Late season hunt

[baldopepper]

Did a little look around in my area yesterday and from what I saw looks like a tough go in my general area.  Not really seeing any sign of the whitetail rut yet, and deer seem to still be in the early morning, late evening movement routine. What few whitetail does I saw didn't have any bucks around them.  Usual places I see deer aren't holding like they have in previous years. Roads are still in pretty good shape and it's not been terribly cold so at least camping should be better. Watch what you shoot, mule deer bucks seem to be showing up better
Good luck out there, stay safe.

[hunter399]

Just on the other side of mountain from ya here.
WT numbers are down across the whole county.
Some areas are better than others.
Still a few bucks around, think it just boils down to catching a buck that is checking out some public ground doe.
The doe is the only reason for most bucks in our area to step foot on public land.
Early vs late buck chance of seeing a buck is only a tiny bit better.

Stay safe you all,tag a big in for me.

[buckfvr]

The way the weather looks, all the regular road hunting areas will be crowded.

[10thmountainarcher]

I hunt 111/113/117, the majority of solid day time movement in those units happens the last couple days of the season and then after.

[highcountry_hunter]

The way the weather looks, all the regular road hunting areas will be crowded.

Perfect! Less people out walking


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[Ghost Hunter]

After missing all the early seasons, I'll be out in 105 for the finish. 

[bearpaw]

One of my guides saw two different bucks chasing does yesterday, we think the rut might start a little earlier this year.

[jrebel]

Starting about a week ago, we had small bucks running with does.  The bigger bucks were trailing the does but not with them.   We would have a trail cam with 3-5 does and half hour later a mature buck trailing them.  Only one doe spotted this morning but it is windy and my experience is the deer hunker down in this weather. 

[Southpole]

Saw a 2 point whitetail all swelled up 3 days ago. This morning there’s good pack of bucks hound dogging around our neighborhood.

[buckfvr]

All hunkered down here too, better bucks have been pushy and agitated for several days now, lots of head back lip curling and horning anything in their way.  Younger bucks avoiding any contact with the older bucks and seem to have gone where its ok for them to pester the does.  Definitely some actual rutting taking place now as bucks are no longer predictable here anyway.

[Lapua07]

They're moving. And pushing does I might add. But they're by no means "hot". I've been seeing the same bigger buck off and on heading into work for a couple months now. He's yet to let himself be seen in daylight hours. The little guys are busy in the day light though. Numbers being low in my opinion will leave to less competition for the little ones to have with mature bucks. That's just my personal outlook.

[Moe the Sleaze]

What’s with the short late season this year? Only 8 days, wtf? Any chance we can get back to 12-14 days next year?

[bearpaw]

What’s with the short late season this year? Only 8 days, wtf? Any chance we can get back to 12-14 days next year?

It all has to do with the way the days land on the calendar, each year it will gain a day in length until it gets to be about 2 weeks and then it gets shortened again. I can't remember the exact formula, but that's the reason. Honestly I'm glad to see it shorter this year, they probably need a shorter season for a few years after the blue tongue.

[jrebel]

These last two days have brought cold / freezing weather at night.  I finally started seeing a little rut activity with the whitetail deer.  It appears the rut had a little bit of a premature start a couple weeks ago with the snow and cold weather....then slowed and now is getting going again.  Saw three mule deer bucks this last week that were rutting hard.  I had to be back to work Thursday so I punched my tag this morning.  Good luck to the guys hunting this weekend.  Weather looks to be a winner.   

[Ridgeratt]

Congratulations

No photos?

[LDennis24]

I agree with Dale on the shorter late season. It helps the deer and at this point they really need it.