When is the rut?

Last year there wasn't much of a rut in the daytime NE Texas. I have always figured that they go into rut based off of temperature. Last year was a very warm year so to me that made since. I have also heard it based off of moon phase and that it is based off of the length of the days. What do y'all think?

http://tpwd.texas.gov/huntwild/hunt/planning/rut_whitetailed_deer/

The rut is the mating season of ruminant animals such as deer, sheep, camel, goats, pronghorn and Asian and African antelope.

Hope that helps.

I said when not what

Hard to nail it down to a specific date. I have found, the past few years, that late November is when I see bucks acting stupid.

I think it has lots of variables ... Back in the 60s, my uncle used to go sit in his tree stand after work starting the 1st of Oct., every day until he started seeing some chasing going on ... he would mark on his calendar 28 days later, usually mid/late November before he would even go into the woods with a rifle and usually had 2 decent bucks on the ground by around mid day.

The bucks are usually still running in bachelor groups into Oct. but when the first few does start hitting their first estrous cycle, the bachelor groups start breaking up. With the very short time that the does can actually be impregnated, most does are not bred during this first cycle, therefore about 28 days later (mid-late Nov.) when they come into their 2nd estrous cycle, the bucks are much more readily available and that's when the heaviest chasing comes into play. For those does not bred during that 2nd cycle, about 28 more days there will be another cycle (mid-late Dec.) and possibly again 28 more days later (mid-late Jan.). I suppose there could be yet another cycle out in Feb. if not bred in one of the earlier cycles.

Here is starts in late Oct. and goes off and on through Dec. If a doe is in heat there will be Bucks after her. The Does control the rut not the Bucks.

Agree Don.

I'm pretty old, and with that said, I grew up hunting several miles outside of Bandera around Medina lake.
I pretty much agree with what Don said.
Back in the early sixties, the deer gun season opened statewide on November 16th.
I think there was a reason for that, and I can remember the bucks were usually chasing the does and the weather was often pretty cool on opening weekends. Spent many a chilly morning watching my breath as I sat on a board seat in a tree shivering in the cold wishing the sun would hurry and come up.
Most bucks we killed at the beginning of those seasons they were chasing a doe.
Central Texas it's usually around mid Nov and during Thanksgiving week for the hot and heavy rut, but that isn't written in stone.
Deep South Texas it's usually around Christmas on into the new year, and why they extended the season down south.

In Southeast Arkansas it usually kicks into high gear late Oct or early November. You know when it is in full swing because you see not only doe but bucks all over the road on the way to the camp. Those normally timid bucks lose their giveadamn and start chasing the ladies.

Mid November in fisher county.

Hopkins co. at my place it ussually starts last of october and first of november.

Agree with Don k. and Jimbo...considering the amount of moisture we have had this year ,will that have a bearing on the rut?

Easy here, rut is always the same time every year. 2-3rd weekend in November will put you in the middle of it.

Mid to late oct.unless your in south Tx.......

Last 3 years in Hall county peaked around Nov 20, pretty much week of Thanksgiving was good.

Depends on where you are. The rut is in full swing in brazoria county right now.