What's your thoughts on what causes animals to go into rut?

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muckwa

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Just like the title asks. Only asking because this year I find the moose are about 2-3 weeks late into rut around here. Seems like they are just starting in my area. Know guys who drew early tags and had no success calling. So what's your thoughts. It has been really warm no heavy frost yet or snow. Is it weather, daylight hours or moon cycles?
 
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they were calling and answering really good over here starting sept 20 then they quit around the 5th October
 
Definitely several factors. Temperature and daylight combined. As well as does beginning their estrus cycle. Bucks are also at a biological state where their antlers are at full ready and they begin getting ready for colder temperature with a change in their hair/fur.
 
Can't comment on moose as I have no experience with them yet.
I was told it takes a good cold snap to start the rut. Last year it didn't get really cold until halfway through november or later so while it was still coldish the bucks weren't in rut and therefore I ended up taking on of two large does that crossed my stand because there was no buck following them.
 
Science is the reason. Every animal ruts at the same time every within a week or so. It's all based on photoperiodism, the amount of given day light at there breeding time. It ensures that fawns will not be born to late or to early. Most blame the weather when the rut seems late but the real reason is because deer don't need to feed as much and the bucks don't need to go runs looking for does. They lock down does and breed. Some does get missed and you will see a "later rut" which is most likely a second rut or colder temperatures and the does need to feed more heavily. In the deep bush of alberta where monsters roam I've seen some of largest bucks chasing does in the middle of the day in warm weather. Sometimes you just have to search more for that hot doe when the weather turns warm. Last November it was very mild at the start and I seen some of the best chasing action deep in the bush sitting on a cut line. Before noon I had seen 12 bucks wonder or chase across my line.
 
Photoperiod is the trigger, so the rut happens at the same time every year. Whether or not the animals are actively moving about in daylight, however, is seriously affected by the weather. Heat is not good for an animal that has a coat that would allow it to sleep outside at the possible -10C that can easily happen at this time of year. If you dress yourself up in clothing warm enough to just lie down and sleep all night at such temperatures, and then proceeded to walk, trot, run up and down hills, get into fights, and have ### all day long, you would find yourself pretty uncomfortable.

I think in warm temperatures the animals try to limit their activity during the heat of the day and look for cool, shaded areas to help keep them cool, and maybe become more nocturnal to help with controlling body temperatures as well. As was mentioned too, they don't need as much food to keep warm either. The visible activity declines in good weather as far as hunters are concerned, but the rut happens the same time every year whether we see it or not.
 
Yes it is only photo period. Temperature has no bearing on the rut it happens no matter what else is gong on. Previous poster has it right about reduced daylight activity during warm weather. Remember we are talking about an animal that is primarily nocturnal.
 
thy trigger breeding in research barns with the amount of light thy us ,so what does that tell you the temp in the barns is always the same Dutch
 
Absolutely light only but cold temperatures do cause animals to be more active during daylight periods so it may seem like the rut is more intense when the weather is cold just because it's more visible during daylight hours.
 
buckbrushoutdoors said:
Science is the reason. Every animal ruts at the same time every within a week or so. It's all based on photoperiodism, the amount of given day light at there breeding time. It ensures that fawns will not be born to late or to early. Most blame the weather when the rut seems late but the real reason is because deer don't need to feed as much and the bucks don't need to go runs looking for does. They lock down does and breed. Some does get missed and you will see a "later rut" which is most likely a second rut or colder temperatures and the does need to feed more heavily. In the deep bush of alberta where monsters roam I've seen some of largest bucks chasing does in the middle of the day in warm weather. Sometimes you just have to search more for that hot doe when the weather turns warm. Last November it was very mild at the start and I seen some of the best chasing action deep in the bush sitting on a cut line. Before noon I had seen 12 bucks wonder or chase across my line.
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My observations as well. The sheer number of people that think weather needs to turn cold during the rut to get the rut started/see game blows my mind as I have neverever seen a correlation between the two. In fact I have found that when it gets un-seasonably cold combined with precipitation/ high humidity hunting in the rut is worse, especially for moose and elk.


Another one I hear is needing a hard frost to get the rut going and get the game moving mostly for moose and elk.
--Pro tip-- its not the frost (temperature) its the fact is was a calm and still night (you know, calm enough for frost to form) Best hunting ever is during the morning after and the evening before a calm and still night. Yes you might get frost but it is even better if it is a warmer than seasonal night with no frost.
 
dutchhunter said:
thy trigger breeding in research barns with the amount of light thy us ,so what does that tell you the temp in the barns is always the same Dutch
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So is the the male to female ratio and the available food.
When the temperature drops, the females get more active as they look for feed since they're hungry, hence the males follow. The lower temperatures don't raise the male's interest in the females, but the activity increases, so you have more sightings, which leads many to believe the cold weather triggered the rut. The same can be said for days when the wind is calm. Animals move more in calm weather. It just so happens that it's generally calm when it's cold. That's been my observations with moose, elk and deer at least. For whitetail, once the temps really plummet, activity drops to near nil, but that's generally not until after the rut anyhow.
 
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