Average Moose Rut dates ?

[Jawz]

Each yr down here in Australia our certain deer sp Rut in a given time frame. Fallow usually go around the 10th -12th of april and Red stags usually around the 25th of march in the areas i hunt.
So what do you guys find is the average dates for the moose rut in Alaska?

 

[Yukon Cornelius]

Each yr down here in Australia our certain deer sp Rut in a given time frame. Fallow usually go around the 10th -12th of april and Red stags usually around the 25th of march in the areas i hunt.
So what do you guys find is the average dates for the moose rut in Alaska?

I've been told any day during sept. I wonder if the rut dates are area specific? Anyone know?

 

[0321Tony]

When I guided out of Kotzebue it was the 7-9th of Sept that it would kick off. I looked forward to that date every year because over night it was bulls everywhere. South Central you can wait till the very end of September to the first week of October for the rut... It depends on where you're at when the rut kicks off

 

[Yukon Cornelius]

When I guided out of Kotzebue it was the 7-9th of Sept that it would kick off. I looked forward to that date every year because over night it was bulls everywhere. South Central you can wait till the very end of September to the first week of October for the rut... It depends on where you're at when the rut kicks off

I know the bulls here hit the rut just after the season opens. And they will go until they mate I guess. I helped pack three bulls out two years ago in one weekend. Two stunk to high heavens and the other one smelt like he hadn't hit rut yet. All three were big bulls too.

Off topic: when were you in Tony and what BN were you with?

 

[0321Tony]

I know the bulls here hit the rut just after the season opens. And they will go until they mate I guess. I helped pack three bulls out two years ago in one weekend. Two stunk to high heavens and the other one smelt like he hadn't hit rut yet. All three were big bulls too.

Off topic: when were you in Tony and what BN were you with?

4ht recon bn went in 3/01 and got out 4/06
Semper fi

 

[sockeye1]

As stated, it really depends on the area of the state you're in. Two years ago I killed my bull on September 16th. He wasn't responding to calls/grunts, and had no rutty odor to him. Same day in a different unit, 30-40 miles north, a friend took a bull of comparable size. He was rutting, swollen neck, been rolling in his piss, etc...I've rattled a bull in on the 1st of September and even took a forky years ago on August 20th by scraping a tree and bringing him in. General dates are mentioned above- First week of September into October.

 

[AK Troutbum]

From my limited experience on the Koyukuk, Sept. 12-15 seems to be about the time they start coming into calls.

 

[204tcak]

Further south in the yk delta, usually the last week in September. The bigger the bull the earlier.

 

[Jawz]

So you would think mid to late sept for most of it?

 

[Grantspastor]

So you would think mid to late sept for most of it?

That has been my experience. After the 15th of September we were successful calling bulls

 

[Jawz]

Cheers guys. So most seem to think it's more mid sept that they respond best and are more likely rutting.

 

[MacGyver]

You will get a difference answers if you said what you think rutting is. For instance most people think when a bull will answer a call that is when moose are in rut. Other say when the velvet falls off the antler, or when a cow will let a bull mate with them. To add to the confusion if it get cold a bulls will think he late for a very importance date. Let not forget a young cows moose will go into ester before an older one.

All of this happen between August 25 and October 10, give or take a few days.

Does it really matter when or what is happening, for the moose or biologist it does. Not so much for a hunter because if the hunting reg.

 

[33outdoorsman]

Cheers guys. So most seem to think it's more mid sept that they respond best and are more likely rutting.

By mid-September the larger, older bulls should be starting to get stinky. By the 20th all bulls over about 45+ should be stinky and the big boys will reek 300 yards away. Generally when they start to dig rut pits is when they start getting more active and vocal. Find rut pits and you're likely in a good area with some big boys around.

Sometimes calling can be overrated, especially in an area that is hunted hard with lot's of people callers. Being quiet and listening for the true moose sounds can be just as effective as calling.

In SC-AK I believe around 90 percent of the breeding takes place between Sept. 26 and Oct. 5th or 10th. But they definitely start the rutting ritual the first part of September.

 

[Rock_skipper]

My experiance have been that when the first frost comes that seems to get them going. That being said, up in the hills they will be more likely to come into rut before the ones in the lower flatlands. Just my 2 cents.

 

[Jawz]

Cheers guys . Down here we tend to see it the same. If we are getting close to the rut and we get a sudden cold snap it can send them right off.

 

[4merguide]

For those of us still interested, this is a good read: http://tokairservice.com/articles/the-science-behind-the-moose-rut-hunting-tips

 

[TWB]

Average Moose Rut dates ?

In my opinion, there are way too many variables to establish an average. Date, weather, temperature, region etc. We set camp the 13th and not a single moose in sight responding to calls over the next 4 days. We worked solely off of moose sign, established a scrape and came back 36 hours later to call, I shot a 64" bull just a few hours into the morning of the 16th. He did not smell of rut whatsoever and the meat has been some of the best my top critic has eaten. Of note, a lot of bigger bulls were shot the eve of the 15th and morning of the 16th, clear skies and full moon cycle. Up to that point, weather was good but upwards of mid 40's. First sign of ice was the 18th.

Is there more action as the month progresses? Sure.

 

[4merguide]

This I didn't know:

Cows utter long, wailing moans when pestered by bulls attempting unwelcome courtship. Each cow has her own individual voice that varies greatly from individual to individual, as does the volume and intensity of the moans. Loud moans can be heard half a mile away by humans and farther by moose. Some people think cow moose vocalizations are mating calls that solicit courtship by bulls. In fact, they are protest moans signaling that cows are not yet ready to mate, as well as attempts to attract the attention of larger bulls to displace smaller, younger ones that more aggressively court unreceptive cows.​

 

[JerryGarcia]

This I didn't know:

Cows utter long, wailing moans when pestered by bulls attempting unwelcome courtship. Each cow has her own individual voice that varies greatly from individual to individual, as does the volume and intensity of the moans. Loud moans can be heard half a mile away by humans and farther by moose. Some people think cow moose vocalizations are mating calls that solicit courtship by bulls. In fact, they are protest moans signaling that cows are not yet ready to mate, as well as attempts to attract the attention of larger bulls to displace smaller, younger ones that more aggressively court unreceptive cows.​

I disagree with this,as I’ve seen the opposite. I’ve watched a solo cow in a muskeg moaning and wailing as she walked around. When a bull came into the clearing she approached and started playfully interacting.


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[Old John]

This I didn't know:

Cows utter long, wailing moans when pestered by bulls attempting unwelcome courtship. Each cow has her own individual voice that varies greatly from individual to individual, as does the volume and intensity of the moans. Loud moans can be heard half a mile away by humans and farther by moose. Some people think cow moose vocalizations are mating calls that solicit courtship by bulls. In fact, they are protest moans signaling that cows are not yet ready to mate, as well as attempts to attract the attention of larger bulls to displace smaller, younger ones that more aggressively court unreceptive cows.​

I totally disagree with this. In my 80 years I've seen too many bulls respond to our version of a cow call.