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This is cut and pasted from an older article in the Standard Times which "sevices" zone 11 :-)
The rut usually begins in mid-October when a few does may come into heat early. The peak of the rut usually occurs in mid-November when the majority of does come into heat. The bucks seek them out and with love in the air, those bucks travel far and wide, day and night.
When a buck smells a receptive doe, he's only got one thing on his mind and he loses all sense of caution, which can cause him to cross busy roads to get to the girl he smells on the other side.
If a buck tries to breed a doe that isn't quite ready yet, she'll trot away and he'll chase her until she is ready. The deer will often run across roads during the chase.
In areas of high-deer densities, such as here in Southeastern Massachusetts, the bucks just can't service all the does during the peak. The does that don't get bred will come into heat again about mid-December, the second rut, and the bucks will be seeking them out.
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