Wisconsin deer hunting season (ARCHERY) has been going statewide sense September 12th and although there were two days in October (10th & 11th) for youth/disabled, gun season won’t begin until Nov. 21 and will end Nov 29th. With that being said, bucks are on the move.
So, what is rut and when does it start?

After giving birth in the spring does come in heat late October/early November, making this the natural breeding time of the year and there is an increase in deer activity. But some hunters will say weather can affect the timing of rut by 7 to 10 days. To be honest, I don’t think it really matters to non-hunters when rut starts but keep reading and it might keep your vehicle out of the body shop.

So, when does rut start?  Some say it’s when bucks pass a food plot without eating or bucks abandon their natural movements because they’re seen more in the daylight hours. Others might think it’s after the first full moon in October or when bucks start rubbing their antlers (inserted) on trees to deposit scent. This rubbing act also strengthens their neck muscles for sparring dominance over other bucks.

To be honest, all of the above is true. If you start seeing bucks more often and in areas you normally don’t, rut has started. But the timing of rut depends on where the deer are located. In Sothern Wisconsin, PRE-RUT usually starts mid-October into early November. PEAK RUT is around November 15th to 24th.  Northern Wisconsin PRE-RUT November 1st to the 12th. PEAK RUT November 18th to the 28th. during rut, you should know driving in the Northwoods at this time we should be more vigilant.

There is a misconception that deer are mostly active at dawn and again at dusk but drive any road in the Northwoods and you can see deer browsing on the side of the road all hours of the day and night. When rut does start, driving this time of year remember the only thing on a buck’s mind is aggressively seeking out does and are on the move.

Could these deer run in front of our vehicles? YES. If you see one deer, could there be others? YES. Does rut amplify deer activity? YES. From now until early December, if a doe runs across the road in front of you, most likely there will be a buck chasing her. For that reason, November has the most reported deer vs vehicle collisions.

Here are a few tips I thought could help when driving during rut or ANYTIME OF THE YEAR in the Northwoods.

1) SLOW DOWN, it’s easier to stop at 45 mph than 60.
2) BE VIGILANT, because deer can congregate in ditches or embankments near the road eating vegetation and can jump in front of you.
3) WATCH THE SIDE OF THE ROADS. If you see a doe running across the road, look for another one because deer seldom run alone, or a buck could be chasing a doe during rut.
4)  BRIGHT LIGHTS, use your high beams at night will help you see better and drive in the middle of the road, when possible, (SEE #2).
5) And this is the most important part of all of this. If you know you are going to hit a deer, NEVER SWERVE.  HOLD THE STEERING WHEEL TIGHT, BRACE YOURSELF, APPLY THE BRAKES AND STAY IN YOUR LANE and just hit the deer.

Research has shown more people are injured or killed trying to avoid a deer by going off the road and hitting a tree, guardrail, rolling over into a ditch or hitting another vehicle head on. Trust me, your life or passenger’s life is more important to your family and friends than an animal that most likely won’t see the end of hunting season.