# Does weather affect rut?



## kruggy1 (Feb 6, 2008)

Do any of you think that this cooler weather will affect when rut will come into season? I have already seen some fresh rubs were they tore the tree up pretty good. A guy at work claims it always starts the full moon of either the end of Oct or beginning of Nov. But I always wondred if the weather affected things either good or bad. Like to know what all you think!!!


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## DaleM (Apr 5, 2004)

In my opinion weather plays a BIG part in the rut. In my 35 years+ of deer hunting it seems to me that when we get early cool weather the rut takes off much faster. One area I am watching has had increased action in the last few days. Cool mornings do make the deer move more thus increasing the rut activities. Myself, I'll take the cool weather anytime when deer season comes in.


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## Fishstix (Aug 16, 2005)

I also think weather plays a big role in the rut. Personally, I felt we haven't experienced a true rut the last 2 years because the weather was particularly warm...atleast it was like this in the areas I hunt. I remember 4 years ago, I hunted the Saturday during the second week of November and it was a really cool, crisp morning. The leaves were frosted over and you could hear things moving well in the distance. I never saw more bucks/deer in a given morning. I honestly saw a deer every 20 minutes until noon. That, IMO, is when hunting is the best.


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## M.Magis (Apr 5, 2004)

Weather absolutely plays a part in how much rut activity *we see*. It does not greatly influence when it takes place. Scapes and rubs start showing up in late August each year, so that's nothing unusual. The peak of breeding takes place within a few days from one year to the next, regardless of weather. We just don't always see what we want.


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## FishinDawg (Mar 9, 2005)

weather plays a huge part in the rut, I feel one of the biggest parts of the rut is the lenght of daylight, as daylight shortens the rut starts to turn on, combine this with cool weather which in Ohio means cloudy, dark dreary days adds to less light,which improves the rut, makes the deer more active, now this means overs a few weeks not a couple days. we've had a nice cool week which will help the rut, but it looks like we have a week of sun & high 60's ahead of us this might slow down the rut again, but last week have the deer knowing something is changing again.


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## bkr43050 (Apr 5, 2004)

I think it is pretty widely accepted that the rut is triggered by daylight diminishing so the seasonal changes (weather if you will) to shorter days does affect it. I think the cold weather comes in to play by increasing the overall deer activity more than "affecting" the rut. The does will come in to heat whether it gets cold or not. The cold weather gets them moving more in a feeding mode and in return the bucks will follow. I have seen crazy rut activity on mild November days when the does were ready.


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## M.Magis (Apr 5, 2004)

Just so no one creates any false hopes, the weather right now has zero effect on the rut, seeing how we're still 5-6 weeks out. And even if it's 85 degrees and sunny all through November, the rut will happen. Weather only effects daylight movement, not actual breeding.


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## crittergitter (Jun 9, 2005)

M.Magis said:


> Just so no one creates any false hopes, the weather right now has zero effect on the rut, seeing how we're still 5-6 weeks out. And even if it's 85 degrees and sunny all through November, the rut will happen. Weather only effects daylight movement, not actual breeding.


Well said Mmagis. I agree 100%.

CG


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## T-180 (Oct 18, 2005)

I'm with you too M Magis !!! The increased activity is brought on by cool weather , but the rut happens pretty much the same time year after year.
T


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## nicklesman (Jun 29, 2006)

I have read that the rut is triggered on moon phases it happens around the second full moon of the fall equinox but can be brought on earlier do to weather changes but pretty much within a week of each other. Acording to deer and deer hunting magazine the peak of our rut this year will happen around November 10


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## hunt-n-fish (Jun 19, 2007)

There will always be some younger bucks giving you the impression that the rut starts early. In most cases it seems like you see more of the 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 year olds chasing after does, even the the does aren't receptive.

It also seems the more mature bucks seem to get in to the rutting action well into the supposed rut, or at least it seems that way. What you do see alot of are bucks cruising, marking territories as in rubbing and scrapping, usually near the end of Oct., preceeding the actual rut. This could be confused with rutting, but is more pre-rut movement and action.

Because we all know about the lockdown period and what it means, very frustrating.


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## buckeyeguy (Aug 20, 2006)

I asked the same question to my buddy that got his degree in wildlife management. He said pretty much what everyone else has stated already. The temperature has absolutely NO effect on the timing of the rut. It has to do with daylight patterns. And just like everyone else said, the cooler temps just keep them more active as far as moving around. The past couple years have been warmer, keeping them more active during the night.


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