Wow, somebody flipped the switch today!!
Pennsylvania
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Been hunting a lot this year, and the last week has been really slow. But today, something happened here in SW PA. It was crazy. Ran out after work, got up about 5:30. Jumped a big 9 point bedded with a doe on the way in. Jumped another doe near my tree. As soon as I got up, I started seeing deer. Watched 5 does walk right under the tree I normally sit on, then had a big mature doe and fawn slowly make their way to me. I drilled the doe at 10 yards. While tracking I had other deer near me, and then on the way to the butcher I saw 4 new road kills on I-79 that were hit today.
Young hunter at the butcher brought in a giant 7-point, dressed 207 lbs. Easily a 145" deer with super mass.
Another guy pulled up as I was leaving with a gorgeous 10 point with all kinds of extra kickers. Probably a 140" buck.
I'm not one to say the rut is starting early, but the bucks sure seem to be on the move with the cold temps!!!
I have to drive from Erie to Butler every night for work on I 79 and have noticed a increase of dead deer the last few days mostly little bucks one of our trucks hit a little buck last night on 422 between lake Arthur and 79 heading toward Newcastle. When you get colder that average temps this time of year you will usually see a spike in activity.
Mike
It's all those muzzleloader hunters pushing them around:)
It's gonna get real exiting starting 10/23.
I think the moon guy is nuts, the rut happens the same time every year, weather and pressure are rut suppressors the moon effects deer movement to some degree just like it affects tides and fish feeding but it has squat to do with making the rut start. All these things affect how much day time rutting activity you see warmer than normal temps deer rut more at night cooler than normal temps you'll see them all day lots of hunting pressure they rut at night no pressure they move all day pretty simple be hunting as much as you can late Oct through Thanksgiving
Mike
Well you asked. I do have a couple sets of antlers maybe I'll try it.
Well, I'll be on stand on the 23rd before daylight. Not because Charlie Alzheimer says I should- just because I can take that day off! ;-)
Does are bred in the same general timeframe every year. It is triggered by the length of daylight in the day, not the moon, not the sun, not some guy who thinks he knows more than mother nature. They can put a doe in a lab and make her come into heat by artificially controlling the length of daylight she sees. The rut is early November, some does come in earlier, some later, but most are bred in early November.
Now I am just waiting for someone to post about how daylight savings affects the deer..........I love that post.....happens every year on Bowsite.
The deer end up sleeping in late on the time change, but it is always on Sunday, so we can't hunt anyway.
Yup, nothing like having Daylight savings time affect the Rut....
There ya go Herd Manager.
Seriously, the threads in Mid October of bucks in full rut are funny at best. The term for the triggering of the rut is photoperiodism.
Shorter day light triggers the response.
145 inch 7 pointer? Any pics?
I do, but I took it after they left the butcher so I don't know if I should post it without his blessing.
It was massive.
145 inch 7 pointer, I believe it not sure why anyone would even question that there are 6 points in the P&Y record books that score in the 140's look it up
Mike
I just did the math, and I'm revising to 138-140. Depending on the deducts, might still make it as a 6 point.
Deer disappeared for me today. Must have been that bear last night.
It has always been like this. This past Saturday, opening of early ML season, small game, always sees the buck enter the seek phase of the rut. They are and will be on the prowl scent checking doe looking for one nearing estrous. It was like this 40 plus years ago when I'd go out on opening of squirrel season and see buck all over. Since then I've smartened up and bow hunt.
The rut occurs the same time every year regardless of what Charles Alskeemer says. The PGC has done gestation studies on road killed doe for decades and have determined that the bulk of breeding occurs between November 2nd and November 9th.
In late August, a buck's testosterone level increases to a point where his antlers harden, he sheds velvet, and his testicles decend in to his scrotum. Once that occurs he is sexually active and prepared to breed. So, basically when a buck's antlers are hard so is his plumbing. Doe come in to estrous when their meletonin level increase to a certain point. As it is with us humans, the female determines when breeding happens. A doe fawn, young of the year will not come in to estrous until she has attained a body weight of at least 80 pounds. That's where the second rut shows up in late November through January. Buck fawn will also attempt to breed if their buttons harden. I've seen this during December already.
Will see stick. 10 more days and I'll be In Ohio!!
Noticed a lot of new scrapes being made over night on my way in from the morning hunt.
Noticed a lot of new scrapes being made over night on my way in from the morning hunt.
Pretty sure that buck would quality for P&Y as a 6 point even with that deduction of the G3 on the left side, what a nice mature buck Ben good luck
Mike
That buck looks just like the one I saw at the butcher.
They didn't kill it in Ohio did they herd??:)