Need Help Analyzing this Rut Behavior...

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BlountArrow

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I sat in my ladder stand Saturday morning and probably had one of the best hunts of my life for an East Tennessean...and I didn't pull the trigger. The action was pretty incredible for 3 hours straight. I had a 2-1/2 year old 4 pointer that was absolutely love struck! He was chasing this same group of 4 does (2 does and 2 yearlings) all over the property. They would not have anything to do with him. He literally ran them in and out of this large pasture where we have a 1+ acre food plot 3 separate times over the course of 3 hours. He absolutely would not leave them alone...at times they would all be on dead sprints and he was grunting constantly the whole time.

Here's my questions though...maybe there isn't a definite answer but I wanted to ask the experts because my mind is starting to form opinions without any factual basis other than a "gut feeling".

-Would these doe(s) not allow him to breed because they were not ready (i.e. in estrous)? Or is it because he was not the dominant buck?

-I have pictures now of (2) different mature bucks in this same area - where are they while all this is going on? Should I deduct that these doe(s) were not ready to breed so the mature bucks knew better than to bother with them right now? Or, is it more likely the other mature bucks were with doe(s) that were ready to breed or closer to being ready to breed?

-These poor does were being ran all over the property. I could hear them being terrorized a ridge over and I just kept waiting on all this commotion to wake up one of the big boys from their slumber. But, it never happened.

What does your experiences and observations tell you?
 
I'm no expert but I've often heard that a doe wants to breed with the most dominant buck in that particular area.
In my area the most dominant buck is probably 1.5-2.5 years old lol.
 
Does not ready, no question about it. If they had been, they would not have been with the yearlings and probably would have been alone.
 
bowriter said:
Does not ready, no question about it. If they had been, they would not have been with the yearlings and probably would have been alone.
Click to expand...

Maybe this is a million $$ question: So you figure the mature bucks know better and therefore don't participate or you figure they may have found their own hot doe? I know I have at least 2 mature bucks regularly showing up for a photo op.
 
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Still working scrapes and I haven't seen one with a doe. Some say they have but overall, it hasn't really turned on yet. Should see some bucks cruising.
 
BlountArrow said:
bowriter said:
Does not ready, no question about it. If they had been, they would not have been with the yearlings and probably would have been alone.
Click to expand...

Maybe this is a million $$ question: So you figure the mature bucks know better and therefore don't participate or you figure they may have found their own hot doe? I know I have at least 2 mature bucks regularly showing up for a photo op.
Click to expand...

Yes on both counts.
 
I appreciate the replies everyone. Hopefully it is getting ready to turn on in my neck of the woods and I hope to be there as it unfolds ..... starting this evening!
 
Went back out yesterday evening hoping a bruiser would be chasing. Didn't see a thing. Was in the stand at 5:50am this morning and at 7:20 a bruiser came sneaking through. The .270 hath roared and he's down. I know, I know ... pics or it didn't happen. I'll get them up. Thanks again all!
 
Most likely just that the does weren't in estrus. A doe is in estrus for around 48 hours. During that time she may be bred by multiple bucks--whichever is most dominant/aggressive at the time. If a young and/or less dominant bucks finds her first, she breeds with him. If a more dominant buck comes along within that 48-hour period, she will breed with him. Over the course of her estrus, she may breed with a list of bucks that get predominantly more aggressive/dominant. In addition, it has been observed that a doe may breed with a "lesser" buck while the dominant buck is busy fending off other bucks. Kind of a "sneak attack" breeding!
 

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