[{"@context":"http:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/community.legendarywhitetails.com\/blog\/2018-rut-predictions-for-every-theory\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/community.legendarywhitetails.com\/blog\/2018-rut-predictions-for-every-theory\/","headline":"2018 Rut Predictions for Every Theory","name":"2018 Rut Predictions for Every Theory","description":"The RUT \u2013 a unanimous term that sparks excitement, anxiety, and giddiness amongst the deer hunting community.\u00a0 It\u2019s the equivalent...","datePublished":"2018-04-18","dateModified":"2019-01-25","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/community.legendarywhitetails.com\/author\/hagosto\/#Person","name":"Hector Agosto","url":"https:\/\/community.legendarywhitetails.com\/author\/hagosto\/","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/d7bfedbdc5ef3ed8f8df91eb37e1ffbe?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/d7bfedbdc5ef3ed8f8df91eb37e1ffbe?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Legendary Whitetails","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"http:\/\/community.legendarywhitetails.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/logo-legendary-whitetails.png","url":"http:\/\/community.legendarywhitetails.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/logo-legendary-whitetails.png","width":522,"height":226}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/community.legendarywhitetails.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/2018-Rut-Predictions.jpg","url":"https:\/\/community.legendarywhitetails.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/2018-Rut-Predictions.jpg","height":734,"width":1200},"url":"https:\/\/community.legendarywhitetails.com\/blog\/2018-rut-predictions-for-every-theory\/","about":["Hunting"],"wordCount":2006,"keywords":["Hunting","Hunting Strategy"],"articleBody":"The RUT \u2013 a unanimous term that sparks excitement, anxiety, and giddiness amongst the deer hunting community.\u00a0 It\u2019s the equivalent of Christmas, the 4th of July, and Thanksgiving all rolled into an unbelievable 3-week period during the fall.\u00a0 Quite plainly, as hunters, it\u2019s what we live for.Hunting magazines dedicate entire issues to it, the Outdoor Channel runs nonstop footage of it, and social media is swarmed with it. THE RUT is a deer hunter\u2019s addiction — when we\u2019re not hunting it, we\u2019re consuming it, discussing it, daydreaming of it, and waiting for it.\u00a0 It\u2019s the time when we feel good about every hunt and every hour we are on stand.So, without further ado, here are the 2018 Rut Predictions for just about every theory out there!\u00a0 Speculate how you please, but as for me, I’ll be sticking to my second week in November rut-cation here in Wisconsin.2018 Rut Predictions Based on the MoonIf you\u2019re a hunter you\u2019ve probably discussed and likely debated the moon’s effect on the whitetail rut.\u00a0 If you believe the moon rules the rut, then you better get ready for an early one!Sadly, the 2018 Lunar Rut Predictions marks the first fall hunting season without longtime whitetail expert, Charlie Alsheimer, providing his famed rut predictions as they relate to the moon phase. Charlie Alsheimer and Wayne Laroche have been sharing their rut predictions with us for years, and if you pay attention to their rutting moon theory, it\u2019s pretty easy to plan out \u201cThe Best Rut Hunting Dates\u201d for years to come. \u00a0How? You might ask.\u00a0 The answer is simple, the moon rotates through the same lunar phase cycle over and over \u2013 every 29.5 days (from new moon to new moon).\u00a0 Thus, we know when each full moon, or more specifically each rutting moon will land for years to come. Just for kicks, in 2050 the rutting moon falls on October 30th, and hunters can expect an intense, synchronized rut!RELATED: The Loss of Whitetail Legend, Charlie AlsheimerFuture Rutting Moon Dates 2015 – October 27th\u00a0\u2013 Synchronized \u2013 Intense Rut2016 – November 14th \u2013 Late \u2013 Trickle Rut2017 \u2013 November 4th \u2013 Synchronized \u2013 Intense Rut2018 \u2013 October 24th \u2013 Early \u2013 Average Rut2019 \u2013 November 12th \u2013 Late \u2013 Trickle Rut2020 \u2013 October 31st \u2013 Synchronized \u2013 Intense RutThe closer the rutting moon (second full moon after the autumn equinox)\u00a0falls to November 1, the more intense the rut should be.\u00a0 Looking ahead, 2020 should provide an exciting few weeks of rut hunting. This year the rutting moon falls on October 24th and they are calling for an “early rut” with peak\u00a0activity occurring around October 24th and continuing through November 2nd.\u00a0 The seeking phase is predicted to begin around October 16th, the chasing phase to begin around October 27th, and the tending\/breeding phase also known as “lockdown” to begin around November 5th. That’s an early rut! Instead of the infamous October Lull\u00a0conditions, the woods may be on fire with pre-rutting activity come mid-October this 2018 deer season. In order for a synchronized rut to occur, three things need to align around November 1st (+\/- 3 days): doe estrogen levels peak, bucks testosterone levels peak, and the rutting moon falls near November 1st. \u00a0According to the rutting moon theory, synchronized ruts are by far the most intense in terms of rutting behavior and activity.(This information pertains to states north of the 35th latitude where fawning dates are critical to survival)BEST DATES TO HUNT THE RUT: October 24th – November 2nd\u00a0\u00a0Rut Predictions Based on BiologyIf you believe what science has to say, then this year\u2019s rut will be the same as last year’s, and the year before that, and the year before that.\u00a0 The reason is simple \u2013 the rut is controlled by photoperiod (amount of daylight).\u00a0 Several studies have been published in Canada and the U.S. showing that the rut (peak breeding dates) occurs at the same time every year.In the study, they used fetuses of car-killed does to back-date the day of conception.\u00a0 Remarkably, the center of breeding activity fell during the same 4-day period eight out of nine years the study was conducted.\u00a0 This logic tells us we should be looking at the peak breeding dates in our region from previous seasons.\u00a0 Chances are does will again come into estrous during the exact same time this year and for years to come.\u00a0 In the Midwest, peak breeding typically occurs on or around November 15th.One key thing to remember is that you don\u2019t necessarily want to target the peak of breeding for your \u201cRUT-cation\u201d, as this is when bucks will most likely be tending does, thus moving less.\u00a0 Instead, target the ten days leading up to the peak, as this is when most bucks will be on their feet cruising for does in estrus.BEST DATES TO HUNT THE RUT: November 4th – November 14thRut Hunting in the SouthUnfortunately, in the South, the rut doesn\u2019t always follow the same pattern as the North.\u00a0 As QDMA explains:\u201cIn southern regions, breeding dates aren\u2019t as cut-and-dry. The photoperiod change is less dramatic, the climate is less severe, and there is less need to breed \u201con time.\u201d Published reports show peak breeding in October in east Texas, December in Arkansas, January in Mississippi and Alabama, February in the Florida panhandle, and October in southeast Georgia. All of these regions share a similar photoperiod, so there are clearly some other factors involved. This means photoperiod controls the approximate season of breeding (fall or winter), but the deer herd\u2019s genetics likely influence the exact timing of breeding.\u201dRead the Full Article Here: What Triggers the Whitetail RutBEST DATES TO HUNT THE RUT: Ask your local wildlife biologistPeak Breeding Vs. Rutty ActivityAs hunters, we often find ourselves in discussions with camp members, hunting buddies, and friends from other states wondering if the rut is \u201cON\u201d or \u201cOFF\u201d.\u00a0 What we\u2019re typically talking about here is the activity, not the actual breeding phase.\u00a0 The key difference is the breeding doesn\u2019t change much year to year, but the deer activity and movement we see can and most certainly does.Deer movement during the rut can change dramatically from season to season, which is why some years the rut seems hot and heavy with a frenzy of activity, and other years it seems slow and drawn out.\u00a0 The main factors that can dictate movement include weather conditions, buck-to-doe ratio, moon phase or position, hunting pressure, acorn production, and crop harvest to name a few. The ever-changing conditions are largely to blame for the \u201cdifferent\u201d types of rut we experience as hunters.RELATED: 6 Triggers and Suppressors of Buck ActivityMy final advice is to hunt hard and smart during the first two weeks of November while keying in on any days just before and after\u00a0major cold fronts.State-by-State Rut Predictions Based on Hunter DataOnce again, Legendary Whitetails has teamed up with the Quiver Hunting App to provide a groundbreaking analysis as to when you should really be hunting the rut in your area.\u00a0 Using data from 2017 that was logged in the App by hunters across the country, we can accurately display the peak activity levels for each state.If you believe the rut occurs at the same time every year (like\u00a0the QDMA data\u00a0shows), this should be gold! If not, it’ll still be interesting to track the differences year over year. \u00a0It\u2019s no surprise that November is \u201cTHE MONTH\u201d around the country, but the weekly differences are intriguing.\u00a0 Check out the results\u00a0here or by clicking the image below\u00a0and download the Quiver Hunting App for free so you can hunt smarter and help contribute to the aggregate data pool for years to come.Previous Rut Predictions2014 Rut Predictions2015 Rut Predictions2016 Rut Predictions2017 Rut Predictionsamzn_assoc_placement = \"adunit0\";amzn_assoc_search_bar = \"true\";amzn_assoc_tracking_id = \"livinglegen05-20\";amzn_assoc_ad_mode = \"manual\";amzn_assoc_ad_type = \"smart\";amzn_assoc_marketplace = \"amazon\";amzn_assoc_region = \"US\";amzn_assoc_title = \"Deer Hunting Essentials\";amzn_assoc_linkid = \"c920a8f0c5fd264f2472ed9aede5d225\";amzn_assoc_asins = \"B00AMPJAOK,B07F5GM58V,B00PGBN11S,B00363V3OK\"; "},{"@context":"http:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"https:\/\/community.legendarywhitetails.com\/#breadcrumbitem","name":"Legendary Whitetail's Blog"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https:\/\/community.legendarywhitetails.com\/blog\/2018-rut-predictions-for-every-theory\/#breadcrumbitem","name":"2018 Rut Predictions for Every Theory"}}]}]