How to Hunt the “Mythical” Second Rut

Then you spend one cold evening in the woods and catch a buck shadowing a small doe with that same old look in his eye. That’s the second rut. It doesn’t come with the same frat boy fanfare of the primary breeding season. It’s far more subtle. But it means the story isn’t over yet.

Plenty of hunters have theories about why some bucks start chasing again in late December. But no matter what your Uncle Joe says after a couple post-hunt beers, bucks don’t fire back up because the moon looks different or the weather’s acting weird. It’s the second rut.

The National Deer Association’s Chief Conservation Officer, Kip Adams, has heard every theory under the sun. “Hunters like to call [wildlife biologists] idiots, but there is enough data that shows the rut occurs at the same time each year,” Adams told MeatEater. “It’s not driven by moon phase or temperature. It is 100% driven by photoperiod.”

In other words, the rut runs on schedule, peaking in early to mid-November in most places, with blatant disregard for cold fronts, full moons, or folklore. It’s affected by hours of daylight.

So if the rut hits like clockwork each year, what’s going on with those December bucks?

Here’s the short answer. Some does are still coming into heat. That’s the second rut. It’s not a full replay of November. It’s a small, predictable biological ripple that shows up when conditions are right.

Adams put it bluntly. “The mythical second rut is a thing. But it’s very different than it would have been 20 or 30 years ago.”

Back when hunters shot every antlered buck they saw and ignored does, buck-to-doe ratios went sideways. There weren’t enough bucks to breed all the does on the first cycle, so plenty came back in roughly four weeks. That made the old-school second rut obvious.

“Today, we have better habitat and herd management,” Adams said. “Now the second rut is driven by fawns of the year coming into heat for the first time. If a doe fawn that was born this summer reaches 70 to 80 pounds of body weight this fall or winter, she will hit sexual maturity and breed during the second rut.”

The second rut isn’t the all-out rave of the primary breeding season. Pressure from firearms season makes the big boys gun-shy. Bucks are wary of cruising mid-day. That’s because most of the does have already been bred and aren’t willing to give guys the time of day.

While the primary rut is hot, bucks don’t have to work all that hard to find female company in November. Pretty much every doe is ready to party then. In December, the script flips.

“If you can find a doe in heat during that second rut, the rut activity is even more intense because there are so few deer that are in heat,” Adams said.

Late in the season, all of those bucks are still ready to breed, if they could just find a doe in heat. That’s why one doe in estrus in December will drum up a bunch of attention. I’ve seen one little doe trot past a treestand with three bucks trailing her like they needed to talk to her about her car’s extended warranty.

December may not have the same volume as the primary rut. Instead, the moments are short-lived and packed tight, but no less exciting.

You can’t hunt the second rut using November’s playbook. There’s no chasing the frenzy this time of year. You’re hunting a spark, not a bonfire. To do that, you have to put yourself in the right place when one young doe decides today is the day. Here are some solid strategies for getting it done.

Camp on the Groceries
Does don’t wander far for calories in the late season, so the best odds usually come from food sources that still have something to give. This isn’t the steady stream, all-you-can-eat buffet line of the early season. Deer generally have to look harder for dinner this time of year, and you will, too. Think standing beans, mowed corn, brushy clear cuts with new growth, brassicas (turnips, kale, radishes, etc.), and apples. The menu will vary depending on the region you’re hunting in.

Glass for Smaller Deer
A cycling fawn won’t look like a big, typical doe. She has a shorter face and a compact, boxy body. If you spot a small deer moving with purpose and a buck following hot on her tracks, pay attention. That little deer can flip the whole day.

Hang Tight to the Bedroom
Pressured bucks seem to turn into hermits after the sea of orange sweeps into the woods during early deer season. And because bucks aren’t cruising for does, they start to tighten their circle in December. If you’re still sitting in the same wide-open rifle stand you loved during the primary rut, you’re playing the wrong game. Look for places pressured deer would like to hunker down and bed through the day. Look for south-facing slopes, cedar groves, pine thickets, brushy creek banks, and blowdowns. Anything thick, secure, and warmed by the sun. Especially if it’s close to a late-season food source.

Call Sparingly
You can’t go into the December woods using November’s playlist. Leave aggressive calling for the primary rut. Try soft grunts or a light rattle. The competition is real, but the social noise is low. You want to mimic curiosity, not a bar fight.

A December chase can live and die in a day. Sometimes in an hour. If you spot fresh rut behavior, it’s game on. Don’t wait for the weekend. This window is the outdoor version of seeing a parking spot open right in front of you. Take it now, or you’re going to miss it.

The second rut is a last flicker of life in a season that looks spent. Stay patient. Stay out there. Let the other folks pack it in, because December has a few surprises for the stubborn ones.