weather effects on rut

exmarksman9870

Well-Known Member
Has any one experieced the so called false rut that can occur after bad weather during the main roe deer rut ? At the height of the rut in my area the weather has turned terrible and im wondering if it has put a hault on it.....Any thoughts....
 
I think false rut is the wrong term, the false rut if and when it happens is around the end of September, it's not fully understood but it's thought to be youngsters reaching sexual maturity, this is supported by the fact that any observed activity is usually by yearling bucks, there have been cases does giving birth as yearlings, which means that they were mated as kids , these could well be kids that took part in the false rut as kids would be too young to be mated during the normal rut period ,this is of course guess work, and I have no scientific evidence to back it up.

What you are talking of is a delay or halt in the rut, this can happen when you get a period of miserable weather during the rut , when rutting activity appears to come to an abrupt halt, I say appears as in years when such a halt in rutting activity happens there is no lack of youngsters being born the following year, which of course means
that mating still took place whether we saw it or not.

While wet weather can cause a stop start sort of rut and rutting activity can start up again with an improvement in the weather, I would think it would be unlikely at this point in time, the rut normally will peak the first week in August and is all over with the bucks having disappeared from sight by mid August.

Sorry to say in my opinion it's all over for this year, certainly not a buck to be seen anywhere in my area, and first rutting activity was not observed until 31st July and all over about a week ago very intense rut here but very short.
 
I think false rut is the wrong term, the false rut if and when it happens is around the end of September, it's not fully understood but it's thought to be youngsters reaching sexual maturity, this is supported by the fact that any observed activity is usually by yearling bucks, there have been cases does giving birth as yearlings, which means that they were mated as kids , these could well be kids that took part in the false rut as kids would be too young to be mated during the normal rut period ,this is of course guess work, and I have no scientific evidence to back it up.

What you are talking of is a delay or halt in the rut, this can happen when you get a period of miserable weather during the rut , when rutting activity appears to come to an abrupt halt, I say appears as in years when such a halt in rutting activity happens there is no lack of youngsters being born the following year, which of course means
that mating still took place whether we saw it or not.

While wet weather can cause a stop start sort of rut and rutting activity can start up again with an improvement in the weather, I would think it would be unlikely at this point in time, the rut normally will peak the first week in August and is all over with the bucks having disappeared from sight by mid August.

Sorry to say in my opinion it's all over for this year, certainly not a buck to be seen anywhere in my area, and first rutting activity was not observed until 31st July and all over about a week ago very intense rut here but very short.

that makes a lot of sence
 
Rutting behaviour spotted just outside Aberfeldy two days ago. . . Admittedly it must be as good as done now though.
 
Went out last night as it was about 18`C where we were and quite humid - bit od rain, mist coming off the ground. In a partially cut rape field, I had two separate pairs of bucks fighting, about 300 yds apart. There were also a few does around, who responded strongly to the buttolo call. When I got a good look at the bucks in the area, they were all decent enough to leave be, and let them develop another year, so left them alone.

May not have been as hot as recently, but it was certainly humid enough to just stalk in a shirt with no coat / jacket.

All the best.

Neil.
 
If the rut was to stop and start then that would mean the Doe could turn her season on and off because of the weather. This would not be the case and her season and the amount of time she will accept a male will determine the length of the rut. Faulse rut as explained by Boggy is bang on and while in my forestry areas it is seen very little. In the urban areas were the deer weights are higher I see some activity and have seen young doe,s getting chased for sexual favours in September. Weight of the female will normally determine if they come in to season or not.
 
From my experience, the only effect that the weather has on the rut is when it is extremely hot during the day, particularly when it's moon lit, they rut at night. We have had this here this year and have spoken to many stalkers who have not called a single Buck. I have seen bucks that come first light just don't want to move, I believe they have been at it all night!
 
6p is right in what he says about a Doe not being able to turn on and off her season. So in that respect it can only be a case of when and where rather than if
 
6p is right in what he says about a Doe not being able to turn on and off her season. So in that respect it can only be a case of when and where rather than if

Agreed but I have also observed a stop start rut due to to a sudden unseasonable change in the weather, a Doe is only in season from anything from a few hours to a maximum of five days a period of 36 hours being the average, not long.

No scientific evidence for this but I do wonder if the change in weather could bring the Does season to a premature end, while she can't turn it on again , there could be other Does coming into season as the weather picks up again, a Does season is brought on by a hormone that she produces brought on by the change in daylight after the turn of the year, once the hormone reaches a certain level she will come into season is it conceivable that the weather may also play a part in the process , only a thought I don't have the answer.
 
Boggy no scientific evidence but my take on it is little wind warm humid bucks clearly rutting. Windy and wet fresh we call it little activity. My take on this and it is personnel. Weather has an effect on scent and the former scent will hold for a long time and increase in intensity while the later sent rises and disappears to some extent.
 
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