For all practical purposes the rut is over in the North. For the better part of the last 40 days, bucks have been on the march searching for does to breed. During that time they’ve devoted little attention to eating, causing them to lose up to 25 percent of their pre-rut body weight. Though breeding activity can occur well into January in the North, bucks literally crash from physical exhaustion when December arrives in the northern part of their range.

When the November breeding period winds down bucks go into what I call recovery mode, which can last up to two weeks. Right now Northern bucks are bedded during most of the daytime hours. What little daytime movement there is will occur around midday and the last two hours of daylight. The bulk of feeding activity will come under the cover of darkness.

During their recovery time, bucks will bed close to primary food sources in locations where there is thick cover nearby to protect them from the elements as they try to recover from the rut and fuel up for the winter ahead.

– Charlie