Year in and Year out??

[spottedskunk]

Does the rut fall every year around the same time each year in your area?? Last year it seemed the rut hit early. During November, Indiana's FireArm season, the bucks were laying low. The does got bred early in late October. While on stand, in a small cornfield. I seen a doe beded down and above her was a 160 inch buck. He was goring her with his horns, trying to get her to stand to breed. I have never seen this ever before.

So does the rut in your area fall in the same time each and every year???

[Demoderby4]

I haven't really paid attention to when the rut has occurred besides last year, I'm still a fairly new hunter even though I have been hunting since I was 14. but last year the rut seemed to peak from the last week of October to the first week of November, which was a bit sooner than was predicted by researchers for my area. I'm not sure if it happens at the same time every year, my observations this year and in years to come will tell, but everyone has different views on when it happens, some insist its the same year after year, while some think it depends on weather, moon phase and time of daylight etc... We'll see what this year brings, my calender prediction is that is is supposed to start the last week of October and go into first week into November this year, time will tell..

[buckhunter21]

There are some factors that go into this, but I would say it will fall somewhere in a two to three week timespan every year.  Here in west-central WI it's late October to early/mid November.

[Swandog09]

I agree with BH21. There are many factors that determine when the rut will actually hit. D&DH does a pretty good job of predicting the rut and I try to plan my time based on it. I believe the 2009 prediction just came out in the September issue.

One of the bigger factors beyond buck to doe ratios for me is temperature. I like cold.

[ranwin33]

Pretty much the same time of year in our area, unless temps are real warm.

[cutngut85]

Last year I noticed a strange rutting period here in NJ. We had an early cold snap around the first week of October. During that time, I noticed bucks sparring and about a week later, chasing does. I remember sitting in stand the third week of October and the deer activity was out of this world. I had taken off the 2nd and 3rd week of November which was the predicted peak of the Northern rutting period and I hardly saw ANY deer at all. I am weary about when to take off this year, but it seems as though I will be taking off the last week of Oct. and the first of Nov. What makes me a little skeptical about this is that this also coincides with the "predicted peak rut period", which has been accurate in the past, but last year really threw me for a loop. I guess I'll just have to wait and see, although I can't get angry for anytime in a stand is better than a day at work!