Delayed Rut this year- Nov 4, 2019

[garrymny]

I believe the rut is delayed this year in my observations and many hours on the deer stand. Not seeing cruising bucks, scrapes are not as prevalent and are not being refreshed. Saw 10 does in a field at 430 last night, not a single buck. Also, the I90 between Buffalo and Rochester has had very few deer roadkill's. Only two this morning.  This is one of my best guages since I live near Buffalo and drive to Rochester every day. Each year, I can tell peak of rut by the number of dead bucks on the route.  When it peaks I will see 8 to 10 dead bucks, and many fresh, on the way. I hunt the swamps around Alabama NY. I'm guessing it will start in the next week or two, and will run into gun season.

[Gill-T]

Garrymny, I saw a ton of 1.5 year olds dead on the side of the road on the I-90 from rt. 77 exit to Buffalo during the second and third weeks in October as I traveled to pheasant country.  I too have not seen much chasing, scraping and rubbing activity this year either, however, it has been REALLY warm.  I think you will see a stark change in the coming days.  I have also noticed that the deer are really keying on acorns.  I have watched deer feeding for hours under acorn trees on neighboring property, 10' from corn fields.  Find the acorns, you find the hub of breeding activity.  The buck I got last night came into a grunt call.  

[garrymny]

3 hours ago, Gill-T said:

Garrymny, I saw a ton of 1.5 year olds dead on the side of the road on the I-90 from rt. 77 exit to Buffalo during the second and third weeks in October as I traveled to pheasant country.  I too have not seen much chasing, scraping and rubbing activity this year either, however, it has been REALLY warm.  I think you will see a stark change in the coming days.  I have also noticed that the deer are really keying on acorns.  I have watched deer feeding for hours under acorn trees on neighboring property, 10' from corn fields.  Find the acorns, you find the hub of breeding activity.  The buck I got last night came into a grunt call.  

Yep. I always hunt acorns. But there are very few if any in the Alabama swamp this year. Frost must have got them.

[garrymny]

Ok well for me I really did not see much rut activity this year. I hunted up through Nov 11 veterans day for archery then called it a season until Saturday rifle. T I'm not confident in my location. I have nice bucks on my trail camera from August and September, then it kind of dried up. I'm hunting along some thick bedding areas. Hopefully the rifle opener will have them moving. I saw someone on veterans day and he said the peak of the rut in the swamp was two weeks ago. Without acorns I guess I just couldn't find the high doe density areas which I know is where you want to be in peak rut.

[Gill-T]

Throw rublines, scrapes and deer trails out the window on gun opener. Put yourself dead in the middle of the property from where everyone else walks in from and let the games begin!

[BSmaster]

I think the rut is the same as last year but year to year conditions make it the perceived rut look different.  I am southern tier so I think my timeline is a little different.  I do not expect to see a lot of deer on the move until the second rut which should happen halfway thru the second week of regular.  I was unable to bow hunt this year but I have learned to get it done on the front end of the rut because the tail end is terrible for me and I think that might be what you are experiencing.  But with that said, They always come back.

[trouthunter24]

I hunt Allegany County close to Almond the weekend of 11/2 bucks were chasing in my woods hard , this is normal around there for the younglings we see tons of  . Scrapping just petered out this past weekend 11/9 so its very close and the does were scattered all over . The "rut" peaks and drops off in there from day to day odd to witness we also have huge acorn drops it fuels alot of activity early . Nothing moving during daylight older than 1.5 i believe it is a bit later for esterous cycle  closer to 11/15-18 even 20 agree.

[garrymny]

Yes I just read an article that said a few States studied this for years looking at thousands of fawn fetuses and back dating them to conception. Their conclusion was the peak of the rut in all the States they studied was November 15! Makes no difference about weather, moon phase, etc. The study has shown for year, it was mid November.

[trouthunter24]

On 11/14/2019 at 9:41 PM, garrymny said:

Yes I just read an article that said a few States studied this for years looking at thousands of fawn fetuses and back dating them to conception. Their conclusion was the peak of the rut in all the States they studied was November 15! Makes no difference about weather, moon phase, etc. The study has shown for year, it was mid November.

totally agree !! the esterous cycle is close that date every year. you see uptick in activity based on weather , moonphase , available forage. the younger bucks feeling it for the first time are moving first during daylight is what i witness . when the does are ready the older bucks spill over into daylight . my son shot a nice 3 year old 8pt yesterday 11/16 cruising at 715 . his stomach was absolutly full of acorn matter , fuel for movement that morning . its the same every year i believe !! my opnion anyway

[GAMBLER]

The buck I shot yesterday was chasing doe around hard. A small six came by earlier in the morning chasing a doe also.


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