Mule deer rut

[Boomhand]

When is generally the peak of the rut in central Idaho?

 

[BPKHunter]

Third week of Nov

 

[Boomhand]

Thanks. Will the mature bucks start to show up a few weeks leading up to it?

 

[DeerMadness]

Bucks show up with Does starting about Nov 10.

 

[Muleys24Seven]

Agree the peak of the rut would be second half of Nov. However the peak of "hunting" in the rut is a good cold, snowy day.. There will be big bucks around the does starting in early Nov. They will just be sneaky and mostly active at night...you may only see does and small bucks during daylight. I'd take a cold, overcast, light snow day on Nov 8th over a bright sunny mid 60s day on Nov 28.

 

[davis5]

a old timer told me always hunt the week with nov 13 in it. last year in central idaho we started hunting on nov 6 and the bucks were going nuts and it was really cold out. by the 16-18 the end of the season the bucks were harder to find with the does, still little bucks hanging with them. that my two cents. Good luck it's the best time of the year.
davis

 

[elkboy32]

My experience has been the bucks will start popping up right around the first week of November. For the first couple weeks, the bucks will be chasing, which is my favorite time to hunt them. As the breeding really fires up, which I have found is around the 20th, the bucks will find a hot doe and post up with her, breeding her for a couple days. Its harder to find them during this time, unless you catch them looking for their next girlfriend. I drew a central Idaho late buck tag this year, so I plan on hunting opening day (November 10th) for sure, looking for chasing bucks. Hope this helps.

 

[Boomhand]

I hunt the upper Salmon every few years seeing my share of small bucks but haven't quite figured out where the mature ones are during the general season. Or are they near the small ones just more careful?