Late Season Whitetail Tips

[Dipsnort]

After striking out in the early season for deer it looks like I may finally get to try my hand at hunting a whitetail, which I have never done.  My brother tells me he is looking for a spot in NE WA for the modern firearm late season so we don't even know where we'll end up going at this point.

What I'm looking for is some tips to help out a die-hard blacktail/muley hunter with no whitetail experience.  I hear a lot about whitetails hanging in the really thick brush and in very close proximity to houses but sometimes I wonder if I should expect to encounter whitetails in more open areas and up in the mountains away from houses as well--or do they simply not live in those types of areas?  I'm thinking about bringing a couple of sheds to try my hand at rattling as well.

Any and all tips appreciated.

[Buckmark]

Not quite sure what type of deer/buck your looking for but if it's just meat then the closer to agriculture the better your odd's. Big o'l bucks will be both in the thick stuff and can be up high, but the closer to the rut, the closer to the does which will be near easy feed, cover which is farmland.
I see some nice bucks in the summer at my place which is at 3600ft and some does, but the deer get thicker the lower i go..

[Machias]

Whitetails are much more territorial and they are much easier to pattern.  However big whitetail bucks, IMO, are much cagier then mulie bucks, this is just one guys opinion and no need to start any whitetails vs mulie fights.    Late season, find the does and stay near them.  I don't like hunting near ANYONES home, so I'm not sure where that thought process came from but they do like creek and river bottoms and thick cover.  However during the rut you can find them all over the place.  That said I would not venture TOO far up the mountains as most of your does will be in the lower areas and the bucks will not be far from the does.  Rattling and grunting can be good in normal years....not sure how it's going to be this year since the herd has had the snot knocked out of them the past two winters.  Could mean the bucks that are left will have to travel farther to find more does, which could mean good chances at a nice buck.  Also when the rut really kicks in, don't be one of those guys heading back to your truck for lunch.  Rut time means take your lunch with you as your just as likely to kill a big buck midday as you are early and late.

[Snowman]

Whitetails are much more territorial and they are much easier to pattern.  However big whitetail bucks, IMO, are much cagier then mulie bucks, this is just one guys opinion and no need to start any whitetails vs mulie fights.    Late season, find the does and stay near them.  I don't like hunting near ANYONES home, so I'm not sure where that thought process came from but they do like creek and river bottoms and thick cover.  However during the rut you can find them all over the place.  That said I would not venture TOO far up the mountains as most of your does will be in the lower areas and the bucks will not be far from the does.  Rattling and grunting can be good in normal years....not sure how it's going to be this year since the herd has had the snot knocked out of them the past two winters.  Could mean the bucks that are left will have to travel farther to find more does, which could mean good chances at a nice buck.  Also when the rut really kicks in, don't be one of those guys heading back to your truck for lunch.  Rut time means take your lunch with you as your just as likely to kill a big buck midday as you are early and late.

Agreed with him on that as I have hunted alot of that area. A lot of good area there. Look up in the little pendorille area get close to private property hunt a few hundred yards off the fences. Good luck heading to that area myself

[Dipsnort]

Thanks, that's the kind of information I was looking for.

Rut time means take your lunch with you as your just as likely to kill a big buck midday as you are early and late.

I learned several years ago not to come in at lunchtime no matter when or where I'm hunting.  There are opportunities to find animals at any time during the day with changing tactics based on the animal activity.