how long is the blacktail rut

[jwroberts]

Just curious to hear different opinions, trying to plan out the rest of my season.  I have a multi season tag this year and trying hard to get a quality deer without passing on too many and end up kicking myself

[300rum]

The spooks are out tomorrow night.  I have seen and killed more big bucks today and tomorrow than any other day of the month in the field, going back to when they let us hunt into the first week of November modern firearm.  If you can hunt Halloween and the week and a half after, you are in prime time.  They will breed right up to Thanksgiving, at least that is the last week I have witnessed them breeding.  The earlier the better in the rut though, they don't roam, like they are now.  The roaming, running around with their tongue hanging out tappers off towards the middle of November.

[300rum]

Just curious to hear different opinions, trying to plan out the rest of my season.  I have a multi season tag this year and trying hard to get a quality deer without passing on too many and end up kicking myself

Who cares about kicking themself?  You will never find the monsters unless you pass them up.

[bow4elk]

The rut usually peaks around 11/10-15, somewhere in there.  varies.  all deer should be chasing now and prone to calling and rattling.  By late bow opening (11/20), the rut is usually pretty well wound down.  Bucks will be focused on bedding a lot and feeding.  I usually rattle and call again around the last week in December for the second rut.  Not near as hot but sometimes yearlings come into estrous late and any does not bred now will come in again.  Bucks will be searching again that last week in December.  Killed three deer in a row on 12/31.

[bowpredator]

Right now they are trolling for does big time. over the past week our group has shot 7 bucks 3pt and better. We all buy rifle tags but hunt with our bows, because the area is a high power restricted area.

[coonhound]

I agree with the earlier statement about the second rut in December.  The 1st 2 weeks of November are the premium times however I've shot a couple bruisers in mid December that were in full rut.  Last year on Dec 9th I shot a nice Blacky with my bow that was definitely in full rut.

Coon

[Dmanmastertracker]

Right now they are trolling for does big time. over the past week our group has shot 7 bucks 3pt and better. We all buy rifle tags but hunt with our bows, because the area is a high power restricted area.

7 -3pt blacktail?? Good cripe I haven't seen that many even at the Vail check station, must be a private land area.

[jwroberts]

Thanks for the input guys.  I agree that sometimes you have to pass on the little ones to get a big one but I also need the meat and my list of kills is still pretty short.  Went out tonight but did not see anything except about 20 elk.  Too bad the unit is not open during the late archery

[PA BEN]

Saw a nice Blacktail buck. 3" of horn past each ear Yesterday nosing a doe while I was out elk hunting.

[bow4elk]

I just downloaded a load of trailcam pics last night and I noticed that a few of the bucks have darkening tarsal glands, but they are not large dark patches yet.  The largest buck's were darker than the forkhorns and 3pt, but not as dark as I'd have guessed.  The pics are from this past week.  I"m hoping to get a bunch more pics over the next two weeks.  It'll be interesting to see how dark the glands are as we move into peak breeding.

[NWWABOWHNTR]

Rut is on.... he was following a doe.....

[bowpredator]

DMANMASTERTRA
   No, its all public land, timber co. We have been hunting with bows during rifle for a few years noy and we all have taken some pretty nice bucks.