RUT Prediction for 2010

[BAR C3]

I was reading another forum and there saying that this year we will have an early rut. Meaning in rifle season. Has something to do do with the second full moon. Not up on the scientific terms. Never been a believer that the moon had a huge bearing on it. They prove otherwise based on the records. Anyway, they say that we will never see this early of a rut during our lifetimes. So what that equates to is a bumper rifle season if they are right.  Bow hunters will get second cycle.  There calling for the rut to start in alot of places the first week of November.
I know of two bucks killed, one mulie and one whitetail that displayed rut features. Smelled and the muley's neck already getting large.
Anyone else seeing this?

[bobcat]

If it's the first week of November, that's not early. It's right on time! Same as every other year.

[stumprat]

If it's the first week of November, that's not early. It's right on time! Same as every other year.

 

[400out]

The rut alway comes during rifle season................









IN MONTANA 

[BAR C3]

Understand it starts in rifle season, but I'm a bowhunter that gets the full rut in bow season. Talking "chase season" not the pre-rut. I have never seen the rut in the rifle season as hard as I do during bow season. Of course the new bow season is Thanksgiving. Prior was the 21st of November. I think for Whitetails, the best time has always been 20th-30th.
Let me clarify I'm also talking about Whitetails not Muleys. I've always seen them start earlier in November.


400out, Exactly why I hunt Montana!

[bow4elk]

I was reading another forum and there saying that this year we will have an early rut. Meaning in rifle season. Has something to do do with the second full moon. Not up on the scientific terms. Never been a believer that the moon had a huge bearing on it. They prove otherwise based on the records. Anyway, they say that we will never see this early of a rut during our lifetimes. So what that equates to is a bumper rifle season if they are right.   Bow hunters will get second cycle.   There calling for the rut to start in alot of places the first week of November.
I know of two bucks killed, one mulie and one whitetail that displayed rut features. Smelled and the muley's neck already getting large.
Anyone else seeing this?

The data you are referring to is from Charles Alsheimer and Wayne Laroche (Google "assessing the moon's impact of the whitetail rut by charles j. alsheimer")

This data only applies to deer living north of the 35th latitude.  To get to the resulting data according to over a decade of research on wild whitetails, Charles Alsheimer has determined that the “rutting moon” is the second full moon following the Autumn Equinox, which was 9/22 this year.  The first full moon is 10/22; the second full moon is 11/21.  Here’s how the rut phases map to his logic:

Seeking Phase, spans 3-4 days before and after the rutting moon = 11/17 to 11/25
Chasing Phase, 3-4 days after the rutting moon, into breeding phasne = 11/24 to 11/28
Breeding Phase, ~7 days after the rutting moon, lasts about 14 days = 11/28 to 12/5.  70-80% of does are bredd. Those that aren't come back into estrous about 28 days later.

This year's Autumn Equinox was somewhat rare because for the first time since 1991, the harvest moon was full in the early hourss of 9/23.  A full harvest moon so close to the Autumn Equinox is the "traditional definition" of a harvest moon.  It won't happen again until 2029.

As for being early - nope.  If anything, it may tend to be later this year based on the above data but deer herd dynamics are always the best indicator of how to plan your hunts in your hunting areas.  If bucks are acting rutty, then toss all this out the window and get after it!

[carpsniperg2]

our bench legs have started rutting. with this cold weather it does not suprise me. only one had a big puffy neck and had sticky back legs from marking and urinating on himself.

[bobcat]

Cold weather? What cold weather

[carpsniperg2]

in our area bobcat it was getting down to 31 at night thats cold

[Woodja]

So from the earlier poster I learned 2010 is one luny year. Blue Moon on news years and a true Harvest Moon on Autumn night. If moons affect game, this would seem to be the year for it!

[bobcat]

in our area bobcat it was getting down to 31 at night thats cold

Really? That's abnormally cold for mid-October? I don't know, really doesn't seem unusually cold for this time of year to me.  

[bow4elk]

IF you look at the Alheimer research there are several key rut "supressors".  Daytime highs above 45 degrees are huge.  Yes, the nights have been cold but daytime highs are likely having a negative effect.  Nothing beats a good cold snap in late October, no matter where you hunt!  This weekend is supposed to rain a lot so I'll be out there getting soaked and looking for a good blacktail to arrow.  We'll see.  I hate to say it but I'm putting most of my cards into the period from the 26-31.  Heck, I've hung a bunch of stands and have yet to bother hunting.

[carpsniperg2]

in our area bobcat it was getting down to 31 at night thats cold

Really? That's abnormally cold for mid-October? I don't know, really doesn't seem unusually cold for this time of year to me.  

not really for here. last year we had a inch of snow come threw on the 13th of october right before the season.

[bow4elk]

oh, and yes, I have a rifle tag and will be wearing my orange halloween colors to comply with modern rifle season reqs.  I might start running flo-orange fletching on my arrows for deer season  

[bobcat]

Speaking or orange, is "camo orange" legal? I was looking at getting a new orange vest and saw some in the Cabelas catalog. I guess it would be as long as you had 400 square inches of actual orange? Anybody know? Sorry for the thread jack.