Eastern Plain Colorado

HaveGun_WillTravel · Nov 21, 2006

LAST EDITED ON Nov-21-06 AT 10:06AM (MST)[p]When does the muley rut peak in the plains? Does it coincide with whitetails?

My season runs from 12/1-12/15 and I'm trying to decide whether to hunt the first week or the second week.

huntindude · Nov 21, 2006

The rule of thumb is the rut peaks around Thanksgiving in most of the northern states so I'd say the first week for sure. Here in Oregon the muley rut is full on, everywhere I've hunted whitetail they were about the same rut time as the mule deer.

cowhitey · Nov 21, 2006

HGWT,

I archery hunt on the plains a lot. The mule deer rut seems to be the same as the whitetail every year. Pre Rut Oct 26-Nov 2 Rut Nov 3-15. I have found that the activity decreases every day after the 15th. From the 12th to the 20th the bigger bucks usually have a doe "holed up" and don't move a lot.

I've hunted the late rifle in 2001. I'd hunt the first week, definitley.

What unit did you draw, I may be able to help with some specific info.

cowhitey

HaveGun_WillTravel · Nov 21, 2006

It's a landowner tag and I've hunted the ranch before during an earlier season; I've just never hunted it during the December season.

cohntr6 · Nov 21, 2006

This year has been wacky!!!
I spent 5 days around Fort COllins on a great piece of property where my wife shot a large buck last year on Nov. 6th and he was rutty.
This year Nov. 15-19 was just plain weird......lots of small bucks (some were breeding does) and no mature bucks (they never showed but I know of the potential. It seemed like late October early november.
Anyway.... they will be rutting when you are out there in December.
Jeff