Is Late Rutting Activity an Indicator of Problems?
Dec 12, 2014Kip Adams
I have been asked many times about rutting activity during December and January and whether this signals a problem. Rubs, scrapes and chasing behavior during December and January are common sights to deer hunters and managers…
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NDA’s Guide to the Whitetail Rut
Nov 4, 2014Lindsay Thomas Jr.
The whitetail rut is the most exciting time of the season for deer hunters, and it’s also a time when the NDA receives a lot of questions about this important season in the whitetail’s year….
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No Link Between Moon Phase and Rut Peak
Oct 13, 2014Lindsay Thomas Jr.
This graphic, produced by QDMA for an article in Quality Whitetails magazine, illustrates a fact that has stood up to repeated scientific testing over the years: The moon does not have a detectable influence on the…
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Is the “Lockdown Phase” a Myth?
Oct 30, 2013Lindsay Thomas Jr.
Some hunters believe they witness an “October Lull” or a peak-rut “Lockdown Phase,” when mature bucks suddenly stop moving or hole-up with an estrus doe. Researcher Andy Olson did not see evidence of either in…
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What Triggers the Whitetail Rut?
Oct 18, 2013Kip Adams
Whitetails are rutting somewhere in their range from August through February. Amazingly, they breed over this seven-month period just in the state of Florida! Let’s look at the factors that lead to widely varying breeding…
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Hunt Does to Find Bucks in November
Oct 30, 2012Matt Pudenz
When November arrives, everyone is on the lookout for that big buck. However, it’s easy to overlook the main factor controlling buck movements in November – does. As the rut kicks in, bucks will be…
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How Many Rubs Does a Buck Make?
Sep 10, 2012Kip Adams
Not seeing many rubs and scrapes in your area? This may be directly related to an absence of older bucks. Just how many rubs does a whitetail buck make each year? That depends on the…
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5 Reasons to Take Does Early
Aug 15, 2012Lindsay Thomas Jr.
When the density of deer where you hunt exceeds the ability of the habitat to support those deer in healthy condition, it’s time to take an appropriate number of does to bring balance (and balance…
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Why We Can’t Manage Deer Genetics
May 30, 2012Lindsay Thomas Jr.
The power of selectively controlled breeding is incredible. With it, we transformed a wolf into a chihuahua over the course of 15,000 years – mere milliseconds in the echoing depths of geologic time. We transformed…
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Will Dominant Bucks Dominate the Breeding?
May 17, 2012Kip Adams
“Do a handful of bucks sire the majority of the fawns?” This question is often followed with a series of questions, such as: “If the dominant buck in my area has narrow antlers, will I…
