# ND Rut, beginning to end.



## DelSnavely (Oct 17, 2007)

Ok, I've heard guys here say that they wish the gun season would start the day after Thanksgiving because the deer are out of their minds with sexual hunger. I've seen deer act crazy like that in early November here.

Now I still have a bow tag to fill. I plan on hunting after Dec. 14 so I avoid the ML season. My question is, "usually" when does the rut start and end in ND? I can take it from there...lol I'll take a doe if that's what it takes since I hunt for meat mostly, but a rack would be a bonus. I could use a new set of rattling antlers...lol

Thanks!
Del


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## HUNTNFISHND (Mar 16, 2004)

Del,

The first rut is over by now. Yeah there may be a few late does yet, but for the most part the breeding is done. However, there is ussually a second rut in mid to late december for does who were not successfully breed during the first rut or for yearling does who are mature enough. This second rut is hard to figure out though from my experiance.

I ussually focus on food sources come December. Big bucks need to replenish those reserves they lost during the rut in order to survive winter. Find a big buck, see where he is bedding, where he is eating and intercept. The tough part is the snow if any can get crunchy on you this time of year so get in your stand early enough. I will be out with my bow too, I love the late season!

Good luck!


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## DelSnavely (Oct 17, 2007)

Thanks HUNTNFISHND, so when does the primary rut actually start and end? I don't like bow hunting while people are throwing lead around and I have to wear Blaze-O. Next year I'm going for a buck in velvet sometime at the end of Sept. or Oct., since I'll have my new Ameristep Penthouse blind...lol I dropped a nice little doe for gun season this year. Took me all of 10 minutes. Short season, but she sure was tasty...lol

Thanks,
Del


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## barebackjack (Sep 5, 2006)

In my area it went about like......

Oct 28-Nov 8----Pre-rut. Serious chasing starting about Nov. 4.

Nov 8-Nov 18----Rut. Peak was about the 11th-13th. Bucks were on lockdown with does.

Nov 18-Thanksgiving----Post-rut. Last few does cycling. Most bucks were alone without does.

Seems the peak always falls within the same few days as previous years. Photoperiod doesnt change.

Look for the second rut around the second to third week of december. If you have an area with a real whacked out buck to doe ratio this rut can be dynamite as lots of does didnt get bred the first time around.


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## DelSnavely (Oct 17, 2007)

Thanks a bunch Jack. So what area are you in? I'm up NW around Williston, ND. If you're in ND too, I suppose it's the same.

Thanks again!
Del


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## NDTerminator (Aug 20, 2003)

Still a little activity in the Lake Region. One of my buddies watched a good buck chasing/tending a doe while coyote hunting two days ago...


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## walkswithwhispers (Sep 18, 2007)

I saw a lot of deer activity south of Bismarck over the thanksgiving weekend. Saw deer moving all day long. Even watched a nice mature 4x4 bed down with a doe in the middle of a cleared field just south of town. No cover at all. I think he was just waiting for her to come around. At least one other guy driving by also stopped to check it out.


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## barebackjack (Sep 5, 2006)

DelSnavely said:


> Thanks a bunch Jack. So what area are you in? I'm up NW around Williston, ND. If you're in ND too, I suppose it's the same.
> 
> Thanks again!
> Del


Im on the otherside of the state. But It can vary within the state. Last year I killed a nice 140 class buck on Nov 2 tending an obviously receptive doe. In my area the pre-rut/rut was on like donkey kong. My buddy, that same day reported very little if any rut related activity 125 miles away (turned out his deer were about four days behind mine). It all depends on the does. A buck gets a whiff of one doe thats cycling or close to it and whips into a frenzy mighty quick.


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## DelSnavely (Oct 17, 2007)

Man this is a lot to chew on. Looks like I'll just have to keep my eyes open and figure it out in my area. At least I have something to start with.

Thanks a lot guys!
Del


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## bigbrad123 (Dec 22, 2005)

Everyone on here is right. All depends on the area and the deer. I was pheasant hunting this past weekend southeast of Max down my Lake Audobon and saw a group of 10, 3 bucks (2 nice ones) and about 7 does/yearlings altogether in a field. Figured the rut must be over in that area. The next day (sunday), we were hunting by Makoti and we scared up a nice buck and doe bedded down together in a slough.....obviously still in rut. I guess it just depends on the specific deer.


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## spanky27 (Nov 16, 2007)

I just got back from a two week hunt. I hunted Nov 19-Dec 1. First week seemed like things were still on, but tapering down, few bucks still chasing, but most were sticking with one doe. The last few days I saw big wintering groups (30-40 deer) together...bucks and does together with no rut indicators. The first week I sat in the stand all day. The first three days saw bucks moving around during afternoon, last few there was no activity during the day. But on a side note the last day I still saw a dandy chasing a lone doe on a top of a hill. In summary, the main portion of the rut was over by Thanksgiving. (north central ND)


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## dakotashooter2 (Oct 31, 2003)

I'd still stick with the does. Even though they are not in estrus bucks will continue to check them out and spend a fair abont of time searching through December. Had a nice buck follow a doe within 10 yards the other day but initially he wouldn't offer me a decent shot and I couldn't get drawn back before he passed through my last shooting lane.


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## deerslayer80 (Mar 27, 2007)

Hunting close to the food source this time of year is your best bet. I have to say last night I was in the stand and had a nice buck come in chasing a doe and grunting a lot. There's still a little bit of activity, but it's for sure getting close to the end.


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