Timing the rut

How do you know when the rut is, or what are some ways to tell?

 

Ok this may be myth but what i have always herd is the sceond full moon past the fall equinox....http://www.buckmasters.com/bm/Resou...icleID/427/PageID/386/Default.aspx....thought this was a ok read about the rut

 

Okay, so what I understand it as is this:

-The second full moon in October is the Hunter's moon.
-This is when you see more scrapes and bucks running after does.
-Then somewhere around 10 days after the Hunter's moon marks 14 days where deer breed?

Please add details and correct me where I'm wrong.

Thanks for the schooling.

 

When do other moons fall during archery season, and when are the best times to hunt?

 

I think the "hunter's moon" is good general estimate year after year, but timing the rut around here can go 10-15 days either way around here. There are phases of the rut, and I like to hunt the pre-rut the best. When bucks are making scrapes and rubs and scent checking. It is when I see the most bucks on their feet. Again, it depends where you live in the country, but they seem to start actually chasing and traveling from doe bed, to doe bed in early November (around here). Also, some does come into heat earlier than others, so it varies from year to year as far as buck activity and intensity, pretty hard to mark exact calendar dates. Since you live in Kansas, just hunt a lot from a few days before Halloween to November 20th and ya can't miss it :D.

 

I'd like to try out a doe in estrus buckbomb. Any Ideas when I should set one off? I mean obviously does don't go into heat at the same time, would you say early the better? A deer may smell it and go running...

 

There have been a couple of studies done in my state concerning when does were bred. One was over a 14yr period (something like that) and another was done following one season. Deer were being culled or taken using crop damage permits and they would check the growth of the fetus in the does that were killed. By checking the fetal growth they were able to determine whent he does were bred and get a very good idea of the rut cycle.
This is the chart from the one year study.

 

when you start seeing increasing numbers of road kill deer in your area. you better get to your stand. because the chase is on bro.

 

Definitely a good indication. I'm a firm believer in the rutting moon.