Discouraging

[jennyfell55]

So today I decided to try my luck hunting on my own. Drove out to JBLM and coaxed my little pontiac over the tank trails, found a nice area, and got to hunting. NOTHING. The only thing I saw all day long was 2 frogs Not a single mammal! Not even a squirrel.  I'm hoping it was just the wrong weather or... something. Is it always like that or do I just have bad luck?

[sebek556]

jblm animals are used to people, so they bed down and hide. kind of a different hunting there you almost have to step on one to see it

[dawei]

What training area were you hunting?

[jackmaster]

jenny, thats blacktail huntn , drive your little car out to vail, your car will do fine, as long as you stay on the bigger dirt roads, there is a million clearcuts you can hunt through and i promise you will see deer, the only thing is you gotta wait till the weekend, and trust me dont let the amount of people scare you off just dont be affraid to get out of your car, oh one more question do you know how to gut  a deer?

[jennyfell55]

I was in TA 20. Glad to hear that's just the way it is. I'll try checking out Vail, do I need one of those dumb discover passes there? As for gutting, I've read a few articles and watched videos, so I think that's about as good as I can do without getting to actually gut a deer and really learn firsthand.

[jackmaster]

atta girl glad to hear you aint affraid to get bloody  , i am not sure if you need a discover pass, all i know is its weyehauser land, if you go to vail go to the right at the fork where the tent is set up, about 2 miles up the road there is a huge clearcut on the left park there and hunt up through that clearcut until you hit the upper road and go from there it will be a down hill drag if you crack one oh and its any buck in there, i took my son in there his first 2 years he got a spike his first year and a 2pt the second year after he missed a stud 3pt with eye guards 3 times clean, good luck to ya , hope you nail one

[Rainier10]

Way to go for it.  People laughed the first time I got an elk and told them I had read a book on it.  As for gutting, once they are dead everything that is inside belows on the outside, cut em open and get it out.  Then cut the deer into pieces big enough that you can carry.  A small buck you can probably drag and big one you might have to cut in half in front of the rear legs through the spine.  You will ruin a couple of backstrap steaks but not all of the backstraps.  Good luck I hope you get one.

[bobcat]

I've been hunting blacktails all week in the evenings after work, and I haven't seen any. I've HEARD a few, but haven't seen them. That's just how it is. It should get better with the rain we're having plus we're getting closer to the rut.

[DoubleJ]

Jenny, you got PM

[oldcamper]

TA 20 wouldn't be my first choice, TA8 or somewhere close to that. Small impact is one of the best but only opens for one weekend a year. Keep your eyes out for it. pulled a 5X5 out of there several years ago. TA12 used to be good but not sure if it can be hunted with the MOAT site there.

[gasman]

TA 20 wouldn't be my first choice, TA8 or somewhere close to that. Small impact is one of the best but only opens for one weekend a year. Keep your eyes out for it. pulled a 5X5 out of there several years ago. TA12 used to be good but not sure if it can be hunted with the MOAT site there.

Unfortunatly TA12 is closed for all hunting untill further notice, not even duck hunting 

[dirty24d]

keep at it!! blacktails are very elusive, I'm lucky enough to have a spot close enough to my house that i can check everyday otherwise  I'd swear there were no deer in the area. Sneaky sneaky deer!!

[Hunterman]

Don't feel bad Jenny,,,Quick Draw and I have been hunting areas 10 opening weekend,,saw nothing..Hunted 11 Monday,,again nothing..We hunted area 8 today and again saw nothing..NO EVEN A DOE  We will be in area 8 again tomarrow..If you hit hit TA08 tomarrow,,keep an eye out for a 1969 green Ford and say hay..

Hunterman(Tony)

[gasman]

Don't feel bad Jenny,,,Quick Draw and I have been hunting areas 10 opening weekend,,saw nothing..Hunted 11 Monday,,again nothing..We hunted area 8 today and again saw nothing..NO EVEN A DOE  We will be in area 8 again tomarrow..If you hit hit TA08 tomarrow,,keep an eye out for a 1969 green Ford and say hay..

Hunterman(Tony)

Watch for Pete's truck if you are in TA9 tommorow. We are going after quackers instead of deer.

[Forrestrover]

Don't be discouraged, Jenny. That's awesome that you got out there on your own. The more you get out in the woods, the more animals you'll start to see.