timing of the rut

[Localqdm]

With all the theories and science being discussed in the hunting world, (including some pretty BIG predictions that I would have to say failed last yr)  does anyone have or know where to get info on deer/car collisions.  I would think this data would have to be as informative as any study out there, and would show any real deviation yr to yr.  I'm interested in # of accidents in a particular area (county or statewide) and the date they peaked.

There did seam to be a narrow spike last yr of a few days when deer were getting slaughtered in the roads, just from my own observation, but I don't have any real data to go by.

[Buckstopshere]

Check with the insurance companies like State Farm. They have that data. But the deer-vehicle collision peaks would vary every year from the end of October through the end of November. Last year, the first week of November had the most. 

[Doc]

That's an interesting thought because I'm sure there is a relationship between car/deer collisions and the rut. No it wouldn't necessarily be a prediction set of data for future years, but may serve well as some sort of verification of the various rut-timing theories and how well they actually worked.

[biggamefish]

  I have hunted the same spots for years and have always gone about taking time off for the second full moon.  I have hit the rut full swing and then saw the tail end to the begining.  It differs year to year,I don't think the rut is the same every year.  Deer don't go by our calendars and wake up and say this is the day to get going. 

[Buckstopshere]

I couldn't agree with you more, Biggamefish!

They don't go by our calendars...Now.  Ever since we switched from the Lunar calendar...to the Julian calendar 45 AD... to a ...Gregorian calendar back in 1752. Should have stuck with the Lunar calendar...and then the rut and many things in nature would occur at about the same time each year.

[phade]

Don't bother with insurance companies...that's a waste of time since they are a profit organization and not all that likely to provide you such data unless you reach a kind soul. Do you know many in that industry? I don't....and I worked in it for a while.

You need to check the municipalities. They have the info...the Democrat and Chronicle ran a story last year about Irondequit, I think, and it showed how the town (and others) had data collection for many many many years.

The DEC used to be a little more involved with the fetus studies (don't know if they still do them) on roadkill does that were preggers. The funding issue really put a dent in that.

I hunted more last year than I had in the past few preceeding years and I only witnessed chasing on two days...Nov. 2 and Nov. 6. My hunting partner, who usually is within a few hundred yards of me on many occassions, saw chasing on November 9, 10, and 11. That's a pretty big difference in my book. Observation can only take you so far, including roadkills, becuase they don't give you the whole picture (young v.s mature bucks, doe numbers, etc.).

[Localqdm]

I may have to check with the local courthouse.  thanks phade.  Sure it isn't a complete study and you won't know how many bucks hit are mature, but I would have to think that the peak date for total collision #'s would HAVE to at least point to a peak in chasing activity.  After all, the rut is the reason for the increase in Nov accidents to begin with.  And I would imagine it would be somewhat different from county to county, town to town, but it would be interesting to see if a pattern emerges.

[Doc]

Don't just look at the number of bucks hit. All of the deer movement increases significantly during the chase phase of the rut. In fact a lot of doe/fawn family groups are busted up with all the chasing, and the stupid fawns can find themselves suddenly on their own. They make perfect victims to car collisions. If you can document any unusual and significant spike involving all deer in that November time-frame, you probably have come pretty close to seeing when the chase part of the rut occurred. That would be a darned interesting experiment.

[chaotic67]

imo car/deer accidents may or may not have anything to do with the rut, I hunt henrietta ny, and these happen in front of my house almost daily. I have noticed tho, only happens alot when the farmer across the road removes his crops early, when he leaves his crop for late harvest, such as cow corn, the deer are traveling less to find standing food. I hunt almost every available day during the season and year round with camera to get a better idea of what these deer are gonna do next and found, between nov 3rd thru the 12th in my area seems to be the most active with big bucks chasing does, shortly after that it becomes very dead as i think these brusers are bedded tight with a hot doe. I personally use to think that temps and leaves changing signaled the rut for the deer, generally i believe the rut is around the same time every year give or take a couple of days....

[Sudzy8]

I have planned my vacations with what Charlie Alsheimer has to say every year. He is right on the money with his predictions. He is able to do his research in Alfred/Hornell area right here in NY.