Reprod Advice

[janttihunter]

New to Blacktail hunting, but feel like im learning something new everyday!! I hunted sun up to sun down thre days straight, my muzzy missfired on a small buck yesterday and I passed up a small spike..really small...

Anyway my question is I found a reprod 3 miles up behind locked gate on a south facing hill. Im not sure of the age but trees are like 10 feet tall. I snuck in there in the wind and rain (wind in my face) yesterday and have never seen so much sign in my life!!!!!!!!Im talking literally 100s of piles of deer crap!not exagerating.. prob 50 fresh piles (no more than a few hours old), all different sizes so prob allot of different individual deer. I also found so many beds I couldny count, and a bunch of rub lines..I was as quiet as I could be but I didnt hear or see a deer, I stayed in there for 3 hours 9-noonish and nothing. I walked around in there a little more but still nothing??

Where are they? They were in there at some point, shouldnt they be bedding during that time?

Later on that night I saw 6 deer in the alders that border the reprod, so I guess they moved into there..

Does anyone think it would be a good idea to set up a tree stand in those alders?

Thanks guys!!

BTW thanks to this site and all your help I have been able to see 6 bucks and 23 does in the woods while hunting!!! Thats someone who didnt know any spots , or anything about BTs!!!!!! Two more weekends left!!!!

[PolarBear]

A tree stand is great for overlooking reprod but I would not hang one on an alder unless it is At least 18-20" thick.  If you can find a fir you would be much better.  I know guys who have not only had alders break on them but the bark is so slick that in wet conditions a climber can slip.  My hunting buddy has fallen from alders and last week a cotton wood because his climber slipped before digging in.

[janttihunter]

Ok thanks I had no idea. Back home theres so many oaks and maples so just figured they were similar to alders. Thanks for the help!

[highside74]

Hunt the edge of that reprod and Alder. They will move back and forth.

[JimmyHoffa]

Ok thanks I had no idea. Back home theres so many oaks and maples so just figured they were similar to alders. Thanks for the help!

My experience is that alders tend to be brittle and can snap/break easily.  Also, they have small, shallow roots and seem like they are the easiest to knock over.  The tree I have to cut the most after windstorm is the alder.

[Huntbear]

Get a D8 cat... doze a path through the reprod... 

[RifleRidge]

  funny

[Alchase]

Get a good set of binocs and glass, glass, glass!
Look for ears twitching tails wagging. Hunting reprod can be very productive, if you have the patience and not worried about getting wet.

[Alchase]

I foregot, if you find small clearings within the reprod, these are a gold mine with Blacktail.

[bradslam]

When the wind blows really hard, stillhunting through the reprod can be great.  Alder patches can definitely be a good place for a morning or evening stand, just be careful about the tree you put your stand in.  Alders are just plain dangerous.  If there is a cedar with low branches next to the alder patch, that is the best bet.  Their branches  don't snap off as easily as firs and hemlocks when you climb them. 

[deerhunter_98520]

I jumped a nice fork horn bedded in a alder patch today...had him at 60yds but my tag is notched already

[RifleRidge]

We all would have settled for a nice pic....

[washelkhunter]

Hunt the edge of that reprod and Alder. They will move back and forth.

 

[janttihunter]

I wonder why the deer wernt in there in the middle of the day? Maybe they went out the back door when I was coming in? There was just so much fresh sign in there.

I did find a nice hidden small clearing in there, I think I may set up there next time. What time of the day are Reprods usually productive?