A hunters thoughts…August, like right now, I believe, in New Hampshire is roughly when the white-tail deer pineal gland (part of photoperiodism- The hours of sunlight each day) in bucks and does begin circadian clock-like signaling hormone changes. In the case of bucks, these hormones cause the blood to stop flowing to antlers (and they harden) and the drive to mate becomes increasingly important. Antlers are fighting tools, deadly knives and swords if you will, to attempt to kill each other for the chance to mate.
The velvet on antlers which house the multitude of veins that carry calcium that grow the bone-like antler structure begin to dry up after mid August. Males will begin to buddy-up in a bachelor group and play spar with each other and work the dried velvet from antlers on trees and bushes.
Sex and mating desire become ever increasing while the does pineal gland hormones times the beginning of estrous. Estrous is when does are fertile and receptive to mating. This occurs some time between mid October and mid December.
We tend to call that estrous time, THE RUT.
In my experience, the RUT peaks around November 20 give or take a few days and after October 31st is when deer movement and activity is more visible. This is when bucks often let their guard down to chase and mate a doe, often in disregard to danger.
Perhaps too, some hunters, like myself, can feel the change in the air, around this time and thoughts of hunter preparation are under way. I wait all year for this time, to really come alive! I liken it to renewal, we hunters too, become part of the Rut.
September is a time for bucks to hang out together away from the does and spar, friendly at first. Does and fawns eat aggressively to build fat stores. Deer are crepuscular creatures, meaning they are most active at dawn and dusk.
In October, I discover, the night air carries the scent of emerging tarsal gland scent. Tarsal glands give off this strong scent to give notice to bucks and does. Once you have smelled tarsal enough, as a hunter, you can recognize it. I smell it’s pungent aroma beginning in late October even at my home at dusk. If hunting, you can sometimes wind that a buck is nearby ahead or you.
I find that sand pits are a great place to see deer tracks in the fall and to identify buck, doe and fawn/yearling tracks. Age often rounds a hoof front and its width and length tells about age and size. I believe bucks like fields and sand pits as much as does do as they see each other and when they can’t see, they can ID the deer by the interdigital gland secretions between the split in the hoof.
It is perhaps an Axiom for serious hunters, that during the Rut, the mantra is “find the does and bucks will not be far away.”
Beware of Buck Lockdown however, near to the peak of the rut, bucks will not leave a receptive doe and will stay with her, thus he is no longer searching and moving. Some hunters might say; “Where did the deer go?”
I like hunting the early part of the rut curve as bucks are searching as are the does. I have observed does heading toward buck bedding areas at dusk. She is going out on a hot date!
I hope you had some fun reading this article. If you did, you can read more at the article i Tick, Tock below from Len Lee Rue III.
Good Hunting!