What terrain to hunt BTs

[JimmyHoffa]

I though I found a fantastic spot Friday. It was about the size of 2 football fields and it was all ferns with some birch, alder, and a couple maples mixed in. There was one logging road leading up towards a clearcut, and one leading down to the creek. There We're trails everywhere, spots they had bedded down, and some old sign, but no deer. Is this a spot to put some serious time in at?

There were probably deer nearby.  They do like RadSav says and then some.  Sometimes they will play ring around the rosie and circle the trees they are in, matching you step by step keeping the brush in between you.  I had one that was hanging out by my campsite one time, I knew he was there--tracks/scat/browse.  I looked and looked and never saw the actual deer.  Then a few days later a buddy of mine came to join in camp.  I went to hang up the food bag in a tree and my buddy said as soon as I rounded the bushes, the buck came sneaking around the opposite side.  Didn't know there were two people and was his last mistake.

[predatorG]

I though I found a fantastic spot Friday. It was about the size of 2 football fields and it was all ferns with some birch, alder, and a couple maples mixed in. There was one logging road leading up towards a clearcut, and one leading down to the creek. There We're trails everywhere, spots they had bedded down, and some old sign, but no deer. Is this a spot to put some serious time in at?

There were probably deer nearby.  They do like RadSav says and then some.  Sometimes they will play ring around the rosie and circle the trees they are in, matching you step by step keeping the brush in between you.  I had one that was hanging out by my campsite one time, I knew he was there--tracks/scat/browse.  I looked and looked and never saw the actual deer.  Then a few days later a buddy of mine came to join in camp.  I went to hang up the food bag in a tree and my buddy said as soon as I rounded the bushes, the buck came sneaking around the opposite side.  Didn't know there were two people and was his last mistake.

My dad just shot a small buck the other day and he had the same experience. He spooked it, and then followed it for a bit and stopped. The deer circled all the way back around to where he was spooked from. My dad shot him at 10 yards.

[fishnfur]

Hmmm, there's a lesson hiding in there somewhere.   

I had a deer circle downwind of me three days ago.  I couldn't see it, but I could hear it creeping in the bush.  Rather than move on once it got downwind (as I did, knowing I was totally busted), perhaps I should have circled my way back to it's approximate point of origin and hung out an hour or two.   Word has it they often re-bed where they were before the intrusion.

Perhaps I'll try something different next time.

[predatorG]

I'm heading out rn to see if this works and maybe bust a big one.

[PolarBear]

Hmmm, there's a lesson hiding in there somewhere.   

I had a deer circle downwind of me three days ago.  I couldn't see it, but I could hear it creeping in the bush.  Rather than move on once it got downwind (as I did, knowing I was totally busted), perhaps I should have circled my way back to it's approximate point of origin and hung out an hour or two.   Word has it they often re-bed where they were before the intrusion.

Perhaps I'll try something different next time.

\

Or just sit tight. I have had bucks wind me and leave only to come right to where I was less than an hour later.   

[predatorG]

 

[predatorG]

I'm out here right now. Hopefully one will walk on by.

[PolarBear]

Good luck!
Just sit quietly and let them come to you.  You would be surprised how many deer and elk you will see just by doing nothing more than waiting in big timber and the edge of a a cut or break in terrain.  I shot one of my biggest mule deer bucks and blacktail bucks while sitting with my back to a tree eating lunch.  They just appeared out of nowhere.  My cousin has shot over a dozen BIG bucks buy doing the same thing.

[fishnfur]

Polar Bear always makes finding BTs sound easy - as always - sage advice.   Sitting still is the hard part - it's not in my nature.   Good input once again though.    Go get 'em PredatorG!

[RadSav]

Polar Bear always makes finding BTs sound easy - as always - sage advice.   

Finding them can be rather easy.  Killing them - well that hasn't been as easy in my experience.  I used to sit a lot for blacktails.  Good method!  I just haven't had an opportunity at BIG early season bucks playing that game.  Lots of smaller bucks and does though.  For me, it seems the more miles I put on the boots the more BIG bucks I find.  Find the right area where you know there are big bucks and then keep moving until I find one willing to lay still until an arrow finds it's mark.  Or flies over his back as I have a problem with

Those truly big bucks seem to have some sort of arrow deflection shield.  Only good excuse I can figure

Or, if you want it to be easier...wait for the late season

[predatorG]

That's what I'm starting to think ^^

[fishnfur]

Late season has always been my plan for this year.  I bought a "new" old Marlin 336 with iron sights just for late October and and the Late Buck season.  That is how I would like to bag a buck this year.  Early archery is just a warm up, a chance to get my mind and body slowing down from normal everyday craziness.   Every once in awhile I get the feeling I might finish the season during early archery.  I have pretty low standards for what I consider an acceptable buck, so who knows what might happen.

I mostly enjoy reading the thoughts of accomplished hunters and how you all think and work your way through the the blacktail puzzle.  Intriguing stuff, to say the least.
 

[RadSav]

With this weather there are a lot of young 2X2 and 3x3 opportunities to be had on the edges.  Wife passed on a small buck and a bunch of does this morning.  All she was doing was walking gated roads running above some flatter clear cuts with a few huckleberries left in them.  Not really "Coastal" blacktail but 100% true blacktail for sure.

[predatorG]

I think I'm hunting pretty different terrain than you. The land I'm hunting is some private woods with a small private clearcut. No major logging companies or anything. The only logging roads are about 100 years old.

[Turner89]

I think I'm hunting pretty different terrain than you. The land I'm hunting is some private woods with a small private clearcut. No major logging companies or anything. The only logging roads are about 100 years old.

those old logging roads are my favorite. They are game highways.  Perfect place to setup a treestand about 30 yards off.