Unusual observations this year

[JCDEERMAN]

I just hope this year doesn't turn out like the last year we had a wild false rut. That year, the rut was a complete anticlimax. Basically, it was like it didn't even happen.

The big question:

When this last occurred, what were the temperatures / weather like that year during peak movement. Also, out of curiosity, what year was this?

Cant believe this wasnt asked yet

It was 2006. That year we had the first hard freeze right at the false rut, which I think was one reason it was so intense.

Looking at the normal peak buck movement days for our area, looks like temps really warmed up that year. Towards the 8th through 11th of November, daytime highs were hitting the 70s, with lows only in the 50s. That may explain the really bad rut for us that year. By gun season temps were back towards normal, but for us, by gun season the rut is off peak and winding down.

Thanks, Bryan. Thats exactly what I wanted to hear. Warmer temps during the "good time". I suspected that was it and glad it was. It seems thats the way nature works....I'm just hoping we will not have a warm spell this year. If it is cool (highs around 55-60), I think we will be fine. Last year we had more sign than I have ever seen, more bucks sparring in pics (as everyone else is seeing this year), and we had a great rut with good temps. The mornig I killed mine on 11/16, it was 29 degrees. That is prime time for us. I dont know yet about scrape activity as far as buck behavior in those pics, as I just put my cams over scrapes this past weekend, but I will say that scraping activity in general has gone WILD. Will check them this Sunday to see what type of behavior I have on 7 cameras. As of this past weekend, bucks stil together, but ears back and facing off to each other (3 1/2's). Hopefuly Ill have some good pics to post by the end of the weekend with more insight

 

[Droopy]

Bsk, with this info being said, can you estimate a "peak" in the actual rut this year? If im reading correctly, proir to the start of gun season? Is this an indicator to pursue bucks during the upcoming muzzleloader season? BTW, my main area consists north of knox in Campbell and Scott counties.

 

[Crow Terminator]

Over on this end of the state, we are still seeing bachelor groups of bucks. I just put my cams out 2 weeks ago, and pulled my card yesterday. I had 273 pics on one card, and a few of those included small bucks sparring. It was the same bucks I observed from the house that prompted me to put the cameras out...they were really going at it in the field sparring...a little intense sparring at that. One of them is a nice 7 pointer...oddly, with 5 on one side and just a fork on the other with no brow tine.

 

[BSK]

Bsk, with this info being said, can you estimate a "peak" in the actual rut this year? If im reading correctly, proir to the start of gun season? Is this an indicator to pursue bucks during the upcoming muzzleloader season? BTW, my main area consists north of knox in Campbell and Scott counties.

Droopy,

Every location has its own unique peak of breeding dates. These dates are the same every year for that location (although that doesn't always mean what hunters see is the same each year, as weather conditions can alter when hunters see the most DAYLIGHT activity).

Unfortunately, I don't have any data on when your local peak of breeding is, but I suspect it is probably closer to late November (somewhere in the Nov. 20-30 range). Mature bucks are most active during daylight just BEFORE peak breeding, with middle-aged bucks (2 1/2 to 3 1/2) being most active chasing does right around peak breeding.