6 Bucks traveling between huntable and "no hunt"

[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.