by eagle eye » Mon Oct 12, 2009 4:27 pm
Great question, I will do my best to give you my insight and experience as it relates to this subject. When looking at the lunar tables as well as the moon phases my best guess is that the breeding phase of the rut will take place between the 14th and the 17th of November. What this tells me is that I want to be in the woods prior to this time for the end of the seeking phase and the majority of the chasing phase. Thus putting me on stand for the first week of November. This may seem a bit early but after what was witnessed this weekend in the woods I do not think it is very far off. Typically I do not see a lot of scrapes this time of year but in many areas this weekend I saw scrape lines that were being tended throughout the day and multiple locations of these. Many of the buck seen were lip curling and some were even starting to harass the does. I shot a doe and she appeared to be starting by the perfume she was wearing. I will start to reach out to many of the people I know across the state and update this real time.
Good Luck
John Wojtas
Enjoying the moment and always striving to enhance our hunting heritage