NEBRASKAland Magazine is dedicated to outstanding photography and informative writing with an engaging mix of articles and photos highlighting Nebraska’s outdoor activities, parklands, wildlife, history and people.
Issue link: http://mag.outdoornebraska.gov/i/1040966
20 NEBRASKAland • NOVEMBER 2018 A buck deposits scent from his forehead above a scrape in Cass County. CONSTANTS the onnected to the shortening of daylight, or photoperiod, a buck's testosterone levels increase in the fall. With this increase, a buck can breed anytime from its velvet shed in early autumn to its antler drop in late winter. The velvet shed is also the beginning of the creation of "rubs" for deer, where the buck will rub his antlers and forehead – for scent distribution – on trees and bushes in an effort to attract does. A doe, however, will go into estrus – or become sexually receptive – in a much shorter timeframe of 2-3 days when her body contains the precise amounts of luteinizing hormone, estrogen, and progesterone, writes researchers from the Deer Lab at Mississippi State University. These hormones will again be present roughly 28 days later. Because some does go into estrus earlier than others, bucks will respond with additional movement in search of these smaller number of does in what many researchers have labeled the "pre-rut" period. During this time, bucks will continue to visit rubs, but will also begin making scrapes – locations on the ground where they will paw with their hooves and antlers and urinate. A scrape is usually associated with a low-hanging limb or branch that the buck will break with his antlers or even bite, while continually depositing scent from his forehead, preorbital gland and mouth in an C While not consistent across the board, most research list these as the stages for the rut. Pre-rut – rubs and scrapes are appearing. Deer are moving, but are more concentrated on food sources and are reactive to increased hunter movement Seeking – as photoperiod decreases and testosterone levels increase, younger bucks are starting to chase. Chasing – this is what many refer to as "the rut," where buck activity is at its highest as more does have come into estrus and bucks, even mature bucks, are on the move in search of them. Tending – while some bucks will remain with does that have been bred, other bucks will travel in an effort to find another doe in estrus. It's the feast or famine portion of the deer hunting season. Post-rut/Second rut – most does are bred by now. Plus, hunters have invaded and deer are wary. However, roughly 28 days after their last estrus cycle, unbred does once again become the focus for bucks. And the chase, albeit shorter than the first, begins again. Rut Stages PHOTO BY ERIC FOWLER