It may happen... BT mini-rut?

[fishnfur]

So I've been playing with an idea in my head ever since I saw all the posts last year (starting 10 Oct) by several members who were suddenly seeing nice big blacktail bucks out running around in mid-day, acting totally rutty.

My biology background often makes me wonder what is going on when something unusual occurs.  I think I guessed back then (perhaps incorrectly) that it might possibly be that some small percentage (not all) of all the does were entering their first, or early estrous, and that first wave of hot doe scent is what got the bucks up and running.  Early estrous in does is not really an unusual occurrence, but I felt (perhaps incorrectly) that the number of bucks seen out running around at midday last year (or showing up out of nowhere on my traill cams for 3 days under my apple trees, then completely disappearing again), just might be out of the ordinary.

Last spring, I did an informal survey here, trying to determine the extent of early fawn drop that would have resulted from an early estrous last fall.  The responses were positive, but not so much so that one might infer that major successful breeding is occurring in early October.  The biology concerning estrous in BT does does show evidence that a significant portion of them are on their second estrous cycle at the peak of the rut in early November.  Based on that and the sudden occurrence of bucks between the 9th and the 13th of October last year, I did suggest then that hunters in possession of a muzzle loader or MS deer tag might be able to take advantage of what might actually be a mini-rut (sorry, I made that up - it's not really accurate), if it did occur annually. 

So I was going to wait a couple of more days to post this, but I've already seen this evening, a post that suggests someone in SW WA has already seen similar activity this year.  Anyway, my point to all this blather is that I'm hoping to get your reports of unusual or rutty buck behavior occurring within the next week - say through the 14th.  Not sightings of bucks doing normal daily routine, but suddenly appearing when/where you wouldn't normally expect them. 

As always, thank you for taking the time to post responses. We should get a pretty good idea if this is a normal occurrence or nothing more than just a blip on the radar. Photos are great if you've got 'em!

[fish vacuum]

Very interesting and seems possible. Populations have temporal breeding anomalies to buffer against natural "challenges." Our coho runs are a great example. "S-river" coho are in the rivers for 6 months. Spawning over a longer period ensures that severe weather events wont wipe out an entire population.
It would make sense that deer have an extended breeding season to spread out the fawn drop.
It's well known that there are two ruts. But it would make sense for mother nature to add another earlier rut.

[Sitka_Blacktail]

It's also proven that predator-wise, it is more advantageous for cervids to be born from the main rut and within a few days of each other. This way, more of them survive to polish up their predator avoidance/survival skills. The longer the rut and the more spread out the birthing time, the more likely the newborns will be taken by predators.

This is one of the concerns when hunting takes out most of the older more virile males with the most stamina before the rut. It's been proven that when yearlings/spikes are left to do most of the breeding that it stretches the rut and birthing periods, reducing fawn/calf survival rates. Also, in places with bad winters, the later born have less time to put on weight/fat stores to get them through their first winter.

This is one of the reasons Alaska went to the spike/fork/50 inch rule for moose. The bull/cow ratio was so out of whack it delayed the breeding of the cows and messed with calf survival. They came up with a system that gave protection for most bulls to get through 2 or three breeding seasons and cow/calf ratios improved. The only other choice would have been to go to strictly drawing hunts for bulls.  The spike/fork/50 inch rule allowed more hunters the opportunity to hunt each year.  The main problem now is how many illegal bulls are taking by people who can't judge a 50 inch bull properly. This year, the last I heard, 135 bull moose had been killed on the Kenai Peninsula and 25% of them were illegal sized bulls. (and these illegal bulls are only the ones that have been found or reported) This defeats the purpose of the rule and has some suggesting that it's time to go to drawing only.

[fishnfur]

Good thoughtful input.  Let's see what the deer do.....(if anything).

[L8NITE]

Watched a buck yesterday that was running around like crazy chasin does...definitely rutting behavior, he didnt seem to mind that I was around at all!!!

[JDHasty]

I think I was one of the people last year that said that I was observing "rut" behavior early.

I'm kinda' torn between it being pre-rut behavior and in the rut though.  Yes the bucks that were running together earlier on are not seen in groups, and they are moving around checking on doe herds... and even feeding with does and spikes.  The does were not tolerating them being there though, they were not running them off but were not sticking it in their face either.  And they would look over their shoulder and watch them come in after they moved off.

I'm just not sure that the rut had started, but the bucks were being seen again after they disappeared after the velvet was rubbed off their antlers. 

I have a MS Tag this year and started archery hunting in mid-September and what I saw was bucks hanging back and letting the does - two points come out to feed and watching from cover and then waiting until they left last weekend. 

I think they are checking for signs of estrous, but not coming out to actually check the does for receptiveness yet.  The doe herds come in with their fawns and feed right away, the bucks come in later and sniff around before walking around picking up and eating apples.

Where I hunt there are apple trees that are surrounded by trees that have grown up and I will knock down a couple dozen apples and then throw them to where I want the big bucks I am after will give me a 20 yard shot. 

I quit picking apples and throwing because the does and their fawns sniffed the ones I picked and threw and chose others to eat.   By the time the bucks came in and checked all of those were already gone so they just picked up what was left and ate them.... but now I shake them down and kick them over to where I want them. 

Once the rut is on those bucks are not going to hold back as long  if a doe is present and will come in at a trot instead of sneaking in later after the does move off. 

I haven't seen any of that yet this year. 

Once the rut starts we will again see bucks trailing does at all times during the day and busting into doe herds after they congregate where they feed just after sundown but before legal shooting time ends. 

[Brushcrawler]

I got two bucks with antlers locked on my trail can late last week. One was 5x5, the other 2x2. They have both been back since, but only at night. Sure hope one makes a mistake on timing, say around 7AM next Saturday...

[fishnfur]

I think those last two are more along the lines of normal buck behavior, especially in JD's situation on an island where the deer seem to almost trip over each other (at least in my imagination). 

When you see that buck walking like he's on a mission, right through a clearing or schoolyard at midday and in clear view of humans, I consider that unusual behavior for early October, at least in areas where they are hunted.  A buck jousting at night with another deer, especially in a playful manner is expected and a normal activity in October.  A buck following a doe  for a significant amount of time with his nose in her hooha leads one to think that maybe something more serious is going on.  If a does' tail is sticking straight out and she's being dogged or shadowed by a buck, that's pretty much a 100% certainty hot doe.  You'll all have to decide for yourselves if the behavior is normal or rutty in nature.   

Again, what I'm guessing might happen is that for the next few days, there is a sudden flurry of buck sightings (not necessarily while your hunting), and which will suddenly subside back to normal, or nearly normal levels in three to five days.