Just wondering when the rut's "chasing, seeking and tending" days are for the southern Indiana area might be this season.
I used to subscribe to Deer and Deer Hunting magazine and it was always pretty close on their predictions.

D&DH predicts a later rut this year. I just read the article yesterday. 3rd week of November will be the peak!

Gotta say........ chase and breeding does not change. It is determined by the amount of daylight(which NEVER changes) taken in by the retina. The Pineal gland is the sole determining factor.

Hunt pre rut every year from Halloween until Nov 10, then breeding for a week...... post rut chasing will be from November 15 until Thanksgiving.........

Follow the moon......... and you'll see a bunch of dry days.

I've got eight(8) bucks over 140 inches that proves my theory. Breeding dates can not change unless prime food sources change year to year..... that does not happen.

Good luck, if you want a big mature buck...... bowhunt November 4-8th. Hunt all day! Boone and Crockett records will support my findings. Prime pre rut(breeding) are from Halloween until November 10th for most of the northern continent.

Florida, Texas and the Mississippi Delta herd are the exception

same time every year...JB is correct. All about the daylight

I agree with the above. The other major variable which effects daylight movement is weather.

With unseasonably warm or windy weather, the seeking/chasing activity may still be going strong, just not during daylight.

A good read about the complexity of the whitetail rut here:

http://charliealsheimer.com/ca/articles/art_rut.html

Thanks for that info. One of the best posts I've seen in a thread like this.

That gives me a better idea as to when I need to take my vacation this year. I was leaning toward the 4th through the 8th, so I'm glad to know I was on the right track.

JB is right on. The best time to arrow a mature buck is pre-rut. To me the best time to be in the woods is Oct 27th thru Nov 10th every year. They say the best all around day to hunt is Nov 7th. More mature bucks are killed on Nov 7th then any other day. Late Oct is dynamite especially if you get a good cold snap. The mature bucks are on their feet seeking after the 1st estous doe. Just talking about it gets me geeked up. I feel like makeing a scrape and rubbing on the floor lamp in the living room right now.

2 of the bucks on my wall both were killed on Nov 1

I have My Vacation set for November 5 till the 19th, although I will be in the woods for all Day sits from The end of Oct also, I always watch the weather and See if any Big Changes in the Weather Like Temp drop, That is a Day to Be On stand and Pack a Lunch, Usally Dark to Dark. I am so Ready, other than Getting My Clothes Ready,