second rut

[VA Boy]

Would anyone have information to a new hunter about a second rut? I've read some about it, saw some stuff on threads here. I am kind of excited about the possibilities of seeing a nice buck on my property in ML season. I've been seeing LOTS of does lately; a few days ago, I counted 18 running through the pasture field adjacent to the woodlot my stand is in. There could have been some scrub bucks; no visible antlers through the binos, though. I also found a freshly opened scrape that I first noticed back before shotgun season. What techniques would you recommend? I've got a buck tag that needs filled!!!

[William H Bonney]

I don't know the "exact" particulars on it but, it goes something like this. If a doe had come into heat during the "typical" rut and was not taken care of,, she'll come into esterous again,, in a "certain" amount of days,, I forget how many. I personally have never seen it,, but I'm sure someone on here will be able to confirm this and maybe give you some "real-life" tips on hunting this period of the rut.

[Ken]

26-30 days from the first "rut". Where I hunt, the deer were not really hot into the rut until about Nov. 12th. From what I saw in the woods, it was about 2 weeks later than "normal" this year. So, once the shooting started the 15th, the does went into the hiding mode. I think there are going to be alot of does that were not bred, thanks to the late rut and bucks beings shot off right during the peak rut.

Hunt it just like you would in the late bow season when the first rut usually is.

Actually, the does will continue going into estrus every 28 days or so until they are bred. So, some may even get bred in January. And some of this years yearling does are ready to breed by Dec/Jan as well. That is why we see some very small deer in the fall- late drops from being bred late.

[riverman]

Here in Ingham county once the rut starts there are does in heat pretty much all the time thru Nov and Dec, just not as many later on. My observation thru the years is the second rut peaks right around Christmas with the bulk of those deer being this years female fawns that have reached sexual maturity. Not saying this is true everywhere, but have had some great hunts between the 25th and the new year with bucks having their head stuck up you know what!! Riverman