Moon phases and the rut
09-25-2017, 05:30 AM
#21
Fork Horn
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: mcdonough ga
Posts: 147
interesting subject/phenomenan...rut in georgia fluctuates by only a few days east to west,north to south...in alabama the rut could be 45 to 60 days different..only a couple hundred miles away...go figure....ain't this fun!!!
09-25-2017, 01:37 PM
#22
Fork Horn
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: mcdonough ga
Posts: 147
Originally Posted by BrushyPines
Far from it. Rut usually starts around Christmas and ends around middle of January here.
Last edited by davidg; 09-25-2017 at 01:41 PM. Reason: new thought
09-25-2017, 03:23 PM
#23
Fork Horn
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: mcdonough ga
Posts: 147
Originally Posted by rockport
Well it certainly doesn't hurt to know why. I'd have to disagree that its just as important as knowing when but it is better to know both for sure.
I bet if you look at peak vegetation growth in your area and subtract 200 days you will find the rut in most cases.
I bet if you look at peak vegetation growth in your area and subtract 200 days you will find the rut in most cases.
09-27-2017, 08:04 AM
#24
Spike
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Central Wisconsin
Posts: 20
There are so many factors that come into play that can cause the rut to be dead or active in your area to specify that it is simply due to moon phase is inaccurate. I agree with Oldtimr somewhat that daylight vs darkness assists with triggering some of the rut activity but do not feel that is not the sole factor. Temperature does play a part in regards to how active deer are going to be. The rut may be on but if it is 80+ degrees out deer are not going to travel as far from their current location regardless if a doe is being pushed or not by a buck. Daylight also plays a role that if there is a full moon currently nighttime activity will typically be greater than daytime activity. Each one of these are not hard set rules though as it greatly depends if you also have does that are in estrus in your area. Studies that I have read show that moon phase and weather conditions do not play a role at all in when a doe comes into estrus but is more is based on when the deer is born, health and normal life cycle. Some does start coming into estrus in October as well as some spring fawns will come into estrus later that fall the year they were born. Depending on deer density in your area will play a large role in if you have a lot of activity or not. The rut can be on and you may have a hot doe 80 acres away that has 5 bucks trailing her but you may never see her or the bucks and think the rut is non-existent in your area. Best bet is to be in the stand as much as you can be near the end of October through the first two weeks of November in the Midwest. Good luck to you this year.
Last edited by Tyler Adsit; 09-27-2017 at 08:31 AM.
10-10-2017, 03:51 PM
#26
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Darien, IL
Posts: 6,744
Originally Posted by Oldtimr
Actually Brushpines, it is the amount of daylight that triggers the rut in deer. It is the diminishing ratio of daylight to darkness that affects the pituitary gland which releases a hormone that starts the ball rolling. The moon or temperature has nothing to do with it unless deer think it is romantic. 
