Rut Activity

[idabigbuck]

I am of the opinion that the rut occurs every year at the same time for your general location. I do not believe that weather has anything to do with triggering the rut. If it is hot or cold the actual breeding of the does has to occur at a certain time each year, in order that the fawns are born when new vegetation is starting to grow in the spring. This will provide the does with the nutrition to provide their fawns with the most nourishing milk. I further believe that cold can and does make the deer more active during the day and thus more visible and that just happens to coincide with the rut. I've heard a lot of old timers say that "we need some weather to get em ruttin." Any takers on this campfire discussion? Can any biologists back me up?

 

[Dmanmastertracker]

-Not working as a Biologist, but I do qualify as one, at least in Wa.. I think your right on with that comment. Being that we have had not much of any winter here for years, we still have had our mule deer populations come back strong in many areas since our last bad winter in 1996 which reduced the overall population by 60%. That tells me that, inspite of no weather to "spur on" an early, or more intense rutting period, our deer have repopulated just fine. -Yes I also see more animals, particularly when the snow pushes them out of the higher elevations when the winter migrations start (blacktail also), but that is related to the migration to winter range.

 

[kingfish]

LAST EDITED ON Jan-10-06 AT 02:25PM (MST)[p]It has nothing to do with the weather!!. It has to do more with the amount of daylight that strikes the cornia (eye). That's the common connection between all the states. That's why deer in hot climates rut roughly the same time deer in cold climates do.

 

[rutnbuck]

Like Kinfish says it is the amount of light that hits the eye. And this usually takes place when the weather turns for the worst. And that time of year.
More so with elk then deer and With elk the Migration is triggered from the elks nervous system. Not the snow like you hear so much about. However it is a factor. See they are very nervous critter. If you want I will elaborate.