Blacktail Rut Thread

[brokentrail]

This one was locked down with a doe.  Tough still hunting through timber with no weather to cover noise but it worked.

[JakeLand]

This one was locked down with a doe.  Tough still hunting through timber with no weather to cover noise but it worked.

that’s a dandy !! Nice dark heavy horned buck!! good job

[brokentrail]

Thanks @jakeland
I owe some of my bag of tricks to you!
Definitely a once In a lifetime for me, he who shoots the first legal deer he spots 

[Buzzsaw461]

Got a nice forky on Friday. Sitting in my blind on a well used trail he came moving through. As I raised my rifle he caught my movement and bolted into the brush to my right. One call from my doe in estrus can brought him right back. The Guy was as musty smelling as they come with a swollen neck to match.

[DishBogget]

This one was locked down with a doe.  Tough still hunting through timber with no weather to cover noise but it worked.

Stud buck congrats!


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[HntnFsh]

Yesterday was another tough day for me. A little time in the brush and a bunch of road hunting. Never saw a deer until I was almost home just before dark. 3 Does standing in a field.

Last night decided to turn my alarm off, sleep in, go to church this morning, and hit some brush this afternoon. If the Good Lord decides to bless me with a nice buck, so be it. If not I had plenty of opportunity Wednesday!

Good luck to all of you on this last day!

[HntnFsh]

Got out this afternoon. Saw 1 doe in the timber.  That was it. Other than the same does in the field.  Was still a great season. Wednesday was epic! One to remember!

[highside74]

My brother and I both had chances at bucks today. Came home empty. The morning was pretty active til about 10am then nothing g for the rest of the day.

[AKBowman]

I rattled a buck in about 20 mins before last shooting light. Came into about 60 yards. No idea how long he was there just frozen staring at me. I must have looked him over for a full minute before I realized I was looking at a deer/buck. I ranged him and just as I was about to draw he started my way. Veered off and melted into the ferns along with my season.

It was another tough one. Haven’t had the time to scout post season the past few years and it’s showing. Archery during modern can get a touch gig. Cool to rattle in a nice buck though.

[fishnfur]

I rattled a buck in about 20 mins before last shooting light. Came into about 60 yards. No idea how long he was there just frozen staring at me. I must have looked him over for a full minute before I realized I was looking at a deer/buck. I ranged him and just as I was about to draw he started my way. Veered off and melted into the ferns along with my season.

It was another tough one. Haven’t had the time to scout post season the past few years and it’s showing. Archery during modern can get a touch gig. Cool to rattle in a nice buck though.

That's what I refer to as "small successes".  Got close, darn close, but didn't get it done..... if things had just been a bit different! 

I was surprised that WDFW offered up chances at multi-season tags after the General Season - Modern Firearm was already over. WTF?  I chose to give them the finger and stick with my two week-long (plus 4 days) tag.  As it turned out, I never came close to notching my tag.  I was determined to kill a four-point, nothing less. There are some good ones in the area where I hunt, but my only chances this year turned out to be 1.5 y/o spikes and/or tiny forkies, and I only had a couple chances at those.   

Today was a continuation of the doe parade.  I saw seven more doe and five fawns/yearlings by 11:00.   In the neighborhoods close to my hunt area, and in my reprod unit, there were doe standing around seemingly everywhere over the past few days.  Many with kids, but perhaps 20% appearing like they were just waiting for a buck to come along.  I see a lot of deer during the course of a year in this area, but I've never seen so many doe and younger animals in a three-day-period anytime, much less  in November when the temperature is hovering around freezing.  Not a single buck to be found in three days (2.5 really)  By 11:00, I decided to go home and see the wife and kids before they disappeared back into their weekly routines..  Tag soup tasted pretty good tonight.
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Good luck to Multi-seaon tag holders. Happy Holidays to everyone!

[Sundance]

Lack of moisture and lots of maples/alders dropping leaves made it a very noisy late season. Pulled some cameras today and the little moisture we’d had overnight made it to where I could glide through the brush quietly. I could have used that yesterday on the two bucks who busted me at 50 and 100 yards when I was trying to close the distance.

[actionshooter]

Only saw 19 doe on the last 3 days, AND one forky my daughter picked up in the last hour of the last day...  super tough hunting.

[fishnfur]

Only saw 19 doe on the last 3 days, AND one forky my daughter picked up in the last hour of the last day...  super tough hunting.

I concur with that last thought.   Every year, it seems the weather affects the hunt more and more.  I can remeber hunting in snow a couple times 12 - 14 years back.  That has not happened since.  Recently, very late killing frosts have mitigated any late season advantage of minimal floliage.  50% of leaves are still intact on the brush layer at hunt level.  On top of that, this year's dry spell during the last two weeks completely dessicated dying leaves prior to falling, leaving them crunchy and noisy to hunt in.   I guess we have to adapt to the new normal. 

Glad your daughter scored a buck - congrats to her!

[Dirty Mike]

Was able to call this guy into 20yards from my tree stand with a grunt call. Been getting him on cam for the last month or so. He came I'm pretty hot scent glands dripping with piss

[bornhunter]

Was able to call this guy into 20yards from my tree stand with a grunt call. Been getting him on cam for the last month or so. He came I'm pretty hot scent glands dripping with piss

Nice job!