danowak

I don't know about in the rest of the state, but in South Florida we don't have a hard rut like up north. According to the local FWC guys, breeding occurs from August through December, with most of it occurring inSeptember. Reason being that our rainy season starts in June. Normal gestation period for deer is 240 days (8 1/2 months), so if the rut was in mid-November, fawns would be born in late July to early August which right in the teeth of rainy season. It would bemore difficult for newborn fawns to survive during this time due to annual flooding. A doe coceiving in August or September would fawn in April or May, giving the fawn a few months to grow and better weather the rainy/hurricane season.

Little Yellowjacket

I agree with huntnma, that sight is BS! IM TRYING TO TELL SOME OF YOU THAT ALABAMA'S RUT IS NOT THAT LATE, IT IS NORMALLY BOUT NOW TO MID DECEMBER.

BuddyBo

Hey huntnma, my info for this year's late rut is in October's issue of Whitetails and Whitetail Hunting Mag. It's written by two wildlife biologist that has been studying the whitetail rut for 11 years now and will conclude their study in 15 years. But they said that since this year is going to be a mirror image of 1997 and 2002, that they wanted to inform us now of what to expect. Everything is late this year. The rutting moon, the leaves turning color, dry weather, cool weather, everything is running late. The 10 pointer I killed Nov. 14th was following a doe, 30 minutes behind her, so I think the seek faze is just now starting. The chase faze may be here this weekend I hope. Anyway, that's my source of information man.
BuddyBo

razrback

That site is dead on for Arkansas. That is when they really go into action.

rgarza

Check this website for very good information on the rut in Texas.

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/huntwild...tetailed_deer/


Deer/buck activity is not always the best indicator of rut activity. TPWD data studies harvested does and unborn fetus length to backdate precisely to the date of conception. Other studies have looked at deer/buck activity in relationship to the rut. IN TEXAS, the rut is very predictable and not dependent on the weather. It is the photoperiod that determines the rut.

If you don't beleive the data, try cutting open a few does and try backdating the fetus for your area. Fetal length charts/rulers are available at the QDMA website.

davester

Here in Northern Va. the buck I killed Oct. 26 was rutting hard, chasing does, and man he was stinky. That was the first cold front. They say all the does go into heat in around a two week period. I've never seen a buck sniffen a doe past gun season, I believe late Oct. to first two weeks of Nov.! Yes, the bucks are still horny as helland running around crazy, but the does are finished with them. This is my theory, of observing them.

huntnma

utting Moons
HuntStats.com Home Page
rutting moon

2003
November 9th

2004
October 28th

2005
October 17th

2006
November 5


i dont see where this weekend is the rutting moon, totally different then what was stated in the previous thread.

huntnma

but then again , i just found this.........but the date is 02....so i don't know..........guess we'll just have to wait and see.


10/27/02

By DENNIS APRILL, Outdoors Columnist
There are some hunters who believe fall full moons like this can predict the dates of the rut, a key time when bucks are very active, day and night, and more vulnerable. So, the knowledge of when the rut occurs, these hunters argue, is important to a successful fall hunt.
To those who subscribe to the lunar theory in predicting the rut - among them deer authorities like Wayne LaRoche, Charles Alsheimer and Dick Bernier - the rut peaks seven days following the rutting moon, the second full moon after the fall equinox (Sept. 23). This year that full moon is Nov. 19, so according to lunar proponent Dick Bernier, 70-80 percent of does will be bred during the seven days following, or up to Nov. 26.
Bernier writes in the October issue of the "Outdoors" magazine, "Scrapes and rubs will start to intensify, as will buck movement by November 14. Bucks will begin chasing prospective mates on or about November 18. with the peak being reached on December 1." That, by the way, is the last day of the regular firearms season in the Northern Zone of New York.
There is some scientific justification to support the general theory. If does are bred after the rutting moon - 200 to 205 days later, the average gestation time frame - fawns will be born during the 14 darkest nights in spring or the new moon of late May or early June.

Eastern va

well i dont go by the science and all that stuff. I was thinking that our rut here east va was almost ready to peak but i dont think so. since last saturday i have hunting 3 days and not seen a single deer in the woods. I hunted all through blackpowder and seen deer everyday 2 nice bucks but neither presented me with a shot. I did kill a 4 ptr last day of blackpowder so i could put something in freezer. So i dont know whats going on with the rut this year. Out shotgun season did recently come in and dogs and people have been all over the woods all around me. Im thinking thats what got the deer laying low.

davester

Yes, I don't believe in the "Rut" moon either. Someone told me fishing was great on a full moon, NOT!! I thinkthe deer are harder to findin Va. from hunting pressure too. Now that the sun sets around 5:00 it's dark out when you still had plenty of shooting light earlier. This cold front deffinetly keeps them feeding all night!!