Some hunters believe they witness an “October Lull” or a peak-rut “Lockdown Phase,” when mature bucks suddenly stop moving or hole-up with an estrus doe. Researcher Andy Olson did not see evidence of either in…
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What Triggers the Whitetail Rut?
Oct 18, 2013Kip Adams
Whitetails are rutting somewhere in their range from August through February. Amazingly, they breed over this seven-month period just in the state of Florida! Let’s look at the factors that lead to widely varying breeding…
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When Bucks Don’t Shed Their Velvet
May 28, 2013Joe Hamilton
The hunt on Saturday November 9, 2013, was a heart-breaker for Ryne Wade of Marion, Illinois. A huge buck he had been after was in bow range when a doe winded Ryne and spoiled the…
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Causes of Early Antler Casting
Dec 17, 2012Kip Adams
Every year starting in December, NDA begins to receive sporadic reports of bucks dropping their antlers earlier than normal. These reports seem to be more common in some years, or more concentrated in specific regions,…
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When Do Bucks Visit Scrapes?
Nov 1, 2012Matt Ross
Have you ever set up on a fresh scrape, only to sit for hours and not see a thing? Well, wildlife researchers have shown that most scraping activity (nearly 85 percent) occurs at night. So,…
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How Many Rubs Does a Buck Make?
Sep 10, 2012Kip Adams
Not seeing many rubs and scrapes in your area? This may be directly related to an absence of older bucks. Just how many rubs does a whitetail buck make each year? That depends on the…
