One of the most interesting things about living in a town like Missoula is we live side by side with lots of wildlife. As a hunter I get to spend at least some time every fall out in the field and the woods around Montana. Focused as those trips are, the goal is usually about attempting to harvest an animal. While I am a “first legal one down” kind of hunter I enjoy the hunt and getting to interact with game on there turf. I am too busy in the fall getting ready for the holidays to get out enough to see the rut much while hunting.
In town the game lives under the constraints we have created, barking dogs, fences, cars, kids with snowballs and a bit too much time. So I am always amazed that they go through the same cycles that occur out of town. I get to see way more deer behavior in town than hunting. We get to watch deer over coffee in the morning, driving to work, and out walking the dog. Under all the constraints of city life they still have serious love on the brain. Rutting bucks roaming the hood like fraternity guys cruising the bars. Dumb with lust running out in front of cars scaring the shit out of bicycle commuters and generally making me realize how dumb we can all be in lust. I know lots of hard core hunters that get to spend lots of time in the field and get to watch all this craziness but for me it sure is fun to see it right in town.
I saw something that said a huge percentage of car/deer collisions happen during the rut, makes me wonder if that correlation would work for college guys as well. Be careful out there, love and lust are a dangerous business.