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Second rut?

pt0217

By pt0217,
in Deer Hunting

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pt0217 Newbie

pt0217

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I hunt in Westchester. I guess because there are so many does, the Bucks can't get to all of them the first cycle. My experience has been that I've seen better deer in Dec. I am hoping for the same this year just not sure when that be.

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phade Mentor

phade

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I hunt in Westchester. I guess because there are so many does, the Bucks can't get to all of them the first cycle. My experience has been that I've seen better deer in Dec. I am hoping for the same this year just not sure when that be.

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Does not taking the first go round represent a portion of does in the second rut, but most are spring born fawns who have hit 65-70lbs and enter estrous. Weight seems to the be leading correlation to whether a doe born that year will enter estrous.

 

I have only ever seen noticeable signs of second rut 2 or 3 times. And I seem to remember most of that was short lived around the end of the first week in Dec and the first day or two of the second week.

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phade Mentor

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I am definitely no expert on doe estrous cycles. Only going on what others have told me. Thought that if a doe wasn't bred the first cycle she would go into estrous 28 days later.

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She will. High 90s% of does in NYS are successfully bred according to the DEC. A small portion are does that don't take the first time around, but the biggest chunk are fawns that hit the necessary weight to reproduce. You see this most often in areas where there are heavy ag in regions 7,8, and 9. Birthdate and quality habitat/food resources really help make this happen.

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3Hrookie Newbie

3Hrookie

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im not an experienced hunter but ive been at it for about 6 years. As I walked back to my cabin friday night in the southern tip of 3h, after a 5am-1030 and 145pm-515pm hunt... 3 does followed me back to my place. i slammed the door and window after spotting the one in the tree line. it didnt move. It sat in the tree line. At this point i thought it was a doe bc i only saw eyes. with my frustration with not seeing anuything all day i jumped in my truck drove across the clearing and saw his rack. 8/10 easy. of course i was by myself all weekend and i sat and cried in the truck for 2.5 mins like a baby... lol anyway he was chasing! rut or not you cant tell me there is no 2nd rut.

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pt0217 Newbie

pt0217

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I hunt in a tight funnel and bucks need to be on the move or I won't see anything. Plenty of does. I just figured they all didn't get bred and once they cycled again bucks would cruise through looking for them. Phade your points do make sense to me though. I do remember seeing mature bucks chasing yearling does in December.

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WingNut Newbie

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I can't gauge this season from previous, but the last two seasons prior I seen more chasing in the middle of December than any other season I could think of.  That's in 4A.  Strange season to say the lease for me.  I was seeing bucks consistently the last 3 weeks of bow season, however only one young spike was showing signs of the rut... then poof they vanished. 

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pt0217 Newbie

pt0217

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Hunting in 3s a lot of good bucks on cams at night late Oct early Nov. all at night. Last couple weeks no activity. We all figured it was too warm for bucks to be out in the day. But come December and the "second rut" the temps will be cold enough to get them moving in the daylight. Maybe there isn't as much to this second rut as I thought. Just a lot of the factors some of you guys are saying. Some younger does and FOOD. Which ever it may be. I am going to be out there. I am determined to get a buck this year.

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jmg343 Newbie

jmg343

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Several years ago, also in 3S, a bunch of buddies and I were standing around drinking beers in another buddies driveway at about 9-10 o'clock at night right around Christmas.  We were in the process of debating whether or not there was a 2nd rut, and if there was had it happened, was it over, etc.  Litterally, as we were having the debate I was like "holy shit, do you hear that?"  We all stopped talking and listened as two bucks, probably less than 100 yards behind us, in a small valley, really battled it out.  The next morning, my buddy sat right in that valley and shot a monster 9-point, at least a 140+.  Does 2 bucks fighting = rutting activity?  I would think so.

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