A rut activity prediction based on actual hunter data? Say it ain’t so! With plenty of Rut Predictions out there for every theory, we’re excited to share with you one that’s backed by actual hunter data in our second annual “Data-Driven Regional Rut Predictions”. Once 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. Using data from 2016 that was logged in the App by hunters across the country, we can accurately display the peak deer activity levels for each region and state.
If you believe the rut occurs at the same time every year (just take a peek at the QDMA data), this data should be gold as peak activity should correlate with the timing of the rut! It’s no surprise that November is “THE MONTH” around the country, but the weekly differences are intriguing. Check out the results below and download the Quiver Hunting App for free so you can hunt smarter and help contribute to the aggregate data pool for years to come.
What is Quiver?
The Quiver Hunting App was built for the whitetail hunting fanatic who wants to improve their chances in the deer woods. This hunting app allows you to track your deer and turkey hunts with a few taps of your finger – similar to a hunting journal, only much easier to do from the stand. The app also provides and logs hunting specific weather data that helps you make better decisions on when and where to hunt. Check out the Quiver Hunting App to learn more.
The Study
In order to provide an accurate display of peak regional activity, the Quiver team researched the 2016 hunting logs. From there, we worked to find the peak deer activity levels from each state (reported by hunters), which were determined by measuring the “average # of deer seen per hunt”. Since many of us hunters take an extended vacation to hunt the rut, we took it a bit further and determined the best overall 7-day period to hunt. In the end, we used weighted averages determined by the number of hunts logged in each state and placed states into specific regions to bolster the data sets as they relate regionally as well.
*** RESULTS BY REGION ***
(It’s important to note that all of the data is reported in aggregate. No individual hunter data or locations are shared. The Quiver team does not share any individual hunting data.)
The Great Plains
Peak Deer Activity: November 14 – November 20
States:
North Dakota: November 11 – 17
South Dakota: November 3 – 9
Nebraska: October 28 – November 3
Kansas: November 14 – 20
Oklahoma: November 19 – 25
The Great Lakes
Peak Deer Activity: November 9 – November 15
States:
Minnesota: November 21 – 27
Wisconsin: November 9 – 15
Michigan: December 2 – 8 – Note: this was an interesting discovery as peak activity was much later than the expected breeding season.
The Heartland
Peak Deer Activity: November 9 – November 15
States:
Iowa: November 3 – 9
Missouri: November 7 – 13
Illinois: November 10 – 16
Indiana: November 8 – 14
The East
Peak Deer Activity: November 12 – November 18
States:
Ohio: November 11 – 17
Kentucky: November 17 – 23
Tennessee: November 20 – 26
West Virginia: November 20 – 26
Virginia: November 14 – 20
North Carolina: November 14 – 20
The Northeast
Peak Deer Activity: November 16 – November 22
States:
Pennsylvania: November 16 – 22
New York: October 22 – 28
Maryland: November 12 – 18
Connecticut: November 3 – 9
New Jersey: November 20 – 26
Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Delaware: Data sets too thin to make assumptions
The Southeast
Peak Deer Activity: December 15 – December 21
States:
Arkansas: November 8 – 14
Louisiana: November 19 – 25
Mississippi: November 23 – 29
Alabama: December 23 – 29
Georgia: December 10 – 16
South Carolina: December 6 -12
Florida: January 19 – 25
The Lone Star State
Peak Deer Activity: November 22- November 28
States:
Texas: November 22 – 28
We’re super excited to continue researching and analyzing trends produced by hunters with the help of the team over at Quiver. As more and more hunters use this mobile hunting log to track their hunts, the more interesting and powerful the insights on deer movement become. With 2015 being the inaugural year of Quiver, it will be interesting to compare these trends moving forward from year to year. Download the app for free today from iTunes and help contribute data on future deer movement trends.
Compare with the 2015 Hunter Data.
