Penn State Deer-Forest Study

We have posted deer movements collected through 24 November. This has been a below-normal year for males and females – check out the updated graphs on the Rut Tracker. But keep in mind there is a lot of variability among individual deer.

For example, here are tracks of individual males compared to our long-term average. Some bucks this year during the peak traveled over 6 miles for several days in a row!

Females show much less variability. Clearly movements were less this year with very, very few individuals showing movements greater than the long-term average for more than a single day.

Pennsylvania’s rifle deer season begins on Saturday. We plan to update the Rut Tracker once more after Thanksgiving and then we’ll be back in December!

-Duane Diefenbach

14 comments on “Rut Tracker is Updated”

Any hypothesis why such decreased movement this year ?

Duane Diefenbach says:

November 26, 2025 at 10:55 am

Possibly the acorn crop, but it was also a drought year. We discussed this a little more in depth here https://www.deer.psu.edu/north-vs-south/

Reply
- Jim Guenot says:
  
  November 26, 2025 at 11:42 am
  
  I concur, biggest red oak crop I’ve seen in 40 years on bald eagle state forest
Ryan B says:

November 26, 2025 at 11:26 am

Maybe, just maybe, they are losing their drive…
I have observed fewer rubs and scrapes as years pass. I have not personally observed more aggressive, competitive rutting behavior as doe numbers decrease either. Perhaps it is like the old fear that gobbling would be slowly removed from the turkey population as gobbling birds were more likely to be killed. Perhaps aggression in whitetail bucks is slowly being removed as they are more apt to move during daylight, and, with no pun intended, throw more caution to the wind (or not in this case). Deer are certainly individuals with personalities and the aggressive, mobile ones expose themselves to doom more than others.
Just a little personal theory I have been pondering, but don’t necessarily believe…yet

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I concur, biggest red oak crop I’ve seen in 40 years on bald eagle state forest

Last season was also drought comditions. Definitely seemed like a muted and short rut season

I see mast droppings of both red and white oaks and if they are near water and cover they don’t move much.

I certainly agree on the decrease in movement. Acorn crop likely as I see very little digging for something to eat. I assume they are just picking up enough off the top. Hunted 2 areas 15 miles apart with the same conditions and lack of movement.

Greg Levengood says:

November 27, 2025 at 12:54 pm

Apparently the acorn crop was wide spread, but very spotty. In my hunting area of SE Potter County there were NO ACORNS – or any other food source. We didn’t see many rubs or scrapes, and absolutly no chasing. But with deer numbers being at historic lows, why would there be much rut activity? No deer equals no deer activity!

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In this day and age, everybody wants answers why this or why that. Just maybe it’s natures way of having all species interacting together to insure survival.

I understand that the acorn crop was quite variable around the state, and in SE Potter County where I hunt there were absolutely no acorns! Rubs and scrapes were not very prevalent, and we saw no chasing whatsoever. Of course the deer herd is the lowest we have seen in our lifetime, so the lack of rutting activity comes as no surprise. No deer equals no deer activity….

Duane Diefenbach says:

November 26, 2025 at 8:20 pm

Greg, glad to see you are still following the blog. Thank you! Please share your data source on variability on the acorn crop. Of course, the deer herd according to you just seems to get lower and lower every year. FYI, in WMU 2G, which encompasses Potter County, the antlered deer harvest in 2009 was 1.3 bucks per square mile. In 2024 it was 2.3 bucks per square mile. You can verify these data on the Big Game Harvest Dashboard here https://www.pa.gov/agencies/pgc/huntingandtrapping/harvest-survey-and-data.

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In 2G Clearfield County, we had plenty of acorns but they are very small in size. Last year chasing behavior observed during October muzzleloader season. This year no action in October and according to my trail camera activity, Bucks moved at night and before first light from November 4 through the 12th.

FYI, up here in the Adirondacks on our 1250 acres, we have noticed decidedly less movement during daylight by both does and bucks. No mast crop but food sources lavish everywhere due to extensive slash logging for 5 years up to 3 yrs ago. We have about 20 cameras since summer. Very healthy deer numbers and bucks. None have to move much for food. Local Big Buck contest with some of biggest in years but also many young lightweight ones.