The Rut: Believe it, or Not?

[BearOmni]

My dad grew up as a farmer, so I have heard (and believe most of) hundreds of things the moon triggers or controls.

From when to plant which crops, to when to dig post holes. When to get a hair cut, when to dehorn cattle, when to castrate steers, ect.... I have actually seen the difference when the moon was and was not followed on some of these things.

Did you know if you dig a hole when the moon is waxing you will have extra dirt left if you were to fill it back in? Or if you dig it when the moon is waining, you will have room left in the hole for more dirt than you took out.

But, like someone else said, if the moon triggered the rut then everywhere in north america would rut at the same time.

WOW!!! What a can of worms you opened Well I think the moon plays a large role in feeding habits and movement, not so much on the start of the RUT!!! My reasoning is, for example why does the rut always start early in East Texas (where i grew up) every year at the end of archery only season and the begining of rifle season, or where I live now ( post oak savannah) the rut starts on or about the 20th of november without fail!!! Look at South Texas end of December, or West Texas first week of December,ect,ect The does that were breed last year were breed at a certain time of the year, the fawns drop and then the deer come back into heat at almost the same time as last year ( ie biological clock is far better than our moon calculations) Thats not all about 10 years ago the state transplanted a large number of does from south Texas to a few counties around where i live and we had does that were originally there breed around nov 20th and the transplanted does breed late December and continued to do so until there were no more transplanted does still alive or breeding. So I believe they come into heat at a perticular time cause thats what they did the year before!!
Just something to chew on!!!