Rain affects on blacktails

[Kingpuck]

Being this is my first year hunting and I'm doing it solo just wondering what this crazy weather (rain) does to deer patterns? Will deer still be most active at first light or is it an all day thing now? Did most of my scouting during the summer (learned my lesson) and now have virtually no idea where to go hunt coming up on Friday-Saturday. Will be back at it the 26th to 28th.

My thought is to get up really early on Friday and head for some likely clearcuts with the bow and sit on the edge right at daybreak and see if they will come out to feed for a bit.

If I eat tag soup then no biggie. Still learned a ton and put some wear on the boots. It would be nice to have some Christmas venison though.

[kentrek]

if i was you id skip hunting the clear cuts an hunt the thick stuff..like a young alder patch(with rubs) that you can see 20 yards in..maybe a thick cut that has an older patch with in it...thatd be money 



even if ya see a shooter in the cut geting with in bow range is pretty tricky..not imposible tho

oh an dont worry bout the rain..nastyr the better..an most important hunt all day every day 

[Kingpuck]

Kentrek, you can bet that it will be from before dawn to dusk. Interesting that they hold up more in the thick stuff than in clear cuts. It seemed like early season they were willing to come out to the clear cuts. Is it the rut or the time of year?

[Tbar]

The timber  along the edge of cuts can be productive. Much easier to get within bow range too.

[Huntbear]

Blacktail bucks like the gnarliest thickest crap piles full of devils club and vine maple....  When it is storming, they will be feeding in that stuff, living there, coming out to the edges if you are lucky.  I have killed some big blacktails, and almost every one was killed at close range, in the thick stuff, one at 15 ft.  He never knew I was there.  Get into the mode of thinking like a big blacktail buck and you will begin to kill big blacktail bucks.   

[RifleRidge]

The timber  along the edge of cuts can be productive. Much easier to get within bow range too.

 

[kentrek]

Kentrek, you can bet that it will be from before dawn to dusk. Interesting that they hold up more in the thick stuff than in clear cuts. It seemed like early season they were willing to come out to the clear cuts. Is it the rut or the time of year?

yeah but blacktails are a whole diferent breed of deer now than what they are over the summer..esp the bucks

summer time they are more woried bout there horns than hunters,bachllore groups even..now its every deer for itself an theyv been on the run from hunters for a few months now..an when the led starts slinging where would you hide ?? the thick stuff..an how long would ya wait until ya came out ?? prolly untill your horns start growing again..just kinda put your self in there "shoes"..remember if they "take a chance" there dead...the odds are greatly stacked against you,not to be rude,these deer are the hardest deer to kill in the world..an then to do it with a bow..after a few months of seasons..public land (im guesn)..an then you being green (not tryn to pick on ya)...but its honestly the best time youl ever have an well worth the effort once you walk up to YOUR deer..cuz YOU earnd it 185.9% 

good luck !!

[JackOfAllTrades]

Get into the mode of thinking like a big blacktail buck and you will begin to kill big blacktail bucks.   

Look at your hunting area that has deer sign. Find the doe's and keep to the fringes of that thick nasty stuff. Unless you know where buck beds are, give yourself a bit of viewing range. Look at the terrain, forage, wind blocks, places where that buck can hide yet still have view/smell avenues so he can't be krept up on. Find a place out of the weather but don't think they'll crawl under a rock to get out of the weather. I've seen late season bucks lay in the open during a hail/wind/rain storm. But yes, find the rubs and young Alder patches that are transition areas between his doe's and food/bedding area. A big blackie will seldom sleep in the same bed every night, but he'll rotate through his bedding areas as the weather changes and his doe's move around. In another couple of weeks,, he'll move to safety of the dark woods and leave his girls be.
 
-Steve

[Tbar]

Oh yeah and go slow, when you think you are going too slow, slow down and pick every inch around you apart.

[RifleRidge]

Oh yeah and go slow, when you think you are going too slow, slow down and pick every inch around you apart.

 

[whack em]

All real good gouge.  Patience and observation is my best advice.

[Kingpuck]

Appreciate all the advice. I know the odds are stacked against me and it is very likely that I will eat tag soup but that is okay with me. Everyday that you are in the field you learn something. It isn't just about tag filling for me it is about the pursuit and the chance to be in some of the most incredible country the good Lord ever made. We are so lucky to live in this part of the world. When you spend 50+ hours a week in cubicle jungle it is a nice release to get out in the rain and wind.

One day it will come together. If I wanted to guarantee meat then a trip to the meat store would be in order.