Post by: Spuddieselwwu on October 12, 2023, 12:29:30 PM
Post by: fishngamereaper on October 12, 2023, 07:04:13 PM
Could die off...could keep going..
Couple bucks showing activity.
Mature buck whacked by a car couple days ago chasing a doe..
Got word another buck was killed by a buck while fighting...
Post by: Sundance on October 12, 2023, 08:34:28 PM
Post by: Platensek-po on October 12, 2023, 08:35:17 PM
Post by: mboyle0828 on October 12, 2023, 08:38:42 PM
Post by: Born2late on October 12, 2023, 09:37:17 PM
The solar calendar says high animal movement the next 3 to 4 days. Should be a good opening weekend.
Post by: Buzzsaw461 on October 13, 2023, 05:48:11 AM
Post by: Sundance on October 13, 2023, 02:23:23 PM
Post by: Twispriver on October 13, 2023, 03:59:16 PM
Post by: Bigshooter on October 14, 2023, 10:51:07 PM
Post by: WapitiTalk1 on October 14, 2023, 11:46:35 PM
Post by: spin05 on October 14, 2023, 11:53:02 PM
Post by: IslandHunter on October 16, 2023, 10:47:07 AM
Post by: blackymaster20 on October 16, 2023, 11:44:56 AM
Post by: dylanb on October 16, 2023, 12:21:43 PM
Post by: Bareback on October 16, 2023, 01:46:15 PM
Post by: fowl smacker on October 16, 2023, 02:00:12 PM
Post by: Twispriver on October 16, 2023, 02:27:20 PM
Post by: slavenoid on October 16, 2023, 04:48:08 PM
Post by: Pegasus on October 16, 2023, 06:31:56 PM
Post by: Pegasus on October 17, 2023, 06:25:29 PM
Post by: Lucky1 on October 17, 2023, 06:54:25 PM
Post by: slavenoid on October 17, 2023, 07:42:49 PM
Post by: BLH69 on October 17, 2023, 08:01:53 PM
Post by: fowl smacker on October 17, 2023, 09:16:49 PM
Post by: Freedumb88 on October 17, 2023, 09:23:22 PM
Post by: Bareback on October 18, 2023, 06:19:39 PM
Post by: dylanb on October 18, 2023, 07:58:02 PM
Post by: bosifus on October 18, 2023, 08:43:27 PM
Post by: duckmen1 on October 18, 2023, 09:01:02 PM
Post by: Pacific Ghost on October 19, 2023, 12:24:52 PM
Came across a dandy 3 point this morning stuck in a fence up the road from my place. Pretty sure he's one of the progeny of the monster black tail I've had chasing does every few years in my field. He had a broken two point tine jammed up in his rack as well as a bunch of horse fencing. I managed to cut him loose from the fence and not get gored but boy he was pissed. He still had about 15' of it trailing behind him though that I couldn't get to before he took off. I hope he manages to keep from getting all tangled up in something else.
Get any pics?
Post by: JakeLand on October 19, 2023, 04:29:03 PM
Seems the same every year. All the town and yard bucks are rutting through the season. But the true woods bucks only come out when season is ending. :chuckle:true
Post by: highside74 on October 19, 2023, 04:39:10 PM
Post by: Spuddieselwwu on October 20, 2023, 09:36:09 AM
Yesterday in a coworkers buddies backyard. :yike:
Good lord. What a tank.
Post by: 7mmfan on October 21, 2023, 08:38:46 AM
Post by: highside74 on October 21, 2023, 10:10:05 AM
Post by: Sundance on October 23, 2023, 08:37:13 AM
Post by: duckmen1 on October 23, 2023, 08:55:34 AM
Post by: AKBowman on October 23, 2023, 09:58:49 AM
Typically, year over year, the 24th pre-rut urges have them on their feet laying down sign on the edges of their zones at first and last light. Should just keep getting better through the end of this week. Especially with this cold front tomorrow and Wednesday.
Post by: Spuddieselwwu on October 23, 2023, 11:51:57 AM
Post by: CasterlyRock on October 23, 2023, 12:40:43 PM
Post by: actionshooter on October 23, 2023, 07:25:28 PM
Post by: Sundance on October 24, 2023, 03:29:26 PM
Post by: highside74 on October 24, 2023, 03:37:22 PM
Post by: high_hunter on October 24, 2023, 06:11:47 PM
Yesterday in a coworkers buddies backyard. :yike:
That's a pretty-looking shot.
Sniffing hard for sure. Waiting for things to hopefully turn on here the last weekend on the wetside.
Post by: bowNarrow on October 24, 2023, 07:27:59 PM
Post by: WapitiTalk1 on October 24, 2023, 08:38:18 PM
Post by: Spuddieselwwu on October 24, 2023, 09:06:52 PM
Post by: kramman on October 24, 2023, 10:30:26 PM
Post by: dilleytech on October 25, 2023, 09:09:08 AM
Post by: Pacific Ghost on October 25, 2023, 11:19:27 AM
Post by: dylanb on October 25, 2023, 11:46:56 AM
Post by: pickardjw on October 25, 2023, 01:59:48 PM
Post by: GOcougsHunter on October 25, 2023, 02:12:36 PM
Thinking about doing a bit of a bonzai blacktail/bear hunt this weekend. Would y'all recommend focusing on lower elevation and timber cuts or higher elevation and natural clearings?Find snow. Hunt the snow line.
Post by: pickardjw on October 25, 2023, 02:16:25 PM
Thinking about doing a bit of a bonzai blacktail/bear hunt this weekend. Would y'all recommend focusing on lower elevation and timber cuts or higher elevation and natural clearings?Find snow. Hunt the snow line.
That definitely works better for the area I'm looking at. Probably worse for bears but I can drop down in the afternoon and try calling in a few spots I've marked.
Post by: kramman on October 25, 2023, 03:12:22 PM
Post by: RobinHoodlum on October 25, 2023, 06:13:17 PM
Post by: swanderek on October 25, 2023, 08:30:16 PM
Came into rattling fast.
Post by: PNWheckle on October 25, 2023, 11:36:14 PM
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Post by: HntnFsh on October 26, 2023, 05:43:31 AM
Post by: BA Mongor on October 26, 2023, 06:09:32 AM
Saw 13-deer yesterday and have some dandy bucks on my cams!
Today should be good.
Post by: Molon5labe on October 26, 2023, 06:38:59 AM
Got a stinky young one today.
Came into rattling fast.
Nice. What cartridge you shooting? I gotta try to remember to bring some sheds with me this weekend.
Post by: dlow on October 26, 2023, 08:19:50 AM
Post by: Sundance on October 26, 2023, 10:19:56 AM
Got a stinky young one today.
Came into rattling fast.
300 blackout suppressed? Supers or subs?
Post by: swanderek on October 26, 2023, 02:00:02 PM
I also use the .300 blackout though.
Post by: highside74 on October 26, 2023, 04:15:08 PM
Now there is a blind with my son on it today. :chuckle:
Post by: Pacific Ghost on October 26, 2023, 06:52:58 PM
Post by: WSU on October 26, 2023, 07:49:19 PM
Post by: cem3434 on October 26, 2023, 08:04:51 PM
Post by: SkookumHntr on October 26, 2023, 08:48:45 PM
Post by: duckmen1 on October 26, 2023, 09:32:11 PM
Post by: Spuddieselwwu on October 26, 2023, 11:03:10 PM
Will be back out in the AM.
Post by: Bantams on October 27, 2023, 11:23:15 AM
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Post by: highside74 on October 27, 2023, 11:34:57 AM
Post by: Jrtishchuk on October 27, 2023, 11:50:18 AM
9:19 this morning.
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Post by: Jrtishchuk on October 27, 2023, 11:53:13 AM
5am
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Post by: redi on October 27, 2023, 01:14:30 PM
Post by: fowl smacker on October 27, 2023, 03:02:06 PM
Post by: Tikka Bird Dog on October 27, 2023, 03:05:49 PM
Post by: highside74 on October 27, 2023, 03:19:13 PM
Props to the guide
Post by: wadu1 on October 27, 2023, 03:23:07 PM
Post by: westside bull on October 27, 2023, 04:35:51 PM
Post by: MADMAX on October 27, 2023, 06:12:58 PM
what a sweet buck! congrats to her!!
Dandy 👍
Post by: MADMAX on October 27, 2023, 06:13:55 PM
Not stinky at all
He’ll eat good
Post by: blusc21 on October 27, 2023, 06:59:02 PM
Shot a meat buck this morning
Not stinky at all
He’ll eat good
One spike on the tail gate is worth ten in monsters in the woods!
Post by: Jrtishchuk on October 27, 2023, 08:31:02 PM
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20231028/c833060684855ab038b3f6202151a0ba.jpg)
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20231028/15f2090bf8cf1ed816e30a7ee24d3819.jpg)
Post by: Taco280AI on October 27, 2023, 08:38:00 PM
Post by: 7mmfan on October 27, 2023, 08:38:49 PM
Post by: ljsommer on October 27, 2023, 08:46:26 PM
Post by: Mulie87 on October 27, 2023, 09:14:09 PM
Post by: redi on October 27, 2023, 09:41:31 PM
Post by: spin05 on October 28, 2023, 02:17:02 AM
Post by: Molon5labe on October 28, 2023, 09:58:45 AM
Post by: fishngamereaper on October 28, 2023, 10:14:34 AM
The full moon and sunny afternoons aren't ideal either..
Post by: dilleytech on October 28, 2023, 10:41:00 AM
Post by: Sundance on October 28, 2023, 12:56:34 PM
Post by: pd on October 28, 2023, 01:49:13 PM
Last 36 hours trail cameras have been going off. New buck, bucks trailing does, lots of daylight cruising.
Nuttin. Just nuttin. Haven't seen a deer yet.
Congratulations to the successful hunters, especially the young ladies. I am starting to feel a bit of pressure. :o
Post by: MADMAX on October 28, 2023, 06:09:14 PM
Ive not been seeing much on legal ground
Plenty of yard deer or on posted
My old stomping grounds is now Rayonier and pay to play
State land is full of hikers, dog walkers ,mountain bikers and guys cracking off ARs
National forest has been an hour drive to deer hunt and not much seen
Got lucky to get a small buck
Post by: Fidelk on October 28, 2023, 06:13:31 PM
Post by: highside74 on October 28, 2023, 09:13:01 PM
Post by: ljsommer on October 29, 2023, 04:10:29 PM
Which raises a question: when some folks are seeing full on rut fest activity and other folks are seeing nothing, does that just mean the folks who are seeing nothing are hunting the wrong spots? The rut timing should be fair geographically consistent right?
Post by: Buzzsaw461 on October 29, 2023, 04:14:35 PM
Really quiet out in Aberdeen today.I’ve seen lots of Does and not a Buck in sight. They just aren’t active yet where I hunt. I will start seeing Bucks in a week or two.
Which raises a question: when some folks are seeing full on rut fest activity and other folks are seeing nothing, does that just mean the folks who are seeing nothing are hunting the wrong spots? The rut timing should be fair geographically consistent right?
Post by: Dark2Dark on October 29, 2023, 04:16:18 PM
Really quiet out in Aberdeen today.I’ve seen rut activity vary by even a mile. One hot doe on a hillside and multiple bucks trying to find her. We hunted a bunch of surrounding area and did not see any rut activity other than that.
Which raises a question: when some folks are seeing full on rut fest activity and other folks are seeing nothing, does that just mean the folks who are seeing nothing are hunting the wrong spots? The rut timing should be fair geographically consistent right?
Post by: BLH69 on October 29, 2023, 07:31:50 PM
Post by: WoolyRunner on October 29, 2023, 08:05:25 PM
Really quiet out in Aberdeen today.
Which raises a question: when some folks are seeing full on rut fest activity and other folks are seeing nothing, does that just mean the folks who are seeing nothing are hunting the wrong spots? The rut timing should be fair geographically consistent right?
I concur. I saw 3 Does today. Watched them for a good while until they fed into the thick stuff… nothing followed.
Post by: HntnFsh on October 29, 2023, 08:07:31 PM
Post by: brokentrail on October 29, 2023, 08:31:02 PM
Post by: Janitor123 on October 29, 2023, 08:32:18 PM
Post by: westside bull on October 29, 2023, 08:52:36 PM
Post by: grundy53 on October 29, 2023, 09:12:49 PM
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Post by: BlackRiverTaxidermy on October 30, 2023, 06:59:33 AM
Now that I sound like a total nerd about this….I’m JUST now seeing some of those physiological changes in those bucks starting Friday evening. Neck sizes grew an inch or two; 20-21” average for a mature blacktail buck, where 22”+ and lat-muscle swelling is indicative. Larger more mature bucks start to float in as well. All kinds of theories, conjectures, and signs that everyone could discuss and/or argue about….but my bet has been placed, it’s just now starting. I don’t think they are ‘rutting hard’ as the hard rut occurs when most can’t hunt, buts it’s going so go get out there!! Good luck to everyone…..no luck me me even getting out of the shop to go look for a good buck, lol!
Post by: grundy53 on October 30, 2023, 08:09:04 AM
Not to poke fun at anyone but there’s never a shortage of people that see a buck with a doe and start yelling “rut-fest!”. Lot more has to go into it to get into the tell-tale ‘rut’ such as both specific activity as well as physiological signs and changes of deer such as leg glands, pre-orbital scent gland openings, nose sensory enlargements, and neck size increases. Being a taxidermist, along with the stories, you physically get to see these changes occur when true rutting starts in an area.Agreed. The bucks I saw killed this weekend were showing signs (swollen necks, enlarged stinky tarsel glands that they were peeing on). But were not full blown yet. I also think the rut is conflated with the pre rut often. In my opinion cruising for does is a pre rut activity. I would almost say the pre rut is better than the full run since the bucks tend to move more while searching for does.
Now that I sound like a total nerd about this….I’m JUST now seeing some of those physiological changes in those bucks starting Friday evening. Neck sizes grew an inch or two; 20-21” average for a mature blacktail buck, where 22”+ and lat-muscle swelling is indicative. Larger more mature bucks start to float in as well. All kinds of theories, conjectures, and signs that everyone could discuss and/or argue about….but my bet has been placed, it’s just now starting. I don’t think they are ‘rutting hard’ as the hard rut occurs when most can’t hunt, buts it’s going so go get out there!! Good luck to everyone…..no luck me me even getting out of the shop to go look for a good buck, lol!
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Post by: blackveltbowhunter on October 30, 2023, 08:25:07 AM
This cold snap has been a godsend for overall deer movement getting bucks on their feet, BUT the full moon has punished those looking for a "big" buck. My experience is a mature buck makes mistakes when he gets fooled by weather and cloud cover and moving in the twilight. Or is fully amped on testosterone.
Grundy im envious, I had a late tag in 2016 and my notes show very similar weather to this season. Clear cold nights and good deer movement late october. Last couple days were actually a lull. The first 6 days of November may be the best i ever spent in blacktail woods, passed 24 branched bucks before hanging my tag on the one I wanted. Good luck!
Post by: ljsommer on October 30, 2023, 08:56:12 AM
As a totally amateur hunter (I can't say "new" anymore, so I'll just say amateur) I always battle with "there are no deer here" vs "I'm just not seeing the deer here". I only have so many seasons to hunt so I don't want to waste a bunch of them sitting an area where I'm not seeing movement.
Post by: Pegasus on October 30, 2023, 09:14:01 AM
Not to poke fun at anyone but there’s never a shortage of people that see a buck with a doe and start yelling “rut-fest!”. Lot more has to go into it to get into the tell-tale ‘rut’ such as both specific activity as well as physiological signs and changes of deer such as leg glands, pre-orbital scent gland openings, nose sensory enlargements, and neck size increases. Being a taxidermist, along with the stories, you physically get to see these changes occur when true rutting starts in an area.
Now that I sound like a total nerd about this….I’m JUST now seeing some of those physiological changes in those bucks starting Friday evening. Neck sizes grew an inch or two; 20-21” average for a mature blacktail buck, where 22”+ and lat-muscle swelling is indicative. Larger more mature bucks start to float in as well. All kinds of theories, conjectures, and signs that everyone could discuss and/or argue about….but my bet has been placed, it’s just now starting. I don’t think they are ‘rutting hard’ as the hard rut occurs when most can’t hunt, buts it’s going so go get out there!! Good luck to everyone…..no luck me me even getting out of the shop to go look for a good buck, lol!
Been seeing the bucks that we rarely see until the rut is on for the past two weeks. Seeing the bucks mounting the does in my yard for the past two weeks is a pretty good sign that the "rut-fest" is on in my area and has been for two weeks. Plenty of swollen necks have been seen during the entire time. Activity has actually slowed for the past few days and does are appearing by themselves again. Not sure whether the full moon and clear skies have something to do with it but only saw one buck sneaking and sniffing through the area at night in the past two days. Good luck as the season comes to an end.
Post by: highside74 on October 30, 2023, 09:23:16 AM
Post by: blackveltbowhunter on October 30, 2023, 09:53:40 AM
Thanks for the wonderful information folks! So to return to an earlier question, if you're out hunting this time of year (last few days of Oct) and you're not seeing deer movement, does that generally just mean that you've got little to no deer in your area, or does that just mean they're not moving yet?
As a totally amateur hunter (I can't say "new" anymore, so I'll just say amateur) I always battle with "there are no deer here" vs "I'm just not seeing the deer here". I only have so many seasons to hunt so I don't want to waste a bunch of them sitting an area where I'm not seeing movement.
For blacktail i hunt sign, way more than deer themselves. Deep trails, browsed off forage, old rubs, benches with beds, and lots of droppings tell me there is a good population. Fresh rubs, big tracks, tell me a buck is working the area. It doesnt take alot to hide a bt, and if the deer are hunkered down from weather or pressure, it may seem like a ghosttown. But sign wont lie. Last season i heard a buck letting out long grunts. Took me 5 minutes to get a brief glimps of him and he was moving. Grown up thick and had it not been for the grunts i never would have seen him. But there was a good population of does in the drainage and rubs showed up the rest of season. Had one other close encounter with him on a doe the 29th of general. Killed him in late buck solo cruising near his rubs.
Basically if you have good sign i would be agressive right now with season at its end. Push as close to bedding as safe, do some calling, and sit on does if possible for as long as possible. If there isnt much for sign then move on.
Post by: blackveltbowhunter on October 30, 2023, 10:13:50 AM
It's all about the does. Some come in early some come in late but at some point bucks will be with each doe. Little bucks can't stand it and start chasing first even though the doe might not be ready. My buddies place has lots of does. The small 2s have been dogging for a week everyday. Wasn't til last night that a 3 point showed up. Spend the off season finding where does feed and bed and then hit those areas in late October. The 2 point that my other buddies dad saw literally hit every clear cut running through like a maniac. He saw him in 4 different cuts on one road system in 1 afternoon. Gut pile the next day. Non migratory does don't travel far. The older bucks know not to waste their energy til it's go time. Watching the cams at my buddies place it doesn't matter what the weather has been. The bucks have been cruising day and night checking his does.
Spot on. The girls hold the keys.
My theory on yard and private land deer is two fold. One, the higher and/or more concentrated densities means a higher percentage of early estrus does have bucks in closer proximity to take advantage of that triggering movement. Hence, lots of yard bucks that are full chase or sniffing and ready to breed or breeding, but haven't undergone the physiological changes that BRT mentioned. Two, the lack of pressure and the bucks tolerance of human goings on, allows for less interuptions and a more natural cycle to occur. I know i see lots of older fawns and varied ages in my yard. But its all theory, thats what makes it fun!
Post by: grundy53 on October 30, 2023, 10:19:40 AM
Some great info grundy and BRT!!! Always love the rut thread. due to hunt plans and competition for multi tags i was forced to sit rifle.season out. Kills me everytime.Yeah, I'm pumped. I can't wait.
This cold snap has been a godsend for overall deer movement getting bucks on their feet, BUT the full moon has punished those looking for a "big" buck. My experience is a mature buck makes mistakes when he gets fooled by weather and cloud cover and moving in the twilight. Or is fully amped on testosterone.
Grundy im envious, I had a late tag in 2016 and my notes show very similar weather to this season. Clear cold nights and good deer movement late october. Last couple days were actually a lull. The first 6 days of November may be the best i ever spent in blacktail woods, passed 24 branched bucks before hanging my tag on the one I wanted. Good luck!
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Post by: WSU on October 30, 2023, 10:34:41 AM
Post by: blackymaster20 on October 30, 2023, 11:04:40 AM
Post by: Jrtishchuk on October 30, 2023, 11:43:41 AM
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Post by: Jrtishchuk on October 30, 2023, 11:46:18 AM
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Post by: highside74 on October 30, 2023, 11:49:55 AM
Post by: Dark2Dark on October 31, 2023, 10:34:18 PM
This guy was alone but his glands were a little smelly and when he came out into the clearcut he was terrorizing all the bushes around him.
While I was cutting him up and dark was setting in, there was a bunch of racket in the brush that sounded a little like another buck raking.
I stopped by to chat with my uncle and there was a doe and a dawn in his yard. After a while a doe came running across the yard and driveway, with another deer hot on her tracks. It was too dark to see antlers but with the way his nose was down and they were both running, I’m pretty sure it was a him chasing her.
Post by: slavenoid on November 01, 2023, 11:44:55 AM
Post by: kramman on November 01, 2023, 12:42:04 PM
Post by: dilleytech on November 01, 2023, 01:47:08 PM
Hunted grays harbor Co. Yesterday afternoon. No deer movement till after dark? Congrats to those who filled their tags.
The last 5 days of the season we had horrible conditions. Full moon, clear sky’s not great. Watched a buck push a doe into the bushes at work. Wish I was hunting this week.
Post by: Bullkllr on November 01, 2023, 02:42:49 PM
Hunted grays harbor Co. Yesterday afternoon. No deer movement till after dark? Congrats to those who filled their tags.
The last 5 days of the season we had horrible conditions. Full moon, clear sky’s not great. Watched a buck push a doe into the bushes at work. Wish I was hunting this week.
:yeah:
In my experience, the daylight activity and deer sightings just got progressively worse day after day.
Post by: Griiz on November 01, 2023, 03:54:01 PM
Hunted grays harbor Co. Yesterday afternoon. No deer movement till after dark? Congrats to those who filled their tags.
The last 5 days of the season we had horrible conditions. Full moon, clear sky’s not great. Watched a buck push a doe into the bushes at work. Wish I was hunting this week.
:yeah:
In my experience, the daylight activity and deer sightings just got progressively worse day after day.
I had a tree stand in a swampy area with timber, swamp and thick brush around me. It is a trail convergent area with a convergence of multiple habitats. The nice weather and moon wasn't our friend, but at least it was cool out. I was seeing deer movement from daybreak until around 11:30. I was usually climbing out of my stand around noon to still hunt and would climb back in in the evenings. I didn't have much action in evenings, it was a morning show, but usually is for me. While still hunting, I was still seeing deer movement during mid day, but could be from me bumping them or them smelling me. I wasn't hunting clear cuts or real open areas. I had young bucks strutting around and pushing does, but little mature animal activity. The deer I harvested on the 31st had a swollen neck, but little rut smell and scent glands weren't lubed up yet. In my area, I usually see the mature buck start cruising around the 30th to the 5th of November and then they seem to be locked down on does. I noticed in the dark timber yesterday that the trails were really cut up with tracks and jumping and pawing behavior. Interesting and fun trying to figure blacktails out. I wish there was more quality literature about their behavior. On Saturday I had a 2" spike strut through, flaming, and smelling the ground like a hound dog. He pulled circles and went everywhere a doe and her fawns had been earlier. Then followed their trail into the thick brush. The mature buck I harvested was walking fast and cruising through under my stand when I harvested him. I even had a spike hit his antler on my tree step when he busted in on a doe that was feeding below me. Pretty cool to watch.
Post by: BLH69 on November 01, 2023, 03:56:45 PM
Post by: BLH69 on November 01, 2023, 04:01:10 PM
Post by: 7mmfan on November 01, 2023, 04:20:12 PM
All these years and i still cant do it. im computer not smart.
If it's on your phone, take a screenshot of the picture and then post the screenshot. Works every time.
Post by: pickardjw on November 01, 2023, 04:42:16 PM
https://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,86272.1320.html
Or you can send them my way and I'll post em. Same as my username @gmail.com
Post by: tvandy45 on November 04, 2023, 07:10:18 PM
Post by: highside74 on November 04, 2023, 07:38:47 PM
Post by: ASHQUACK on November 04, 2023, 08:52:16 PM
Post by: highside74 on November 04, 2023, 08:56:32 PM
Post by: Buzzsaw461 on November 05, 2023, 06:42:39 AM
Post by: Bullkllr on November 05, 2023, 06:45:35 AM
I have a friend with the 667 big buck tag. He saw 30 does today in vail with no bucks.
This doesn't really surprise me hearing this. The last week or so out there was really weird for deer activity.
Post by: fishnfur on November 05, 2023, 10:52:04 PM
The 27th was the last day I had any bucks on camera. Only does and fawns. I keep waiting for a big guy to show up but it seems like it's over already here.ir
This is when the rut getes really frustrating. The group of doe that had an early estrus got a lot of bucks up and moving for the few days that those girls were hot. We see the increased buck activity and think the rut is on and expect that hunting will get better and better later in the month. It seems like 13 - 21 Oct can be really active many years and then it slows down noticeably till the end of the month ('cause there's no hot does left. ) Almost none of the breeding that occurs in middleish Oct is successful in impregnating those hot doe.
The next breeding period typically follows that early activity by 18 - 21 days or so. The timing of the cycling gets the majority of (all) the does all hot during the first week of November - generally around the 8th - 10th. This is the "peak of the rut", which identifies the actual dates that most boe are hot and get successfully impregnated. The population as a whole, if plotted on a number line creates a typical bell curve showing 8 - 10th as the dates most doe are hot in Western WA. It also describes the variation in the dates that estrus occurs within the entire population with some doe breeding a week or more before or after the date if the peak (hence the bell shaped curve). Rutting activity stars slowing pretty quickly by the third week of Nov. because most of the doe are now either pregnant or no longer hot. Those remaining doe that missed being bred or had difficutly in some phase of egg fertilization/implantation etc. will cycle through another estrus sometime in late November. By the beginning of December, something like 99% of doe have been successfully bred.
For whatever reason, this period during very early Nov. can be the slowest hunting of the season, until suddenly all hell breaks loose and deer are getting nasty everywhere. Whether that is because the bucks are hanging with the first doe that get hot early in the bell curve is a possible cause for the slow hunting. In general, bucks will hang with a hot doe for 3 - 4 days breeding her over and over again until she no longer accepts his advances. The buck moves on to greener pastures and becomes a target fot lucky hunters holding tags for Quality Buck hunts.
The biology described above cannot be construed as being entirely accurate as it has been a few years since I read up on the subject, and I have the memory of a 65 year old man. If you count on your fingers and toes, the numbers work out pretty well to what we hunters see in the woods (and back yards).
Post by: trophyhunt on November 06, 2023, 07:23:48 AM
Post by: GOcougsHunter on November 06, 2023, 07:37:01 AM
Post by: 7mmfan on November 06, 2023, 09:49:02 AM
The 27th was the last day I had any bucks on camera. Only does and fawns. I keep waiting for a big guy to show up but it seems like it's over already here.ir
This is when the rut getes really frustrating. The group of doe that had an early estrus got a lot of bucks up and moving for the few days that those girls were hot. We see the increased buck activity and think the rut is on and expect that hunting will get better and better later in the month. It seems like 13 - 21 Oct can be really active many years and then it slows down noticeably till the end of the month ('cause there's no hot does left. ) Almost none of the breeding that occurs in middleish Oct is successful in impregnating those hot doe.
The next breeding period typically follows that early activity by 18 - 21 days or so. The timing of the cycling gets the majority of (all) the does all hot during the first week of November - generally around the 8th - 10th. This is the "peak of the rut", which identifies the actual dates that most boe are hot and get successfully impregnated. The population as a whole, if plotted on a number line creates a typical bell curve showing 8 - 10th as the dates most doe are hot in Western WA. It also describes the variation in the dates that estrus occurs within the entire population with some doe breeding a week or more before or after the date if the peak (hence the bell shaped curve). Rutting activity stars slowing pretty quickly by the third week of Nov. because most of the doe are now either pregnant or no longer hot. Those remaining doe that missed being bred or had difficutly in some phase of egg fertilization/implantation etc. will cycle through another estrus sometime in late November. By the beginning of December, something like 99% of doe have been successfully bred.
For whatever reason, this period during very early Nov. can be the slowest hunting of the season, until suddenly all hell breaks loose and deer are getting nasty everywhere. Whether that is because the bucks are hanging with the first doe that get hot early in the bell curve is a possible cause for the slow hunting. In general, bucks will hang with a hot doe for 3 - 4 days breeding her over and over again until she no longer accepts his advances. The buck moves on to greener pastures and becomes a target fot lucky hunters holding tags for Quality Buck hunts.
The biology described above cannot be construed as being entirely accurate as it has been a few years since I read up on the subject, and I have the memory of a 65 year old man. If you count on your fingers and toes, the numbers work out pretty well to what we hunters see in the woods (and back yards).
This is a pretty good explanation of how it really works.
Post by: Sutherland on November 06, 2023, 09:50:32 AM
Post by: westside bull on November 06, 2023, 10:29:06 AM
Post by: IFunk on November 06, 2023, 11:15:29 AM
Post by: fowl smacker on November 06, 2023, 01:08:07 PM
Post by: dilleytech on November 07, 2023, 07:18:55 AM
Can verify that the Toutle unit is really slow right now. Only 3 does and a spike seen. Think they are all still nocturnal.
Or mostly locked down
Post by: KP-Skagit on November 07, 2023, 08:44:27 AM
Post by: Spuddieselwwu on November 07, 2023, 10:55:25 AM
Post by: GASoline71 on November 07, 2023, 01:07:39 PM
I came in the house and asked the wife if she heard anything in the back yard. She said, "No, but the dog has been whining at the kitchen door for over an hour." :chuckle:
Gary
Post by: highside74 on November 07, 2023, 01:15:51 PM
Post by: slavenoid on November 07, 2023, 04:46:01 PM
Post by: highside74 on November 07, 2023, 05:00:02 PM
Post by: Born2late on November 07, 2023, 05:50:32 PM
Post by: trophyhunt on November 07, 2023, 07:03:06 PM
Post by: ChefWoodrough on November 12, 2023, 07:43:59 PM
Post by: blackveltbowhunter on November 12, 2023, 07:49:08 PM
Post by: PNWheckle on November 13, 2023, 07:30:44 PM
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Post by: craigapphunt on November 13, 2023, 08:45:49 PM
Post by: Sundance on November 13, 2023, 09:35:49 PM
Post by: PNWheckle on November 13, 2023, 09:56:14 PM
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Post by: Jrtishchuk on November 14, 2023, 07:17:58 AM
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Post by: tvandy45 on November 14, 2023, 08:22:33 AM
He’s always been eating good (https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20231114/5173a8dfac7040ea072c5bc5e70b1f14.jpg)
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Post by: highside74 on November 14, 2023, 08:30:57 AM
Post by: swanderek on November 14, 2023, 05:50:15 PM
And sticking to does.
Bigger ones came and went.
Same 2 point around the last few days