Post by: Bogie85 on October 05, 2018, 01:20:00 PM
So I am incredibly terrible at posting on forums in general. But I also understand you get more when you provide more. I have been dragging my feet for years because I am mildly afraid of going hunting a lone and having never really hunted anything other than squirrel in Nebraska. Washington state can be intimidating, but I am forcing myself outside of my comfort zone!
I bought a permit for a weyerhauser property Longview Mt St Helens area. I also know that blacktail deer are by far the hardest deer to get. But you don't learn unless you try, so I guess this is my real first post here not necessarily asking for any help. But saying I hope I am able to update this thread with my first deer ever. I am going out on the 13th opening day and going to try to spot and stalk a deer I have been scouting and learning as much as I can without bothering people for the last 2 years.
Anyways I hope to be able to be more of a contributor here, as this is something I want to learn well. I will also be trying my hand at an elk as I have a tag so going to be lots of chances to learn something new this year. Thanks for letting me read up on things on this forum and I look forward to the weekend after next!
-Thanks!
Post by: slowhand on October 05, 2018, 01:24:30 PM
Best of luck and ask lots of questions.
A black tail buck of any size is a true feather in Your cap.
also don't forget about the late season. that's when it really gets exciting.
Post by: yakimanoob on October 05, 2018, 01:26:04 PM
Do you mean you have a specific deer you've located in your hunt area? If you've already put the work in to have one picked out, I'd say you're doing great. Can't wait to see some success photos on here (even if it takes a few years) :tup:
Post by: Bogie85 on October 05, 2018, 01:28:16 PM
Welcome to the forum and good luck!
Do you mean you have a specific deer you've located in your hunt area? If you've already put the work in to have one picked out, I'd say you're doing great. Can't wait to see some success photos on here (even if it takes a few years) :tup:
I haven't found one yet, I am going out this week to see if I can spot any signs. I finally got my keys to the property recently. I have been using OnX Maps to identify what I think will house deer, granted I am a complete newbie so I may find I am completely wrong lol. But I am excited to at least be trying, I got a 10mm sidearm just in case I run into any predators that won't back down to pepper spray. But being in the woods makes me feel at home, so I look forward to this no matter what the outcome is.
Post by: Bogie85 on October 05, 2018, 01:31:01 PM
I'm excited to see How You do. :tup:
Best of luck and ask lots of questions.
A black tail buck of any size is a true feather in Your cap.
also don't forget about the late season. that's when it really gets exciting.
Thanks! I know a few things about them now lol. I know they spook easier then whitetail deer. I need to stay down wind and ideally get into my spot with some clearings as early as possible to reduce chances of them running while they are bedding down. So I am learning at least, but I won't lie it's very intimidating the amount of info you need to learn lol. Whitetail deer back in nebraska are just a sit and wait near a corn field/opening.
Post by: slowhand on October 05, 2018, 02:04:16 PM
Pro tip #479874 :hello:
Blacktail will just stand there as frozen as they can and watch what You do. My Dad says "They believe in their camouflage more than most animals". If You don't show signs that You have spotted them they often won't move a muscle.
Post by: fishnfur on October 05, 2018, 02:18:06 PM
I've hunted that area a bit prior to the implementation of trespass fees. Most of the unit was heavily timbered and hard to see any distance at all. Clearcuts are herbicide sprayed to the Nth degree so there's not a ton of deer food in them. The deer do bed down in them once the trees are large enough to hide them, and sometimes bed down in a spot that has little cover at all, so you should visually check all interesting looking spots. I imagine with all the recent cutting that Weyco has been doing, there are a lot more new clearcuts, so visibility may be much better in many areas now than in the past. Sitting down and glassing a cut for hours may be productive, as will your method of getting into an area with a lot of sign early, hiding, and waiting for deer to show. Attempting to stalk in on a deer is difficult at best, and not necessary in many situations unless your weapon of choice requires you to get close.
I found that the area was heavily hunted by road hunters, which is often frustrating for hunters who get out of their vehicles and go into the woods. In many areas, I found a lot of deer sign the close in areas that most hunters blow by as they hurry to get to areas deeper in. Alder flats down along quiet sections of the rivers may provide a great opportunity as the rut gets closer. Lots of food that attract the does Stay hidden, move like a snail or sit still in a spot where you can see a long ways.
In the mean time, read as many of the old BT posts on this forum as you can. Also, if you can get your hands on Boyd Iverson's book "Trophy Blacktail Tactics II" or Scott Haugen's "Trophy Blacktails, The Science of the Hunt", you'll easily gain a lot of knowledge that otherwise takes years to accumulate.
Good luck!
Post by: fishnfur on October 05, 2018, 02:26:28 PM
Don't be so sure about the spook more than a white tail.
Pro tip #479874 :hello:
Blacktail will just stand there as frozen as they can and watch what You do. My Dad says "They believe in their camouflage more than most animals". If You don't show signs that You have spotted them they often won't move a muscle.
Good point! If you're sure they've spotted you, don't stare at them, just pretend you didn't see them. If you're not read to shoot immediately, try turning your back to them until you're prepared for the shot. They will often watch you for a few seconds longer giving you time to gather your wits and then make a smooth movement to quickly aim and fire. On the other hand, sometimes all it takes is just a bit of movement and they will freak and run. Every deer is different. The mature ones won't give you many chances to screw up outside the rut.
Post by: N7XW on October 05, 2018, 02:29:54 PM
I'm curious what weapon you'll be hunting with. If you haven't done so already, I'd recommend that you do one or more outings to make sure that gun is zeroed at 100 yards (or whatever range you desire). Take along shooting sticks/tripod for additional stability and make sure you're proficient with your gun prior to hitting the woods.
I've hunted that area a bit prior to the implementation of trespass fees. Most of the unit was heavily timbered and hard to see any distance at all. Clearcuts are herbicide sprayed to the Nth degree so there's not a ton of deer food in them. The deer do bed down in them once the trees are large enough to hide them, and sometimes bed down in a spot that has little cover at all, so you should visually check all interesting looking spots. I imagine with all the recent cutting that Weyco has been doing, there are a lot more new clearcuts, so visibility may be much better in many areas now than in the past. Sitting down and glassing a cut for hours may be productive, as will your method of getting into an area with a lot of sign early, hiding, and waiting for deer to show. Attempting to stalk in on a deer is difficult at best, and not necessary in many situations unless your weapon of choice requires you to get close.
I found that the area was heavily hunted by road hunters, which is often frustrating for hunters who get out of their vehicles and go into the woods. In many areas, I found a lot of deer sign the close in areas that most hunters blow by as they hurry to get to areas deeper in. Alder flats down along quiet sections of the rivers may provide a great opportunity as the rut gets closer. Lots of food that attract the does Stay hidden, move like a snail or sit still in a spot where you can see a long ways.
In the mean time, read as many of the old BT posts on this forum as you can. Also, if you can get your hands on Boyd Iverson's book "Trophy Blacktail Tactics II" or Scott Haugen's "Trophy Blacktails, The Science of the Hunt", you'll easily gain a lot of knowledge that otherwise takes years to accumulate.
Good luck!
Great info there.
Post by: Bogie85 on October 05, 2018, 02:33:58 PM
Don't be so sure about the spook more than a white tail.
Pro tip #479874 :hello:
Blacktail will just stand there as frozen as they can and watch what You do. My Dad says "They believe in their camouflage more than most animals". If You don't show signs that You have spotted them they often won't move a muscle.
Ooh that's a good note to know. Thanks for this!
Post by: 2MANY on October 05, 2018, 02:39:35 PM
Their tails aren't entirely black.
Post by: Boss .300 winmag on October 05, 2018, 02:40:19 PM
Don't be so sure about the spook more than a white tail.
Pro tip #479874 :hello:
Blacktail will just stand there as frozen as they can and watch what You do. My Dad says "They believe in their camouflage more than most animals". If You don't show signs that You have spotted them they often won't move a muscle.
Ooh that's a good note to know. Thanks for this!
I’ve actually used that to my favor in thick reprod that you only can see 20-30 yards in. Knew the deer were there but being quite they wouldn’t move, so I did little bursts of fast walking to get them up and moving, once I heard them move I sneaked toward them and was able to see them.😉
Post by: Bogie85 on October 05, 2018, 02:50:16 PM
I'm curious what weapon you'll be hunting with. If you haven't done so already, I'd recommend that you do one or more outings to make sure that gun is zeroed at 100 yards (or whatever range you desire). Take along shooting sticks/tripod for additional stability and make sure you're proficient with your gun prior to hitting the woods.
I've hunted that area a bit prior to the implementation of trespass fees. Most of the unit was heavily timbered and hard to see any distance at all. Clearcuts are herbicide sprayed to the Nth degree so there's not a ton of deer food in them. The deer do bed down in them once the trees are large enough to hide them, and sometimes bed down in a spot that has little cover at all, so you should visually check all interesting looking spots. I imagine with all the recent cutting that Weyco has been doing, there are a lot more new clearcuts, so visibility may be much better in many areas now than in the past. Sitting down and glassing a cut for hours may be productive, as will your method of getting into an area with a lot of sign early, hiding, and waiting for deer to show. Attempting to stalk in on a deer is difficult at best, and not necessary in many situations unless your weapon of choice requires you to get close.
I found that the area was heavily hunted by road hunters, which is often frustrating for hunters who get out of their vehicles and go into the woods. In many areas, I found a lot of deer sign the close in areas that most hunters blow by as they hurry to get to areas deeper in. Alder flats down along quiet sections of the rivers may provide a great opportunity as the rut gets closer. Lots of food that attract the does Stay hidden, move like a snail or sit still in a spot where you can see a long ways.
In the mean time, read as many of the old BT posts on this forum as you can. Also, if you can get your hands on Boyd Iverson's book "Trophy Blacktail Tactics II" or Scott Haugen's "Trophy Blacktails, The Science of the Hunt", you'll easily gain a lot of knowledge that otherwise takes years to accumulate.
Good luck!
That's all good info, hopefully they don't spray a ton of pesticides still. I am using a .308 sighted in at a 100 yards and going to the range again this week to make sure it's still sighted in properly. I thought about archery, but I am only proficient around 50-60 yards and didn't want to limit myself if my window of opportunity was small. The land available with the permit is around 390k acres so it's a lot of land to cover. Reaching up to the base of Mt Saint Helens itself. So I am hoping it pans out.
Post by: Bogie85 on October 05, 2018, 02:56:08 PM
Don't be so sure about the spook more than a white tail.
Pro tip #479874 :hello:
Blacktail will just stand there as frozen as they can and watch what You do. My Dad says "They believe in their camouflage more than most animals". If You don't show signs that You have spotted them they often won't move a muscle.
Ooh that's a good note to know. Thanks for this!
I’ve actually used that to my favor in thick reprod that you only can see 20-30 yards in. Knew the deer were there but being quite they wouldn’t move, so I did little bursts of fast walking to get them up and moving, once I heard them move I sneaked toward them and was able to see them.😉
All great info, and stuff I will take into the woods with me.
Post by: opdinkslayer on October 05, 2018, 03:25:44 PM
Post by: Old Man Yager on October 05, 2018, 03:46:08 PM
Post by: Bogie85 on October 05, 2018, 03:58:47 PM
If there are clear cuts I would advise you to spend time behind your binos picking them apart. Most people underutilize glassing when hunting blacktails and they can appear out of thin air in a unit. All 4 deer that myself,a buddy & my 2 boys harvested last year never knew we were there or that the shot was coming. :twocents:
Do you air towards upwind of the clearings? And what's your preference fresh clearings? Or a couple of years old? I have heard several different suggestions and always good to hear other peoples experiences. Thanks for sharing!
Post by: opdinkslayer on October 05, 2018, 04:23:50 PM
Post by: Bogie85 on October 05, 2018, 05:04:01 PM
I’ve seen deer in all ages of clearcuts. If your just looking to harvest a deer then don’t overlook any unit including ones that are a year old. We tend to concentrate on units 3-6 yrs old because they provide feed & cover. Late October is prime time for rifle BT hunting & is when you will find the bucks starting to show themselves more. We hunt the peninsula so I have no knowledge of your area but blackies require patience & persistence but we all kill one every year. If you find doe’s & fawns eventually there will be a buck. Keep at it,enjoy the experience in the woods & you will be rewarded in time. Good luck 8)
Thanks a ton, I am eager to just get out there and sit. Just glass and have been doing as much research as I can. I have been scouting other areas just to know what signs to look for etc. But I am at a point that only going out is all I can do.
Post by: WSU on October 05, 2018, 05:25:19 PM
Post by: opdinkslayer on October 05, 2018, 05:26:53 PM
Post by: JimmyHoffa on October 05, 2018, 05:34:17 PM
Post by: Eric M on October 05, 2018, 06:44:17 PM
Post by: Axle on October 05, 2018, 07:46:10 PM
Quote
Washington state can be intimidating
This may be because of devils club, stinging nettles, Himalayan blackberries, Evergreen blackberries, Canadian thistle, rough terrain, sideways rain, varying wind, and brush so thick that you can't see more than 5' in front of you, but hey - it's all about the adventure - right? :chuckle: :chuckle: :chuckle:
This helps to keep sissies out of the woods I assume :dunno:
Post by: fishnfur on October 05, 2018, 09:29:34 PM
If there are clear cuts I would advise you to spend time behind your binos picking them apart. Most people underutilize glassing when hunting blacktails and they can appear out of thin air in a unit. All 4 deer that myself,a buddy & my 2 boys harvested last year never knew we were there or that the shot was coming. :twocents:
Do you air towards upwind of the clearings? And what's your preference fresh clearings? Or a couple of years old? I have heard several different suggestions and always good to hear other peoples experiences. Thanks for sharing!
You should read up on hunting thermals and then attempt to put it into practice as you scout. The general rule is the winds move like the sun, up in the morning, down in the evening. In reality, the upward movement of air begins as solar radiation heats up the atmosphere and air starts rising. At some point during the morning, depending on the warmth of the day (typically 0700 - 0900), if you are midway up a slope, you will notice that the thermals change from downward to upward. Some hunters work their way uphill until the thermals change, then work their way back down when the air is rising. Atmospheric winds can minimize or even overcome thermals, and a stream at the bottom of the hill may cause thermals to continue down much later into the day. Each spot is site dependent. Once you get to know the area you're hunting, you will better understand the how winds and thermals work there.
In general though, it is much better to be above a buck than below. If you're hunting timber during the early season, they often bed where they see a long ways downhill (looking for predators) and use their sense of scent and foliage or other noisemakers above them to warn of danger from above. According to rumor, they generally bed on a slope above a feeding area (think 50 - 500 yards), where the thermals coming from below mix with the predominant winds above the ridge/hill. That allows them to scent check areas above and below them at the same time. This often ends up being somewhere around 60 - 75% of the way up on the lee side of the ridge/slope. Hunting perpendicular/horizontal to the slope gives you an advantage in that the deer won't wind you until you are directly above or below them (given straight up and down thermals). Later in the season, the bucks will be up and moving more during the day, and you should keep the wind in your face and also be looking for does that might have a buck nearby. Stay hidden. Sit more than stand, stand more than walk. Move slow, examine everything.
RE reprod: St. Helens tree farm has superb soils. Once trees have been in the ground for eight years, they've often pretty much closed out the unit and you won't be able to see squat unless you've got a good vantage point from above. Google Earth allows you to easily age a cut and pick spots to hunt prior to arriving. I like 4 - 6 year old trees to hunt in down here, which may mean the timber was cut 5 to 8 years ago. These units provide a lot of hiding spots (and food if they've not been sprayed to death) so deer may stay in them all day. If there's a lot of traffic close by, they'll often be in the timber above or to the sides of the reprod. Stay hidden while you glass a unit, and don't give up quickly. After an hour of glassing, you'll swear there's no deer in there and a minute later, a couple of does are standing right in front of you.
Post by: Deerelk37 on October 06, 2018, 12:01:24 PM
Don't be so sure about the spook more than a white tail.
Pro tip #479874 :hello:
Blacktail will just stand there as frozen as they can and watch what You do. My Dad says "They believe in their camouflage more than most animals". If You don't show signs that You have spotted them they often won't move a muscle.
Ditto that. Two blAcktails I have harvested in past years stood behind a slinny tree that I just shot right through at less than 50 yards. Last years late season buck crossed in front of me and I ran down the hill to see it before it went into the thicker reprod. When I got to where I knew I would at least see it’s rear end going away and it wasn’t there I started looking up the hill. Nothing there. I slowly started to walk up the open hillside scanning back and forth. Nothing. I get up on a bench and it’s nowhere to be seen. Still scanning. I look to my right and I catch it behind a small tree following my movement, our eyes locked and it immediately bolted. I ran down the hill as it bounded towards a clearcut and got him. I cut his route to the thick off and he had nowhere to go but a more open area. Gotcha!
Post by: Boss .300 winmag on October 06, 2018, 12:47:03 PM
I try to locate a clearcut with a part of the clearcut that can't be seen from the road. They will stay close to roads if they think they are out of sight.
Ditto :yeah:
Post by: Bogie85 on October 08, 2018, 10:33:08 AM
If there are clear cuts I would advise you to spend time behind your binos picking them apart. Most people underutilize glassing when hunting blacktails and they can appear out of thin air in a unit. All 4 deer that myself,a buddy & my 2 boys harvested last year never knew we were there or that the shot was coming. :twocents:
Do you air towards upwind of the clearings? And what's your preference fresh clearings? Or a couple of years old? I have heard several different suggestions and always good to hear other peoples experiences. Thanks for sharing!
You should read up on hunting thermals and then attempt to put it into practice as you scout. The general rule is the winds move like the sun, up in the morning, down in the evening. In reality, the upward movement of air begins as solar radiation heats up the atmosphere and air starts rising. At some point during the morning, depending on the warmth of the day (typically 0700 - 0900), if you are midway up a slope, you will notice that the thermals change from downward to upward. Some hunters work their way uphill until the thermals change, then work their way back down when the air is rising. Atmospheric winds can minimize or even overcome thermals, and a stream at the bottom of the hill may cause thermals to continue down much later into the day. Each spot is site dependent. Once you get to know the area you're hunting, you will better understand the how winds and thermals work there.
In general though, it is much better to be above a buck than below. If you're hunting timber during the early season, they often bed where they see a long ways downhill (looking for predators) and use their sense of scent and foliage or other noisemakers above them to warn of danger from above. According to rumor, they generally bed on a slope above a feeding area (think 50 - 500 yards), where the thermals coming from below mix with the predominant winds above the ridge/hill. That allows them to scent check areas above and below them at the same time. This often ends up being somewhere around 60 - 75% of the way up on the lee side of the ridge/slope. Hunting perpendicular/horizontal to the slope gives you an advantage in that the deer won't wind you until you are directly above or below them (given straight up and down thermals). Later in the season, the bucks will be up and moving more during the day, and you should keep the wind in your face and also be looking for does that might have a buck nearby. Stay hidden. Sit more than stand, stand more than walk. Move slow, examine everything.
RE reprod: St. Helens tree farm has superb soils. Once trees have been in the ground for eight years, they've often pretty much closed out the unit and you won't be able to see squat unless you've got a good vantage point from above. Google Earth allows you to easily age a cut and pick spots to hunt prior to arriving. I like 4 - 6 year old trees to hunt in down here, which may mean the timber was cut 5 to 8 years ago. These units provide a lot of hiding spots (and food if they've not been sprayed to death) so deer may stay in them all day. If there's a lot of traffic close by, they'll often be in the timber above or to the sides of the reprod. Stay hidden while you glass a unit, and don't give up quickly. After an hour of glassing, you'll swear there's no deer in there and a minute later, a couple of does are standing right in front of you.
Wow this is awesome, thanks for all the info. I am going to take this into account and read up more on thermals. You all have been super awesome.
Post by: Bogie85 on October 08, 2018, 11:08:29 AM
QuoteWashington state can be intimidating
This may be because of devils club, stinging nettles, Himalayan blackberries, Evergreen blackberries, Canadian thistle, rough terrain, sideways rain, varying wind, and brush so thick that you can't see more than 5' in front of you, but hey - it's all about the adventure - right? :chuckle: :chuckle: :chuckle:
This helps to keep sissies out of the woods I assume :dunno:
Meh none of those things bother me lol. It's more about the bear, and not wanting to go solo. But now I have a 10mm sidearm and pepper spray. I have seen firsthand how fast a black bear can be and how much damage they can do quickly. But overall pain is relative :), my pain tolerance is high and I grew up with a lot of these things in the midwest.
Post by: Special T on October 08, 2018, 11:59:43 AM
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk
Post by: fishnfur on October 08, 2018, 01:14:32 PM
Meh none of those things bother me lol. It's more about the bear, and not wanting to go solo. But now I have a 10mm sidearm and pepper spray. I have seen firsthand how fast a black bear can be and how much damage they can do quickly. But overall pain is relative :), my pain tolerance is high and I grew up with a lot of these things in the midwest.
[/quote]
Buy a bear tag. If you buy the tag, it virtually guarantees you'll never see one. :chuckle: Black Bears, in general, don't like humans. Neither do cats. They tend to run away rather than towards. Sows with cubs (and other hunters) is what you want to keep your distance from - that scenario can turn south on you if you get mama worried.
Walking into or out from the woods in the dark is a little unnerving for the first few trips. If you jump an animal, it was probably a deer. Relax and worry more about getting to your spot without getting lost instead of thinking about the imagined/unseen man-eaters behind every tree. They're not there, they're in your mind.
Post by: Kc_Kracker on October 08, 2018, 02:24:26 PM
Post by: Bogie85 on October 08, 2018, 02:35:50 PM
Boys Irverson Blacktail Trophy Tactics 2 book. That's my pro tip
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk
Added to my list to go pickup! Can never learn enough.
Post by: Turner89 on October 09, 2018, 08:17:30 PM
If there are clear cuts I would advise you to spend time behind your binos picking them apart. Most people underutilize glassing when hunting blacktails and they can appear out of thin air in a unit. All 4 deer that myself,a buddy & my 2 boys harvested last year never knew we were there or that the shot was coming. :twocents::yeah: get comfortable, and glass. Good luck
Post by: WapitiTalk1 on October 09, 2018, 08:38:56 PM
Post by: fishnfur on October 09, 2018, 10:34:21 PM
Post by: deerhunter_98520 on October 10, 2018, 08:52:16 AM
.....and/or be there 45 minutes to an hour before first light. As the season progresses towards the rut, the bucks may be out all night chasing, lay down early and rest till 10 AM plus or minus, then head back out to resume the search for a hot doe. Just when you let your guard down is when they surprise you. :bash:
:yeah:
10-2pm during the rut is the best time tbh...every mature buck I've shot has been in this time frame
Post by: fishnfur on October 10, 2018, 10:55:17 PM
Post by: deerhunter_98520 on October 11, 2018, 08:16:31 AM
Post by: Bogie85 on October 12, 2018, 12:55:41 PM
Krackers tip #1, Yes WA can be a bit intimidating, and for good reason. Anytime you i step into the woods here you can easily run into a black bear or a cougar, and either can clock 35 MPH. The first year i hunted I had to stand face to face with a big tom cat, and stupid me went scouting unarmed. I was only 100 yards from the highway. I suggest always carrying a sidearm, one you can draw and fire quicker then you can aim a rifle. Something that can put a bear or cat in the dirt, and personally I prefer a large cap mag because its not easy to hit something moving. at any rate, id go with you if i could afford a pass for that area :tup:
I have a glock gen 4 g20 15 mag 10mm for that very reason. I have had my fair share of run in's with mountain lions and they are scarier than most bears. But I am not on e to take chances, I would rather be safe than sorry.
Post by: WAnoob on October 14, 2018, 05:40:39 PM
Post by: Tiger1358 on October 14, 2018, 06:52:03 PM
Meh none of those things bother me lol. It's more about the bear, and not wanting to go solo. But now I have a 10mm sidearm and pepper spray. I have seen firsthand how fast a black bear can be and how much damage they can do quickly. But overall pain is relative :), my pain tolerance is high and I grew up with a lot of these things in the midwest.
I come from a place where we have brown bears really intimidating people with their aggressive behavior and started first hunting black bears here with caution in mind. Trust me, black bears are really spooky and scared of people (in my experience), once they see or smell you, they'll disappear in seconds.
Don't worry about them, just concentrate on the blacktails, and why not keep a bear tag in your pocket, so you can shoot if you see one. They taste delicious in fall.
Post by: KevrosWanderin on October 14, 2018, 07:25:58 PM
Post by: Bogie85 on October 15, 2018, 12:10:13 PM
Meh none of those things bother me lol. It's more about the bear, and not wanting to go solo. But now I have a 10mm sidearm and pepper spray. I have seen firsthand how fast a black bear can be and how much damage they can do quickly. But overall pain is relative :), my pain tolerance is high and I grew up with a lot of these things in the midwest.
I come from a place where we have brown bears really intimidating people with their aggressive behavior and started first hunting black bears here with caution in mind. Trust me, black bears are really spooky and scared of people (in my experience), once they see or smell you, they'll disappear in seconds.
Don't worry about them, just concentrate on the blacktails, and why not keep a bear tag in your pocket, so you can shoot if you see one. They taste delicious in fall.
I am literally going to grab a tag, I found a lot of bear scat in the area I hunted on Saturday. This state is seriously the most beautiful place I could have ever winded up. A bad day in the woods is 1000x better than any day at work.
Post by: Bogie85 on October 15, 2018, 12:14:31 PM
I know the weekend isnt completely over. I am excited to hear what you experienced
16 groups were in or around our area. Only one group saw 1 spike, no bucks other than that. We ourselves saw one doe. We crept up on her but someone else spooked her. I learned a ton, and still have a ton to learn. We did a lot of hiking to try to track down fresh scat or game trails. I found a ton of fresh bedding. The one buck that was seen still had his velvet.
Being that I am a new hunter, and all I have is book knowledge. This is telling me, we may be too early and the rut doesn't seem to have started yet. They weren't responding to calls, it was dead quite. Not even many birds going off. So we tried to make something happen by hiking into the mountains went up about 500 foot in elevation to get away from other hunters. All we found was older scat probably about a day old. I didn't even get a buck yet, but I am hooked. It feels natural, and we learned a ton about the area we are hunting now.
Post by: slowhand on October 15, 2018, 12:48:07 PM
Hunted Hard all day Saturday and 1/2 of Sunday. Didn't see a single Deer.
Talked to 3 other hunting groups while out and nothing had been seen by anyone. :yike:
Post by: WapitiTalk1 on October 15, 2018, 12:56:08 PM
Post by: WSU on October 15, 2018, 01:03:10 PM
Post by: JakeLand on October 15, 2018, 01:13:04 PM
Post by: cavemann on October 15, 2018, 01:17:41 PM
Need the rut...
Post by: Tiger1358 on October 15, 2018, 02:28:54 PM
Meh none of those things bother me lol. It's more about the bear, and not wanting to go solo. But now I have a 10mm sidearm and pepper spray. I have seen firsthand how fast a black bear can be and how much damage they can do quickly. But overall pain is relative :), my pain tolerance is high and I grew up with a lot of these things in the midwest.
I come from a place where we have brown bears really intimidating people with their aggressive behavior and started first hunting black bears here with caution in mind. Trust me, black bears are really spooky and scared of people (in my experience), once they see or smell you, they'll disappear in seconds.
Don't worry about them, just concentrate on the blacktails, and why not keep a bear tag in your pocket, so you can shoot if you see one. They taste delicious in fall.
I am literally going to grab a tag, I found a lot of bear scat in the area I hunted on Saturday. This state is seriously the most beautiful place I could have ever winded up. A bad day in the woods is 1000x better than any day at work.
That's what I'm talking about :yeah:
Post by: deerhunter_98520 on October 16, 2018, 10:30:27 AM
Post by: Bogie85 on October 16, 2018, 11:45:38 AM
The rut is just starting to happen...seeing more runs popping up, seen one mature buck someone got with a swelled up neck....give it a week or so and things will be going good ..this weather and clear cold nights has them moving all night...I'm seeing deer but there bedding in the thick brush...if your not seeing animals still hunt the timber or do pushes through reprod, you bump some deer. A friend seen one mature buck sniffing the air but wasn't able to close the deal do to someone else bombing around 30mph and spooking it off....an FYI for new hunters... please do not go bombing down roads that go into good cuts then turn around and just leave....your not going to see big blacktails with this "tactic" its just not gonna happen. Have common courtesy for fellow hunters :tup: lots of guys out this weekend...I thought I was in rush hour traffic and everyone I talked to wasn't seeing anything from their trucks :chuckle: Sunday morning I was watching 2 does in a steep cut and 3 rigs drove by and glassed from their windows and did not see a thing...these deer just sit perfectly still and with their winter coats they just disappear in the brush
Yeah there were definitely a lot of people driving near us. Obviously just scouting areas looking for any sign and moving on. We stayed in our same spot for a couple of hours. We did hike around a lot, and I am sure we made too much noise at points. We tried not too, but sometimes you just can't see a stick underneath and if you lose footing it just kind of happens. But we were quiet as we could be.
Post by: steeleywhopper on October 16, 2018, 12:45:37 PM
Post by: jnordwell on October 20, 2018, 04:41:19 PM
Post by: fishnfur on October 20, 2018, 07:23:26 PM
They don't call them Silver Ghosts and/or Ghosts of the Pacific for no reason. They live up to their reputations quite often.
Post by: 3nails on October 20, 2018, 07:46:09 PM
Post by: JasonG on October 20, 2018, 07:54:21 PM
Post by: fishnfur on October 20, 2018, 07:58:54 PM
Things will change drastically this week. Good hunting weather is coming just in time for pre-rut activities.
I'm pretty sure everyone here is hoping that you post up another masher this year 3nails. :drool:
Post by: Bogie85 on October 22, 2018, 12:05:45 PM
Do calls work at all? Is it too early for calls? I heard that when it rains the deer move more often? What does that mean? Does that mean I should just sit where they are bedding down at? Or should I be looking for certain things?
Also if I get a buck in one area, is there ever a chance that my brother could get his too? Would we need to move locations? Or if were patient and wait, could we see another one?
Also would deer evacuate a place if you are finding predator poop in the area? I think it's bobcat scat, but not 100% sure it could be mountain lion.
Post by: Bogie85 on October 22, 2018, 03:07:32 PM
Things will change drastically this week. Good hunting weather is coming just in time for pre-rut activities.
That's the hope right? I am going out tomorrow, I bumped some deer 3x now near my spot I have been hunting. I am going to just move into the area when it's sun rise and watch without bumping them now that I know where their bedding is at.
Post by: fishnfur on October 22, 2018, 04:14:14 PM
I ran into a deer just before sunrise, couldn't tell if it was a buck or not. Went hunting from sunrise to 3pm yesterday with not seeing anything.
Do calls work at all? Is it too early for calls? I heard that when it rains the deer move more often? What does that mean? Does that mean I should just sit where they are bedding down at? Or should I be looking for certain things?
Also if I get a buck in one area, is there ever a chance that my brother could get his too? Would we need to move locations? Or if were patient and wait, could we see another one?
Also would deer evacuate a place if you are finding predator poop in the area? I think it's bobcat scat, but not 100% sure it could be mountain lion.
Light occasional rattling might bring in a small buck or two. You should hide, wait a half hour or so, rattle for 10 - 15 seconds, repeat 5 minutes later. Sit, wait, listen, glass. Repeat sequence in a half hour. Move a couple hundred yards or more in an hour or more if no takers. Some hunters swear by a doe can call. Use alone or in conjunction with rattling and or grunt tube. Many think this is all a waste of time. You choose.
Rain makes the forest noisy. Deer loose their sense of hearing and get nervous. If it is pouring, they will often stand up in an opening and just look for predators. Lesser rains cool their bodies so they need to eat more calories to stay warm, so they get up more frequently in rain (to eat) than in warm weather. If it is raining pretty hard, I'd be up moving slowwwly, trying to stay hidden at all times.
Only you will know if there is another buck there. There's a decent chance there is more than one buck close by in the pre-rut. To my knowledge, they become loners when they are really searching and chasing. Assume there are more close by.
What makes you think it was cat poop? Cats cover their scat. Yotes and bear leave piles for you to find. Ignore predator sign unless it is really fresh (cougar), otherwise, you're the most dangerous predator in the woods. The deer hide but don't leave, or go too far. That is their home.
Move ultra slow. Stay hidden. Use your instincts. Be a predator.
(Disclaimer: some or all of this may be incorrect or outright lies)
Here's some more lies for your reading pleasure: https://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,232470.0.html
Post by: The scout on October 22, 2018, 04:36:08 PM
Post by: aman on October 22, 2018, 04:51:38 PM
Post by: 3nails on October 22, 2018, 06:05:23 PM
:chuckle: Do to my current circumstances I'll be fortunate to fill my tag!Things will change drastically this week. Good hunting weather is coming just in time for pre-rut activities.
I'm pretty sure everyone here is hoping that you post up another masher this year 3nails. :drool:
Post by: CLARKTAR on October 22, 2018, 08:21:13 PM
Here's what I started doing and found instant success: drive further east and hunt muleys or whitetails.This has not worked for me! Just spent 6 days in Selkirks...
Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk
Post by: fishnfur on October 22, 2018, 08:22:28 PM
what's a better time to hunt: morning or evening?
Dawn till dusk if you can hang that long. The 10 AM - 3 PM period has a lot of believers too. Many large bucks are shot between these mid-day hours. There are whitetail hunter stats that answer your question, I just don't remember what it was. Google knows.
Post by: fishnfur on October 22, 2018, 08:25:19 PM
the blacktail in my area have been pre rut for a week, witch is my favorite time to hunt them. I hunt more reprod than anything else so I prefer this calm quiet weather so you can hear them moving and its better for calling. had a buck cruise by me last night at about 20 yds that was grunting the whole time. but I think I hunt them different than most because I don't hunt clear cuts and I don't go walking down logging roads unless its to get into a particular patch of timber. the deer are moving around in the thick stuff they don't just lay around for 8 hrs at a time waiting for it to get dark out when its nice out.
I'd love to hear more about your technique. I hear those deer moving around in there too. Once I get in there, I can't see a thing with all the fir branches in my eyes.
Post by: The scout on October 22, 2018, 08:42:51 PM
the blacktail in my area have been pre rut for a week, witch is my favorite time to hunt them. I hunt more reprod than anything else so I prefer this calm quiet weather so you can hear them moving and its better for calling. had a buck cruise by me last night at about 20 yds that was grunting the whole time. but I think I hunt them different than most because I don't hunt clear cuts and I don't go walking down logging roads unless its to get into a particular patch of timber. the deer are moving around in the thick stuff they don't just lay around for 8 hrs at a time waiting for it to get dark out when its nice out.
I'd love to hear more about your technique. I hear those deer moving around in there too. Once I get in there, I can't see a thing with all the fir branches in my eyes.
A lot of my technique is due to scouting in the off season. I spend a lot of Tim in the thick stuff trying to find natural magnets for the deer to eat or travel through. I spend 10 times the amount of scouting as I do hunting. It’s really hard to get on the deer in that thick stuff when the weather is nasty because it’s all so close quarters that it’s almost impossible to see the deer before they see you, you have to hear them first.
Post by: Turner89 on October 22, 2018, 09:14:59 PM
I ran into a deer just before sunrise, couldn't tell if it was a buck or not. Went hunting from sunrise to 3pm yesterday with not seeing anything.I saw a cougar in the middle of a clear cut this last Saturday in the middle of the day. He saw me first, and was going mock 5 across the cut to the timber before I could even raise the gun. I've never seen so much cat sign In an area. (Cougar and bobcat).
Do calls work at all? Is it too early for calls? I heard that when it rains the deer move more often? What does that mean? Does that mean I should just sit where they are bedding down at? Or should I be looking for certain things?
Also if I get a buck in one area, is there ever a chance that my brother could get his too? Would we need to move locations? Or if were patient and wait, could we see another one?
Also would deer evacuate a place if you are finding predator poop in the area? I think it's bobcat scat, but not 100% sure it could be mountain lion.
There was also a ton of fresh deer sign. We saw 2 bucks and a few does. Jakeland shot a bear there today by the way.
The predators dont seem to be scaring all the deer out this spot anyways.
Post by: fishnfur on October 23, 2018, 08:10:11 AM
the blacktail in my area have been pre rut for a week, witch is my favorite time to hunt them. I hunt more reprod than anything else so I prefer this calm quiet weather so you can hear them moving and its better for calling. had a buck cruise by me last night at about 20 yds that was grunting the whole time. but I think I hunt them different than most because I don't hunt clear cuts and I don't go walking down logging roads unless its to get into a particular patch of timber. the deer are moving around in the thick stuff they don't just lay around for 8 hrs at a time waiting for it to get dark out when its nice out.
I'd love to hear more about your technique. I hear those deer moving around in there too. Once I get in there, I can't see a thing with all the fir branches in my eyes.
A lot of my technique is due to scouting in the off season. I spend a lot of Tim in the thick stuff trying to find natural magnets for the deer to eat or travel through. I spend 10 times the amount of scouting as I do hunting. It’s really hard to get on the deer in that thick stuff when the weather is nasty because it’s all so close quarters that it’s almost impossible to see the deer before they see you, you have to hear them first.
Interesting. It's all based on hearing the deer coming and going? I've found squirrel chatter is a pretty good way to locate moving deer in there as well. I can imagine you have to cut trails or find existing trails into the reprod that allow you to move fairly quietly as you work your way in.
Do you focus on geographical features and/or open areas where seedlings were missed or died inside the cut as prime spots to hang out. Do you use any calling techniques while you're in there?
There's a hunter on an Oregon forum who's mantra is: Reprod - Rubs - Rattle. Find rubs in reprod and then work the area with rattling sessions. I've never shot a deer using this method, but I've tried and missed, and had several deer come in to the calling. This technique works pretty well in some reprod units, but not all.
Post by: Special T on October 23, 2018, 11:37:15 AM
Post by: fishnfur on October 23, 2018, 02:54:45 PM
Post by: Special T on October 23, 2018, 05:22:34 PM
Post by: fishnfur on October 23, 2018, 09:27:45 PM
In my mind, if you keep jumping deer as you head in during pre-dawn hours, it makes sense to wait until just before first light to enter the woods, and hunt my way in to the target spot for that day. During the early season, I may only have just a few minutes of shooting light before deer disappear and bed for the day, so being at that spot prior to first light makes sense. At this point of the season, when we may find deer moving at any time of day, I'd rather not bump deer trying to get to some spot that may or may not have deer once I get there. (This hasn't worked out for me at all, but it makes sense, and I can justify sleeping in a bit later :chuckle:).
Post by: bobcat on October 23, 2018, 09:58:57 PM