Blacktail Rut?

[fishnfur]

I did a six hour session in the rain today.  Man it was great to be out all by myself getting poured on.  Had a wonderful day.  Found a few new rubs on alder saplings near the spur rd., and about 100 yards away along the top of the ridge, the same deer seems to have destroyed every alder sapling within a 20 foot circle.  I had a gut feeling that he was bedded just over the side of the ridge, but the huge patch of Oregon Grape between him and me was all it took to get him bounding down the hill.  Gone, at least for now.  From his prints, he was probably only 2.5 y/o., but showing good activity - things are heating up!

[DaveMonti]

Good sign fishnfur!  I hope to get out for the first time on Friday.  Hoping to avoid the crowds with some weather!

[fishngamereaper]

Lots of new rubs this am... jumped one good buck with a doe. Saw  3 other does being chased by a cougar. Filled my doe tag. Not the cougar tag, ....yet.

[fishnfur]

Congrats on the doe FGR!  Good luck on the cat.

[WSU]

I saw a doe and 2 or 3 point in a field at 9:00 a.m. today just outside Tumwater.  He was definitely paying close attention to her...

[JDHasty]

I think I am going to go bird shooting the next two weekends and then hunt deer again Sunday the 29th in the evening and all day the 30th & 31st. 

That being said I did see a monster of a blacktail a week ago on Friday night and he was definitely cruising looking for does. 

[TikkaT3-270Shortmag]

Nothing in my area.  Things will get good in about a week on the 26th!

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

[lazydrifter]

I saw a new buck in the neighborhood today, a nice little 5 pt.  Maybe someone can get him tomorrow.

I wish we could have the 1-10 nov to hunt the grey ghost.

have you looked at the special permits?  There are some blacktail permits that I think cover those dates.

My middle son drew a GMU 621 any buck tag that goes from Nov. 1 - the 15th.  He has high hopes for a really big buck.

[fishnfur]

Had some quick action this morning.  Went to a spot I'd twice bumped deer while walking in the dark.  I decided to arrive and enter the woods at first light instead of bumping them.  While it was light enough to see out on the road, once in the woods, it was still very dark.  I pushed in a few hundred yards and slowed down to a crawl.  I reached the first bench up, and though it was still pretty dark, I could see.  Dang if I didn't stick my toe into some bump in the road making a bit of a thump.  Not loud, but noticeable.  I held my position and waited while watching into the darkest woods.  Just seconds later, out of nowhere, three deer running at light speed in a fully crouched positions blow by my position about 50 yards in from me.  All three flew by in well less than a seconds time, heads low, running at incredible speed and at a height that was no higher than my knee.  I was totally shocked how fast it had happened, and without any sound whatsoever.  If I hadn't been looking in that direction, I never would have known they had been there.  A few seconds later, one of them let out a bawl from probably 100 yards away as it ran.  I know BT sneak about in crouched positions, but I've never before heard of them running that way.

I grabbed my can call and tipped it once, just in case it might slow them down.  I doubted it would work, but it was worth a shot.  No more than 10 seconds later, a fourth deer comes from a drainage behind me, and stotting at about head-high leve like a big bouncing ball, passed about 20 feet to my right as it went by me.  It stopped behind a tree about 30 yards past me and was fully obscured except for his head.  What I should have done was scoped it with my rifle, which was still on my shoulder.  What I did was glass it, to see if it was a buck or doe.  It was a small fork horned buck, but he didn't give me a moment more.  He stotted off crossing the path of the other three deer, white flag waving at me as he disappeared.   

I'm glad I didn't put the scope on him because I probably would have shot him.  He was likely only a 1.5 y/o buck and no more than a hundred pounds.    Glad to let him grow awhile.   I sure felt like an idiot though.  One minute of pandemonium and I've still got my rifle shouldered. 

Bumped a couple other unknowns out of beds during the morning and had a 5 minute standoff with a doe as I was working my way out of the woods.  It's definitely heating up out there.

[Whitenuckles]

 Sounds like a fun 5 min!!! Nothing like that in my neck of the woods yet. Hopefully soon

[JDHasty]

Had some quick action this morning.  Went to a spot I'd twice bumped deer while walking in the dark.  I decided to arrive and enter the woods at first light instead of bumping them.  While it was light enough to see out on the road, once in the woods, it was still very dark.  I pushed in a few hundred yards and slowed down to a crawl.  I reached the first bench up, and though it was still pretty dark, I could see.  Dang if I didn't stick my toe into some bump in the road making a bit of a thump.  Not loud, but noticeable.  I held my position and waited while watching into the darkest woods.  Just seconds later, out of nowhere, three deer running at light speed in a fully crouched positions blow by my position about 50 yards in from me.  All three flew by in well less than a seconds time, heads low, running at incredible speed and at a height that was no higher than my knee.  I was totally shocked how fast it had happened, and without any sound whatsoever.  If I hadn't been looking in that direction, I never would have known they had been there.  A few seconds later, one of them let out a bawl from probably 100 yards away as it ran.  I know BT sneak about in crouched positions, but I've never before heard of them running that way.

I grabbed my can call and tipped it once, just in case it might slow them down.  I doubted it would work, but it was worth a shot.  No more than 10 seconds later, a fourth deer comes from a drainage behind me, and stotting at about head-high leve like a big bouncing ball, passed about 20 feet to my right as it went by me.  It stopped behind a tree about 30 yards past me and was fully obscured except for his head.  What I should have done was scoped it with my rifle, which was still on my shoulder.  What I did was glass it, to see if it was a buck or doe.  It was a small fork horned buck, but he didn't give me a moment more.  He stotted off crossing the path of the other three deer, white flag waving at me as he disappeared.   

I'm glad I didn't put the scope on him because I probably would have shot him.  He was likely only a 1.5 y/o buck and no more than a hundred pounds.    Glad to let him grow awhile.   I sure felt like an idiot though.  One minute of pandemonium and I've still got my rifle shouldered. 

Bumped a couple other unknowns out of beds during the morning and had a 5 minute standoff with a doe as I was working my way out of the woods.  It's definitely heating up out there.

That is exactly what I was talking about when we had the discussion a while back about that Can Call.  I still don't know if a person can cold call a blacktail in with one, I still have never tried, but they work great for turning or re-positioning them or getting them to step out and take a look see or to come back if they have moved off into cover before you can get a shot off.  I also keep one in my pocket and if while still hunting I make some noise like stepping on a branch I will stand dead still and give it a turn or two just in case a deer is nearby and hear the noise.

My neighbor got a decent buck Tuesday and I am hearing reports of other guys getting mediocre bucks or filling their antlerless tags.  Nothing big since the first weekend of Archery Season when a buddy got a hella nice one.  Even filling an antlerless tag was a bit tricky over the weekend.  I filled mine, but usually we have three or four nice does in camp by Sunday afternoon the first weekend of Modern Season.     

[fishnfur]

Yeah, I think the 4th buck was close by, just by chance, and came a few feet to the call.  He found himself dead downwind of me and came unglued.   The other three - my best guess is that a buck was harassing a doe and a yearling on the bench and just when I got to their level, my noise got his attention off them and on me.  I wasn't well hidden, he saw my outline against the alder filled drainage behind me, took flight and the other two followed suit. Biggest first, smallest last.   They were easily doing 25 - 30 mph with their bellies just inches off the ground.

[pd]

Fish&Fur, that is a funny (not funny, buy you know what I mean) story.  I would have loved to see them sprint at ground level.  I can't even imagine!

(No bench legs down your way, right??)

[Sitka_Blacktail]

When does it start?

The buck I got yesterday was definitely getting a swelled neck.

[Crunchy]

Still at least few weeks out before i usually see rut activity where I hunt on Kapowsin.  Saw 15 does today and not one buck.