Free: Contests & Raffles.
Probably not done but more than likely, the does are just in between cycles (if their not already pregnant). If there are no hot does in your area, the bucks that you know live there normally will likely not hang out and wait for another doe to go into estrus. Instead, I think they'll go look elsewhere for love, and check back every day or two near their core area. The bucks can use thermals to scent check a whole bench or hillside without even getting close to the does, so if there's no girls close to being ready to breed, the bucks may just keep traveling on by to the next area holding does. There's no time to waste when the boys are looking for love. Also, while rubbing is considered a territorial marker, it is also done out of frustration when the bucks are waiting for the first round of does to come into estrus in October. They pick a bush or a tree and rub or beat it up. Once many does really start breeding, much of the rubbing and bush thrashing behavior seems to stop. I wouldn't call it a terribly unusual year, but the timing of estrus cycles seems to be off normal by just a few days, at least down here. We had a burst of chasing and breeding activity from around 22 Oct through the end of the month. Estrus cycles occur on average, every 21 days. Something like 70 - 80% of does don't conceive until the second estrus cycle, so if you count days from the last observed burst of activity, you can pretty much count days to when the next estrus cycle will begin. In my case down here, if a hot doe was bred on the 22nd and didn't conceive, she should hit her next estrus around the 11th of November, (plus or minus a day or two). (The second breeding cycle is when the majority of does conceive and that period is what the scientists doing studies call the peak of the rut, which this date falls into) If a doe was hot but unsuccessfully bred on 31 October, then she will start her next estrus sometime around the 21st of November. From my and other local hunter's observations, we seemed to have a new burst of activity last weekend (10 - 12 Nov), which seems right on schedule based on previous rutting activity, but not perfect timing for many of the Quality Tag selectees nor the Late Buck season MF hunters. But that burst of activity is not 100% of the does that will got hot during this period, but perhaps it might have been the majority of them.So it appears the stars didn't completely align for the Late Buck season, but there is virtually always some level of rutting activity throughout November. The warm relatively dry weather complicates matters as well. Regardless, there is always a doe or two within just a day or so of starting estrus at this point in the month. They seem to emit smells or pheromones that bucks can detect a couple days in advance of the onset of heat. Once that happens a buck will likely stay with her till she allows him to breed her. Other bucks in that area will either fight for her or move on and look for another prospect. Only if you're out in the woods will you have a chance to come across either that doe with a buck in tow or the buck out searching for a new girlfriend. They're still doing the rut thing. You should keep hunting till time runs out.
Quote from: fishnfur on November 17, 2018, 11:16:56 PMProbably not done but more than likely, the does are just in between cycles (if their not already pregnant). If there are no hot does in your area, the bucks that you know live there normally will likely not hang out and wait for another doe to go into estrus. Instead, I think they'll go look elsewhere for love, and check back every day or two near their core area. The bucks can use thermals to scent check a whole bench or hillside without even getting close to the does, so if there's no girls close to being ready to breed, the bucks may just keep traveling on by to the next area holding does. There's no time to waste when the boys are looking for love. Also, while rubbing is considered a territorial marker, it is also done out of frustration when the bucks are waiting for the first round of does to come into estrus in October. They pick a bush or a tree and rub or beat it up. Once many does really start breeding, much of the rubbing and bush thrashing behavior seems to stop. I wouldn't call it a terribly unusual year, but the timing of estrus cycles seems to be off normal by just a few days, at least down here. We had a burst of chasing and breeding activity from around 22 Oct through the end of the month. Estrus cycles occur on average, every 21 days. Something like 70 - 80% of does don't conceive until the second estrus cycle, so if you count days from the last observed burst of activity, you can pretty much count days to when the next estrus cycle will begin. In my case down here, if a hot doe was bred on the 22nd and didn't conceive, she should hit her next estrus around the 11th of November, (plus or minus a day or two). (The second breeding cycle is when the majority of does conceive and that period is what the scientists doing studies call the peak of the rut, which this date falls into) If a doe was hot but unsuccessfully bred on 31 October, then she will start her next estrus sometime around the 21st of November. From my and other local hunter's observations, we seemed to have a new burst of activity last weekend (10 - 12 Nov), which seems right on schedule based on previous rutting activity, but not perfect timing for many of the Quality Tag selectees nor the Late Buck season MF hunters. But that burst of activity is not 100% of the does that will got hot during this period, but perhaps it might have been the majority of them.So it appears the stars didn't completely align for the Late Buck season, but there is virtually always some level of rutting activity throughout November. The warm relatively dry weather complicates matters as well. Regardless, there is always a doe or two within just a day or so of starting estrus at this point in the month. They seem to emit smells or pheromones that bucks can detect a couple days in advance of the onset of heat. Once that happens a buck will likely stay with her till she allows him to breed her. Other bucks in that area will either fight for her or move on and look for another prospect. Only if you're out in the woods will you have a chance to come across either that doe with a buck in tow or the buck out searching for a new girlfriend. They're still doing the rut thing. You should keep hunting till time runs out.Fishnfur that is some really great info right there. I will be back out there today right after church. With 15 does within a 50 acres piece of ground there should be one shooter around. Thanks for the info.
my son shot this 4x4 on Sunday mid morning and his neck was huge.
