Column: Peak of rut season a dynamic, urgent time for deer and hunter

MAINE SUNDAY TELEGRAM • November 15, 2020

It’s coming soon to a woodlot near you. Tree trunks are being maliciously stripped of their bark, bare spots of the forest floor becoming more common and bucks are more frequently seen crossing the road after dark with their nose to the ground. That magical period is nearly upon us and while deer hunters anxiously look forward to the whitetail rut, many don’t fully understand it. The rut is the mating season for white-tailed deer and includes all behaviors, from preparation to courtship to breeding. ~ Bob Humphrey