Bucks Sparing Already?

[Knute78]

Both this morning and tonight I witnessed something I have had yet to see in Spetember in over 10 yrs of bowhunting. This morning I had two smaller bucks a 1.5 yr 6 pt and a 1.5 yr fork come out infront of me at about 80 yrs. They procedeed to circle around each other and then began to spar somewhat intensely for a few minutes then the smaller buck was run off. Then tonight on a different stand I had almost the same situation play out with a spike and a baldy(maybe a button buck?). They also fought rather intensly for a much shorter duration before the baldy ran off. This whole time numerous other deer were in the field feeding while these young guys got at it with each other.

I know that young buck will practice sparing with each other but I have never seen it happen so early in the season.

Whats up, could it be the cooler weather? Could we be in for an earlier rut this year? Is this unusual or have I simply not been lucky in past seasons and simply not come across sparing so early? Just wanted to get some thoughts.

[Stratosman]

Rut has nothing to do with temperature, it is directly associated with daylight.... young bucks typically in the 1-1/2 year old range have this sudden urge that they have no idea what to do with, they are rookies so to speak and act like it. Kinda like the freshman at college going to his first keg party, gets all worked up over all the chicks but it's the seniors that are patient that score...stupid analogy, sorry.

[Ron Burgundy]

No, perfect analogy.

[Knute78]

I know rut has nothing to do with temperature, I actually asked seperate questions about this behavior being related to cooler temperature or possibly even rut. I have seen sparing amongst young bucks before but never this early in the season.

I wanted to know your thoughts on why this might be the case this year as opposed to the 2nd week - mid-October when I have noticed this before. I do believe I understand the phases of the rut fairly well.

Has anyone else seen this behavior already this year?

[Knute78]

Stratosman, I was reading this post and didn't mean to make it sound rude. Sorrry about that, I basically want to know if this is common behavior this early in the season.

[Cooter]

Happens all the time - they've shed velvet and now can 'test' each other. Thats why light rattling will work this time of year. I saw it a week and half ago - kind of neat, often time you'll see a little fart spar with a big boy. Other times if the big guy ain't in the mood the little fart will run around the big one like a puppy and the old boy will just kind of put the head down, ears back a bit as if to say, Not now junior. Cool stuff. It only last so long before things get a hair more serious