Would this last cold spell in the Midwest push the rut up at all this year? What do you guys think? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Nope I think it will be the first part of November, I just hope it isn't a slow rut like the past 2 years
same as every other year! Cold temps at the end of Oct. might help movement but the rut is the rut. Its the same time every year so the doe's drop fawns right around green up in the spring.
The only thing that will change the timing of the rut would be if the world tilted on its axis, changing the photoperiods (amount of light per day)
At least that's the case when studying northern states. Studies have shown that photoperiods trigger antler growth, velvet shedding, hormonal changes, and peak rut. Some believe weather, moon phases, and other factors have a influence in the matter, but little to nothing has been proven scientifically for these factors
^^ Agreed! However - weather, moon phase, and other factors can influence daytime activity - i'm concerned with daytime activity. I don't care if a booner is going crazy and rutting at midnight.
Personally, I don't think the temperature has anything to do with the rut... Does always become hot around the same time every year - End of October - End of November.
Temperature WILL dictate daytime rut activity to some degree, but I don't think it affects rut timing at all.
Moon phase contributes by the timing of the new moon. If you consider the time of the year that days are shortest, then the majority of does will come into heat very close to the full moon that occurs during that time... light is at the absolute minimum.
All I know is the last 2 years I saw a buck while in stand on the first morning it got down towards 40 degrees (3rd Sat of October in 2012 and 2nd week of Oct in 2013). First year he was running a rub line right to my stand at 730am. Last year the old buck was tailing a couple does at 630am. They weren't in heat, but he was tailing them all the same. So it gets them on their feet and movin around.
The cold spell wont effect the rut timing but it will make the deer tie on the feedbag a bit more which gets them on their feet a bit more which is a good thing but the rut in not timed by temps.
If you can get out the day before the first snow of the year that has the chance to be a lights out day to be in the woods as well. The night of November 5th into the 6th was our first snow in Northern Wisconsin last year. It just happened to be during the rut as well. My cameras BLEW up on November 5th. Of course I was 3 hours away from them at work. Here are the days I will be in the woods looking for rut action in Northern Wisconsin with my bow. October 31st to November 2nd November 7th to November 9th November 14th to November 16th Its all about your location though! For example my best action has been before November 7th. A guy I hunt with has a public land stand he wont even walk into and check out till he has an East wind and its after November 9th. He has seen a P&Y buck every year for the last 5 years out of that stand when he follows those rules with it. You just have to learn your area.
