The rut - what's your opinion
 

I have my opinion on the rut but am interested in others beliefs.

Short and sweet. Do you believe the timing of the rut varies from year to year or is set?

I used to believe (warm) weather, acorn drops or moon phase could affect the timing of the rut but from reading quite a few articles citing actual scientific studies, I have since been convinced that it is exclusively based on daylight changes, meaning it is pretty consistent (within 2-3 days)every year for a given region.


Edit - a good article on the rut is at http://wiredtohunt.com/2017/05/30/20...han-last-year/

quite consistant

i am really convinced it's the same time every year...i actually saw a nice buck chasing a doe tuesday 10/17...i know...i know...lol

Ive seen a couple already. One year I watched a giant chase a doe all over a bean field opening evening (oct 1) Ive also seen bucks chasing doe in mid January.

Its doe coming in heat that matters..bucks will rut whenever that happens and other than the odd doe not following the rules for whatever reason its pretty much the same time every year....around 200 days before fawns can survive the best in your area.

How do you decide when to call and rattle? Peak rut only, or pre and post rut too?

varies...

I heard it once put that 100% will be say bred/hot between a 1 month period... but some farms areas will be hot for 1 week, 3 days here and another will be hot at another time.

so overall it's about the same year to year but individual areas can change/vary a good bit.

also buck/doe ratios

good luck.

personally I've seen a property be hot say tues, then wed to fri nothing then it might heat up again, I think it just depends on when individual does in your area become hot, and that'll vary.

I've seen bucks fighting, and one buck chasing. But the rut isn't here yet.


You'll know when it's in... if you're wondering then it probably isn't in yet.


I think it's pretty consistent as well. Even in the warm years that we've had the 2 weeks after halloween are the best here...


-Jake

Those doe have to pop those babies out at the right time every spring, or they wont grow big enough to survive the winter. It happens at about the same time every year.

i can only vouch for the last 47 yrs...3 days surrounding nov. 7th has always been the hot time..central ga