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Author Topic: Late Rifle BT  (Read 3620 times)

Offline SeatoSummit88

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Late Rifle BT
« on: September 29, 2020, 07:56:42 AM »
Morning,

What are everyone's thoughts on still having in your pack/using a doe bleat and buck grunt during late rifle BT season? Been reading on some prior threads here regarding the rut and when we usually see bucks (of course during elk season, that's how this works)..But not much on calls during this time. Due to some family health concerns, I will only be able to get out this year during late buck, and with the wonderful 4 day period we get (said sarcastically), I want to make sure i'm tactful with my time! Would it be beneficial for me to sit in a stand/blind and attempt working in a buck with a call for majority of the days, or should I save that for modern next year, and plan to hoof it all day... I have never hunted past Modern Season, so just curious. Hunting would take place in SW/Coastal Units. I understand that usually we see our Blacktail Rut in early-mid Nov, has anyone ever seen the breeding cycle stretch through the end of the month of Nov, or do you believe it would just be a case-by-case basis depending on the particular buck and if hes been around enough does that were in heat?  I'm down for cutting trails, walking unkempt grassy grade/skid roads and glassing all day over cuts, but 4 days is not a lot of time to catch a ghost. All in all, I want to know if I should still treat this late month hunt as still within the Rut Calendar?

Happy Hunting
Matt
If I'm not selling, I should be hunting, If I'm not hunting, I should quit!

Offline JakeLand

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Re: Late Rifle BT
« Reply #1 on: September 29, 2020, 08:18:09 AM »
By thanksgiving the ruts Done but they will be doing the rut hangover
A good pair of binoculars will be your best asset next to good boots
Glass glass and glass especially on the timber edges of cuts

Offline SeatoSummit88

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Re: Late Rifle BT
« Reply #2 on: September 29, 2020, 08:45:56 AM »
Jakeland, your input is greatly appreciated! Everyone's input is always greatly appreciated. I like to see how everyone else views/has experience with each season.

I've got a fresh pair of Danner Pronghorns inbound (hopefully they work for me), and i'll have to get the windex out for my Binos! What is your opinion on a 3 to 4 sided open cut, and in the middle a heavy tree'd/blow down gut "island"? Do you think the deer would focus on hanging out in the center gut "island/patch", where they can pop out and choose any cut face to feed on, or do you think they would still stick to the actual timber line edge, so they can make a run for it into the thick if they felt pressured? I've seen multiple does and fawns bedded before in these types of patches, but never seen a buck in one yet...
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Offline 7mmfan

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Re: Late Rifle BT
« Reply #3 on: September 29, 2020, 09:01:32 AM »
My experience is the bucks will be along the edges, not in the island. They're trapped in the island, but can disappear into the tangle if along the edges. You might see a younger buck hanging out with the does out in the middle but anything mature will be on the edge, unless there's a hot doe in there...
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Offline SeatoSummit88

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Re: Late Rifle BT
« Reply #4 on: September 29, 2020, 09:18:01 AM »
Roger that 7MM. Thank you. I figured thick timber lines would probably be a better bet... Although it's dense, not much area for him to roam/hide.  I''ll spend some time glassing it sounds like. Maybe avoid my walks on grassy grade roads and stick to old bottoms and trails at this time of the year.
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Offline ridgefire

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Re: Late Rifle BT
« Reply #5 on: September 30, 2020, 01:40:14 PM »
I rattled in 4 blacktail bucks on 12/8 a few years back.

Offline fishnfur

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Re: Late Rifle BT
« Reply #6 on: September 30, 2020, 03:03:45 PM »
RadSav in seasons past said that keeping on the move during the Late Buck hunt was the most effective way to hunt, even to the point of driving around to different cuts and glassing each one, then moving on.  Who am I to argue with that?

If I knew where a good buck was hanging out and I had current knowledge that he was still alive after the MF season, I could easily say that spending a day of the late hunt working that spot is not time wasted.  Others might disagree though.  Four days is plenty of time to get it done.  Many of the old timers don't even start hunting till the last few days of October.  That reveals how confident they are that they will get it done pretty quickly.

In ten years, I've only had a single buck respond to a doe bleat one time, and that was a young buck.  Rattling and/or grunting has a higher success rate in my mind.  Current season rublines are presumably not showing new rubs during the late season, but the bucks that made them should be expected to typically hang close to those areas or, if off cruising, return to home/rubline area after an excursion to find doe. 

During Late Buck, there are still doe that were not successfully bred during the peak of the rut.  They will cycle and experience another estrus cycle around the time of this hunt, so if you find a doe standing still in the woods (or in a cut), tail straight out, and looking like she's waiting for a buck to come breed her, Then have a seat and wait her out.  They may already have a buck with them that you've not seen, or a buck will come along soon.  Watch for bucks coming from the downwind side of the doe.  Bucks are still on the hunt for doe till late-November.  There are plenty of hunter stories that have bucks responding to rattling all the way to the end of December. 

Good luck!
“When I die, I want to die like my grandfather who died peacefully in his sleep. Not screaming like all the passengers in his car.”  - Will Rogers

Offline SeatoSummit88

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Re: Late Rifle BT
« Reply #7 on: October 01, 2020, 10:38:09 AM »
This is all awesome to hear!!!!  So my plan is to work with a few tools in my bag... Blacktail Buck Grunt Tube, Doe Bleat Tube, Fawn Distress Reed and a rattle bag. I've got a great internal frame, so I can be out all day, every day. I would like to not drive if possible, the area I am planning on hunting has 2 gates, 1 to 3 miles out on either end...So, very few people want to actually walk in. My goal was to start at twilight and just putt on the main road ever......so......slow....And get to my first cut just after first light..glass and call (lightly..fawn and doe) see if I can get a buck to pop out of his bed or work off the timber edge and come to me. I really hope I can catch a doe...That would be a huge starting point.  This area I know from prior years, but in theory going in blind this season. I know there was a nice chocolate coat fork horn 2 seasons ago that hasn't been shot yet...but is he still there, no idea. Will look for rubs, tracks and then just listen! I feel amped for this season... Planning on doing more overall (woods) listening and glassing.  Do any of you strap your binos to a bipod? I just have a harness.  I'm doing the right thing by getting boots on the ground, but I also feel without being able to pre scout, i've just lowered my chances even more... But I guess you never know what happens in hunting...
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Offline fishnfur

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Re: Late Rifle BT
« Reply #8 on: October 03, 2020, 12:09:27 AM »
Hunting as you scout is better than not hunting at all.  Hopefully next season will give you more freedom to get in there earlier.  Stick to the sides of the road as you walk, using cover wherever possible. Deer will see you out in the middle and be gone before you can twitch.  Roads behind locked gates that have multiple cuts with big timber, conifer or alder across the road from a cut are worth slowing way down for and watching for awhile in hopes of catching deer coming and going across the road (recommended by a super-hunter last year). 

I'd rely  more on rattling than bleating if you are calling.  Hide 50 or so yards in the timber above a cut.  Stay hidden!  Rattle/grind a bit and wait, look, and listen for sounds indicating a deer coming in, typically from the downwind side.  Repeat every 5 - 10 minutes for three full cycles.  Move on or stay depending on how you're feeling about the area.

  The fawn in distress is good when hunting for or just trying to locate doe.  Bucks might occasionally respond earlier in the season, but during the rut, if a doe has fawns with her, she's not ready to breed.  Doe will always leave their kids alone when they are hot.  They head off to a nearby area to attract a buck and breed.  If you're blowing on a fawn call along with a doe in estrus, you're sending out mixed signals.  Grunts and rattling tell local bucks that other bucks may be vying for a hot doe.  Bucks may chase a doe that has kids with her prior to the rut, but they're like teenagers trying to get to first base.  Once the majority of doe are hitting estrus, the bucks focus only on those doe  that are hot. 

Shoot straight!
“When I die, I want to die like my grandfather who died peacefully in his sleep. Not screaming like all the passengers in his car.”  - Will Rogers

Offline Mallardmasher

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Re: Late Rifle BT
« Reply #9 on: October 03, 2020, 08:37:26 AM »
I have not had much luck with , rattling racking or bleats after the pre-rut. But as far as the rut goes, and catching bucks during day light, all the way thru 12/10. This year we got our bucks early, but a normal year our luck comes from rifle season on. With most bucks hitting the dirt between middle nov to beginning of dec.
During the peak the bucks can remain in there local area, with the ladies they know, late nov, the are on the move, looking for second estrus does, and cover some ground in their search. I see does breed all the way thru early dec, and this year 5  have been witnessed in late Sept. and my mature bucks are all swelled up already
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Offline fishnfur

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Re: Late Rifle BT
« Reply #10 on: October 03, 2020, 02:20:55 PM »
That's crazy early - late September mating??  Seems like a successful mating might produce fawns in late April.......  Let us know if you see that!

Hey Mallard Masher - I was thinking about you today as I spent another morning in the woods without seeing or even believing there was a deer (or elk) within five miles of me - all in a spots that used to have tons of deer.    I've seen jack sh@% for a couple weeks now.  I assume the nice warm weather has them bedded all day and the early evening bright moon has them feeding all night.  I'm curious though - what time of day did you and your' buddy harvest those bucks?
“When I die, I want to die like my grandfather who died peacefully in his sleep. Not screaming like all the passengers in his car.”  - Will Rogers

Offline SeatoSummit88

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Re: Late Rifle BT
« Reply #11 on: October 04, 2020, 12:20:19 PM »
Thanks FishnFur. I have actually been watching quite a few videos of guys hunting bucks in November and calling them in via fawn distress. I guess that makes sense if majority of bucks know that does with fawns aren't looking to breed or potentially have already. Definitely don't want to throw out the wrong talk to them. Maybe I'll use lightly to locate or atleast bring a doe in. I have a set of antlers I can use or a rattle bag. Haven't done too much call sequence with rattling. More so the occasional grunt or bleat. Hopefully the weather will snap right when late rifle starts. Would love to hunt a stronger rut for them.
If I'm not selling, I should be hunting, If I'm not hunting, I should quit!

Offline fishnfur

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“When I die, I want to die like my grandfather who died peacefully in his sleep. Not screaming like all the passengers in his car.”  - Will Rogers

Offline Mallardmasher

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Re: Late Rifle BT
« Reply #13 on: October 04, 2020, 10:13:19 PM »
Mine was last 20 min of shooting hours, his wad about 8am. Still seeing some daytime movement ,but rare. All our big boys are out looking for love. Only one on cam last five days
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Offline SeatoSummit88

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Re: Late Rifle BT
« Reply #14 on: October 05, 2020, 11:23:24 AM »
Thanks FishnFur, Have watched all those videos and I think every youtube video published on Nov Blacktail hunting  :chuckle:
Still looking for more!


Mallard, been hearing a couple guys getting it done just before lunch and then in the evening. Will be out there and ready from O' dark thirty to last light!

Hopefully they start moving around in the next couple weeks!
If I'm not selling, I should be hunting, If I'm not hunting, I should quit!

 


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