6 Bucks traveling between huntable and "no hunt"

[Janitor123]

Hey,

I'm still new here, this is my 3rd year, I learned a ton from this group in that time. I wonder how the folks here might approach my situation?

I've found a few hundred acres of accessible timber land with 6 bucks in it (at least in may - june 2023). I placed this camera in late may and just checked it today.

They are on my cam in the corner of the property next to a few thousand acres of unhuntable weyhauser land. From the direction I see them coming in, they leave weyhauser, cross an individuals 20 acres, and end up where I'm hunting.

I'm on the west side and will be hunting modern firearm. There are multiple creeks that converge where the cam is. Two large cleacuts and timber in this are.

These guys have me drooling right now, but how would you entice them to stay more often or come back regularly so theres' a fighting chance in the fall? Salt? Corn? apples?

Thanks in advance.

Each picture is a different buck - following behind each other. I left out the time in the screenshots because the days were all incorrect and I wanted close ups of the heads.

[Janitor123]

Here's the others

[Janitor123]

and the last photo from today

[Dan-o]

Wow.

I'm not a Blacktail guy, but good luck!

[mboyle0828]

I’m having good luck with wet COB. I have several blacktail hitting it daily. But have also had a few bears come in.

[Janitor123]

 

I’m having good luck with wet COB. I have several blacktail hitting it daily. But have also had a few bears come in.

Thanks, I'll try that.

[Jpmiller]

I've done a couple different "feed" block type baits but on the advice of a now seemingly inactive forum member I switched to salt. Holy moly that seems to get them coming back and pawing out big holes when it runs out. Plus I don't have the bears taking as much of it as I did with the feed products. Limited experience on blacktails with it but I'd imagine it works with them too.

[JakeLand]

They will be where the Does are
Look for last years rubs that will tell you if they’re there come hunting season

[mboyle0828]

I've done a couple different "feed" block type baits but on the advice of a now seemingly inactive forum member I switched to salt. Holy moly that seems to get them coming back and pawing out big holes when it runs out. Plus I don't have the bears taking as much of it as I did with the feed products. Limited experience on blacktails with it but I'd imagine it works with them too.

Agreed, salt licks work too. I’ve been getting a small mineral brick from Wilco along with a bag of wet COB.

[Stein]

They will be where the Does are
Look for last years rubs that will tell you if they’re there come hunting season

 

That's what I was going to say, attract does to your property and the bucks will be there at least in November.  I'm no expert, but bucks seem to be way more leery of bait or attractants, at least the bucks old enough to know better.

[kodiak06]

Deer or elk aren't really interested in minerals during winter. Worse case scenario for you is the private landowner hunts. The deer will definitely change patterns by fall either way. As mentioned, keeping the does around's key. Also, such a small place will need to be hunted under the right wind conditions.

[h2ofowlr]

You create too big of a bait site this early in the year, you may also draw interest from other hunters in the area.  Try to avoid creating competition for yourself unless you have some private property locked up or the only access to your spot. 

[buckfvr]

Minerals and salt is all they need for now.  Cob and corn can make them sick (if they eat too much) and draws in predators.  If you keep up that show, you will end up with a big cat hangin around and picking them off, guaranteed.

[hunter399]

Hard to say exactly what to do in your situation.
But will say a few things.
I have a few spots that the same exact thing is happening.
Basically look at your time stamps and what times they are there the most.
A bad weather event,doe in heat also keep times of doe activity.
Put up another cam 1/4 mile in on public ,see if they show up on it.

In my experience.......
They will hole up on that private durring season,your looking for the best time that they might mess up.
I've had situations where they might only show up one time durring the season.
If your @$!# bent on one of these bucks,you gotta be there any day you can durring season.
Like said try to pin point if they are using public that your not aware of.

Now feeding ,feed too much and they will never leave private. Not enough feed and not gonna show up. It's a balance act.

[Janitor123]

Thanks for the  everyone, I really appreciate it. Sounds like doing salt/minerals right now is good enough. Right now I have 3 cams all within a 200 yard circle. I think I'll move one to the other side of the parcel and see what comes up.

Just for kicks, these showed up on the adjoining cam this week.

[Stein]

You have an interesting spot for sure, good luck!

[MeepDog]

Don't be too surprised if they completely disappear come mid October. Bucks will shrink their core area in preparation for the rut and will keep their feeding close to bedding areas. This is more of a whitetail rule but I wouldn't be much surprised if it was applicable across the entire deer spectrum.

[Janitor123]

Don't be too surprised if they completely disappear come mid October. Bucks will shrink their core area in preparation for the rut and will keep their feeding close to bedding areas. This is more of a whitetail rule but I wouldn't be much surprised if it was applicable across the entire deer spectrum.

That's what I'm nervous about. I wrestle with the idea of just going somewhere else that isn't blocked in by "No Hunting" on every side, or fully committing to this 500 acres.

My folks live a mile down the road from here and we've only seen a buck on their property once in 20 years. However, they have 3 unique groups of does in the area. One which is on their property every single day.  I know they must breed, but never seen a buck there.

I threw a salt block on the 500 acres and one on my folks. We'll see what happens.

[pianoman9701]

Cool cam photos. Best of luck this Fall.

[Henrydog]

I agree with Meepdog with them changing their habits in the fall.  I don't know the seasons in the SW part of the state, maybe bait it up and hunt with a bow? 

The question I have is if you have no bait/salt out right now what is drawing them to the area currently?

[2MANY]

If you are bow hunting................... the soft, green translucent apples they love.

Cannot be rotten.

[nwwanderer]

Yellow transparents are one of the first, by that time things are drying up so diets are changing, bind weed, early apples and your garden if the fence is not up to the push.  Neat pics, keep them coming!!!

[Janitor123]

...The question I have is if you have no bait/salt out right now what is drawing them to the area currently?

That's a great question, I'm not entirely sure. I know a mountain spring comes out in this spot and runs downhill to meet another seasonal creek. That creek runs directly through a HUGE clearcut thats at least 10 years old and never replanted. It provides a travel path from one dark timber (hunt-able) to the weyerhauser land. I know there is also at least 3 does in the area as I ran up on them last year.

The cam with the elk I've been twice, it has a wallow where the spring comes out of the ground. I could tell the elk and deer are sniffing around and curious about my sent (and my kids). I'll probably try to let them sit a few weeks now that I placed a salt block on the cam with all the bucks as I don't want to scent it all up too much.

As the summer goes I'll throw whatever pics I find.

[Dan-o]

You create too big of a bait site this early in the year, you may also draw interest from other hunters in the area.  Try to avoid creating competition for yourself unless you have some private property locked up or the only access to your spot. 

This might be some of the best advice I've seen given on the forum in a long time.



@h2ofowlr

[dilleytech]

When they shed their velvet they most likely will disappear and go to an unknown area and you will never see them again. You can try keeping them baited but I wouldn’t get your hopes to high that they will be there come September. I haven’t found a bait that deer eat that bears Also won’t eat. Deer around me don’t like alphalfa. Salt work in the spring and will bring in does in the fall.

[Janitor123]

Welp. I put a mineral trace block on one of the cams a couple weeks ago. Today I collected photos and saw multiple bucks and a bull come by on the trail and act like they were scared of the block. A couple bucks literally tucked tail and ran. I guess I'll just leave it because I don't want to go in again and leave any more of my scent about.

These cams were all pretty close to each other. I moved the one with the bear to another road in the unit to see if the bucks venture that far away from their protective weyhauser land.

What we've got below are: bucks, bear, coyote, elk, hummingbird.

[Janitor123]

Bear and Hummingbird

[Janitor123]

3 more bucks (one stubby)

[Janitor123]

couple more

[Janitor123]

The cows were somewhat interested in the block. The bull didn't even come inside the trees. He stayed on the road sniffing, then left.

[Janitor123]

Bull in the back left doesn't come in closer than this. Couldn't get a photo with his entire rack in it, but video shows he's 4x4.

[Dan-o]

Thanks for sharing the pics.

Interesting spot.

[jrebel]

They should get comfortable with that block and even start using it as they walk by.  Sometimes introducing something new scares them....but they will become comfortable with it being there and not pay it much attention in short order. 

Nice pictures and a couple real nice bucks.   

[Jpmiller]

I've had them do that on blocks before too. Took them a little bit but soon they were going after it.

[hunter399]

Don't be moving those blocks around now.
You want an established spot in the future.
Salt is best when placed early in the year ,when deer and elk are coming out of winter.
It will work year round though too,leave those blocks till next year and refresh .
Your pics will double ,even if the population of animals stays the same. They will just visit it more,when it's established.

[Janitor123]

Question for you experts. Would this area still be hunt-able to you if logging started on the adjacent property? The big timber that they seem to be bedding in isn't touched...but a couple hundred yards behind it is being logged actively.

Thanks for thoughts

[h2ofowlr]

Question for you experts. Would this area still be hunt-able to you if logging started on the adjacent property? The big timber that they seem to be bedding in isn't touched...but a couple hundred yards behind it is being logged actively.

Thanks for thoughts

Yes, logging near the area doesn't seem to spook them to bad from my experience.  If the area they hang is logged, they will move and probably still come back to that spot in the evening to check it out.  Eventually they will find a new location to hang out until re-growth fits their needs.

[hunter399]

Question for you experts. Would this area still be hunt-able to you if logging started on the adjacent property? The big timber that they seem to be bedding in isn't touched...but a couple hundred yards behind it is being logged actively.

Thanks for thoughts

It might change there habits for a bit.
I've had plenty of hunting spots that where fine all year.
Then pull up there to hunt and they just started a logging unit or tree thinning units just days before the season started.
It just happens.

Most biologist will tell ya that logging and most reforest practice will actually enhance it. With new growth from brush,grass,and other stuff that deer and elk eat. But realistically that takes a few years. Especially if they are clear-cuts,then they spray this nasty stuff to kill all the brush,then replant trees. Which all happens in the next two years after the cut.

In the mean time ,most cuts in the fall before winter will create a food source for deer and elk,in the form of what they call left over slash. I wouldn't give up on the spot,it will most likely get better over time. Active logging may push the animals to use private more.
If operations are done before your season would be ideal.
Keep a close eye on the edges of the cut.,tracks or trails that might lead into the cut at night ,since cover is reduced.
Try to use it as a positive. But at the same time really look for animals in cuts that are 3-7 years old ,that are near the new cut.

That's all I got,my best explanation.

[Janitor123]

I appreciate your insight guys, thanks.

I didn't consider the "leftover slash" would be there as a food sources - good to know! I'm going to check cam's again at the end of the month, we'll see what is in there.