Late rifle season help - new hunter

[FarnsworthB]

My first post. I welcome the help or the criticism. 😂

I have hunted hard this year with the multi season tag. Archery, then muzzleloader and then modern firearm. No dice. Saw A LOT of does and then some bucks that weren’t three point or better, when it was required. I got into Hunting because I made a commitment to only eat wild meat. So I have not eaten any chicken or beef or pork in more than a year. So far, I have gotten a lot of ducks and filled my turkey tags but deer have been more difficult. I wouldn’t be posting here unless I really needed help. I would LOVE to get my first deer and now it’s any buck in the whitetail areas I would like to hunt. Hopefully GMU 121. But I’m happy to drive further from that area in other areas open in late rifle season starting next weekend.

Does anyone have a recommendation on where to find a whitetail buck, big or small? I know they tend to prefer the low lands and agricultural areas, unlike mule deer. Would also love to hear advice regarding methods (rattling, etc).

I will also mention that I would be very receptive to private land opportunities and would love to exchange a guided salmon fishing trip next summer or work on your farm or ranch in exchange for access. I’ve enjoyed this site for information as I’ve started hunting so thanks for your contributions to this site to help out people like me who are hoping to keep the hunting tradition going strong. ✊🏼

[brokentrail]

I don't hunt the East side but, if it were me, since I knew the area where I saw those does and bucks that didn't meet the antler restrictions in place at that time, I would be hunting there vs. trying to start over and learn a new area while season is in progress.  Save learning new areas for when season isn't in.  If you can locate those does, stay near them, a buck will show up eventually.  I would also make sure if I found those does that I could hunt daylight to dark, sufficient food, water, warm clothes, etc and I would probably be sitting and watching, not up and moving.  Still hunting can be difficult to get right imo.

[Billy74]

Since its whitetail go find those does and sit.  Don’t try and glass one for a mile away like MD  but find a place where you can see pretty good and maintain some level of concealment and watch the edges where habitat changes.  Be conservative with grunting.  If you are hunting public find NF where they thin or clear cut and look for a spot between logging roads roads hunters are using.  You don’t need to be miles in.  On sat maps you can find small patches of timber between clear cuts the deer will use to travel and bed.  Those are great edges to watch from 100-200 yds off.  If you do go this route patients is key.  Took me years to accept just sitting all day for multiple days to see one or two is what i needed. My most controversial take is that it is ok to put in an ear bud and listen to a podcast or even give yourself permission to go back to the truck for lunch to warm up If that is what will keep you out in the woods longer.  I also have terrible eye site and have never once glassed a WT.  i always see them move first and then glass but learning to spot a deer has been by far the biggest challenge. 


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[mountainman]

Some good advice above👍

[Rutnbuxnbulls]

Great advice so far. I agree you don’t need to go too deep. In the past I’ve looked for rugged, tough to get to spots on public and killed, also killed near roads too. Get the wind right and stay on does. Watch their down wind side, I’m talking 100-200 yards or more. November whitetail hunting for me is get in does and stay put to see cruisers. Try to find 2-3 doe groups in separate locations. Typically these doe groups are going to be a momma, fawn, maybe 1.5 year old offspring. Usually older one goes into estrus early. When that happens, she might get pushed by a buck away from the others girls. If you notice a solo doe that used to be in a group, be ready buck nearby. Good luck!

[Rutnbuxnbulls]

Unit 121 has a lot of public land.  I rattled in a shooter last November but I got busted, fun encounter.  There are a few PLHO’s in NE units, but otherwise I don’t have any private opportunities, just lots of NF/DNR/BLM lands.  Lots of deer, probably some EHD lower and less at higher elevations so try to get up to 3000’ or more.  But during rut bigger bucks are coming down cruising for does too so anything goes!

Rattling advice:  I like to watch THP, guys out of Mid West.  They’re funny and kill a lot of deer. They hunt different terrain but the calling methods apply. Make a rattle sequence sound realistic. There’s a couple grunts as two bucks square off, then maybe they engage horns, then go at it hard,  then there’s sounds that their hooves make stirring up the forest floor, then back to the antlers clacking. Download an actual buck fight. 

Go out and have fun and enjoy the outdoors.  You’ll be a year older the next time you get to do it.