How the rut works in my area

[Native Hunter]

A point well made and appreciated. No offense was intended and I did apologize at the end, but i still don’t find the information provided half ass. It’s just data and no one was making life or death recommendations. Personally, I don’t think data should be buried. Many conclusions, perhaps. I’m sure we will agree to disagree.

However, at the end of the day I read your posts and responses and leave with great admiration. Thanks for starting the thread and your contributions to the discussions.

Thanks to you too Dan, and I always enjoy your input on things we discuss here!!

 

[weekender21]

The first thing I noticed when I looked at that map was two of the counties right near the middle - Lee and Harnett. The map shows 21 days difference for peak rut in those two counties, yet they border each other. Similar examples can be found at other places on the map. That makes me doubt the accuracy of any of it.

Lots of southern states are that way, AL is another great example.

Road kill fawn ultrasound is allegedly the most accurate way to determine fetus age. My property is in Ashe County and borders VA and TN. The state study has 22 November as the peak rut for our county. I came up with November 19th based on my trail camera survey using 200 days as the average gestation period. November 15th was the earliest based on a 31 May fawn drop but all other fawns arrived between 6 and 7 June. The sample for the states survey is still pretty small and will obviously slide some with more samples but I'd say they're pretty close in our area.

 

[OkieKubota]

In my area the temps have to get cooler than upper 70’s and the danged full moon needs to go away to kick some of this pre-rut stuff off...just sayin

 

[Native Hunter]

Yesterday was the first day of crazy week. I checked a camera on the south side of my place and had this picture. Never saw this deer before.

 

[Drycreek]

Yesterday morning at 7:10 a buck cruised through before I had enough light to correctly age and gauge, paused just long enough for me to squeeze the trigger...........but I didn't. I've long since "outgrown" the need to shoot a buck because he was "quitting the field".

And that's how the rut works in my area !

 

[readonly]

For many years I concentrated most of my hunting in bow season, so was not tuned into the rut. The last several years I have tried to hunt more in November....to save some hunting stands from pressure so they will be prime for the rut....and I have killed more mature bucks since paying attention to the rut more. Looking back over the close to 30 years I've been deer hunting, there is definitely a variation from year to year. Some of that relates to food sources....if the acorns bust, and the deer are sticking to ag crops for food, then bucks will follow the does with the food when the rut comes. Although the chasing can take them back into the woods.

This year has been a weird year. Have seen barely any bucks and no mature bucks in the woods during bow season. I have seen some does but not many. Fortunate to take a couple. Yesterday for our ML opener I hunted a green field edge bordered by a 4 year old cut and planted pines. 6 bucks hit that green field but they weren't cruising they were gorging on clover, etc. Only 2-3 does came out (20+ acre field). There are some acorns in the woods but for whatever reason the fields are still a big draw and the run seems a week or two behind where it should be.

So I'm looking forward to next week and hoping things have heat up bit.
I hunted KY when I lived there for 6 years and I think the rut is better there than Virginia, the primary reason that the one buck limit saves a lot of bucks in KY, and with more bucks there is more competition for the does.