The time of year when an animal is in heat, pairs, breeds, migrates, is killed for food or hunted, etc. (Also pairing, breeding, close,etc. season.) †…

attributive. Chiefly Scottish (now Orkney). Designating a period of time during which animals mate or are put together to mate, as riding season, r…

spec. The cry of deer in the rutting season; hence elliptical the season itself. Occasionally attributive.