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The rut is the same time every year, it doesn't change dates based on the weather. Although the weather may affect how much rutting activity we witness during the daylight hours.
Quote from: bobcat on October 24, 2012, 02:02:31 PMThe rut is the same time every year, it doesn't change dates based on the weather. Although the weather may affect how much rutting activity we witness during the daylight hours. I don't know if Washington is the same as down here in Oregon, but the deer in the valley and foothills seem to start rutting a little earlier then the bucks higher in the Cascades. The coastal areas and valley fringes are usually going hot and heavy by the end of October, first week of November. But the higher country where the deer are migration oriented seem to peak in the 18th to 20th of November. Just my observation from 45 years of Blacktail hunting.
Peak rut represents an annual high point for deer hunters and the bucks they pursue. It’s not surprising that predicting when it will occur is the hottest topic in whitetail hunting.Theories abound, based on a host of factors including temperature, barometric pressure, wind speed, type and amount of precipitation, moon phase, the earth’s gravitational pull and the brown and white bands on a wooly bear caterpillar.The fact is, predicting when the peak of rut will occur is not difficult, and there’s no secret formula.Whitetail breeding is based on photoperiodism — changes in the amount of daylight. Because fall daylight diminishes at the same rate and time every year, the rut happens at the same time, with very little exception. That’s no casual affirmation. It’s based on years of research from every state and province where whitetails live.If you want to know when the peak of the rut occurs, you don’t need meteorological charts or crystal balls. Call your state biologist, or read on. We’ve done it for you.
the bucks are already ready, i have seen 3 bucks that are swelled up and ready, it is all up to the doe now, and this year where i hunt the rut is earlier than last year by a long shot, when the doe come in heat then you will definatly see an increase in deer traffic, the trails will get alot more beat up, what strikes me this year as odd is the fat layers on some of these bucks that have been killed and it could have somethn to do with the earlier increase in blacktail movement, i think it might be a bad winter heading are way, i havent seen movement or fat layers like this in quite a few years, i think it will be a good season for alot of blacktail hunters, but more to the op, blacktail have some real uncommon traights that whitetails and muleys dont have but when they start thinkn with their dumbstick then all bets are off.....
The 2 point blacktail my cousin got opening day was healthy, but not an ounce of fat on him. None.
Do you guys typically see more activity in the mornings or the afternoon/evenings? Thanks for all the great info already!