Hunting Washington Forum

Big Game Hunting => Deer Hunting => Topic started by: poulsbo on October 21, 2008, 08:40:47 PM

Title: anyone else notice the blacktail not moving in their area?
Post by: poulsbo on October 21, 2008, 08:40:47 PM: we have 200+ acres of pvt. ground we're hunting and i've only seen one small 3 pt. and a couple of does , tracks everywhere in mornings they only moving @ night it seems. i might try rattling or something to draw them out, anyone have any luck with that?
Title: Re: anyone else notice the blacktail not moving in their area?
Post by: PA BEN on October 21, 2008, 08:48:31 PM: It's the full moon and clear nights. :bash: It's the same on the east side too with the white tails >:(
Title: Re: anyone else notice the blacktail not moving in their area?
Post by: piledup on October 21, 2008, 10:01:28 PM: :yeah:
Title: Re: anyone else notice the blacktail not moving in their area?
Post by: sivart33 on October 21, 2008, 10:14:31 PM: have seen tons of deers at the night but, nothing mvoing in the morning time or evening. i have jumped one out of its bed but never saw waht is was that is the only thing i have seen/herd during the day :(
Title: Re: anyone else notice the blacktail not moving in their area?
Post by: bow4elk on October 21, 2008, 10:44:19 PM: Rattling works pretty well in thickets the last week in October through the first week of November. Too bad the seasons don't quite cooperate though. I've rattled in some nice bucks in windy/rainy conditions. I'm going out with the video camera next week to see what I can do.
Title: Re: anyone else notice the blacktail not moving in their area?
Post by: ZEN on October 21, 2008, 11:07:17 PM: Jumped someone who gave me a big grunt and some snot but didn't get a good look. Pretty bleak. That's how it is when you hunt ghosts in the forest. Hopeing for some messy weather here to close the regular season. November 13 looking better and better. No preasure.
Title: Re: anyone else notice the blacktail not moving in their area?
Post by: Dman on October 22, 2008, 06:24:00 AM: Weather has been too nice, too much moon. I did see one of the biggest blacktail bucks I've ever seen last week -at 4AM.
Title: Re: anyone else notice the blacktail not moving in their area?
Post by: Gobble on October 22, 2008, 06:29:12 AM: I saw a nice big 2 point BT by my house last night that was getting rutty. He had his attn focused on a doe accross the field. I bet by the late hunt the BT will be all over the place, esp as the weather gets cold.
Title: Re: anyone else notice the blacktail not moving in their area?
Post by: 12Gauge on October 22, 2008, 08:20:23 AM: Hopefully it gets better on the 25th and 26th, it should be pretty dark at night. The new moon emerges on the 28th
Title: Re: anyone else notice the blacktail not moving in their area?
Post by: dreamingbig on October 22, 2008, 09:32:14 AM: How many blacktail bowhunters buy a modern firearm tag so that they can hunt blacktails closer to the rut?

Obviously you reduce the number of days you have afield at the expense of potentially having more active bucks during daylight hours. I have heard of others doing it in the past but was curious as to who else did and what have been their experiences?
Title: Re: anyone else notice the blacktail not moving in their area?
Post by: Antlershed on October 22, 2008, 10:18:05 AM: Next year I plan on applying for the deer multi-season. If I get that, I will apply for a special permit rifle hunt. If I don't draw the special permit, then I will probably give it a shot with my bow during the modern season. (I've had quite a bit of time to think of this master plan while I wait for the late archery season :chuckle:)
Title: Re: anyone else notice the blacktail not moving in their area?
Post by: poulsbo on October 22, 2008, 01:25:44 PM: i know a blacktail guide that hunts archery areas with a modern tag, he's got rattling and calling blacktails down to a science though.
Title: Re: anyone else notice the blacktail not moving in their area?
Post by: shag on October 22, 2008, 05:09:23 PM: Jumped some nice deer in the deep dark timber yesterday. They were still in the dark Timber and we only had maybe 15 minutes of light left. They were also bedded. :bash:

Rattling and calling has worked in the past but not much results this year. I rattle and or call at least one or two different set ups every time I hunt. Biggest blacktail I've ever seen hunting came into soft rattlin and calling well before the rut 5 yrs ago. Yep I fugged up the shot :bash: :bash:
Title: Re: anyone else notice the blacktail not moving in their area?
Post by: ZEN on October 22, 2008, 09:08:43 PM: Lets hear the 5 years ago story. There's always a good one when there's fugged up shot.

I got up into some timber that I wasn't familiar with the other day. MAn was it thick. I kept looking for where the tree tops spread out a little and GPS my way through connecting the thinner spots. Seeing droppings and tracks but no deer that day. Thought for sure I'd step on one! Found one bedding area for sure. Made a waymark. It's a little late to be in an unfamiliar area but honestly I liked it. I'll go back. That day burned me out though. Tough hike.

What kind of call sounds are you guys working? Always felt male sounds would be appropriate when you rattle but I'm not to where I'd like to be calling. I'll rattle soft and use some grunt sounds. Glass. Stalk around after a while. Done well with that but never felt like I was really communicating what I should.
Title: Re: anyone else notice the blacktail not moving in their area?
Post by: jeepasaurusrex on October 22, 2008, 09:21:48 PM: I had a doe just about become bumper bait about 10min ago on the way home. She came out of the brush and ran along the white line for about 500' then dove into the brush. This nice weather is making them nocturnal.