Ideal clear cut age for blacktails?

[JimmyHoffa]

I tend to see deer in the road along that kind of timber.  They jump into it and can hide, but is such a mess to kick around in for a solo hunter.

[JasonG]

I tend to see deer in the road along that kind of timber.  They jump into it and can hide, but is such a mess to kick around in for a solo hunter.

I tried to follow a trail in ! Ha No way!!

[fishnfur]

Walking through that is the best test of rain gear short of going for an actual swim.

Hilarious!  Thanks Jimmy - LMAO - you brought tears to my eyes!  I've lived that nightmare. You'd be picking fir needles our of your orifices for weeks.   I'll never try doing that again!   

Anyway......the point is, this isn't the perfect spot.   Make note of where you consistently see deer at you explore.  More deer viewings = better chances to score.  Mixed alder/fir forests on a south facing slope are always worth exploring in my book.  They won't be there in the heat of Summer, but come the cool days of Fall..........  Go slow.  Be still.  Sit more than stand.  Stand more than walk.  Stay hidden.

If you're really not sure how to proceed, I recommend this app that has numerous vids for the low price of a single hunting magazine.  Cancel anytime!!! (if you can figure out your iphone settings)  Three or four dollars to review perhaps a couple hours of videos is a pretty good deal. no matter how you calculate it.  This guy is a pro and he kills some monsters, though BC/Canada allows hunting during the rut, so you can't always draw parallels to our situation.  I figure when you'r just starting out, figuring out how to score a forkie (trophy!) is more important that finding the wall hanger.  I might be wrong ( )

http://www.howtohunt.com/blacktail-hunter-app

[JasonG]

Walking through that is the best test of rain gear short of going for an actual swim.

Hilarious!  Thanks Jimmy - LMAO - you brought tears to my eyes!  I've lived that nightmare. You'd be picking fir needles our of your orifices for weeks.   I'll never try doing that again!   

Anyway......the point is, this isn't the perfect spot.   Make note of where you consistently see deer at you explore.  More deer viewings = better chances to score.  Mixed alder/fir forests on a south facing slope are always worth exploring in my book.  They won't be there in the heat of Summer, but come the cool days of Fall..........  Go slow.  Be still.  Sit more than stand.  Stand more than walk.  Stay hidden.

If you're really not sure how to proceed, I recommend this app that has numerous vids for the low price of a single hunting magazine.  Cancel anytime!!! (if you can figure out your iphone settings)  Three or four dollars to review perhaps a couple hours of videos is a pretty good deal. no matter how you calculate it.  This guy is a pro and he kills some monsters, though BC/Canada allows hunting during the rut, so you can't always draw parallels to our situation.  I figure when you'r just starting out, figuring out how to score a forkie (trophy!) is more important that finding the wall hanger.  I might be wrong ( )

http://www.howtohunt.com/blacktail-hunter-app

Got the app. Totally worth it!

[smithkl42]

I tend to see deer in the road along that kind of timber.  They jump into it and can hide, but is such a mess to kick around in for a solo hunter.

I tried to follow a trail in ! Ha No way!!

So glad to hear other folks reporting the same thing. For some reason, I've had this idea in my head that real hunters have figured out some magical way of moving quietly through this stuff.

[opdinkslayer]

I found some better looking cuts . It is definitely impassable. Would you set a stand on the edge ? Try rattling?

Something to think about when looking at units like that is do I have anywhere in that for a buck to present a shot? If the answer is no then don’t waste your time.

[deerhunter_98520]

Walking through that is the best test of rain gear short of going for an actual swim.

Hilarious!  Thanks Jimmy - LMAO - you brought tears to my eyes!  I've lived that nightmare. You'd be picking fir needles our of your orifices for weeks.   I'll never try doing that again!   

Anyway......the point is, this isn't the perfect spot.   Make note of where you consistently see deer at you explore.  More deer viewings = better chances to score.  Mixed alder/fir forests on a south facing slope are always worth exploring in my book.  They won't be there in the heat of Summer, but come the cool days of Fall..........  Go slow.  Be still.  Sit more than stand.  Stand more than walk.  Stay hidden.

If you're really not sure how to proceed, I recommend this app that has numerous vids for the low price of a single hunting magazine.  Cancel anytime!!! (if you can figure out your iphone settings)  Three or four dollars to review perhaps a couple hours of videos is a pretty good deal. no matter how you calculate it.  This guy is a pro and he kills some monsters, though BC/Canada allows hunting during the rut, so you can't always draw parallels to our situation.  I figure when you'r just starting out, figuring out how to score a forkie (trophy!) is more important that finding the wall hanger.  I might be wrong ( )

http://www.howtohunt.com/blacktail-hunter-app

He's got some great stories on YouTube also 

[JimmyHoffa]

There can be good times to try that kind of reprod.  I can't see the orientation for sun and storm winds for your example (especially for Oct/Nov).  If you can get near stuff like that during a good windy/drizzly day, sometimes they will head into that stuff to keep the wind off and get away from crashing branches.  The tall trees block the high, upper winds and being in the short heavy stuff keeps the low swirly winds off them.  When it calms a bit and the sun breaks, I see them coming out of that stuff and back into the taller timber.

[fishnfur]

   Agree with that.  There's plenty of sign in there.  They definitely use it.   Crawling on my knees and/or stooped over trying to hunt effectively lasts for a good ten minutes or so, then I'm backing out of there.  Also, it's a great way to get lost:  level ground (no terrain features) and very dark unit of 15+ year old reprod, where every tree looks exactly the same..  It only takes a couple minutes on a cloudy rainy day until you have no idea which way s out. 

[deerhunter_98520]

 
This is where on x maps can come into use....I got it a few months ago  and the app is awesome....no need for a stand alone gps anymore, well worth the money.

[JasonG]

Onxmaps is money well spent for alot of reasons!!

[deerhunter_98520]

They've had on x maps one state on sale for 17.99 on campfire a few times lately

[JasonG]

They've had on x maps one state on sale for 17.99 on campfire a few times lately

worth every penny!

[JasonG]

I’ve had a cam between to cuts that are probably ten years old. Got a couple of nice bucks on there several times. Probably never see them come fall. Ha! hopefully you can see the video

[JasonG]

Still pic