Do you think the rut occurs at basically the same time every year? Does it occur at basically the same time in your area every year?
yes - within a week from year to year.
Based on fetus studies from doe taken in Jan/feb. and from drop times of fawns in the spring. I see no evidence of larger peek breeding fluxuations. I also see a drop off of scrape activity at about the same time - one of the only real indicators I use.
Which is exactly why I dont believe weather or moon phase has anything to do with the rut.
It's been the same time period (2nd week of November) here for as long as I've been hunting.
I look at it this way. Moon phase , weather , lining of the galaxy , etc. has nothing to do with a woman getting her period the same time every month. I used to have a cat that you could set your calendar by every time she went into heat.
Why would a deer be any different than the rest of the animal kingdom?