2024 Rut Tracker / Reports

[HorizontalHunter]

As usual Pen State is timely with their blog post and their rut tracker for 2024.I have been following them for several years now and they always have great accurate information that is sourced from their tagged deer.

This thread might be a useful resource to post rut observations if you are so inclined..

Bob

2024 Rut Tracker:
2024 Rut Tracker

Penn State Deer Study:
Penn State Deer-Forest Study

 

[peterk123]

I have found November 7th time frame is money. Massachusetts and Montana. Been like that since I've been hunting.

 

[whacko]

I have found November 7th time frame is money. Massachusetts and Montana. Been like that since I've been hunting.

I look thru my old hunting pix in my phone and find that since 2019 all of my bucks have been taken between Nov 7 and Nov 12. That's a 5 day window that seems to be the peak......those days that I've tagged deer......was always solo bucks with their nose in the air......one buck I shot in 2020 came out into the field with a full boner.......boom!

 

[ThePreBanMan]

They're moving today. So are the hunters.

Saw 2 hunters this am. Felt crowded so I moved to get back on the deer and away from people. Have seen 2 on the move and counting since and it's not even noon.

WMA I'm on is crowded today. I'm not put off by that though. Most stay close to the road amd I can get away from them. Now I know where the deer aren't too...

 

[whacko]

They're moving today. So are the hunters.

Saw 2 hunters this am. Felt crowded so I moved to get back on the deer and away from people. Have seen 2 on the move and counting since and it's not even noon.

WMA I'm on is crowded today. I'm not put off by that though. Most stay close to the road amd I can get away from them. Now I know where the deer aren't too...

Saw 5 deer before 10am this morning lol.

3 were too far to shoot then i had 2 does come in at my 6 oclock.......no chance.

 

[Sparkey]

Had a small 5 point come running in to rattling and grunting last night lots of rubs few scrapes.

 

[ThePreBanMan]

Saw 5 deer before 10am this morning lol.

3 were too far to shoot then i had 2 does come in at my 6 oclock.......no chance.

I ended the day at 8. A couple shooters but no ethical shot.

I'm on Rutcation. But it looks like it's going to warm back up after Sun. Too bad. This cold front had them on theor feet. The Sunday hunting ban blows.

 

[whacko]

I ended the day at 8. A couple shooters but no ethical shot.

I'm on Rutcation. But it looks like it's going to warm back up after Sun. Too bad. This cold front had them on theor feet. The Sunday hunting ban blows.

Got a doe 30 minutes after legal today. They are moving in southern nh that's for sure.

 

[HorizontalHunter]

Got a doe 30 minutes after legal today. They are moving in southern nh that's for sure.

Congratulations Whacko

 

[whacko]

Congratulations Whacko

Using those zone m doe tags.......still got alot of season left......but it's always an awesome feeling to have one in the freezer on opening weekend. Nice freezer doe......about 90 to 100 pounds. She came out at friggin 15 yards.......head on......blew about 8 times lol.....stared at me......she wouldn't turn so I took the shot i don't like.....head on.....but at rhat close distance it really was a high probability shot.....thru the neck and shattered her neck bone completely severed....that's why her heads all spun around in the pic the head was like a rag doll. Anchored her.....dead right there. Alot of guys shit on head on shots but at 15 yards.....i know my gun and I know my skill. I aimed for the center of the neck and that's where that 50 cal sabot went.

As.far as deer movement.....I saw 5 yesterday before 9am.....same thing as you no ethical shots. They are moving. Nice surprise this morning when this doe came off the field thru the sampling pines 15 yards straight to my front.

 

[HorizontalHunter]

Using those zone m doe tags.......still got alot of season left......but it's always an awesome feeling to have one in the freezer on opening weekend. Nice freezer doe......about 90 to 100 pounds. She came out at friggin 15 yards.......head on......blew about 8 times lol.....stared at me......she wouldn't turn so I took the shot i don't like.....head on.....but at rhat close distance it really was a high probability shot.....thru the neck and shattered her neck bone completely severed....that's why her heads all spun around in the pic the head was like a rag doll. Anchored her.....dead right there. Alot of guys shit on head on shots but at 15 yards.....i know my gun and I know my skill. I aimed for the center of the neck and that's where that 50 cal sabot went.

As.far as deer movement.....I saw 5 yesterday before 9am.....same thing as you no ethical shots. They are moving. Nice surprise this morning when this doe came off the field thru the sampling pines 15 yards straight to my front.

View attachment 932959

She is a good freezer filler for sure. It is great to have her in the freezer early.

In the picture she looks like she is an older doe with a good amount of tooth wear on the front teeth. He lower jaw looks a little short as well in the picture but it may just be the angle.

Nothing wrong with frontal/neck shots from sportsmen, and women, that know their equipment and practice with it.; as I know you do. That’s how freezers get filled.

The real problem with neck shots is that it plays hell with the neck roasts.

Bob

 

[whacko]

She is a good freezer filler for sure. It is great to have her in the freezer early.

In the picture she looks like she is an older doe with a good amount of tooth wear on the front teeth. He lower jaw looks a little short as well in the picture but it may just be the angle.

Nothing wrong with frontal/neck shots from sportsmen, and women, that know their equipment and practice with it.; as I know you do. That’s how freezers get filled.

The real problem with neck shots is that it plays hell with the neck roasts.

Bob

I'm not a fan of "absolutes". Like stating "never take a head on shot.....wait for broad side". Too many variables.......15 yards and under with an accurate and well practiced muzzle loader.....take the shot. 50 yards or more......nah.....wait for the broad side.

 

[HorizontalHunter]

I'm not a fan of "absolutes". Like stating "never take a head on shot.....wait for broad side". Too many variables.......15 yards and under with an accurate and well practiced muzzle loader.....take the shot. 50 yards or more......nah.....wait for the broad side.

There are no absolutes in the deer woods or life for that matter

 

[HorizontalHunter]

Latest update.

Near Peak Performance​

NOVEMBER 8, 2024
As I write this, we are 5 days away from 50% of females being bred. That means males are at, or near, their maximum movements for the rut. Check out whether things are on track for the bucks and does being tracked this year.

The latest data from our deer have been uploaded to our Rut Tracker page. I’ll be grouse hunting and won’t be able to upload new data until mid-week. Enjoy the weather and hope that we get a little rain to eliminate the fire hazard.

Check it out (and if the page doesn’t look updated try clicking the ‘refresh’ button on your web browser).

2024 Deer-Forest Study Rut Tracker


Penn State Deer-Forest Study

 

[Sparkey]

Saw a 6 point with a doe today he wanted nothing to do with anything other than her. This is zone 7

 

[whacko]

I've been trying to get some afternoon sits in this week but works got in the way. I plan to be out by 3pm but mon to Wed the pasty white planning staff always wants a meeting at 3pm.

I'm going today come hell or high water lol. If they ask for a meeting today I'm telling them im sick.

I gotta be in my truck by 3pm to make it to the woods with enough legal light to make it worth it.

 

[HorizontalHunter]

I've been trying to get some afternoon sits in this week but works got in the way. I plan to be out by 3pm but mon to Wed the pasty white planning staff always wants a meeting at 3pm.

I'm going today come hell or high water lol. If they ask for a meeting today I'm telling them im sick.

I gotta be in my truck by 3pm to make it to the woods with enough legal light to make it worth it.

Mental health is critical as well.

 

[HorizontalHunter]

Over the Hump​

NOVEMBER 21, 2024
We’re on the downhill side of the rut. More than half of females are now pregnant. The Rut Tracker is updated through November 19.

Several readers have asked if the warm weather, or some other factor, has influenced breeding behavior this year as males seem to be moving less, and females more, compared to the long-term average.

I don’t think so. When the season is over I’ll make a plot of each year’s average and we can look to see how unusual this year was compared to past years.

I hope you have enjoyed the beautiful fall weather this October and November. Every day was a treat in my tree stand.

Over the Hump

We're on the downhill side of the rut. More than half of females are now pregnant. The Rut Tracker is updated through November 19. Several readers have asked if the warm weather, or some other factor, has influenced breeding behavior this year as males seem to be moving less, and females...

www.deer.psu.edu

 

[HorizontalHunter]

2024Rut Tracker Update

Last updated through November 26, 2024 (As data are uploaded, the most recent estimates may not include data from all animals. These estimates are expected to change as more data from the radiocollars are uploaded to the satellites)

You may have heard all about how each year the rut is affected by the moon (it’s not), gas prices (?), temperature (it’s not), and El Nino (see temperature). We have 11 years of data on how far deer travel and when deer are on the move during the rut. Follow us in 2024 as we see how it differs from the long-term average!

Read More:

2024 Rut Tracker

Last updated through December 2, 2024 (As data are uploaded, the most recent estimates may not include data from all animals. These estimates are expected to change as more data from the radiocollars are uploaded to the satellites) You may have heard all about how each year the rut is...

www.deer.psu.edu

 

[DJBrad]

2024Rut Tracker Update

Last updated through November 26, 2024 (As data are uploaded, the most recent estimates may not include data from all animals. These estimates are expected to change as more data from the radiocollars are uploaded to the satellites)

You may have heard all about how each year the rut is affected by the moon (it’s not), gas prices (?), temperature (it’s not), and El Nino (see temperature). We have 11 years of data on how far deer travel and when deer are on the move during the rut. Follow us in 2024 as we see how it differs from the long-term average!

Read More:

2024 Rut Tracker

Last updated through December 2, 2024 (As data are uploaded, the most recent estimates may not include data from all animals. These estimates are expected to change as more data from the radiocollars are uploaded to the satellites) You may have heard all about how each year the rut is...

www.deer.psu.edu

My game cams proved the second week of November was the key timeframe in North central Ma. We’ll see how this last week through February will fare (when I pull the cards again).