blacktail deer pre-rut

[WapitiTalk1]

Woke up very early this morning (couldn't sleep worth a damn) so showered, fed the dog pack, and headed into work around 4:40.  On the way in on Vail Road (I live just outside the big town of Rainier), I saw a "dandy" BT buck standing by the side of the hardball looking longingly over the road and into farmer Frank's cattle pasture.  A quick glance to that side of the road showed me what I had thought, a few pretty eyed does were having breakfast along the edge of the pasture.  Well it seems this buck is feeling something as he certainly was doing his best version of "why did... or would.... the chicken, err, buck cross the road".  He wasn't returning from feed to bed across the road I'm pretty sure; I believe he was "twinging" a bit.   

[deerhunter_98520]

My friend just sent this to me 10min ago from his yard

[WSU]

I usually start seeing them around town towards the end of the month.  Any time now.  So far, I haven't seen any bucks for the last month or two.

[Buckmark]

Got home last night after work and had this guy hanging out in the hay field, then noticed his dinner date 
Got a spike and 2 point on my cam a week ago that are lets say the spike is practicing on the 2 point   

[Slaysthefish]

There was a spike in my field last night chasing 4 does around for about an hour relentlessly.

[PolarBear]

Woke up very early this morning (couldn't sleep worth a damn) so showered, fed the dog pack, and headed into work around 4:40.  On the way in on Vail Road (I live just outside the big town of Rainier), I saw a "dandy" BT buck standing by the side of the hardball looking longingly over the road and into farmer Frank's cattle pasture.  A quick glance to that side of the road showed me what I had thought, a few pretty eyed does were having breakfast along the edge of the pasture.  Well it seems this buck is feeling something as he certainly was doing his best version of "why did... or would.... the chicken, err, buck cross the road".  He wasn't returning from feed to bed across the road I'm pretty sure; I believe he was "twinging" a bit.   

It wasn't my pasture was it? 

[fishnfur]

Pretty quiet in 530 today.  Heard a single shot around 11:00 AM while I was out shrooming and hoping to see some bucks.  Lots and lots of road hunters.  No rubs yet...

[steeleywhopper]

Saw the Marysville I-5 3 point chasing a doe again yesterday evening. He’s been putting in the work the last 3 evenings on one particular doe.

[fishnfur]

She's such a tease! 

[Spuddieselwwu]

She's such a tease! 

You hunting weyco?

[frogman338]

tag

[aman]

I've spent a decent amount of time in Weyco land this week without seeing much day time activity. I would recommend waiting until a week or so for the rut.

[deerhunter_98520]

I've spent a decent amount of time in Weyco land this week without seeing much day time activity. I would recommend waiting until a week or so for the rut.

Watch the openings in reprod, and in 3+ year old cuts glass closely next to big stumps on the shade side, they are there just not a ton of movement

[CavemantheHunter]

It’s started in the lowlands. I live about 6 miles from the Vail gate. Just about hit a dandy near my house last night dogging a doe hard in the dark on the paved road. He looked like he was in full rut. Seems that it always starts down low on the private property here and then works it’s way up into the hills in Vail. I would say this time next week should be prime.

[fishnfur]

I think RadSav is correct.  A couple days of cold wet weather, or better yet, a big storm will get them up and moving about more.  This nice fall weather is living on borrowed time.

I went out for a quick look in the woods today just for fun, video camera in hand.  Worked my way up a small ridgeline with diagonal winds working sideways and up.  Heard an animal get up and move off deeper into the woods once my scent was blowing directly that way.  Moments later I peeked over the ridge in the other direction, down a steep slope of ferns and trees.  An unseen deer immediately made a noisy exit near the base of the hill. Alder and fir limbs obscured my view without binocs. so I have no clue on gender.  Probably a doe considering how low on the hill it was.   A little farther up, I found good evidence of many large fresh deer tracks in the forest duff going off in many directions.  Seems like there's still deer in the woods.  It's just a matter of time.

Not surprisingly, there were a lot of singles and groups of hunters heading into DNR lands this afternoon as I left.  I won't miss that "fun" this season.