Whitetail Rut

[Doodle30]

Hey Gents

I know the subject has been posted and commented on many times so I am not trying to start a new post. Just wandering if someone can help me find an old post I can read through. I did a quick search but didn't find the goldmine of info that I know is there.

If someone recalls one of the posts with great information I would really appreciate it. I can do more detailed search later so don't break your back. If you recall one of the posts and find it quickly I would appreciate that.

I have calculated the rut before based on Deer and Deer Hunting formula but that doesn't always seem to jive with what I read on this site and I did not see the corresponding deer activity in the woods. To be honest I have never seen the exciting chasing activity some others have described on here in the 3 years (Obviously very limited) I have spent in the woods. I do know that there are many factos in that like heard dynamics, weather, hunting pressure.

This is more planning for a hunt with my Dad. I'm hunter hosting him this year. Need him to get his vacation time in and start looking at flights.

Thanks
Doodle

[7mmremmag]

In my neck of the woods its seems to be right about Nov. 8th-Nov18th, give or take, and some years are different due to temps and weather!

[whitetail Junkie]

I Like the last week in november for hunting bucks after most of the breeding is over,because

1.the big bucks are searching for them last doe's in heat.

2.Good chance the last week of november is the coldest week in the month,which gets the deer moving more.

3.I hunt the forest fringe and the bucks are out feeding in the crop's to rejuvenate themselves for winter because they lose alot or almost all there fat from the rut.

4.there is usally Fresh snow on the ground in the last week of november,which is A Major Bonus when hunting deer.

[pottymouth]

Everything i hunted last year seemed about 2-3 weeks behind. I'm thinking, it looks like this year might be 1-2 weeks ahead! But Doodle, Pressure , Weather and the Area your in are gonna dictate that forsure. About 3 years ago the rut was 95% over by Oct 31st in my area. If I was gonna pick a time to book days off, I'd look at Nov 14 - 21.

[Doodle30]

I have told my Dad to think from Nov. 5th - 20th but I looked at Deer and Deer hunting and their formula looks like a late rut this year. As a newbie I have no idea how accurate they are but they are one site that clearly spells details how they expect the rut to play out.

Obviously this is a crap shoot. I'm trying to pick one week 3-4 months in advance.

I am more than happy to listen to all advice but I didn't want to open another long thread. I recall this being one of the topics members where getting sick off.

Thanks
Doodle

[walking buffalo]

If I was gonna pick a time to book days off, I'd look at Nov 14 - 21.

For the Calgary area, and hope it's cold. The rut occurs at the same time each year, visibility of animals running around in the open during shooting hours is effected by the temperature.

Nov. 17 seems to be a magical day in my hunting spots. :sHa_shakeshout:

http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy10/keetspics/DSC01281.jpg

[BrownBear416]

For the Calgary area, and hope it's cold. The rut occurs at the same time each year, visibility of animals running around in the open during shooting hours is effected by the temperature.

Nov. 17 seems to be a magical day in my hunting spots. :sHa_shakeshout:

http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy10/keetspics/DSC01281.jpg

Hey you cant just post that pic with no info :thinking-006: lol

B&C buck grossing over 200 inch and netting somwhere around 185 typical?

[flint]

It is a crap shoot from time to time and it depends on alot what is going on in your hunting location. The rut frenzy that you are talking about is the post-breeding (bucks are in search of unbred doe's or in estrus). When the buck to doe ratio is more equal, cold temps, snow, low hunting pressure or better yet no hunting pressure these are some major factors of the rut frenzy. It may occure as early as last October and late as mid December. If you are after a big trophy then go between November 20 to 30. The rut is prime between these dates and most of my big bucks that I harvested were between 11:00 am to 2:00 pm. Stay out all day and stick to the fringe. Good Luck!

[Rockymtnx]

For me I find the Nov 18 - Dec 1st the primetime.
I have seen it vary though from year to year. A couple years ago when it was super warm here the bucks weren't rutting hard till Nov 25 and still going hard by Dec 10th. There have been a few years were I wish our season has run a little longer. As far as hunting big whitetails goes. I would rather be able to hunt them Nov 15 - Dec 15. That way we would catch more of the rut.
The downside to that is you miss the pre-rut and could also have some nasty weather in December.

[walking buffalo]

Hey you cant just post that pic with no info :thinking-006: lol

B&C buck grossing over 200 inch and netting somwhere around 185 typical?

I Can and I Did! :tongue2:


He photographs well. I watched this guy from a baby, he was 5 when he died. He got into a fight the night before I shot him and broke up a bunch of tips, I am capping them in bronze, just need to shape the casts and glue them on. He lost his left eye in that fight, probably from the monster 200" 5x with baseball bat beams I'm chasing. Besides being blind in one eye, he was horny and stuck tight to a girl, allowing me to sneak up and close the deal. He nets 172, 182 gross, lost about 12" to breakage.

Doodle30,

Where are you hunting? I believe Flint's advice is for central to Northern Alberta. In the south, peak rut activity is earlier, try Nov.15-25.

[nube]

I don't bother getting out much for Whitetails till the last 2 weeks of the season. First week is usually a waste of time and money spent unless you have it. Some people get lucky on the big ones but I find it isn't cold enough to really get them moveing around a whole lot.

[pottymouth]

WB, great looking buck Congrats.

Doodle, Now I believe you bow hunt as well and the absolute best time to hunt monster whitetail in my opinion is the first couple of days of the season, when patterning is alot easier. Early season is very methodical and strategic , the rut can be very rewarding but it's more of a crap shoot, luck plays a bigger role that time of year for hunters.IMO.

[BrownBear416]

I Can and I Did! :tongue2:


He photographs well. I watched this guy from a baby, he was 5 when he died. He got into a fight the night before I shot him and broke up a bunch of tips, I am capping them in bronze, just need to shape the casts and glue them on. He lost his left eye in that fight, probably from the monster 200" 5x with baseball bat beams I'm chasing. Besides being blind in one eye, he was horny and stuck tight to a girl, allowing me to sneak up and close the deal. He nets 172, 182 gross, lost about 12" to breakage.

Doodle30,

Where are you hunting? I believe Flint's advice is for central to Northern Alberta. In the south, peak rut activity is earlier, try Nov.15-25.


Wow ya that surprises me..With that tine length he looks to be in the 180s not including the 15 inch of stickers. Giant buck either way..

I always like to hunt the last 2 weeks of Nov just because ...well there the last 2 weeks of hunting.Best action we always see is around the 15th of Nov.I saw 3 big shooter bucks Nov 11,13-15th and then not another one till I shot mine around the 25th.

I agree with Rockymtnx in that I to would like to hunt the first couple weeks of Dec as lots of my Operator buddies see there biggest bucks of the year rutting heavy in Dec.

[pottymouth]

i agree with rockymtnx in that i to would like to hunt the first couple weeks of dec as lots of my operator buddies see there biggest bucks of the year rutting heavy in dec.

x 1,000,000

[Doodle30]

WB, great looking buck Congrats.

Doodle, Now I believe you bow hunt as well and the absolute best time to hunt monster whitetail in my opinion is the first couple of days of the season, when patterning is alot easier. Early season is very methodical and strategic , the rut can be very rewarding but it's more of a crap shoot, luck plays a bigger role that time of year for hunters.IMO.

Hey Potty

I do bow hunt but this is all about my hunterhost trip for my Dad. I will bow hunt but I think only for trophies. Other than that I would sooner wait and share the exerience with my Dad. If it means Tag soup, it happens to me every year anyway. I will chase Elk hard because I just enjoy it to much not to.

Looks like it a second half of November hunt. Have him fly in on the 19th and hunt that next week as hard as we can.

Thanks for all the input guys.

Doodle

[tchardy1972]

Might be just my 2 cents, but I like to think that it depends on the weather

[flint]

Might be just my 2 cents, but I like to think that it depends on the weather

The weather does play a role and I believe that a cold snap really enhances the rut. I witnessed bucks with goat-tee's frozen on their chin's.....frothing at the mouth while chasing doe's and clumps of ice caked to their foreheads. It is a sight to behold where it work's me up as well. It is quite interesting and humorous at the same time how these animals are driven with that biological clock. My kid brother killed two 160 class whitetails (two seperate years) when they had their neck stretched out dogging a doe. After he drilled them in the lungs they continued to dog the doe and then shortly after succombed. Every year I witness the rut however with different intensities. I look forward to it each year and enjoy watching the little buck's in on the action.......not so much the big boys because I send a Nosler their way.

[walking buffalo]

Might be just my 2 cents, but I like to think that it depends on the weather

The weather does play a role and I believe that a cold snap really enhances the rut. I witnessed bucks with goat-tee's frozen on their chin's.....frothing at the mouth while chasing doe's and clumps of ice caked to their foreheads. It is a sight to behold where it work's me up as well. It is quite interesting and humorous at the same time how these animals are driven with that biological clock. My kid brother killed two 160 class whitetails (two seperate years) when they had their neck stretched out dogging a doe. After he drilled them in the lungs they continued to dog the doe and then shortly after succombed. Every year I witness the rut however with different intensities. I look forward to it each year and enjoy watching the little buck's in on the action.......not so much the big boys because I send a Nosler their way.

Just clarifying for anyone who may be thinking the rut occurs at different times in various years. It does NOT. The peak of BREEDING happens like clockwork every year. The visual proof in the field is seeing fawns born the same week every year. What varies is the visibility of deer during daylight hours. On warm years, buck movement occurs at mostly at night when it is cooler, and out of the sun, in the trees.

Flint, I'm not saying you think the rut works differently, your highlighted quote says what I'm saying with fewer words. :)

[hunter10]

Where I go, the rut happens around mid november. My dad and I usually go nov 25 - 28 and I usually capitalize. I always tell him to go mid november but he never listens to me. mmmm :thinking-006:

ps dads, the sons are always right!! :sHa_shakeshout:

[ishootbambi]

you could not be more correct buff. the fawns need to hit the ground on the same date every spring. mother nature has ensured their survival this way. fawns born too soon can die from a late spring and too late they meet the next winter too small. the peak breeding dates are identical every year....what changes with weather is the daylight activity observed. i shake my head every time i hear such nonsense as the "rut was late", or "geez i wish it would snow so they'd rut". of course this applies to elk and moose as well.

[duffy4]

you could not be more correct buff. the fawns need to hit the ground on the same date every spring. mother nature has ensured their survival this way. fawns born too soon can die from a late spring and too late they meet the next winter too small. the peak breeding dates are identical every year....what changes with weather is the daylight activity observed. i shake my head every time i hear such nonsense as the "rut was late", or "geez i wish it would snow so they'd rut". of course this applies to elk and moose as well.

Thats about what I was about to say.

Many hunters confuse "peak day time deer activity" with "peak of rut".

Then some hunters prefer to hunt (1)just ahead of the peak of the rut to get at big bucks who are ready to party and anxiously awaiting hot does. (2)Or just after the peak when bucks are desperately searching for one last doe. Or (3)the "second rut" when does not caught the first time cycle again and some mature doe fawns come into heat.

I like to hunt deer during any legal deer season. If I had to pick a month it would be Nov. and if I had to pick a week it would be the second week.

[pottymouth]

you could not be more correct buff. the fawns need to hit the ground on the same date every spring. mother nature has ensured their survival this way. fawns born too soon can die from a late spring and too late they meet the next winter too small. the peak breeding dates are identical every year....what changes with weather is the daylight activity observed. i shake my head every time i hear such nonsense as the "rut was late", or "geez i wish it would snow so they'd rut". of course this applies to elk and moose as well.

Well, I'm gonna have to disagree............. Everything contributes to the rut ( area, pressure, weather, food, moon cycles etc.) The rut doesn't always fall on the same days, because fawns aren't all born the same weeks. I agree that it falls ruffly around the same time. There are also 2nd and 3rd estrus seasons, combine with younger does and older does coming into heat at different times.

When I said that I watch the rut in my area almost finish by the end of Oct, I wasn't kidding. Mother nature will control fawn growth and the weather and regardless of time she'll make it work most of the time.

It's kinda like watching bucks, when they begin to grow, when there velvet comes off, when they shed there antlers. there timing of these events is based on mother nature as well, and they don't happen the same time every year, for every deer.

The rut is a specific event that happens yearly, but changes slightly, due to numerous factors. It's up to the individual hunter to be able to reconize the signs in there area that it is upon them.

[ishootbambi]

you can have any opinion you like based on any personal experience you observed, but opinion does not beat science. the peak day will vary a bit by location as a result of evolution favoring animals who have adapted to their specific area and its weather, habitat etc. all you need to do is watch when the babies hit the ground. it happens in a bell shaped curve on the same peak date every year.

[pottymouth]

you can have any opinion you like based on any personal experience you observed, but opinion does not beat science. the peak day will vary a bit by location as a result of evolution favoring animals who have adapted to their specific area and its weather, habitat etc. all you need to do is watch when the babies hit the ground. it happens in a bell shaped curve on the same peak date every year.

So it's not the same day. Thanx that's what i'm saying. Accross north America the rut will vary, by a week or so depending on the numerous factors. There is no '' Magical " day , it's a magical period. Most fawns are born in May and some in early June. Now not every doe, just like every other animal, including humans have babies exactly at 9 months ( about 200 days gestation for whitetails) so your theory is a rough calculation. A doe has the ability to STALL off the growth of a fetus. This has been known to happen if the weather gets real bad and food is scarce, so it can take longer for the gestation time.

But we all agree it's somewhere in the middle of Nov to early Dec. Check your local area for show times!!!

[Bobby B.]

Years ago, the Edmonton Inn hosted what they titled 'The Whitetail Seminar'. There were a few well known hunters such as Russel Thornberry giving lectures on hunting whitetail. In addition, there were biologists who had been studying whitetails. The biologists stated that most whitetail does were bred on November 17 give or take a day or two. Most whitetail does meant approximately 85%. These biologists obtained a great deal of there info from the Camp Wainwright hunts.

Bobby B.

[Dark Wing]

I usually take the last 3 weeks of Nov. off for deer hunting and if I had only one week to hunt it would be between Nov.18-25.

[duffy4]

Years ago, the Edmonton Inn hosted what they titled 'The Whitetail Seminar'. There were a few well known hunters such as Russel Thornberry giving lectures on hunting whitetail. In addition, there were biologists who had been studying whitetails. The biologists stated that most whitetail does were bred on November 17 give or take a day or two. Most whitetail does meant approximately 85%. These biologists obtained a great deal of there info from the Camp Wainwright hunts.

Bobby B.

I was at that seminar. I also went to one in Calgary. At the one there I went outside for a walk on a break and there were deer tracks in the flower beds.

[AxeMan]

Years ago, the Edmonton Inn hosted what they titled 'The Whitetail Seminar'. There were a few well known hunters such as Russel Thornberry giving lectures on hunting whitetail. In addition, there were biologists who had been studying whitetails. The biologists stated that most whitetail does were bred on November 17 give or take a day or two. Most whitetail does meant approximately 85%. These biologists obtained a great deal of there info from the Camp Wainwright hunts.

Bobby B.

When I first read this I thought November 17 seemed a bit early based on my personal observations over the years on the peak of the whitetail rut. If you consider that the gestation period for a whitetail deer is between 200-205 days that would mean that majority of the fawns would hit the ground on June 5-10 if the does were bred around this date. Very believable based on my personal observations in the spring. If the majority of the does were bred toward the end of November when the rut seems to be very strong that would result in the fawns hitting the ground too late in June based on what I observe.

I think it is true for deer and moose too that the observed peak of the rut that we see in the fall based on buck activity is actually the last part of the peak breeding season. Some others in this thread have said that the best time to hunt bigger bucks is at the end of November when the very last does are in estrus and I would agree 100%.

[sheephunter]

Many people think the actual breeding period (what they call the rut) is when deer are most active. Nothing could be further from the truth. As many others have stated, after the bulk of breeding has been done is when deer get active. Weather, temperature, moon phase and hunting pressure will undoubtedly alter how active deer are and these activity levels will certainly change from year to year but when the actual breeding takes place is pretty well set in stone....well photoperiodism anyhow. Many people have a poor underastanding of the different phases of the rut.

[Acesneights]

Now im just throwing this out there and I would love for someone to prove this because I shot a giant whitetail on the 14th of November and was told that 80 % of bucks in boone and crockett were taken in the first two weeks of November.Now I know there are lots of variables to that (scouting, not all bucks are entered) but from my knowledge I never seem to have luck in Alberta in the last two weeks of November and I dont care what the weather is because I dont believe that plays a part in it.Only because if the deer are rutting and its cold they will move during the day cause they dont overheat but when its warm the do all their activities during the night and it always seems that when I go out in the last week when it is cold I dont see a single animal because they are all bedded up licking there wounds and resting.So to say the least I will always go hunting for whitetails in the first two weeks no matter what the weather.......unless you bowhunt

[pottymouth]

Reading everything over again I believe that everyone attempting to say the same thing, basicly this is what everyone saying.

Whiteys in different areas breed at different times of the year, depending on hours of light per day, and the local climate. And the deer in those areas breed at approximately the same time each year.

Using fawn birthdays and calculating conception dates, is misleading because of the factor of does being able to have the ability to STALL off the growth of a fetus. This has been known to happen if the weather gets real bad and food is scarce, so it can take longer for the gestation time.

All in all the best way to determine when the rut is at it's peak is sitting in the field.

Perhaps we can have a thread where you state the date, time and zone in which you observed , bucks scraping and fighting, bucks breeding , peak buck activity and bucks re joining their bachlor groups?

[walking buffalo]

Reading everything over again I believe that everyone attempting to say the same thing, basicly this is what everyone saying.

Whiteys in different areas breed at different times of the year, depending on hours of light per day, and the local climate. And the deer in those areas breed at approximately the same time each year.

Using fawn birthdays and calculating conception dates, is misleading because of the factor of does being able to have the ability to STALL off the growth of a fetus. This has been known to happen if the weather gets real bad and food is scarce, so it can take longer for the gestation time.

All in all the best way to determine when the rut is at it's peak is sitting in the field.

Perhaps we can have a thread where you state the date, time and zone in which you observed , bucks scraping and fighting, bucks breeding , peak buck activity and bucks re joining their bachlor groups?

Or we can say it here. Let me fill up the glass first. :oregonian_winesmile (WTF! No smilie for rum?)

I have witnessed elk delay giving birth during spring storms for days, other ungulates and Bison will do this as well, but I'm not sure that there is evidence of them manipulating gestation developement rates because of weather or food supplies.

My observations over the years with a local (Calgary area) whitetail population has consistenty shown the rut and breeding to be very consistent in it's timing. Dates need to be related to daylight phases more so than calendar dates, which do vary from year to year.

Anytime after bucks go to hard horn, they can be rattled in. Mid to late Oct. is a great time to rattle in lots of bucks, but mostly the young ones. Keep the sounds playful, not aggresive.

Nov. 10 is the time when bucks are getting really serious trailing and seeking out the does, but again it is almost exclusively the young boys doing this. The old bucks know not to waste their time or energy until the girls are ready.

Nov. 15-23 the big boys are claiming the hot does and sticking with them. If you know the habits of the local does, 'hunt' them, and the bucks will be there.

After the 25th, it is a wild goose chase for the bucks to find any hot does, and they need to put the miles on to find them, = lots of big buck movement.

Pause... fill glass.....

If you could only get laid in one month of the year, pretty sure you would keep on looking after getting some action. The Big guys wait until the breeding starts, and then don't give up until it is truely futile.

Back to bottle.... Arn? Narn. Elmo, make sense?

[Knotter]

If you could only get laid in one month of the year, pretty sure you would keep on looking after getting some action. The Big guys wait until the breeding starts, and then don't give up until it is truely futile.

Kinda like when the lights go up after last call. :scared0018:

[buckfever6]

If we want to talk about the science of the rut. It is very simple, yet not many people know it. The rut is triggered as daylight slowly decreases. Nothing to do with cold air or warm air. As daylight slowly decreases, a gland behind the does eye senses this change, and causes her body to react to this naturally, and she goes in heat. In turn, as bucks sense does in heat, they also begin to enter rutting phase. The guys that are saying that the rut happens at the same time like clock work year after year are completely correct. To understand why this happens, all you have to do is look at the daylight tables year after year. The sun keeps doing the same pattern, and going down at the same time for each day of the year, each year. Longer days in summer, shorter days as you go into winter, gradually as it happens. As this happens, whitetail's bodies react. The only part weather plays, is it keeps them moving when we can see them, instead of solely at night.
Another point worth taking note of....
IF the rut was primarily dependent on colder temperatures, whitetails in Florida would go extinct. Think about it....

[pottymouth]

If we want to talk about the science of the rut. It is very simple, yet not many people know it. The rut is triggered as daylight slowly decreases. Nothing to do with cold air or warm air. As daylight slowly decreases, a gland behind the does eye senses this change, and causes her body to react to this naturally, and she goes in heat. In turn, as bucks sense does in heat, they also begin to enter rutting phase. The guys that are saying that the rut happens at the same time like clock work year after year are completely correct. To understand why this happens, all you have to do is look at the daylight tables year after year. The sun keeps doing the same pattern, and going down at the same time for each day of the year, each year. Longer days in summer, shorter days as you go into winter, gradually as it happens. As this happens, whitetail's bodies react. The only part weather plays, is it keeps them moving when we can see them, instead of solely at night.
Another point worth taking note of....
IF the rut was primarily dependent on colder temperatures, whitetails in Florida would go extinct. Think about it....

Agreed! But whitetails in Florida don't go into the rut mid Nov either,More Daylight down there, that's why southern states season reach into Jan and so.

[whitetail Junkie]

[QUOTE=pottymouth;635091]

Using fawn birthdays and calculating conception dates, is misleading because of the factor of does being able to have the ability to STALL off the growth of a fetus. This has been known to happen if the weather gets real bad and food is scarce, so it can take longer for the gestation time.

QUOTE]

One september duck hunting with my dad,we saw a whitetail doe that had twin fawns.The Fawns still had there spots and were so young (newborn) that I was able to walk up to them because they must have just popped out and could barely walk, let alone run.

[whitetail Junkie]

For the Calgary area, and hope it's cold. The rut occurs at the same time each year, visibility of animals running around in the open during shooting hours is effected by the temperature.

Nov. 17 seems to be a magical day in my hunting spots. :sHa_shakeshout:

http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy10/keetspics/DSC01281.jpg

Nice Buck WB.What A Trophy!!! I would'nt get sick of holding that set of antlers!!! Congrats:sHa_shakeshout:

[buckman]

I have shot several good scoring Whitetails on Nov 16th,they were out searching for does heads down like big dogs.This is my favourite time to hunt.

Most of the deer I have called in that were shooters responded in the second week of Nov.

I have had the least success in the last week,although it has produced a couple of decent Bucks.

Most of my hunting is in the Mountain or high foothill areas.

Just my observations.

[mountain man 300 win]

I Like the last week in november for hunting bucks after most of the breeding is over,because

1.the big bucks are searching for them last doe's in heat.

2.Good chance the last week of november is the coldest week in the month,which gets the deer moving more.

3.I hunt the forest fringe and the bucks are out feeding in the crop's to rejuvenate themselves for winter because they lose alot or almost all there fat from the rut.

4.there is usally Fresh snow on the ground in the last week of november,which is A Major Bonus when hunting deer.

I would have to agree with this! :)

[swifthunter]

I always like the end of november/start of december as the bucks seem to be joining the does in herds and hitting the fields hard. I find during the earlier part of the rut the bucks bed and hide out with a single doe and you dont see them moving around at all. The small bucks seem to be the ones that do all of the running around chasing does during the day