blacktails are in the mood

[hivito]

I use my camera at home to time and verify the buck activity
this guy is safe; we hunt in the woods, not in our own backyard and I enjoy watching them all fall
Saw lots of activity this weekend; handful of 2pts running the girls all over clear cuts
Picture sums it up; only going to get better

[boneaddict]

Confirming what I am seeing as well.   Generally up high there will be this kind of activity early, but it seems to be firing early this year down low

[sirmissalot]

Night time activity is usually early. We haven't seen any daytime rut activity yet, my girlfriends buck was the first buck bigger than a spike that we've seen and it was the 106th deer we've seen while hunting this season. I suspect it will start soon where we are but its not there yet. We need a cold snap, her buck still had some of his summer hair

[headshot5]

I'm with Sirmissalot.  No daytime rut activity.  Not really seeing any swollen necks either.   The one in the pic isn't swollen yet.  Does are still with their fawns (yearlings).  When you start seeing yearlings wandering around by themselves you know that things are getting hot.  I'm betting it will be Halloween time as usual.  At least in the area I hunt.     This is my favorite time of year!   

[sirmissalot]

One thing I've noticed is more lone does and fawns on there own. That's just been in the last couple days, majority of fawns are still with mom though but that's why I think it's getting real close.

[boneaddict]

I am more in tune with Muleys than blacktails.   Anecdotally I thought they fired a touch later than the Muleys but I am not sure about that.  Biologically should be the same time every year since its governed by light and hormones.   Eyeballs are not confiming what my brain knows though.

[hivito]

I'm with boneaddict here; truly believe that it happens with daylight and hormones
Not ever sure what causes variation, ie: weather, geography, genetics, etc.
Can verify that I have only seen young bucks around does; yesterday saw one in a clearcut that was shoving her around and could not care one bit about the crosshairs on his shoulder (passed on him; just practice)
Someone said it....."favorite time of year"....could not agree more.  I spend 50 weeks a year waiting for these 2 weeks

[James]

I gauge the blacktail rut like a Saturday night bar scene. Its about 9pm. Girls are still in their packs giggling and nursing drinks. Young guys are offering to dance and buy drinks with little success. The burly bad boys are still sitting in the corner waiting for the young guys to do all the work then slip in and steal the girls. The night is young and with every passing hour ( days in our case) things will get more interesting. Very few people are on the dance floor yet....

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Best analogy I have ever seen.

Outstanding.

[hivito]

Could not have been said better

[blackveltbowhunter]

I gauge the blacktail rut like a Saturday night bar scene. Its about 9pm. Girls are still in their packs giggling and nursing drinks. Young guys are offering to dance and buy drinks with little success. The burly bad boys are still sitting in the corner waiting for the young guys to do all the work then slip in and steal the girls. The night is young and with every passing hour ( days in our case) things will get more interesting. Very few people are on the dance floor yet....

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The take home message is get ready... all the players have arrived at the bar. 

[lokidog]

Had a really stinky little guy walk away from us in the dark Saturday night but a neighbor shot one Friday here that had no hint of anything going on.  Still a mixed bag locally.

Nice analogy.

[h2ofowlr]

I squirted down a wood pile this weekend with WT doe in heat and had two bucks come over to check it out.  Only one left.  I thought it was early for the whitetails, but they liked what they smelled.

[Jonathan_S]

I squirted down a wood pile this weekend with WT doe in heat and had two bucks come over to check it out.  Only one left.  I thought it was early for the whitetails, but they liked what they smelled.

I think a doe in heat smell will interest bucks any time of the year.  Does that aren't bred will go into rut again very late in the year and even though it isn't "Rut Season" the bucks will happily breed her.

Not unlike humans in that regard   

[Gringo31]

I'm seeing a lot of younger bucks chasing and sniffing.  But the big boys are still bachelored up or solo.  Saw a group of 3 mature bucks last night all hanging together.....

[kodiak 907]

28 days later. I find that December 5th is the magical date for the 2nd blacktail rut.

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  That first week of Dec. is always hot just below the snow line.  The second cycle makes for a fun late archery hunt.