rutting

specifically, an annually recurrent state of sexual excitement in the male deer; broadly //, // sexual excitement in a mammal especially when periodic (Meriam Webster)



"And then one morning while Dewey Dell was milking just before sunup, Jewel came into the barn from the back, through the hole in the back wall, with the lantern in his land. I told Cash, and Cash and I looked at one another. '//Rutting//,' Cash said. 'Yes,' I said. 'But why the lantern? And every night, too. No wonder he's losing flesh. Are you going to say anything to him?' 'Wont do any good,' Cash said. 'What he's doing now won't do any good, either.' 'I know. But he'll have to learn that himself. Give him time to realize that it'll save, that there'll be just as much more tomorrow, and he'll be all right. I wouldn't tell anybody, I reckon.'"

--AILD (131)