Rut signals

[Hunting Man]

lots of things go into triggering the rut, another one is diminishing light.

[BruceBruce1959]

I also believe in the rutting moon. Charles Alsheimer (deer & der hunting magazine) and Wayne Laroche (Commissioner of Vermont F&W ) studied deer rutting behaviors and concluded that you could determine rutting activities by the moon phases.

I have always found their theory to be the most accurate indicator of the rutting activities.

Based on what they concluded this year (2009) these are the dates the
North woods hunters should be focusing on...

the seeking phase will be best between Oct. 28th & Nov. 3rd.
the Chasing phase will be best between Nov. 3rd & Nov. 9th
the Tending phase will be best between Nov. 11th & Nov. 17th

Ya'll Southern hunters should focus on the following dates.

the seeking phase will be best between Nov. 28th & Dec. 4th
the Chasing phase will be best between Dec. 4th & Dec. 1oth
the Tending phase will be best between Dec. 11th & Dec. 17th

Good Luck to everyone this 2009 hunting season,, Enjoy & Be Safe!!!

yea that charles oldtimers guy has done allot of work on the subject and seems to be the go to guy whenever anyone is writing a book on the subject. the moon is why we say the rut is late this year, cause of the second full moon being later after the equinox. sometimes there is a blue moon in october that really messes with the rut stretching it out and causing a more pronounced second rut. interesting reads whether you believe it or not. oh and the rut is triggered by the does, not the bucks. (ain't it always the way?) the pre rut stuff is all about the boys being boys.

[sinking3]

Although I'd like to have time to see it unfold for myself in the woods I use. trail cameras over food areas, and believe it or not dead deer on roadways. Right now in Carlton County, MN I have bigger bucks following does more casually, you could sa,y but nosing the ground and air. They are checking for the first does. Also dead deer, in my area the freeway becomes a gauntlet for the deer and vehicles. does being pushed by bucks and bucks chasing does. right now just a few this week it has been amping up. Every commute I check the "gauge".

[wmi]

If you are not seeing rut activity now it is because you are on the computer or on the couch.

[timberghost]

I don't know what the heck is going on here. Not seeing much of anything in terms of buck running, just does now. However, the mechanic at work arrowed a great 10 pt this past weekend chasing does behind his house in grape fields and he was walking in a row of grapes coming out to the edge. I'm not sure if he has internet but I will ask to see if he can get on here to post some pics

[rebel_pulling]

I live in south central ky i have sen small bucks trailing does buts thats about it here. I am sure ready for the gun season to open sautrday morning. huting in a thick field next to a stream and a 30ac corn field.