RE: Another question about antlers and growing potential.
Cornfed your right, thank you. Im glad someone appreciates what Im trying to convey.
Unfortunately many people believe that a "cold snap" or moon phase triggers the rut. Im hoping for people to realize the real reasons through my posts.
I should say though, that a cold snap or a particular moon phase does have slight effects on the rut.
Full moon nights offer the deer better visibility, thus causing more breeding to occur at night. Cold snaps allow the deer to breed more during daylight hours. Whereas a warm spell will often push the breeding to later at night. This is because heavy bucks, sporting their winter coats, dont want to expend too much energy to breed. They realize that their survival is linked to their efforts to breed. Im not entirely sure as to how they know, but its probably not unlike us being lethargic on a 90degree day.
Knowing all of this, keep in mind, the timing of the rut, or more accurately, the peak and duration of the rut, is normally within a few days of itself every year.
Basically what Im saying is, dont throw out the stuff about moon phases and cold weather, but understand they arent the "trigger"....they merely effect the way you should hunt the rut.
Have a good one---Matt