Baiting blacktails during the late season?

[HunterofWA]

Hey everyone,

So I know it's only been two months since I tagged out, and I'm already thinking about next year...

I'm not sure if I want to continue archery, (not forever, just for a little while) because I had a whole bunch of bucks during MF season come in during daylight, and I'm positive they were there because of the rut.

So basically what's making the decision hard is that I had a whole lot of bucks during the rut, but getting time to hunt during week days is near to impossible, during late archery I have a 2 week long Christmas brake, which gives me a whole lot of time. But the problem is, I don't think the bucks will hang out very long afterward into the late archery season.

Granted, I ran out of apples about a week ago, and since then the bucks have disappeared. Before than I had a bazillion bucks of all sizes come everyday.

Has anyone had success with baiting black tail bucks throughout the late archery season, even though the bucks only seem to use that area as their rutting grounds?

Is there a way I can pull those mature bucks into daylight movement during late archery? or is it just better to buy the MF tag and hunting either archery or gun?

Thanks in advance!

[TONTO]

I'm not sure if I want to continue archery, (not forever, just for a little while) because I had a whole bunch of bucks during MF season come in during daylight, and I'm positive they were there because of the rut.

Pretty sure they were there because you didn't have a modern tag Buy a modern tag and you'll see em during archery.

[HUNTINCOUPLE]

Keep the bait out and keep the does around and the bucks will come. But then TONTOS theroy is pretty accurate. 

[Bango skank]

Granted, I ran out of apples about a week ago, and since then the bucks have disappeared. Before than I had a bazillion bucks of all sizes come everyday.

A bazillion bucks a day sounds like it would be some fierce competition for 10 gallons of apples.   

[HunterofWA]

OK, ok... Maybe not a bazillion a day, but when you pull the card after three days and see you just got 567 pics... maybe that a good amount of activity. There were at least 2-3 during daylight, and the rest at night. They ate I think a total of 900 pounds of apples. over a space of time...

[fishnfur]

No apple cider this year. 

[andr3wxmma]

I always seem to see bucks when I can't legally shoot them too. I saw a 3 by 3 last weekend bedded down within eye sight of a road in an area that was open for hunting....

[Firedogg]

Keep the apples around and you keep the deer around. This time of year they will go where the food sources are that require the least amount of energy expended.

[PolarBear]

Bucks get hungry after the rut and are looking to replace lost fat from pushing does

[crowinghen]

What area are you hunting?
We can't seem to  find anywhere to put out apples that the bear aren't all over them

[HunterofWA]

The edge of battleground in a forty acre 6-7 year old clear cut outside of a rural neighborhood.

So you guys are saying that the bucks will still most likely hang around after the rut? If that's so I should just by the archery tag next season?

[fishnfur]

There was a similar thread a day or two ago:  http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,205317.0.html

Bucks will likely be almost completely nocturnal again in the post rut except for the case of a second/third estrous doe coming into heat, which might have them out in the daytime.  They and the does will eat all the apples you put out, but mostly at night.

[bobcat]

I think your best chance of killing a good buck with an archery tag is during the early archery season the first week.

[blackveltbowhunter]

  Buy mulit season and hunt both. I have hunted both weapons and all seasons with the 2. Being fortunate to take nice bucks with both. I Love bowhunting and have only hunted with a rifle twice in the last dozen years, ( both times on multi tags). But I also love rifle season. If mature bucks are your thing , then IMO you will be better off hunting the limited time you have in rifle than 2 weeks in late December.  The one and only caveat would be if your hunting an elevation where snow is more likley to fall. Then rolling the dice may play out.

   My experience with bait (natural and not placed, if that matters) is food will never pull your top tier bucks out in the daylight unless we have a good run of very cold weather and the food source is near his bedding area. If you can get those ingredients theres a chance. Even in September you may get nice 2.5 and maybe some 3.5 year old deer, but the vast majority of 4.5 and up will not show in daylight hours until the rut.

[AKBowman]

  Buy mulit season and hunt both. I have hunted both weapons and all seasons with the 2. Being fortunate to take nice bucks with both. I Love bowhunting and have only hunted with a rifle twice in the last dozen years, ( both times on multi tags). But I also love rifle season. If mature bucks are your thing , then IMO you will be better off hunting the limited time you have in rifle than 2 weeks in late December.  The one and only caveat would be if your hunting an elevation where snow is more likley to fall. Then rolling the dice may play out.

   My experience with bait (natural and not placed, if that matters) is food will never pull your top tier bucks out in the daylight unless we have a good run of very cold weather and the food source is near his bedding area. If you can get those ingredients theres a chance. Even in September you may get nice 2.5 and maybe some 3.5 year old deer, but the vast majority of 4.5 and up will not show in daylight hours until the rut.

How does hunting in the snow change your tactics for BT bucks?

[HunterofWA]

So I already had bucks coming somewhat during daylight but mostly at night during the rut, but you guys are saying that the bait I put out will get hit real hard but daylight movement wouldn't be as good?

Has anyone experienced a second rut in battleground wa before, if so how to the bucks act like?

I only had a some yearling spikes, a couple 2.5 yr olds, and one 3.5 year old. So I guess I'm not looking for a big ol' brute, just basically looking into getting a nice decent buck with a bow. I'd probably shoot a spike if given the opportunity...

[AKBowman]

I've had them rut the first week of December. Spent many hours in a good stand (no bait) for the chance at a buck. He raked a tree in the reprod and came in to my opening with a load of vines, grass and bark in his antlers. Pretty cool to see. I've only seen it like that 2 days in the late season and I killed bucks both times.

The second time I unknowingly dumped a backpack full of apples within 50 yards of a mature bucks bed. It got really cold and he showed up out of nowhere. I got lucky by checking my camera then went back and killed him the next evening. I never would've hunted that stand without seeing him on camera. I dumped apples in that spot two years in a row after that during the late archery season and never got a single picture of a deer. Goes to show how lucky I got.

Ive found hunting BT bucks in late archery to be EXTREMELY challenging.

[outlawbuck]

Not sure if the deer I seen were rutting but I seen a monster buck Saturday hanging with 3 does in the middle of the day, and a tall antlered 2pt hanging with 4 does Sunday. Both deer in daylight and they all stuck together when they took off, this is up in the Doty area.

[HunterofWA]

So you guys are saying that I should purchase the MF tag next season?

So your saying that the daylight movement was really because of the rut and they would just turn to complete nocturnal movement patterns?

No prob if I should, just thought It'd be fun to hunt in snow and colder weather.

[bobcat]

For baiting I would try to pattern a buck in August and kill him the first day or two of the early archery season. If not that, then I would focus on the last week of modern firearm.

[JDHasty]

Sweet COB will hold them in the late season and through the winter, but it can take a while to get them to start on it.  I don't know why that is, but once they are on it it will keep,them coming. 

[HunterofWA]

OK well thanks for the responses everyone!

Wish you all a merry Christmas and safety on the roads!

[huntingbaldguy]

Sweet COB will hold them in the late season and through the winter, but it can take a while to get them to start on it.  I don't know why that is, but once they are on it it will keep,them coming.

Start with an apples and corn mix.  I haven't found they'll come to a new spot for corn but they will for apples.  Once there they'll remember there's still some tasty corn stuff left once the apples are gone.

[JDHasty]

Sweet COB will hold them in the late season and through the winter, but it can take a while to get them to start on it.  I don't know why that is, but once they are on it it will keep,them coming.

Start with an apples and corn mix.  I haven't found they'll come to a new spot for corn but they will for apples.  Once there they'll remember there's still some tasty corn stuff left once the apples are gone.

Yes, either apples or carrots to get the party started with COB there if they want it.  Once they get going on COB they seem to stick with it and it can be a lot more convenient than apples or carrots.