[louie401]

Do you guys think some of the rut will still be happening on the first day of rifle? I'm taking my 11 year old son out in 2B with a crossbow, I hunt all small parcels of land to small for a rifle or slug gun. We'll be hunting out of a 2 man ladder stand in my prime achery areas. Thanks

 

[rebel]

yes it will be going on

 

[creamed opossum]

yes as long as the does are in heat they will keep rutting

 

[octagon]

I saw more rutting/buck activity last week than this week

That`s a little different?

 

[dpms]

The potential exists for rutting activity from October through January. Peak being around the 15th of November.

The second best peak is 28 days later which is during our second week of firearms.

 

[octagon]

The potential exists for rutting activity from October through January. Peak being around the 15th of November.

The second best peak is 28 days later which is during our second week of firearms.

Explains what I have seen in the past week then

 

[arrowhead]

I have a captive herd of deer. None of my does are bred as of today. This coming week will be thier breeding season. The rut will be alive and well the first week of rifle. (at least around here)

 

[rebel]

the rut falls exactly the same time every yr by the natures calander..the difference in the dates is because the human calander dates move each yr...so the peak of the rut falls some time in early november or late november on the human calander this yr it is in the later part of the month..so the first week of rifle season will be a lot of breeding going on...

one way you can come close count 10 weeks from labor day that week being week 1...or when the full moon falls in oct count 6 weeks... moon fazes or about 28 or 29 days..

 

[dpms]

Here is a study from the PGC on the rut in Pa. Peak breeding happens November 11-20th.

http://www.pgc.state.pa.us/pgc/cwp/view.asp?a=465&q=151427

 

[louie401]

Thanks for all the good info. I haven't rifle hunted for years, archery only for me. I'm looking forward to be sitting with my son and his crossbow.

 

[BerksCoflinter]

My son and his family have been watching a fine buck chasing does around the back yard for the past week. He called this morning early to inform me that the buck was across the road from his driveway struggling to get to its feet. The buck appeared to be in bad shape and couldn't make it.

He was calling me for the phone number of the SE Division Office of the PGC. He was informed that they did not have an WCO available to deal with the situation. On his way to work, my son managed to get hold of a State Police Officer, and assumed that the officer dispatched the buck.

The buck appeared to have some sort of wound in its side. It was about 30 yards out in a soybean field behind an 8ft. fence.

Sometimes the rut takes its toll, assuming the wound wasn't poacher induced.

 

[DeErie Hunter]

So if the rut is still going on on Monday, are you guys planning on using archery-like tactics during rifle season? For example using estrous scents, rattling, grunting, bleating, etc? I've never done any of these things during rifle, always thought it'd be too late in the season and the deer may get spooked.

 

[jun1or]

opening day of firearms last year produced two 8pts that were hung on the same doe. all three deer were bedded next to me when the sun came up. they got up, i shot the biggest buck, the smaller one wandered around for 45 minutes then got back on the does trail and he was off. ran her for a while, then bang he was dead, he ran her right to my cousin.

 

[louie401]

My planning was if the rut is still going on is to treat it like achery, throw everything at them. Like I stated in my post I hunt small parcels{5-10 acres} all around housing developements. I hope it works. Thanks

 

[jmdb25]

Just because they are chasing in the Southern counties and SRAs where Doe are a pleanty doesnt mean the big woods will have rutting deer. Now I have used Tarsal glands for the opener with success but who really knows. I just don't want to be in a position where I hurt my chances....

 

[louie401]

I don't know what to think. Probably just start with some soft grunts and see what happens.

 

[BerksCoflinter]

Update. The buck apparently had enough strength to jump the 8 ft. fence to enter, but broke its back trying to jump out a few days later. The buck was dispatched, and my son's neighbor was given the carcass to butcher.

It was not poached, and that, at least, is a good thing.

 

[jun1or]

regaurdless of what area your in, the second estrous cycle will happen sooner or later. we had a scrape open back up today after being dead for 3 weeks.

 

[jun1or]

My planning was if the rut is still going on is to treat it like achery, throw everything at them. Like I stated in my post I hunt small parcels{5-10 acres} all around housing developements. I hope it works. Thanks

i wouldn't throw everything at them right away. see how the day pans out. it sounds like your in a small patch that might not receive a lot of pressure. let the deer tell you what's going on. if you start seeing rut like activity than use it, if not just lay low. you don't wanna alert the deer to out of ordinary activity. a few soft grunts will never hurt though. I NEVER go out without a grunt tube. I grunted deer up from september to late december. it doenst have to be thre rut for grunting to be effective. you just have to style your grunts to what's going on. good luck.

 

[rebel]

dpms..the study they did showed for those yrs that would have been the peak..and the deer was getting bred and the herd was increasing...

you see the nature calander is the same time every yr..but the human calander dates move like this some yrs labor day falls on the 1st of and will fall on another date each yr...i believe the lastest date it will fall is the 7th of sept..so the date of the peak of the rut would change from yr to yr...just like the moon cycle changes from one yr to the next...it is 28 or 29 day cycle month to month...but it comes every month...just different dates based on the yr..