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Hunting the rut… Each year deer hunters head to the woods trying to time the rut? Most miss the best time to see multiple sightings of bucks and does and to witness nature at its best. Most hunters think the rut is an exact period of time based on temperature, and moon phase. It is not. The rut occurs over a period of time in phases, first seeking, and then chasing followed breeding (lock down). Photoperiod is the key factor for when the rut begins. Does need to have their fawns at a specific time, in the spring to increase survival so they are not born in freezing temps. So regardless of the moon, does will be bred. “You need cold weather and calm days for deer to move”? Myth Does come into estrus over a short period of time. Bucks are on the move looking for receptive does, temperature plays NO role. (If it is too hot in a bar and an attractive girl eyes you up… you say nah its too hot, ill wait till it cools off?!?) Sure maybe and I say maybe deer are more active at night during the rut. But bucks are on the move all day. Look at the stats of how many mature bucks do not make the winter after the rut. They move all day. Deer live all year round, hot summer days, rain, wind and snow. The best days to hunt are windy crappy days. The majority of my big bucks have come in the worst of weather conditions. High winds, snow, rain. People assume they don’t move during these conditions. They move more, people move less. Low pressure systems draw scent, down and high winds allow them to travel more detecting what is ahead. I find most the myths, of needing cold temps, no wind and perfect conditions stem from hunt camps. Windy and hot, everyone is at camp, cold and cool, everyone hunts. So guess when animals were harvested. I have a detailed journal of deer activity from 2001 during the “Rut”. You can set your watch that the first week of November will be a great time to be hunting funnels and pinch points as bucks cruise for does. If you are not seeing deer this time of year you are not around deer. It’s that simple. Good luck and get in the woods!