What About The "Pre- Rut"?

[Big7]

How far back before the start of the "actual" rut is considered the "pre- rut"?

And is this a subjective theory or something that can pretty much be pinned to a calendar?

We can use an example that's not possible to avoid confusion. So....

If you are stating as close to fact as possible the rut is starting July 1, what date or approximately how many days before would the "pre- rut" be for a given area and is the start and duration any different at different latitudes?

Or... Anything crazy that could have an effect like a hurricane or whatever.

Thanks in advance for the replies.

 

[kmckinnie]

When the velvet comes off. It starts.
The scrapes are pre rut and shows the rut is not far off. Once they stop scraping. The chase is on.

 

[kayaksteve]

I’ve always thought of it as a the time from the start of season until the rut and the anything from the end of the rut to the end of season as the post rut. But, when they shed their velvet also seems like a good time to consider the pre rut underway. I imagine it’s a pretty subjective time frame though

 

[Raylander]

As soon as the rut is over; it’s pre rut for the next rut

Hope this helps

 

[sportsman94]

I think kmac has it figured out. A lot of the activity we call rutting activity is really pre rut activity based on the conversations I have

 

[Lukikus2]

As soon as the rut is over; it’s pre rut for the next rut

Hope this helps

X2

 

[Big7]

As soon as the rut is over; it’s pre rut for the next rut

Hope this helps

Technically that's correct..

I knew somebody was going to say that.

 

[Big7]

I'm looking more for a time frame in days? Weeks?

If there is even such a thing.

As said above- anything "pre" technically starts the day after the last day of the previous rut but when you hear somebody talking about or watching a hunting show and they're talking about a period of time labeled "pre- rut" what period are they talking about?

Another way to look at it I guess would be- how many days, weeks or whatever do you start seeing scrapes rather than rubs and other things like do the younger bucks start early to try to get the jump on the old ones or do the older bucks go first to show dominance..

Could it be they all start at a certain moon phase (or some other trigger) and then the dominant buck wrecks all the subordinate buck's scrapes and take them over?

 

[Long Cut]

There really is no set time.
The Rut varies so much region to region I.E. locations in SWGA, AL, MS etc.. have rutting activity from December through February.

The post above about scrapes opening up then closing up was the best example of being able to ID Rut vs Pre-Rut then Post Rut.

They’re wild animals that do wild things at times.

 

[Crakajak]

I'm looking more for a time frame in days? Weeks?

If there is even such a thing.

As said above- anything "pre" technically starts the day after the last day of the previous rut but when you hear somebody talking about or watching a hunting show and they're talking about a period of time labeled "pre- rut" what period are they talking about?

Another way to look at it I guess would be- how many days, weeks or whatever do you start seeing scrapes rather than rubs and other things like do the younger bucks start early to try to get the jump on the old ones or do the older bucks go first to show dominance..

Could it be they all start at a certain moon phase (or some other trigger) and then the dominant buck wrecks all the subordinate buck's scrapes and take them over?

As a guideline I use 2 weeks for precut 1 week for peak and 2weeks for post rut,

 

[Browning Slayer]

If it's October or November and you can be in the woods but aren't. You are not a deer hunter and you probably play golf during deer season.

KMAC hit it on #2. I don't like to miss any of it. I've seen bucks trying to run does for the last 2 weeks.

 

[rugerfan]

I am not 100 percent sure on this, and I am no expert on the rut. For years and years I listened to people always say the 2nd week of November, also been told through the years that it only lasts a week or 2. I see the rut predictions in the GON magazine, but I have seen some strange things in the woods that seem to contradict what I have been told through the years.

I have seen fresh scrapes in December, I have seen fresh scrapes in January. I have seen small spotted fawns in November. So with all of that, I don't believe that the actual rut is the 1 or 2 weeks absolute free for all where all bucks are just dumb as shovels. I look at it more of something that comes in and out over the fall , depending on temperature, moon phases, and what does come into estrus. Also any doe that is in estrus and not bred will come back into estrus and a later date. Also known as "the second rut"

Now the whole science in all of it sometimes flusters me.

Although as far as pre rut starting, a spike in testosterone and hormones trigger the need to rub the velvet off, and that starts the process.

 

[Milkman]

IIRC several years ago @C.Killmaster posted a graph of a study they did on 50 something harvested does in the Piedmont vicinity.
It showed that the conception date for the majority of those does was in late November and early December. Well past the hot rut, chasing period.

Best advice is just hunt when you can.

 

[Deernut3]

Muzzeleloader week i believe was pre-rut where i hunt. It may still be and weather/moon phase is suppressing activity. I always thought when big mature bucks (4+ years old) are visiting scrapes the does are not hot. When the does begin to cycle older bucks very rarely visit scrape but try to maintain surveillance on the hottest does. Just my opinion

 

[WOODIE13]

It all depends on region, temp, moon phase as was said earlier.

Here typically, it's the first 2 to 3 weeks in November when it gets really crazy with chasing, along with all the deer/vehicle crashes. Plus you start seeing new faces show up.

Pre rut is when I see them following and not really chasing does, sparring, scrapes and rubs.

 

[6mm Remington]

I always considered the pre rut 2 - 3 weeks before the peak of the rut. Usually around Halloween on my place.

 

[BamaGeorgialine]

When his antlers get hard, his ....... gets hard

 

[Shadow11]

The fawns at my place lost their spots a few weeks b4 they did at my buddy's place 30 miles away. I don't think that helps much tho

 

[furtaker]

I always chuckle when I read posts on here in November every year that say the rut was a short 3 day deal and now it's over.

 

[kmckinnie]

I watched a doe in the backyard the other day groom a 8pt buck. He stood still head up like a statue. She licked his face under his chin around his ears and neck. He seemed to like it. she went to browsing and he fed around also. She was out there eating clover before dark. He was not with her then.

Mother Nature has a way of most the doe coming in n at the same time in areas. This helps durning birthing. Coyotes get some that are just born. The rest get the strength to run. If it was scattered out the coyotes would kill more. There’s a big field near here. The doe take the yearlings to the middle of that field. U can see their heads above the grass. As u ride by they put the head down.
I think more mature doe come in 1st. Then the average doe. That’s the peak. About a month later the young doe for the 1st time and ones that got missed. This be can be a more intense chasing. Or it seems what I’ve seen. Less love out there. More searching going on.
I set up a climber just this week in thinned pines with a lot of weed brush growing. I plan on sitting it soon when I can. I think chasing goes on in these areas. Bucks cruising looking for bedded does.

I got hogs to kill. I think they stay in rut.