2020 Blacktail rut/pre-rut and post rut thread

[fishnfur]

I hunted 3 hours opening weekend, one day the second weekend, then the last three days of the season. The first two days were checking cameras and sitting in stands over newer areas. The last three days I hit it hard. I’d be curious to see the data from WDFW of percentage harvested the last week of season vs the first half. I’d also be curious to see the data of average antler points taken the first half vs the second half of the season.

I agree completely.  They don't break that data out, correct?  Seems like they miss out on a good opportunity during hunter reporting at the end of the season to improve their data collection.  A simple drop-down calendar question about the date a deer was harvested would over time, might yield a lot of good information about both Blacktail deer  and hunter tendencies. I'm never really sure if WDFW wants us to harvest a buck or just collect our dollars.  The longer a hunter goes without tagging out, the more money he/she puts into the economy chasing deer. 

[highside74]

My favorite part about the pre rut is the guys that don't come back at the end of October because..."There is no deer there" and they are burned out from seeing no bucks all season. My 12 year old learned this lesson on Nov 1st andb he was at home instead of with me when I rattled in that buck. I kept telling him all week he can't kill a buck during on the couch and even tried limiting his time in the woods to keep him from flaming out. He won't do that in the late season. Lol

[Sundance]

My favorite part about the pre rut is the guys that don't come back at the end of October because..."There is no deer there" and they are burned out from seeing no bucks all season. My 12 year old learned this lesson on Nov 1st andb he was at home instead of with me when I rattled in that buck. I kept telling him all week he can't kill a buck during on the couch and even tried limiting his time in the woods to keep him from flaming out. He won't do that in the late season. Lol

I've noticed that the more successful blacktail hunters are some of the most tenacious people I've ever met. It's easy for some to get discouraged after 3-5 days of not seeing anything. Approaching it like you are playing a game of averages tends to yield results from my experiences. It also reminds me of duck hunting- one day there is zero wind and bluebird skies with zero birds moving. The next its cold, rainy, and blowing like crazy then you shoot a limit in 30 minutes.

[WSU]

My wife missed the biggest blacktail I've ever personally seen after we hunted after work and weekends every day for a week a half.  We saw sign, more rubs every day, etc.  Never saw more than a deer or two though.  Finally we ran into the buck standing in the road about 150 yards from the gate. 

It really was a law of averages deal.  We knew they were there, it was just a matter of running into them.

[fishnfur]

A missed shot is no big deal if it happens early in the season.  It is always a lot harder to swallow when you've worked your tail off for days or weeks to get a deer in you sights.  At least your wife knows where to hunt nine days from now. 

[bornhunter]

Bumped into a nice 2x3 at about 11:30 this morning. His head was down on the trail and he never even bothered to look at me. He just trotted by like a morman on a mission.

[Platensek-po]

Saw a 3x3 in Shelton yesterday tending a doe.

[WSU]

A missed shot is no big deal if it happens early in the season.  It is always a lot harder to swallow when you've worked your tail off for days or weeks to get a deer in you sights.  At least your wife knows where to hunt nine days from now.

This was years ago.  I was more agreeing that it can be a grind and then all of sudden they are standing at the gate on day 10.

[fishnfur]

Now I don't feel bad for her.     Probably should revisit that gate though....

[JakeLand]

I just love the chess match with big mature Blacktails ! There are certain areas I target every year and 9 outta 10 times it’ll produce a quality buck it’s just getting the timing and wind and weather all to cooperate and a hint of luck and the almighty persistence of doing it day in and day out sun up to pitch black for it to come together

[fishnfur]

That is exactly the sentiment (to a T) that I hear from every hunter who consistently scores big Blacktails.  I'm lousy at chess.  Personally, I'd just like a chance to play checkers with a big buck!   

[Forestskunk72]

GMU 663 (Cap Peak) has been eerily quiet during the rut. I've got a quality deer permit in hand for the unit and have hunted hard and deep for 6 days now, 3 days last week, the weekend, and today, dawn till late afternoon. The days have run the gamut on weather. I've sat on the edges of cuts far behind gates at first light for hours, busted brush and dark timber, tried calling and rattling from time to time, and only seen a couple of does. For real. That's it. I've seen plenty of fresh scrapes too but yet to see a single buck. I wonder if the extra use the outdoors are seeing this year is contributing to the lack of deer I am seeing. Maybe they've gone extra deep or are staying mostly nocturnal. Dunno? I've been reading this forum and see others are having a weird year. It's not just you. I created my account to share that I've had a tough go of it too, even with a nice permit in hand. There is still time to punch my tag, and I hope to get out another day or two, but I sure thought I might be seeing some more action with a quality deer permit.   

FWIW, thanks everyone for sharing their stories, successful and not. I learn a lot here and hope to contribute more when I have more to contribute.

[Sundance]

GMU 663 (Cap Peak) has been eerily quiet during the rut. I've got a quality deer permit in hand for the unit and have hunted hard and deep for 6 days now, 3 days last week, the weekend, and today, dawn till late afternoon. The days have run the gamut on weather. I've sat on the edges of cuts far behind gates at first light for hours, busted brush and dark timber, tried calling and rattling from time to time, and only seen a couple of does. For real. That's it. I've seen plenty of fresh scrapes too but yet to see a single buck. I wonder if the extra use the outdoors are seeing this year is contributing to the lack of deer I am seeing. Maybe they've gone extra deep or are staying mostly nocturnal. Dunno? I've been reading this forum and see others are having a weird year. It's not just you. I created my account to share that I've had a tough go of it too, even with a nice permit in hand. There is still time to punch my tag, and I hope to get out another day or two, but I sure thought I might be seeing some more action with a quality deer permit.   

FWIW, thanks everyone for sharing their stories, successful and not. I learn a lot here and hope to contribute more when I have more to contribute.

I had a quality tag in 2013 and struggled at first to locate deer. My normal tree stands and timber push areas were turning up empty after a summer and early season of lots of trail cam pictures. Ended up locating two rut zones and killed my permit buck after five days of hunting. I saw 7 bucks that morning and several does in the area the size of a football field. Keep going, it will come together.

[Pacific Ghost]

I live in 663. There are a lot of deer, but it can be pretty tough, depending on what you are looking for. I would focus more toward the back half of that tag than the front. I spent a lot of time in there this summer and fall, and also during the season, and haven't seen a buck bigger than a 2 pt yet this year. 663, land of the spike and fork; kind of a joke at our house. Seen some nice ones over the years, but not for a while. Have seen three or four small bucks in the last week, so they are out there. Only one with a doe.

[fishnfur]

Those are great responses.  Dead on.

The thing about the BT quality tag is that it often doesn't really provide a lot of quality action during those two weeks (at least that's what I get from reading the same complaints year after year).  It is an opportunity to take a big mature buck that would normally not be available to the average hunter (they're too good at staying hidden and eluding us), but you still have to figure out where he is.   Now is the exact peak of the rut, which is not when you see the most bucks, but when doe are bred in the highest numbers. More than likely, the bucks are with or not far from any doe that is hot, or will be hot in the next several days.  Younger bucks also hang around these groups hoping to get a little action on the sly.  If you're seeing doe that don't have fawns with them, then triple check the area to make sure no bucks are close by but are hidden from view.  If at all possible, hanging with those doe, finding out where the bed and sitting on them could eventually bring in a buck.  If you find a doe just standing out in a cut or in the woods looking like she's waiting for something, not doing anything other than just standing there for way too long, sit and wait with her.  This is the time of season to stay with the doe and wait for action or eventually move on to find more doe in hopes of finding a buck with them.  Check back on any doe you can relocate daily/  It is just a matter of time. 

I'm sure you know all the following, but it is worth repeating for other readers:  Doe families and extended families tend to all stay in the same general area where they were born (Grandma's, moms. sisters, daughters, nieces, etc.) and socialize together. (young bucks leave the area of their birth once sexually mature) The bucks living in the general area of those doe groups presumably don't have to travel far to get from one hot doe to the next during the peak of the rut. Once accepted by a doe, the buck will stay with a doe for something like 36 - 48  hours with each before moving on to another hot doe.  You would expect that this behavior would concentrate groups of animals and leave a lot of the woods unoccupied during the peak of the rut.    That is not to say that there is little chance of running into a cruising buck now, but I believe the odds should increase as the peak of the rut is a few more days in the rear view mirror.  I believe your best chance of finding bucks currently is finding doe bedding or feeding areas and working them, with the expectation that a buck will move with a doe as she gets up to feed (if she is hot).  If she is not in estrus currently, there should still be occasional bucks swinging through her neighborhood to scent check for any new hot doe.

Large patches or hillsides of Western Swordfern are perfect bedding areas for both bucks and doe in the area.    They can sit or lie down in them and be hidden well enough that you cannot see them without being very near them.  The upper sections of drainages and seeps tend to attract doe because the soils tend to be wetter and grow more Alder/Vine Maple and other edibles in these zones.  Some combination of glassing and still hunting in and around bedding and feeding areas makes a lot of sense.  The weather is getting much colder now so the deer will gravitate towards S. and SW facing slopes.  They are not nocturnal so much as just staying in small areas and not moving much.  Much of the rutting activity and travel does occur at night, but there should be bucks up and moving again in the in the near future. 

Here's an article: https://pnwbowhunting.com/blog/f/breaking-down-the-blacktail-rut

That's all I've got.  Good luck!