Mule deer rut

[Buck Rub Jr]

In the gum we hunt mulies in we've been finding scrapes the past couple years during general season. From what I've read and understand it's not normal for mulies to scrape but clearly something has. It smelled like deer pee and you could see where the buck had stomped in it. My dad also shot a buck at first light opening morning that was rutting like crazy chasing does around but other than that buck, nothing else was showing rut activity. Warm weather and blue bird skies. His neck was massive. Curious if anyone else has observed this or seen mulie scrapes or seen singular bucks rutting hard like that?

[Buck Rub Jr]

All swelled up

[bobcat]

You sure those "scrapes" weren't just beds? And as for the buck chasing a doe around in October, sounds pretty normal to me, could be just a doe that came into heat a little early. Bucks aren't picky, they'll take those does anytime they're ready.

[Buck Rub Jr]

You sure those "scrapes" weren't just beds? And as for the buck chasing a doe around in October, sounds pretty normal to me, could be just a doe that came into heat a little early. Bucks aren't picky, they'll take those does anytime they're ready.

I'm pretty positive they weren't big enough to be beds and you could see how it was scraped around, not just an impression in the dirt. But I don't know, I've read somewhere that cougars make scrapes but I'm not sure if that's true

[Elkrunner]

What GMU?  could be possible a few whities are running around.

[sirmissalot]

I think it's a misconception that because a buck has a big fat neck he is in full rut. I have seen old, mature bucks taken in September that have a big swollen looking neck. Makes for a cool mount with that thin September hair. I know people tend to think bucks necks get "swollen" when they get in the mood but I think it's just a sign of A-a mature buck with muscle mass that probably matches his big body and B- enlarged neck muscles due to rubbing and sparring with their buddies prior to game time. My opinion, I have been told I'm wrong before.

Nice looking buck though.

[zwickeyman]

Like Elkrunner said, could be Whitetails. Cougar scapes look very different from Buck scrapes. Most folks say Blacktails don't scrape but they do, they might not make a scrape line but will scrape under a licking branch like a Whitetail

[bobcat]

I know people tend to think bucks necks get swollen when they get in the mood but I think it's just a sign of A-a mature buck with muscle mass that probably matches his big body and B- enlarged neck muscles due to rubbing and sparring with their buddies prior to game time.

[boneaddict]

Mule deer scrape all the time.   Different than whitetail in general locale and configuration.

[boneaddict]

Muledeer scrapes tend to be more mooselike than whitetail like.   They dig out a pit, piss in it, roll around in it etc.   Not a wallow like an elk.  usually on steep ground, often near the peek of a ridgeline, usually in the open, with no licking branch like a whitetail.  I'm sorry I have never taken the time to photo one.  I saw a good one just the other day.  Probably this fellows.......

[boneaddict]

It was about 100 yards straight up the hill of this guy.  I found three on this outing alone, along with many rubs.

[buckfvr]

Muledeer scrapes tend to be more mooselike than whitetail like.   They dig out a pit, piss in it, roll around in it etc.   Not a wallow like an elk.  usually on steep ground, often near the peek of a ridgeline, usually in the open, with no licking branch like a whitetail.  I'm sorry I have never taken the time to photo one.  I saw a good one just the other day.  Probably this fellows.......

I learned this in 1988, just above the cross over from Dawson to Schnebly Canyon.  Have seen many since.

[boneaddict]

As for your rutting observation.   Think of a bell curve when you think of the rut.   It starts out gaining gaining, peaks, then tapers back down, then think of a smaller bell curve following it.    Hormones in deer are most effected by light duration.  Kind of like leaves turning on a tree and then falling.   Weather, moon(light)  and temperature will effect the mood just like leaves falling off a tree.    Depending on the elevation (high country deer) and all these little factors, you will see individual rut activity vary in time and cycle.  The majority of doe are bred the first time around, then the second cycle starts and those that are missed are bred.   I suppose there is even a third, but these are the critters that are born late, still have spots in the fall and rarely survive winter.   

[Buck Rub Jr]

As for your rutting observation.   Think of a bell curve when you think of the rut.   It starts out gaining gaining, peaks, then tapers back down, then think of a smaller bell curve following it.    Hormones in deer are most effected by light duration.  Kind of like leaves turning on a tree and then falling.   Weather, moon(light)  and temperature will effect the mood just like leaves falling off a tree.    Depending on the elevation (high country deer) and all these little factors, you will see individual rut activity vary in time and cycle.  The majority of doe are bred the first time around, then the second cycle starts and those that are missed are bred.   I suppose there is even a third, but these are the critters that are born late, still have spots in the fall and rarely survive winter.

excellent!! Thanks for the info!

[Buck Rub Jr]

I think it's a misconception that because a buck has a big fat neck he is in full rut. I have seen old, mature bucks taken in September that have a big swollen looking neck. Makes for a cool mount with that thin September hair. I know people tend to think bucks necks get "swollen" when they get in the mood but I think it's just a sign of A-a mature buck with muscle mass that probably matches his big body and B- enlarged neck muscles due to rubbing and sparring with their buddies prior to game time. My opinion, I have been told I'm wrong before.

Nice looking buck though.

ah Gotchya makes sense. He was chasing a group of about 6 does so I don't know! He was an old mature buck though. Thanks for the info