OST WHITETAILS in Texas experience their major rut period by January, but there is still hope for hunters to score on hormonally distracted bucks, especially in certain parts of the state. Understanding how the rut works is important in seeing the possibility of what we often call “late ruts.”
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According to a Texas Parks & Wildlife Department (TPWD) study, a doe may be attractive to bucks for about five days, but may be willing to breed for a period of only 24 hours. If the doe is not bred during her first cycle, she will generally come into heat again about 28 days later. “In areas where there are few bucks, a doe may not encounter a buck when she is first receptive and may not be bred until one of her later cycles. A hunter,
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landowner or biologist who sees the late breeding activity may be convinced that there was a late rut. On the other hand, those who see does attended by bucks in the early part of the season believe there was an early rut. This helps explain the wide variety of opinions on the timing of the rut during a particular year.” TPWD also reported that “hunter chronology” has a lot to do with the perceived timing of the rut. Key parts of the
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PHOTO: CANSTOCK
12/11/18 6:38 PM
