rut question

[magicman54494]

I hunt big woods where deer numbers are real low. I know from tracking that bucks put on many miles in search of does. It still amazes me that they are able to find hot does as easily as they do. It's almost like they know when a doe will be in heat. I am wondering if bucks can scent check does and know how soon they will come into heat? If so, how far in advance? also, can a buck tell if a doe has already been bred?

[Bowhunter4life]

I hunt big woods where deer numbers are real low. I know from tracking that bucks put on many miles in search of does. It still amazes me that they are able to find hot does as easily as they do. It's almost like they know when a doe will be in heat. I am wondering if bucks can scent check does and know how soon they will come into heat? If so, how far in advance? also, can a buck tell if a doe has already been bred?

Good questions. Curious to see replies

[ Post made via Android ]

[dan]

Good question... I would post it in the "ask the biologist" thread and see what he says... My guess would be bucks trigger with the amount of daylight like does, but that they can smell a doe as she starts to come into heat too...

[Stanley]

Great questions. As the time of year approaches for breeding the bucks also are reaching a peak. So, as the does become ripe the bucks also become ripe. This is the glory of the rut the bucks are on their feet more than any other time of the year. Bucks use parallel trails to locate does that are coming into estrous. They then get on the hot doe trail leaving the parallel trail. So it is not only the doe smelling good but also the buck going into looking mode.

This is why bed hunting is at its best before the bucks go into search mode. You can bed hunt during the rut but a lot of those beds will be empty. As for how does a buck know? They don't, the doe dictates this. After breading it take about 3 days for that smell to diminish. Thus the bucks move on to a better smelling doe. I have seen bucks stick with a doe for 3 days and then move on. Scrub bucks will still chase but that is merely practice for next year.

If you see a buck chasing/following a doe it is normally a smaller buck chasing out of frustration. Bigger bucks do a lot more herding, that is how you know the doe is close to ripe/or ripe. Don't get me wrong a big buck will follow a hot doe if she takes off but the buck will often herd her to where he wants her to be (like a sheep dog). Great topic for discussion.

[Edcyclopedia]

I think in big woods with low deer densities the nomad buck puts miles on, period.
They do loops that range probably as much as 8-10 miles; smaller in non-rut scenarios but certainly more than AG deer...
The loops seem to be as much as 3-4 days at times.

Remember the big woods do not offer AG as food sources for the most part and they still need to feed which equates to travel.
Also they do interact to a small point and like keep tabs on other completion and girls.

[uzi]

I would say yes a mature buck absolutely know when and how close a doe is to going into heat. I have seen plenty of giants up to 200" between 10-2pm the week of Nov 10-17 I don't think they do that unless there is strong scent in the air... I think the big ones lay low while the little guys run themselves ragged then they go on the prowl when the time is right. I also think the does go to the dominant buck as Stanley mentioned in the herding statement.

[ Post made via Android ]

[KLEMZ]

It's almost like they know when a doe will be in heat. I am wondering if bucks can scent check does and know how soon they will come into heat? If so, how far in advance? also, can a buck tell if a doe has already been bred?

There is no way to really know the answers to these questions. My gut instinct says "yes"...They can easily tell, by smell alone, if the doe has already been bred or if she is about to come in heat. However, I don't know how easy it is. I think they put a LOT of miles into finding the areas the does are actually bedding and feeding in at the present time. I'm talking big woods here, lots of land, few deer.

Example. Last fall I tagged out early on my big woods rut hunt (thanks to your advise, Magic...check out your "why are you on edge all the time" thread ). Because I tagged out early, I had a golden opportunity to scout the big woods...during the rut!! I found one area that was obviously a doe bedding area, but not used recently. I found the beds by digging UNDER the leaves and finding hairs in spots that "should be" bedding. My guess is this area is used for doe bedding when the acorns are plentiful on the nearby ridge. Well, there were zero acorns in this area last fall. i.e. no does used this bedding area last fall.. YET, I found FRESH tracks of MORE than one mature buck on the trail leading directly to the doe bedding area.

These big bucks were cruising thru this doe bedding area EVEN THOUGH NO DOES HAD BEDDED THERE IN A LONG TIME! The bucks probably remembered that does had lived here in the past. My take is the bucks put in a LOT of effort to locate the does. But can scent check the status of these does in a heart beat.

[Ghost Hunter]

Bucks know in there territory where the does bed an where they frequent. I think they scent check the beds an trails leading into feeding areas.

[BassBoysLLP]

Great question. I don't have enough observation to answer. I'm hunted many low density areas and have wondered the same.