Good luck trying to pinpoint the rut, especially in Louisiana!
QUESTION: When is the buck rut in Area 4, southeast Louisiana in top right southern section near both Mississippi lines? — Alan J.
ANSWER: We typically don’t get this specific with our Q&As but yours is a good example of why that’s the case, so I’ll give it a shot.
A good starting place would be the map created by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife & Fisheries. As you can see, there is a great deal of variability throughout the state, ranging from as early as late September to as late as late-February. For the most part, the variation occurs on a gradient, and it’s important to keep in mind there is a good deal of overlap along the separation lines between different colored zones.
You should also understand that deer don’t read calendars, and not all deer go through the same phases of the rut at the same time, even within very small areas. Even on the same parcel of property, you could see bucks chasing does in one field and calmly feeding side by side in another. Others might have paired up and gone off to some secluded place.
About the only thing you can usually depend on is that the rut will occur at the same time every year in your area, whenever that happens to be.
— Recent Ask the Biologist Question: Identity Crisis: You’ve heard of bucks that stay in velvet, but what about a buck that’s just off schedule? Find Out The Answer!