The deer appear to be near the end of the seek phase and should enter the chase phase in early November depending where you are located.
Back in the day, when ML and rifle seasons alternated year after year.............when I was a kid and some of you were my age now, lol..................IIRC, all deer hunting was closed the week before Rifle/ML week(whichever came last.) Assuming this was to let the breeding happen without hunting interfering the breeding? Of course I guess the deer population wasn't near what it is now.
Actually it has nothing to do with the moon. It has to do with daylight hours or lack there of. The Photoperiod....
In the fall when daylight hours start to get shorter it triggers the testosterone levels to raise in bucks harndening their horns. Later in the year when daylight gets below a certain amount it triggers the doe to come in to estrus. The amount of daylight that enters through the eyes triggers the Pituitary Gland to send out the release of hormones.
Alschsimer's studies produced his theory but there was never any proof or evidence to support it. The Photoperiod theory is proven and replicable.
Photoperiod is the exact same every year.
It's also why the closer to the equator the later in the year the rut is. Like in Meixco it's not til mid December, cause the daylight hours don't change enough til later in the year. That being said, the moon is the same there as it is here. So it obviously has no affect on it.
Same as it effects when furs become prime with various furbearer's pelts. I found this link last year while browsing around it both supports and disproves itself. http://www.trmichels.com/RutDates.htm Daytime temps and moon phase dictate whether I'm going to take a nap in my stand between 10-2, or if I'll stay somewhat awake
All I know is that in my area, you don't want to miss being out Nov 5-12. This is when I see less doe, more buck travel than any other time, and I start seeing them splattered all over the highways. The chasing phase is great fun to watch, until the doe gets tired, lays down and travel time is over. Two years ago, I watch two nice bucks in opposite directions from my stand, standing over does for almost 3 hours, other just a little over 3 hours. They finally got up, chased again for about 10 min and lay down again. Lock down phase is bad for moral.
Ya but it's fun driving around seeing a hug buck standing over top of a bedded doe in every wheat field LOL
It's it's an amazing sight to see...
Just frustrating when u sit all day watching him from the stand and he wont freaking budge!!!!
It's it's an amazing sight to see...
Just frustrating when u sit all day watching him from the stand and he wont freaking budge!!!!
I don't put too much stock into moon phases. I think it can influence things, but is certainly not the basis for kicking off breeding times. It fluctuates by weeks year to year, yet the peak breeding is much more precise every year. This year the Harvest Moon was actually in September.
The perils of hunting flat ground! Interesting in that link, Maine's peak times were said to be the same as us and AR.
I had 6 does come into the food plot this morning. They acted real nervous. A short time later, a basket rack 6 point came out with his nose on the ground and made a beeline for one of the does. He chased her all over the woods. All the others scattered. I stayed another hour and came home.
I shot a young buck working a scrape Saturday morning. Buddy said he saw big 8 point at noon yesterday, nose to the ground, walking fast, right behind the shop, ignoring the guys watching and pointing. He's preoccupied with something.....
Ya no joke lol
Most of the country is, except extreme north and extreme sound. With a few odd balls like parts of Alabama and Florida. The rest of the country including most if Canada and all the way down to most of south Texas, peak rut runs right at mid November.
