Anytime after the second week of the season (Nov. 6 onward) the bucks should be travelling more in daylight. However that is very weather dependant and variable by location. Cold weather, barometric changes(fronts moving in), light precip, low wind, all favour buck movement. Elevation also plays a role. We have found that high country bucks generally rut earlier than lowland bucks in more moderate climates. My feeling is that the differences in local climate conditions are likely at play here. Mast crop is not as good this year in NB. This should force deer to move a bit more for food, although food is not limiting at this time of year.
, it runs till dec here in NS , don't matter much though, hunting really sucks here. I have tracked many deer to stands So scouting is not practical here , well you gotta get way in where apples are to heavy to carry in.
There were several large scrapes, and numerous rubs in our moose hunting range, very unusual.shepodyguide said:P.S.
Like JC said, things seem to be advanced this year in NB. We are seeing bucks paired up with does already, but no scrapes or rubs to speak of. Safe to say the rut is at least 10 days off.
Remember that if you are after any buck (or deer) any time of the season is good. If you are after a trophy, you would be well-advised to concentrate your efforts during the last 10 days of the season, when the boss buck's legendary caution starts to be overcome by an itch that he needs to scratch Does are your bait. Find them. Pattern them. Don't disturb them. You will get a look at your buck if you put your time in.
That there is some excellent advice
shepodyguide said:Deer season in NB is a joke. DNR knows that the season is too early and does not coincide with the best buck activity, which occurs the week after deer season ends. We need it bumped back a week and have been lobbying hard with no effect. Hopefully the new Gov't will be more reasonable. Their argument is the deer can't take hunting pressure with heavy snows that can happen in late november (we haven't had that in at least a decade...ha, ha) and that it is a conservation measure. So they like to take your money and sell you a licence, but don't want you to have too good a chance at getting a big one! If that had any validity whatsoever, Maine and NS buck populations would be wiped out by the late season hunting that occurs up to early December. Which they are not. Our game policies are archaic and controlled by people with no sense of progress or innovation. A late muzzleloader season would be a great idea which we are working towards.
Ok, that's my tirade, I'm done.
Cheers
eltorro said:
