HalfAce
Very Active Member
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- 1,153
Hey guys, I live in zone D-11. I choose not to hunt here in California, but I like to go take a look at the local city deer before my out of state hunts start. I went up to look at some deer twice in the last two days and noticed bucks (breeding age) following and smelling the does (constantly) and even chasing them down today. (The last 3 years I have seen the same thing, starting as early as Sept 22nd)
I did not see a buck mount any does but I only watched for a short period of time.
So when I hunt out of state, in states that are much further North than So Cal, like Montana, Idaho and Colorado, I don't see any sure signs of the rut until atleast a full month later at the very earliest.
So why are these local cali bucks showing signs of rutting now when colder climate deer rut later in winter?
My understanding is that deer in more northern latitude states like MT, WY, ID, CO rut primarily in the month of November so the fawns are not born too early the following spring. And I believe the further south you go the deer rut even later. Like for example, mule deer in the Arizona desert don't rut until January. So why are these local bucks rutting at the end of September/ beginning of October?
(these are mule deer, NOT blacktails.)
I did not see a buck mount any does but I only watched for a short period of time.
So when I hunt out of state, in states that are much further North than So Cal, like Montana, Idaho and Colorado, I don't see any sure signs of the rut until atleast a full month later at the very earliest.
So why are these local cali bucks showing signs of rutting now when colder climate deer rut later in winter?
My understanding is that deer in more northern latitude states like MT, WY, ID, CO rut primarily in the month of November so the fawns are not born too early the following spring. And I believe the further south you go the deer rut even later. Like for example, mule deer in the Arizona desert don't rut until January. So why are these local bucks rutting at the end of September/ beginning of October?
(these are mule deer, NOT blacktails.)
