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.