Peak breeding/lockdown?

[SelphLogging]

Im trying to get this straight. Chasing phase takes place a week or so before peak breeding, then While peak breeding occurs, is when the bucks take does to lockdown. Bsk, you mentioned 11/12-19 was your peak/lockdown time frame.

Also, everybody loves thanksgiving week, is it because the bucks come out of lockdown to locate more breed ready does? Or to feed and recouperate?

My scenario, I had a few mature bucks visiting a 5 acrefood plot for a solid week every night. I have several (4) cams setup up on the edges near travel entries and scrapes. Well, this is going on near the 7th 24 hr period that they have not visited this plot. This plot was also being hammered by tons of mature does and in that same 7 days, they aren't there either. Only fawns, and yearling bucks, and the occasional 2.5/3.5.

So my question is, is this past 7 days most likely the peak breeding taking place at my property? And also, Where would the bredding take place? Near the does preferred bedding areas, or do the bucks take the does to their preferred area to breed?

And, should I expect the mature bucks to return to the reliable food source that they were using before everything took place? Thanks

 

[BluegrassDan]

Interested to know this as well.

 

[SelphLogging]

Bump! I need answers! Dang it! Lol

 

[Radar]

Not all does go into heat at the same time , so lockdown can occur at different times . I saw a buck lock down on a doe the other day here in Mo. , but they broke loose on a chase when other deer passed through .
Too many variables to predict action in advance of a hunt . My advice as a hunter , play the wind and just hunt .

 

[SelphLogging]

Ttt

 

[BSK]

Generally, the cruising/seeking phase is the 10 days to two weeks prior to peak breeding. This is when older to mature bucks are most active during daylight, often being constantly on their feet looking for the first receptive does and covering long distances.

Peak breeding, which is usually 10 days to two weeks, is also known as "lockdown" by hunters because this period is when the maximum number of does are in estrus at the same time (more than 50% of all does will be bred during this period), hence competition between bucks for breeding rights is lowest, and most of the older bucks are bedded down with estrus does in thick cover.

Many locations actually see the most chasing right after peak breeding. Does are still coming into estrus during the two weeks following peak breeding, but far less than than during peak breeding, resulting in far more competition between bucks for breeding rights. This competition forces bucks to chase estrus does even in daylight hours, when hunters will see them. Some of these chases will even involve mutiple bucks chasing one doe.

In locations with mature bucks, there will often be a brief second seeking/cruising phase of the rut just as the whole process winds down, as mature bucks seek the last receptive does, and can again be seen cruising in daylight from scrape to scrape. This is usually 4 to 6 weeks after the first seeking/cruising phase.

 

[mallard239]

Generally, the cruising/seeking phase is the 10 days to two weeks prior to peak breeding. This is when older to mature bucks are most active during daylight, often being constantly on their feet looking for the first receptive does and covering long distances.

Peak breeding, which is usually 10 days to two weeks, is also known as "lockdown" by hunters because this period is when the maximum number of does are in estrus at the same time (more than 50% of all does will be bred during this period), hence competition between bucks for breeding rights is lowest, and most of the older bucks are bedded down with estrus does in thick cover.

Many locations actually see the most chasing right after peak breeding. Does are still coming into estrus during the two weeks following peak breeding, but far less than than during peak breeding, resulting in far more competition between bucks for breeding rights. This competition forces bucks to chase estrus does even in daylight hours, when hunters will see them. Some of these chases will even involve mutiple bucks chasing one doe.

In locations with mature bucks, there will often be a brief second seeking/cruising phase of the rut just as the whole process winds down, as mature bucks seek the last receptive does, and can again be seen cruising in daylight from scrape to scrape. This is usually 4 to 6 weeks after the first seeking/cruising phase.

yep, and this second cruising phase is around thanksgiving in west tenn and usually our most productive period....