Rut Myths Debunked

[Altjaeger]

The October issue of Field and Stream carried an article by this title. Using DNA tracing Texas A&M ran studies of breeding on the King Ranch in south coastal Texas. Now the King Ranch probably come close to an ideal QDM situation with many does killed and more than 30% of the bucks 5 1/2 years and OLDER. Some of the results will suprise many and show that myths are not always true, at least completely.

Myth #1-During the rut monster bucks run willy-nilly across the landscape chasing does, There s no way to pattern them.

While true of some bucks, some truly monstrous bucks are complete no shows. They found 7-8 year old bucks that had bred hard only one season or even no seasons at all. Researcher concluded it was impossible to predict which bucks would be the breeders. While some bucks range widely many active breeders never leave their home range.

Myth #2 - Big bucks are vulnerable only during the rut,

One of the biggest surprises of the study was that immature bucks sired 35% of all fawns, even when mature bucks dominate. However, almost all their breeding is at the height of the rut when the largest number of does are receptive. Mature bucks dominated in the pre and post rut periods. Truth is that as the immature bucks drop out it appears the mature bucks breed the longest and are the most vulnerable the further into the post rut period you go.

3. Myth #3 - Preserving the mature bucks will allow them to breed more does and improve the overall genetics of the local herd.

Immature bucks did a lot of breeding even under ideal conditions that few herds have. In most herds they will do much more. Also many mature bucks are no shows and even the busiest bucks only breed a handful of the overall does in a herd.

Researcher's conclusions-If you have the luxury of managing a property and want to see a particular bck reach anoher age class, then don't shoot him. Just understand that the genetics of the herd are likely unaffected either way by your decision.

[southtexas]

Seems like the more we learn, the more we find out we don't know! Dang deer are fascinating animals!

[ncboman]

The October issue of Field and Stream carried an article by this title. Using DNA tracing Texas A&M ran studies of breeding on the King Ranch in south coastal Texas. Now the King Ranch probably come close to an ideal QDM situation with many does killed and more than 30% of the bucks 5 1/2 years and OLDER. Some of the results will suprise many and show that myths are not always true, at least completely.

Myth #1-During the rut monster bucks run willy-nilly across the landscape chasing does, There s no way to pattern them.

While true of some bucks, some truly monstrous bucks are complete no shows. They found 7-8 year old bucks that had bred hard only one season or even no seasons at all. Researcher concluded it was impossible to predict which bucks would be the breeders. While some bucks range widely many active breeders never leave their home range.

Myth #2 - Big bucks are vulnerable only during the rut,

One of the biggest surprises of the study was that immature bucks sired 35% of all fawns, even when mature bucks dominate. However, almost all their breeding is at the height of the rut when the largest number of does are receptive. Mature bucks dominated in the pre and post rut periods. Truth is that as the immature bucks drop out it appears the mature bucks breed the longest and are the most vulnerable the further into the post rut period you go.

3. Myth #3 - Preserving the mature bucks will allow them to breed more does and improve the overall genetics of the local herd.

Immature bucks did a lot of breeding even under ideal conditions that few herds have. In most herds they will do much more. Also many mature bucks are no shows and even the busiest bucks only breed a handful of the overall does in a herd.

Researcher's conclusions-If you have the luxury of managing a property and want to see a particular bck reach anoher age class, then don't shoot him. Just understand that the genetics of the herd are likely unaffected either way by your decision.

interesting humor. :)

[Herne]

What the resaerchers conclude is true enough in the short term, but I don't think that QDM ever set out to be a 5 minute fix. Nor did it ever say that genetics was the only factor.

Indeed most would I hope agree that the basics of herd management, lack of stress and good food would all have a more immediate and more dramatic effect on quality that selective culing.

The problem comes when you get unselective culling. If the top bucks (according to our standards) are only siring 35% of the fawns (depends on species and applies much more to the small non herding deer) then the loss of any one of those good bucks is an even greater disaster.

[venado]

I'd certainly like to see the source reports that yielded this article. I'm not doubting the results since it aligns with the results of the study done several years ago, I believe 2003, that was generally called "Who Breeds Who?". However that study required an enclosure where all deer were removed followed by a known DNA herd implacement followed by the death and DNA analysis of all deer involved. I wonder how DNA was used on this study?

[dave-t.]

One thing I do believe about the dominant buck durring the 'formal' rut, is that he doesn't have to chase, scurry, or cover a lot of ground to get a receptive doe. I believe the does will seek out the top buck every bit as much as he seeks them out.

I've seen it happen. Mature doe worked a scrape, goes off in a thicket, out she comes 2 minutes later with big daddy, heading right into her bedding thicket. All he did was follow her from his best hiding spot to her best spot. No running, chasing, or doubt about what the deal was.

I'm not saying it is always like this, or that I have seen it a bunch, but it makes sense to me that the deer knows who #1 is, and the girls want him as bad as the buck wants her.

In the pre-rut, when the very first few does are comming in heat, that is the time when the bigger bucks have their stand offs and competition is hot for the few available does, in my experience. When most of the does are in heat and it is the breeding phase of the rut, there is no competition, the market is flooded.;) Bucks only have to move after they've been locked down with a doe for 2 days, and as soon as they find another, they'll be locked down for anothher 2 days. Not near as much action at that time in the rut, again, in my experience.

I do agree that early and late breeding is 90% done by mature dominant bucks. Why would the girls settle for anything less when given the choice?:cool: Heck why would the dominant let a sub-buck get in his way for that matter.

[Herne]

What you are putting forwards is more or less the theory of the selfish gene.

The problem is who is the "best" buck". We look at it and say theres big Daddy". Still there are sneak strategies which are well recognised. Equally, there is selection of the fittest AT THE TIME. So if big daddy has in relative terms fought off the most, and screwed the most, and is the most knackered, at the end, he isn't the fittest for that doe at that time.

I think also much of this argument overlooks Dave's point. If she is holding onto the fittest, SHE isn't going to let him go wandering off with someone else, and its one of the difficulties you can meet when calling. The doe, it must be remembered, is also competing.