Blacktail rut

[riflehunter]

The boys still at it? Weather this year is super messed up should be an interesting last 4 days

[highside74]

Was outside at my place tonight and it smelled like a big ole buck was standing right next to me. My wife and I both looked at each other and said the same thing. "Rutted up buck around somewhere."

[JakeLand]

I was up high and got a good with and not 10 minutes later a buck came up out of the thick stuff all swelled up and ready

[kevinlisa06]

Was headed for work on Friday morning and had a nice 4x4 hanging out with a doe and yes he was all swelled up.

[DaveMonti]

I've had quite a few bucks showing up on my cam at home.  The are definitely roaming around a bit.  Haven't seen anything chasing yet.

[Gentrys]

had a nice 4pt in our front yard this afternoon in Buckley.  we have 2 labs, so deer pretty much stay away, but this one definitely had something on his mind.

[fishnfur]

If you believe in lunar rut predictions, then the rut was expected to be a week or so later than last year for WT deer. http://wiredtohunt.com/2016/04/06/2016-rut-predictions-could-it-be-another-late-whitetail-deer-rut/

Those that don't follow the moon theory say that the peak breeding period happens at the same time every year, regardless of weather, moon, or other extrinsic factors.  It is my understanding that normally, the peak of the rut for BT is around a week earlier than that for WT deer.

While many here believed that the high levels of rutting activity found in the last eight days or so of October was the primary rutting period for this year, if you believe the scientists or the moon theorists, we are either just past the peak of the rut now or will be at the peak within the week for BT. 

I run trail cams in my yard to capture the uptic of buck activities surrounding the rut.  Last night was the first night that I had both a buck and a doe in the yard since the 18th of October, and I suspect the actvity will increase for the next five days or so, but time will tell.  If that is truly the case, then the dates of this increased activity are almost exactly a week later than what I've experienced in the past several seasons.  I'm not going to say that the moon theory is looking good, but it makes me wonder if there might be some bit of truth rolled up in there somewhere.  Regardless, if the BTs are really a week late, or if some of the does are beginning to enter a second estrous, then the upcoming four-day season may be really good to outright epic.   

[kodiak 907]

I'm headed out the door for my late tag as I type. I've got six straight days of hunting so hopefully we can put a couple down.

The blacktails around my area are in full swing.

[riflehunter]

Well good luck hope to see lots of pics. I see 2 does daily and never a buck around I was wondering if I missed it for elk hunt again or if there is a chance I'll hit the rut this year

[pope]

Not sure but, it may be late this year in my area (or I totally missed it and it already happened). Now a doe can't just decide when she is ready, but something in her chemistry clicks. Last I checked, they don't read calendars. What about temperature as a trigger? If the breeding occurs too early, then does drop their fawns earlier in the spring when nights are too cold. Nature times the rut so fawns are dropped when temperatures are warm enough, and so that fawns have the maximum number of days when food is abundant and the return of cold nights is distant.

Maybe does are ready to go when temperatures finally signal the approach of winter, and if that contributes to the equation, given how mild it's been lately, maybe peak rut hasn't happened yet.

[SkookumHntr]

Seen a nice buck working 2 does hard last night, Rut still in full swing..

[kodiak 907]

2 bucks so far pushing does like crazy. No shooters yet.

[JDHasty]

Saw a real nice buck locked down on a doe yesterday morning about 8:30 just north of Maytown. 

[Firedogg]

  The ones in my yard that were hard after the does last week are just chilling in the brush now ingoring the does.

[bobcat]

  The ones in my yard that were hard after the does last week are just chilling in the brush now ingoring the does.

I would believe that. From my trail cameras I see almost zero buck activity after the 13th or 14th of November. And those days are pretty slow. Most of the action would be about November 3rd to the 10th.