2020 Blacktail rut/pre-rut and post rut thread

[Pacific Ghost]

Thanks for the report 72. That is a tough tag. I saw 7 today, but no bone. Back at it tomorrow.

[fishnfur]

Anybody hear much shooting today?  Not I.  Nor one.  Weird year. Seemed like it wasn't hunting season out there.

[Thehowler]

Plenty of folks slowly driving the roads. Not too much shooting in Pierce county, heard a few shots early on.
Had a 2 point run across the road in front of me, driving out in the dark yesterday.
Yes, very strange year. They just do not move much.

[blackveltbowhunter]

Overall BT numbers being down has to play a role I would think. But I also think weather is a huge factor in the BT game. I saw more activity in general and increased spike in mature buck activity very early in general season. I think that early first round estrus may have been much more successful than a typical year. I know alot of guys who knocked down or saw big bucks saw them  earlier in October than usual.  Pre the 25th.

I agree everyone should skip the BT rut tags. 

[fishnfur]

I don't know about BT numbers being down  - I haven't seen stats on that.  I can't remember any unusually bad weather events last winter/spring that would have severely impacted deer numbers.  Other than that though, I can't argue with your ideas.  Certainly, a warm fall keeps them bedded and inactive well into the pre-rut.  I've pretty much come to the conclusion (I'm probably late to the party) that the very best days of the season are the last week of October.  Late buck is a crapshoot, even with leaves being off the trees. 

I'm having trouble coming to grips with the fact that in something like 36 hours in my elevated blind, I saw only one doe with a fawn for a total of about a half a second.  This spot has consistently had game showing regularly throughout every season since before I put the blind up.  I'm wondering if the reprod and brush layer has finally gotten to the point that I can no longer see deer even when they are up and moving, which is a distinct possibility, but considering how difficult the year was everywhere, I'm not sure at all if that was really the problem.   

[Skyvalhunter]

Nov 15 to 20th time frame

[IFunk]

I pulled a cam a couple weeks ago only to come home and find that a nice 3 or 4 point(camera was too high to tell) showed up.  When I went to re-deploy, I found several of these which weren't there before, so they are less than 2 weeks old.  I assumed it was a buck, but my co-worker thinks it might be a cat.  I did see one picture of a cat after a 2 month soak. Thoughts?  Buck or cat?

[fishngamereaper]

The last 5 days of. October was go time in my area based on cam pics.

Although one would think the deer numbers are down based on observationa and success, I even did, until I checked cams. I place my cams in area's people don't go and in one area roughly a square mile in size Ive determined there are 15 different bucks moving through.

I think an increase in pressure this year locked them down in the thick. With covid I saw more people out recreating than normal during the late summer months. I think deer quickly adapted to the activity. Survival is achieved through seclusion.

[Justdecent]

I agree that I can’t recall any harsh winters or weather events that would negatively impact Washington’s deer (particularly blacktail) numbers. However, they will only get worse and worse with each year that bears and cats are allowed to go unchecked. Cant hunt with dogs, can’t hunt over bait. What are we left with? Luck? I don’t think people realize the magnitude of the situation we have on our hands here.

[Birdguy]

I pulled a cam a couple weeks ago only to come home and find that a nice 3 or 4 point(camera was too high to tell) showed up.  When I went to re-deploy, I found several of these which weren't there before, so they are less than 2 weeks old.  I assumed it was a buck, but my co-worker thinks it might be a cat.  I did see one picture of a cat after a 2 month soak. Thoughts?  Buck or cat?

Based on the missing bark and apparent height of rub I would say deer. May well be looking at it wrong but that is how I see it. Look around you will likely find more of them too.

[fishnfur]

IFunk - they look like classic deer rubs to me.  If you look closely (while on site), you can find hairs of the animal that created the rub. Buck rubs typically occur 1 - 4 feet above ground level.   I'm not totally familiar with cat marks, but I believe they leave long vertical cuts in bark created by each individual claw.  The heights vary depending on the type of cat.  Google can provide more information. 

[SeatoSummit88]

I've got a great picture of a rub with hair on it that I found Late Season...I can't seem to resize it in my phone, so it won't post. It's a big rub like yours!

[7mmfan]

I've got a great picture of a rub with hair on it that I found Late Season...I can't seem to resize it in my phone, so it won't post. It's a big rub like yours!

Screenshot it and post the screenshot.

[IFunk]

I think I found the culprit!  Big rub, tiny horns...

[257wbymagkiller]

Had a nice 2 point walk in and straight to me and under me and gone. He was on a mission!