The Rut

 You deer hunters know what I mean with that title. The rut, the one time a year the deer get frisky. It is basically a two-week (+/-) period a year when the does come into heat. But the does do not let just any buck do the job, they wait for the most buckly and virile buck in the woods. Oh, the lesser bucks try, but the does reject their advances waiting for the right buck. 

To put it into perspective think about it this way.... There is a bar full of girls sitting at the bar having a good time, minding their own business when in walks two of these lesser bucks. For the purposes of this explanation, we will call these two Dino and Steve. Now Dino and Steve come strutting into the bar like they are God's gift to women. The women, upon first glance know that these two are not the ones they have been waiting all year for and try to ignore them. 

Dino                                                              Steve

But Dino and Steve try anyways, using their best lines on them, trying to impress, but really getting nowhere. They chase the girls around the bar as the girls move from table to table trying to get away from them, but to no avail. Dino and Steve do not get the hint and just keep on trying. This is why you see so many dead deer on the side of the road this time of year, they just are not thinking straight. 

After a bit two more bucks walk in. These two bucks are the buckiest bucks in the woods. They walk in with the confidence of a couple of bucks who have been around the woods a time or two. For the purposes of this example, we will call them Jim and Harry.  I don't know why I chose those names, they just seemed to fit in this scenario. 

(Sidenote on this picture. Barb took it from inside the house while I was out hunting. The doe was inside the dog pen while the buck laid just outside watching her eat the green grass)

Now Jim and Harry walk in and every doe in the bar turn towards the door, and their legs turn to butter. THESE are the two that they have been waiting for! Dino and Steve, sensing their bucksculinity, lower their heads and hide in the corner. But not every doe is ready at the same time, and when they are ready, it is for only 24 hours, so Jim and Harry have to be very astute and very busy. It is going to be a busy two weeks! 24 hours a day for over two weeks these two have to provide a service for their fellow deer making sure that only the strongest genes are passed on to the next generation. There are fights, sometimes to the death, they are determined to be the top bucks.

Notice how some of the bucks are leading with their nose? That is how they tell if a doe is ready. 

Not every doe gets bred this first go around. Those that do not, they come into heat in 28 days later and again in another 28 days if the first two cycles did not work. That is why you see fawns of varying sizes throughout the spring and summer. It is said that even does born this year get bred during this last cycle of the rut. 

By the end of January Jim and Harry are tired, exhausted and satisfied, knowing they did a good job passing on their superior genetics. Steve and Dino are left frustrated, but hopeful that next year will be their year!

That pretty much sums up the rut put into layman's language. I hope that helped. 

Throughout the late summer and early fall I put out cameras trying to pattern the bucks. Where they are during certain times of the day, where they frequent with the hopes of an encounter during hunting season. But, I am afraid that this is more likely what is happening....

I have had plenty of opportunities to harvest a Dino or a Steve, but they are scrawny, inferior and just enjoy the sights and sounds of nature. The older I get the less important the actual harvest gets. I just enjoy being out there. Although now that it is getting chillier the enjoyment level is diminishing. I don't know if those are the words of an aging man, or of a man who has failed to get his deer. 

I worry about the deer and all the woodland creatures this time of year. Freezing temperatures have frozen all the ponds and water tanks. I do not know where they get water. The morning dew perhaps? It has to be a hard time of the year. I see them at the water tanks licking the ice, I suppose that is something. 

But being Thanksgiving week, I have spent week reflecting on Thanksgivings past. Since retiring and hitting the road in 2014, we have continued to spend Thanksgivings with family and friends; Salt Lake City with the kids, Zion National Park, again with the kids and one of my all-time favorites, Pennsylvania and even a Cabela's parking lot. 

2014

The last few have been here in South Dakota with both friends and family.

2023

2024

  This year was no differerent when we spent the holiday with our good friends Bob and DeAnne! 

They arrived late Wednesday afternoon driving through snow and cold to get here. We spent the next two days catching up, watching football, working on a couple of projects and eating, oh the eating, between the appetizers and the main course I think we ate from 1:30-4:30 straight!    So full.....

Zoey was so tired that she crashed in front of the fireplace while the rest of us crashed on the couch. 

Bob and I worked on the windmill, adding a couple of tension wires to keep it upright and taunt. This has been on my list since installing it a couple of year ago. 

They also brought be a fuel tank from the farm. They have replaced their existing fuel tanks with newer larger ones. This one will be perfect for us as we are 20 minutes from the nearest fuel station. 

Thanksgiving also happened to fall on our daughter-in-law's birthday this year. Happy birthday Somer! This picture is from last year, love how the exit sign is framed on top of her head like a little crown!

So much to be thankful for, hopefully everyone had a great Thanksgiving!