Great day for blacktails!

[billythekidrock]

Heard a buck grunt twice yesterday morning, but could not get a look at him in the thick stuff. Found some fresh rubs as well. No rain over here, but things are kicking off.

[Craig]

8 days hunting haven't even seen a deer. Something needs to happen soon.

[manni7mm]

Wow they are fired up - It's on!  Called one in hot right at legal light tonight.  he was fired up.  Darkness got the best of me.  In leaving my spot i didn't want to educate him so i crept out slow and still couldn't shake him - he followed me wheezing and stomping for about 75 more yards without calling!   

[bankwalker]

The bucks have been going hard all season where I hunt. Every buck I've seen has been hot with a doe. Problem for me is finding the does, I've been in the wrong place at the wrong times.

Ive seen 6+ bucks 3pt or better this season. All have been while driving, crossing roads in front of me in thick reprod. Not a single buck out of 15+ have been in a clearcut or anywhere clear enough to think about a shot.

[bobcat]

I have hunted eight full days this season, and a few evenings after work. I've seen three deer in all that time. One spike, which I killed. That was last Tuesday evening. Then yesterday we found a nice 2 point right at sunrise, and my uncle filled his tag. Last night I was with my 15 year old cousin, who is new to hunting, and we were watching a clearcut for the last hour. I was about 100 yards from him, and told him if I saw a buck come out I would text him. Well, a good buck came out at 6:20, 300 yards away. He stood still for about 5 minutes then came directly towards me through the clearcut, and ended up 150 yards away last I saw him. It was just too dark to have my cousin come over and try to get a shot. I figured he'd still be there in the morning, but we didn't see him. My brother just saw a doe with a fawn this morning, in the same clearcut.

So for me, I saw three bucks this season, and not one doe. Weird. Kind of disappointed with the lack of deer. Gave some thought to hunting for mulies or whitetails instead of blacktails next year. In some areas, blacktail deer seem to be about as scarce as spotted owls.

[washingtonhunter121]

Good day this buck was out 20th deer of the day I wouldn't say they are rutting much where I was since all the other 19 deer were does and fawns together with no bucks we could ever find then this guy was all by himself and his glands weren't open and he had no swelling in his neck and lots of fat on his back

[pope]

..... this guy was all by himself and his glands weren't open and he had no swelling in his neck and lots of fat on his back

And what about the deer?  Just kidding, nice buck. I was out 8 days and that's probably it 'til late buck. All in the 1000 to 2000 feet elevation range. Opening day was misty/rainy and I saw a doe and a spike. Then brilliant, warm sunny weather for two weeks and a full moon last weekend. Lots of animals moving in the woods after dark. This Saturday I saw two does (probably mom and daughter). And that's it.  Plenty of buck sign including fresh tracks where I saw a monster on first day of late buck last year.

[BOWHUNTER45]

Yes it was ...say hello to MISSSES 

[Old Man Yager]

Rut is on around my neck of the woods, Buddy got a 3x3 friday evening. Saturday morning I took his son out with me and he shot a 2x3. both were swollen up and stinky. I will be posting pics later tonight.

[blindluck]

Yes it is, I saw a nice 3pt big neck and a piebald spike ripping up a tree yesterday

[PolarBear]

Great job on the bucks guys (and gals)!
It is wierd, after all the hardcore rut activity around here last weekend, now I have 2 does and 3 fawns basically living in my yard eating acorns.  The other night the lead doe was being pushed around y pasture by a 3 point.  She had been away from her fawns for at least a week and now she is back with them.  I wonder if she got bred and is back with the others?  On the way home from work at about 10:30 last night I saw a doe being pushed hard by a buck on the Tumwater Blvd on ramp.  He pushed her right up on the road, I almost got both of them.

[WSU]

The rut is happening in Olympia.  I've seen 4 or 5 bucks in the last few days just driving around town.  I damn near hit one last night on my way home from work. 

[Ductsquatch]

Got mine yesterday..........he ALMOST jumped in the truck...........serious.

[snowpack]

seeing does chase away fawns today...no bucks yet.

[Ductsquatch]

well GOOD LUCK to the rest of ya. Today is the last day.