Hunting Washington Forum

Big Game Hunting => Deer Hunting => Topic started by: ffbowhunter on August 06, 2017, 06:46:59 PM

Title: Early season whitetail
Post by: ffbowhunter on August 06, 2017, 06:46:59 PM: I am lucky enough to get access to some acreage in the Spokane area. I only have experience hunting mule deer. So whitetail hunting is a foreign world to me. I was hoping some of you could help me out strategy wise archery hunting whitetail in September.
Title: Re: Early season whitetail
Post by: OutHouse on August 10, 2017, 11:11:28 AM: Are you using a tree stand? Ground Blind? Spot and stalk? Still hunting?

One thing to know about whitetails is that they are very curious and if you jump up some deer and they run away, just sit where you are, and better yet get yourself ready to take a shot because often times they will circle back around if you didn't scare the bejeezus out of them.

If you already have some patterned, then I would consider a ground blind. Whitetails will often use the same paths for weeks until they change things up a bit.

Also, you tube videos about "string jump". I have had a whitetail actually duck my arrow.
Title: Re: Early season whitetail
Post by: vandeman17 on August 10, 2017, 11:13:51 AM: Find out where they are feeding and bedding. Early season they will tend to take the same general path back and forth each day. Pick a good ambush point along that route, pay attention to wind direction and let them come to you. :twocents:
Title: Re: Early season whitetail
Post by: jjhunter on August 10, 2017, 03:29:01 PM: The first day or two is critical to killing a big deer. The biggest bucks will rub just prior to or just after the first. When that velvet comes off, they disappear.

If you get a rain day in Sept, be in the woods! Whitetail bucks will move all day.
Title: Re: Early season whitetail
Post by: Timberstalker on August 10, 2017, 03:45:51 PM: Quote from: jjhunter on August 10, 2017, 03:29:01 PM
The first day or two is critical to killing a big deer. The biggest bucks will rub just prior to or just after the first. When that velvet comes off, they disappear.

If you get a rain day in Sept, be in the woods! Whitetail bucks will move all day.

This is just about gospel.
Amazing what happens when the velvet comes off. :tup:
Title: Re: Early season whitetail
Post by: DOUBLELUNG on August 10, 2017, 04:51:50 PM: Quote from: vandeman17 on August 10, 2017, 11:13:51 AM
Find out where they are feeding and bedding. Early season they will tend to take the same general path back and forth each day. Pick a good ambush point along that route, pay attention to wind direction and let them come to you. :twocents:
Once you know where they are bedding, stay the heck out of there! Be on stand at least an hour before sunset (I prefer to not hunt whitetails in the a.m. unless it is a stand I can access with very low probability of spooking deer in the dark)
Title: Re: Early season whitetail
Post by: vandeman17 on August 10, 2017, 05:08:54 PM: Quote from: DOUBLELUNG on August 10, 2017, 04:51:50 PM
Quote from: vandeman17 on August 10, 2017, 11:13:51 AM
Find out where they are feeding and bedding. Early season they will tend to take the same general path back and forth each day. Pick a good ambush point along that route, pay attention to wind direction and let them come to you. :twocents:
Once you know where they are bedding, stay the heck out of there! Be on stand at least an hour before sunset (I prefer to not hunt whitetails in the a.m. unless it is a stand I can access with very low probability of spooking deer in the dark)

Agreed. Don't break their routine. Catch them between feed and bed. Stealth in and stealth out.