren't away from their mothers because they are mature enough to be on their own, although they normally are. their estrous havin moms are being corralled and harassed by the biggest boys in the woods. thats the first rut. and all rifle hunters miss that. at least in my state anyways. the second rut is when does that were not sexually mature during the first rut come into sexual maturity at 1.5 years of age. which is a month give or take from the first rut. also does that were not bred during the first rut will come back into heat at this time.
it should be the same every year at your locality.
first rut is always last week of october for me here, might trickle over into nov1-3
second rut here is the first week of december. notice they are generally chasing smaller does at this time.