Peak rut and peak breeding times are not universal; they’re consistent and vary by location. Observation and effort will make you a true student of the whitetail rut.
Question: I'm new to deer hunting and I’m wondering how I can tell in my area when the rut is kicking in. I’m finding all kind of buck sign but I haven’t seen a buck yet. — Brian H.
Answer: Yours is a common question because most, if not all hunters want to know when the rut occurs in the areas they hunt. That’s why Buckmasters asked me to put together a rut map which shows peak rut dates across the whitetail’s range.
While some pundits proclaim rut dates vary annually, extensive research thus far has demonstrated peak rut dates for a particular area are consistent from year to year. However, dates do vary on a geographic basis.
A quick call to your local biologist should get you the answer, but if you wish to become a true student of the whitetail, you’ll want to know what direct evidence you can look for to track the rut’s progress.
You should also know the difference between peak rut and peak breeding.
The rut includes all behavior associated with courtship and breeding. It begins with an increase in scrape making. Bucks make scrapes for a variety of reasons but it is widely believed they play some role in communicating a buck’s social status and readiness to breed. This may occur a month or more before peak breeding.
Around this time a few does will come into estrus prompting other rut behavior. Bucks move about more during daylight, seeking receptive does. When they find one that is close—which they identify by a whiff of pheromones and certain behavior—they start chasing the almost-ready does. Either of these behaviors is a good indication the rut has begun.
Things may settle down for a week or so until more does come into estrus. Then seeking and chasing behavior increases steadily.
During this period, fawns are often separated from their mothers. When you start seeing more of what I call rut orphans, it’s another sign things are coming to a head. Eventually, a doe will stand for a buck, signaling she’s ready to breed.
Research is unclear, but there is some indication the pair will move off to a secluded area to breed. As the rut is fairly synchronous, with most does bred during a narrow window of time, deer activity can be slow during this lock-down period.
However, while one doe may be ready to breed, another may be a day or two away. Bucks not locked down with standing does will still be seeking and chasing. In other words, the seeking, chasing and breeding phases are not distinct or exclusive periods. These behaviors often occur simultaneously.