collapse

Advertisement


Author Topic: Secondary Blacktail Rut?  (Read 3904 times)

Offline fishnfur

  • Non-Hunting Topics
  • Trade Count: (+1)
  • Frontiersman
  • *****
  • Join Date: Nov 2014
  • Posts: 3805
  • Location: longview
Re: Secondary Blacktail Rut?
« Reply #15 on: November 29, 2017, 07:05:37 PM »
BTW - 19 - 21 days was the cycle found by researchers in WA back in the 40s.  That is an average, and unless you know when a doe last went into heat, the number is less meaningful.  The average BT doe peak estrus (on the bell curve - as Bone pointed out) is somewhere around 7 - 10 Nov.  The next, possibly third cycle kicked in a a few days ago and is somewhere near peak (for un-bred does) right now.  28 day cycle is quoted by a lot of writers, but there are no statistics to support those numbers. 

“When I die, I want to die like my grandfather who died peacefully in his sleep. Not screaming like all the passengers in his car.”  - Will Rogers

Offline kodiak 907

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Sourdough
  • *****
  • Join Date: Feb 2013
  • Posts: 1202
  • Location: Skagit Valley
  • Groups: U.S. Navy/Combat Recon, NRA, DU
Re: Secondary Blacktail Rut?
« Reply #16 on: November 29, 2017, 08:47:44 PM »
Quite possibly the main reason BT bucks are running around trying to breed does 'out of the rut' is because there aren't enough does to breed.
I think my reply need s whole new thread though.

Around the area I hunt, this seems to be the case this year. Every doe has 2-3 bucks in the immediate area.

In my mind, the  (observed) buck to doe ratio is skewed for two reasons: 

  - Lack of hunting pressure has allowed the buck to doe ratio to reach near equal proportions - 1/1.  It will likely never go higher than one to one.  Unbred does in the first couple of estrus periods (low buck to doe ratio) tend to produce buck offspring as a compensatory mechanism that should produce more bucks for the population.  Sounds like you're pretty close to max bucks per doe.

- Bucks are attracted to the increased activity and scent that a doe experiences just prior to her fertility phase.  A buck won't hang with a doe if she's not showing signs of getting hot, they go find one that is.  When there's a high buck to doe ratio, it makes sense to me that multiple bucks all hang with the hottie who's close to giving it up.  All the pregnant and in-between estrus period does are being boring and just sitting around at home.  Sounds like high school, huh?

Definitely agree, lots of large chunks of private ground helps to keep the numbers up also. The long tails are starting to show up on all my cams. The bucks must be better at eluding because all I find is doe cat kills.
Spider 2 Y banana

 


* Advertisement

* Recent Topics

Range finders & Angle Compensation by Fidelk
[Today at 11:58:48 AM]


Willapa Hills 1 Bear by hunter399
[Today at 10:55:29 AM]


Tree stand for Western Washingtn by Shannon
[Today at 08:56:36 AM]


Bearpaw Outfitters Annual July 4th Hunt Sale by bearpaw
[Today at 08:40:03 AM]


KODIAK06 2025 trail cam and personal pics thread by Boss .300 winmag
[Today at 07:53:52 AM]


Pocket Carry by JimmyHoffa
[Today at 07:49:09 AM]


Yard bucks by Boss .300 winmag
[Yesterday at 11:20:39 PM]


Yard babies by Feathernfurr
[Yesterday at 10:04:54 PM]


Seeking recommendations on a new scope by coachg
[Yesterday at 08:10:21 PM]


Sauk Unit Youth Elk Tips by high_hunter
[Yesterday at 08:06:05 PM]


Jupiter Mountain Rayonier Permit- 621 Bull Tag by HntnFsh
[Yesterday at 07:58:22 PM]


MOVED: Seekins Element 7PRC for sale by Bob33
[Yesterday at 06:57:10 PM]


3 pintails by metlhead
[Yesterday at 04:44:03 PM]


1993 Merc issues getting up on plane by Happy Gilmore
[Yesterday at 04:37:55 PM]


A lonely Job... by AL WORRELLS KID
[Yesterday at 03:21:14 PM]


Unit 364 Archery Tag by buglebuster
[Yesterday at 12:16:59 PM]


In the background by zwickeyman
[Yesterday at 12:10:13 PM]


A. Cole Lockback in AEB-L and Micarta by A. Cole
[Yesterday at 09:15:34 AM]

SimplePortal 2.3.7 © 2008-2025, SimplePortal