Blacktail rut

[Brew]

I've been hunting hard in all my usual spots and all I'm seeing is the same small rubs on small brush from early season. Last year this time the same spots where littered with huge rubs. I know the bucks are starting to get stinky from the few guys who have taken them but do things seem a little late this year. I'm generally in the mission area. Just wondering what you guys are noticing out there.

[steelheadSABO]

lots of rubs up chehalis

[Jelvis]

The rut is not made by the weather or frost etc, it happens by photo periodism the amount of light entering the eyeball of the deer on each days length. All activities are done by photo periodism, antler growth and birthing and the rut, as well as starting and dropping antlers.
Activity level might vary a bit from the humidity etc but the same time each year, 210 gestation period and born around end of May every year.
Jel - Photo periodism all day every day all years the same.

[Prowler]

That is a load of hogwash started by some biologist studying deer in a pen.! A warm fall will bring the rut to a grinding hault, I dont care what your magazine tells you Jel...

[Jelvis]

Ok what ever lol -- tell that to the Professor at UBC -- and all the highly educated biologists out there, stydying ungalettes --
Maybe the buck down there did'nt bring the doe a special box of chocolotes lol. and it won't start til then.
Jel -- ok lol or maybe she wants a nice commitment ring first

[Bushy]

Thick necks, dripping rubs and bucks sniffing does bums.

It's time :mrgreen:

[Brew]

I think it may be from all the great weather we have had this year. the nasty stuff has just started in the last 2 weeks. Usually the dark wet weather comes at the end of sept not the end of october but I could be wrong.

[BlacktailStalker]

Its JUST starting to happen here.
Went from seeing no bucks to 2-3 per day in the last couple days.
Still lookin for a ball dragger though :)

[digger dogger]

friday i watched a 2 pt tailing a doe hard, 2 mins later a 3pt cut the corner, head on the ground and did not lift his head to a whistle. sat saw a 2 pt buck with does but he was not buggin them at all, sunday my buddy since we were 13 shot his 1st buck. the deers gland oil was running down his legs, but he didnt stink too bad, his belly was full.. i think they should be knockin boots as i type.

[hunter1947]

Here on Vancouver Island last week when I was out hunting I saw 10 does and no bucks with any of them.

I know that there are bucks in the area I saw a handful of rubs in these areas where I saw the does with no bucks.

I would say the rut is a week or so behind schedule.

[115 or bust]

Finally started seeing nice bucks on Wednesday was actually starting to think I was loosing it. Very few rubs in my areas where usually the trees are shredded sucks that I had to go to work today. :-(

[Prowler]

Ok what ever lol -- tell that to the Professor at UBC -- and all the highly educated biologists out there

My point exactly. Does the ubc professor hunt? I doubt it. I hunted for several years with the head game biologist for northeastern colorado, who specialised in mule deer, and their behaviour. Although, you are correct about the photoperiodism being the driving force behind the rut, he also explained to me that there are many forces at work behind the does coming in to estrous. In a nutshell, it is the does that come in to season, and untill they do, the bucks wont give them a second glance. One of the other main driving forces is weather, or temperature to be exact. This is why different herds come in to rut at different times of year. ie: interior BC bucks rutting in mid to late Nov, as opposed to Sonora Mexico mule deer rutting in January, and feb... I have seen blacktails fighting as late as January when I lived on the malahat. It was a mild fall, and early winter, and hunting was very bad that year, then late december, temps dropped, snow started to fly, and the rut kicked in big time. Hunting season had been over for 3 weeks...

[BigfishCanada]

Thick necks, dripping rubs and bucks sniffing does bums.

It's time :mrgreen:

Bushy, back in the day thats how you chased women!

[MikeH]

The rut is on in my area, as long as it doesn't get too warm.From my experience the shitter the weather the better.