Rut

[novice]

I'm expecting some interesting replies to this thread, but hear goes

Just how early is it possible to see rutting behaviour? I ask having returned from a 2 day trip to Dumfires and Galloway. We saw 13 deer over the 2 days, 3 of which were bucks.

Of the bucks, 2 of them were seen travelling across open fields. They were undisturbed and weren't feeding, but moving across goodly distances, sniffing, rootling about and generally 'on a mission'.

The chap I was with felt that they were displaying behaviour more normally seen in the rut and was amazed to see it at this time of year (to be honest he was surprised that we saw 3 bucks at all and that they were so far away from cover).

He suggested that the hot weather (costa del Galloway - it must have been mid twenties on Saturday) may have brought on the behaviour.

So the quesiton is, has anyone seen anything similar this week/time of year, can anyone explain what they were up to and what is the earliest folks have seen the rut start

Cheers,

Novice

 

[stone]

hi novice
i just got back from moffat on sat afternoon, from a couple of days on bucks , to say the least we saw plenty of does but no bucks, as they were not moving at all , but i did see a roe doe very heavy in kid which did surprise me , the only other surprise was the the hand held speed camera that may of got me coming back down the M6 through the lake district beggar was on top of the many bridges
the roe in my area in warwickshire don't realy start to rut till last week of july depending on the weather, but hav seen them start as early as the 6/7 of july

 

[The Mole]

Of the bucks, 2 of them were seen travelling across open fields. They were undisturbed and weren't feeding, but moving across goodly distances, sniffing, rootling about and generally 'on a mission'.

Hi Novice

This is perfectly normal territorial behaviour for the time of year - the bucks will be getting very keen to establish their territories by now. The rut itself will not kick in until the end of July, and will all depend on when the does come into oestrus. Daylight hours and weather conditions will be the major factors.

Don't be tempted to start calling until you actually see rutting activity going on - if there is no scent of a doe on heat in the air, the bucks will not be fooled!

Mole

 

[sikamalc]

Have to agree with Mole here. Those Bucks are probably young ones being pushed out by an older moer dominant Buck. This time of year Roe Buck are not that obvious as a rule. Too much cover and feed, means they do not have to travel to far for home comforts, and the Doe's are preoccupied with looking after the fawns they may have.

Warmer weather will push them about a bit, so will too many midges and flys as well. However the rut is always as a rule about late July early August. Sometimes it carries on for a couple of weeks sometimes a great deal less. Last year in Sussex it was short and brief, however you can sometimes get a false rut in September.

I find if you use a Butolo call, only peep twice, and keep it in your pocket when you squeeze it. Wait a good 10 minutes before calling again. Dont call consistantly all the time, and be patient.

Good luck

 

[roverman]

apollo and i were out last weekend in the cotswold,and i seen a roe buck chasing a doe around for half an hour or so out in a big corn field,he looked like he was after one thing,it was a lovely day a real hot one so it could be the weather that starts them off a bit earler in some places.

 

[CAM]

Out at the weekend but didn't see any signs of Roe bucks starting the rut but it was really hot around Norfolk 30+ and cooling to around 16 in the evening. Tried calling and saw nothing. But later saw a Hind and a calf following.

 

[finnbear270]

I passed Harewood house today, the deer (both sexes) were couched all together next to the walled road boundary, zero action going on, just chewing the cud.

 

[fallowm oor]

The thread is about the roe rut, not the reds in Harewoods deer park, you will be lucky to see any action there untill mid to late September!!

 

[Brough]

About 3 weeks ago a Myself and a mate observed a buck on a mission , just before last light , really covering some ground , agitated and generally pumped up .He entered another field and got given the good news by another buck unseen by us at the time . So love is in the air..... South coast by the way..

 

[finnbear270]

The thread is about the roe rut, not the reds in Harewoods deer park, you will be lucky to see any action there untill mid to late September!!

, I was commenting on the peaceful sight, as I passed at speed in the truck......... not trying to derail the thread in any way children!

 

[www.yorkshireroestalking.]

, I was commenting on the peaceful sight, as I passed at speed in the truck......... not trying to derail the thread in any way children!

yeh yeh pull the other one LOL

 

[bunnydan]

i try to leave the big boys this close to the rut but they have gone in to hideing any way. i have had a few young bucks this last couple of weeks as they are getting moved about abit, bring on the rut now...