Whidbey Island Deer hunting- Need help! UPDATED/PICS!

[Stickerbush]

This is related to an earlier post by Ellensburg, so we get out to the spot on whidbey Friday. Checked the trail cam and happy to see several bucks coming in on our area, few forkies and a nice 4x4. Set up and get ready to wait, I am waiting in a blind up high and the flash goes off on the trail cam! I look down and see the big buck at about 20 yards. by this time its getting pretty dark (still within shooting hours) but the fiber optic sights on my bow aren't really glowing. I get ready, try my best to aim and shoot...thwack too low. buck takes off running. Find the arrow, no blood, clean miss. Figured I shot just under the buck on a quartering away shot. hunt the rest of the weekend, no deer coming in at shooting light. but check the trail cam and they are still coming in, either an hour or so after light and really early morning.

so I have the rest of December to tag out here, does anyone have any tips to get them to come in during the light? These deer seem pretty nocturnal but they are consistently coming into the area. I was just wondering if there is any way to get them to come in during shooting light.

Any tips would be great, thanks!
Sam
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so I got back out to the island today and the trail cam was almost out of battery, did get to swap out the memory card and here is a couple pics of the deer hangin out over there, I'm gonna get back out this weekend!

[Ellensburg]

PM SENT!

[Skyvalhunter]

Alot of the larger bucks are that way. Sometimes you either have to go find thier bedding area and hope to get a shot or hope for the rut.

[ICEMAN]

Yeah, I was going to say to try to hunt closer to the direction they are coming from if you can....you will intercept them at a better light condition...

[Stickerbush]

yea i was thinking about that. Will be difficult as the area is really thickly vegetated and i don't have a treestand. I know the general direction from where they are coming from but it is super thick and I'll have to watch my scent. I might have to invest in a treestand or borrow one so I can be somewhat mobile and catch them en route

[NWBREW]

The bucks gotta be somewhere during shooting light. Just gotta find out where and go get em.

[Stickerbush]

notice the times, these deer are night owles !

[Bigshooter]

I would try rattling and calling.  On baited deer that are coming in after dark i have had success doing this.

[Sneaky]

Leave less bait. Looks like you have cob and maybe salt, try apples and leave only enough for the night, they will compete for the feed and try to be first to the pile.

[sakoshooter]

Yeah, I was going to say to try to hunt closer to the direction they are coming from if you can....you will intercept them at a better light condition...

x2

[Ellensburg]

Blacktail guys- how good is this buck-a-roo



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[Stickerbush]

Blacktail guys- how good is this buck-a-roo



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thats the one

[GWP]

'Boom' or 'thwack'. Take your pick. Nice one!   

[Stickerbush]

'Boom' or 'thwack'. Take your pick. Nice one!   

[throttlejocky20]

'Boom' or 'thwack'. Take your pick. Nice one!   

Big enough blackie for anyone I know. Definitely worth expending all necessary efforts.
 

[dscubame]

Tape a flashlight on your barrel.

[Ellensburg]

Cmon you blacktail *censored*s! Tell me how good of an island deer is that one that i posted?

[SneekY]

Cmon you blacktail *censored*s! Tell me how good of an island deer is that one that i posted?

  DESENT LARGER R AROUND U JUST HAVE TO BE sNEEKy!!!!!!!! THEY R A VERY HARD ANIMAL TO JUDGE AND FIND THE BIGGINS IN DAY LIGHT THERE AROUND BUT R NOT STUPID EVEN IN THE RUT!!!!!!!!!! kEEP PEOPLE OUT ONLY U IN SCENT COVERS AND URINES THE ORIGINALCAN CALL DURING RUT HEAVY TRAILS DENSE BRUSH tree stand self climber IF U DONT HAVE THIS ON THIS ISLAND GOOD LUCK !!!!!!! YOU SHOULD PROBABLY JUST GO HOME !!!!   SEEN MANY DURING DAY LIGHT FAR AND FEW !!!!!   HINT DOE IN HEAT URINE 2 ZIP LOCK BAGS aND HAnD WARMERS U FIGURE IT OUT FROM THERE ANY ?? CONACT ME !!!!!!!!! SneekY!!!!!!!!!

[dscubame]

My vote for the absolute all time most annoying post.

[SneekY]

My vote for the absolute all time most annoying post.

i 2nd that! thanx 4 the input ur a lotta help!

[Stickerbush]

sneeky it was a little hard to translate your post, but there is some good tips in there. thanks.

[Ellensburg]

His name is sneeky for a reason... He isn't just going to flat out give away all of his knowledge. He will tell us a great deal of information in code.

I like your style Sneeky.

[SneekY]

His name is sneeky for a reason... He isn't just going to flat out give away all of his knowledge. He will tell us a great deal of information in code.

I like your style Sneeky.

thank you glad to see there r some decent people on here if all u can do is talk *censored* save it 4 someone interested in that grow up or get off thanx 4 your time!!!!

[markts]

Code

[SpeedGoat]

I got one early on Whidbey (opening day of archery) and also drew the second tag.  I've been working on a nice buck but he too is nocturnal, especially now that they are post rut.  I'm going to dump a bin of apples tomorrow and hope that an unbred doe or 2 is still on the property.  The big blacktail bucks aren't going to stray far from their core bedding areas right now, so you either have to go find his bed (which is risky, but being agressive may be the trick) or hope he'll come to bait right before light or that he's seeking that last doe that hasn't been bred.  Unfortunately, the buck i'm after is bedding on another property so I can't go after him. . .i have to try to wait for him to make a mistake.  I'm really hoping that having apples out for several days will suck him in a little early; i'm gonna try for him for the last week of season starting right after xmas.  Good luck!

[Black Ghost]

Have you tried mocassin joe blacktail scent and a primos can? 

[dscubame]

At 7 years old you sure are a angry cuss. 

[washelkhntr]

Blacktail guys- how good is this buck-a-roo



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That is a good buck for the island.  A shooter for sure.

[Stickerbush]

that is the buck I missed on opening day of the late season. Whats up with that mocasin joe stuff?

Have you tried mocassin joe blacktail scent and a primos can? 

I'm heading to cabelas sunday so I might take a look at that if they have it. I'll be able to get out there again with another bin of apples that has really seemed to bring them in, and on occasion all the way out till ten in the morning.