Blacktail Rut

[SeaRun1]

We watch our deer very closely so we can succeed.  In the last week rubs and scrapes have appeared like crazy.  Rut should be about on time for the first week of November as usual.

Glad I have a rut tag.

SR1

[AKBowman]

We watch our deer very closely so we can succeed.  In the last week rubs and scrapes have appeared like crazy.  Rut should be about on time for the first week of November as usual.

Glad I have a rut tag.

SR1

I would say the pre-rut is starting to kick in for sure now. Pre-rut seems to be happening a little earlier every year. Maybe the rut will start and end next week during general modern. I'd be out hunting NOW if I had your post-rut tag 

[kodiak 907]

It seems that the weather has the younger bucks confused. Almost all the doe with fawns are still nursing and are acting very normal. I've also seen a couple groups of decent size bucks hanging out together, not acting the least not concerned about the ladies.

[fishnfur]

   A good freeze would go a long ways in getting them more active and getting the leaves off the brush. 

If you believe in lunar calendars and rut predictions, then the peak of the rut will be nearly a week later than last year, at least for WTs.  We'll see how that carries over to the late BT buck season in November.  If it does, it could be a stellar year. 

One thing is certain, telemetric deer studies showed that deer were more active around the third quarter moon than at any other time (outside the rut).  October's third quarter is------- tomorrow!  Good luck everyone!  (I'm going to kids sporting events!  )

[Molon5labe]

Went out last night and just before last light a doe came around the corner, spotted me and stopped. A few minutes later she decided I was OK as she walked to the other side of the road and started feeding right near a big rub. Then she spooked and ran towards me then into the bushes. Just then a buck came trotting around the corner grunting at her and followed her into the bushes. Was pretty cool to see. Too dark to see his head gear. Even though it was only like 30 yards

[180-GRAIN]

8 deer in the yard right now. 7 does and yearling 1 long horned spike. All just feeding no rut action out of the spike at all.

[bugs n bones]

I saw  Rut activity yesterday out of a Boone and Crockett class buck with two does

[highside74]

We are in Kitsap area. Rubs everywhere. My son had a shot a beautiful 3 point last night that was locked down on a doe. My is 12 and it was his first real encounter with a buck like that. He was 166 yards for almost 10 minutes with no shot because of a stump. Then he came closer to 109 yards. My son pulled the trigger and the gun went click instead of boom.  the buck covered 150 yards going away un no time after that. On  our walk in he was swatting at a bug and his bolt almost fully opened. I slid it foward and locked it back down. I'm wondering if that affected the firing pin maybe not being fully engaged or something. The gun has never given us one misfire. He took it well. Saw a great 2x this morning by himself at 100 downwind and moving with no shot. Next year I will need to get a multi season tag I think.

[fishnfur]

Sounds like the MF tag is going to get notched.  Why pay the extra dollars for a MS?

[highside74]

Sounds like the MF tag is going to get notched.  Why pay the extra dollars for a MS?

So I can shoot one too. Lol I haven't hunted deer outside archery season in 15 years

[Old Man8383]

Found the first blacktailed deer rut rub week before season opened this year.  Older bucks come into rut early and really don't go out of rut as long as does continue to come into estrus or recycle up until they drop their antlers; which is caused by a drop in testosterone. Late developing yearlings or does in poor condition often come in heat in Dec and January.  Early fawns on very good feed can also come into heat late in the season and breed before they're yearlings.  This can prolong the rut in local areas.   I've found dropped antlers as early as Dec 17 with blacktailed deer in the South Cascades. Watched a number of large bucks chasing yearling does early last Feb in Ocean Shores.

[singleshot12]

Found the first blacktailed deer rut rub week before season opened this year.  Older bucks come into rut early and really don't go out of rut as long as does continue to come into estrus or recycle up until they drop their antlers; which is caused by a drop in testosterone. Late developing yearlings or does in poor condition often come in heat in Dec and January.  Early fawns on very good feed can also come into heat late in the season and breed before they're yearlings.  This can prolong the rut in local areas.   I've found dropped antlers as early as Dec 17 with blacktailed deer in the South Cascades. Watched a number of large bucks chasing yearling does early last Feb in Ocean Shores.

  Global Warming

[JDHasty]

Found the first blacktailed deer rut rub week before season opened this year.  Older bucks come into rut early and really don't go out of rut as long as does continue to come into estrus or recycle up until they drop their antlers; which is caused by a drop in testosterone. Late developing yearlings or does in poor condition often come in heat in Dec and January.  Early fawns on very good feed can also come into heat late in the season and breed before they're yearlings.  This can prolong the rut in local areas.   I've found dropped antlers as early as Dec 17 with blacktailed deer in the South Cascades. Watched a number of large bucks chasing yearling does early last Feb in Ocean Shores.

I've been finding fresh rub activity since early September.  I check known rub trees though.  I have found a lot of thees that I didn't already know from past seasons during archery season too. 

[DaveMonti]

The does around the house have not had any visitors.  No sign of rut at my place in Snohomish. 

[hillbillyhunting]

I havent been out much because i have a late tag, but my brother has seen around 55 blacktail does since the begining of rifle season... not a single buck...