Mossyrock area rut

[Dustin07]

What's going on in the Riffe Lake area? I'm planning on working Peterman Ridge this weekend and wanted to get some ideas of what the behavior is like down there right now. Are we already post rut, or are we getting into the middle of it? 

[bow4elk]

Locate does and you should find bucks around.  Every populations varies a bit.  Saw a lone buck last evening 3x2 feeding on grass along the road.

[jstamp]

they don't seem to be rutting at all yet. at least the ones i've seen.

[Dustin07]

thats interesting, up here, only 75 miles away, people were telling me they appeared to be rutting at least 1.5-2weeks ago.

[bow4elk]

they are rutting all over now...just that peak breeding of specific doe groups may vary, but yeah - it's on.  I believe peak breeding occurred in the areas I hunt around 11/14 based on deer activity.  There is often a lull of a few days just after, then the bucks go nuts in the following week or so seeking more deer.  this week is going to be prime for mid-day hunts or all day hunts in doe transition/feed areas.  Bucks will be scent checking them and trail systems.

[Dustin07]

I've never hunted the rut before, or with scent before, so this should be interesting... thanks for the feedback.

[jstamp]

i've got a spike and a 3 point hanging out together in my yard almost every night, neither seem to be rutting yet. their necks aren't swelled, and they don't seem to be interested in any of the does in the area. 

[FullDraw]

If you are hunting Peterman ridge get out and walk behind gates.  There are some really nice cuts above Riffe lake.

[jstamp]

most of the clear cuts above the lake are private property. ORM has most of those posted no trespassing. people do sneak on there, but if you get caught, you get a ticket for trespassing.

[FullDraw]

That is true but there is some public land there and I have seen some nice bucks come out of there in the past.  However it is getting grown up.

[jstamp]

it is getting grown up and tougher to find deer up there. maybe it's just me, but there doesn't seem to be near the deer up there now as there was 5 years ago. hunting pressure has sure gotten a lot worse too. most of the time you can't buy a ticket at any of the gates. they are doing some more logging up there, so there should be some decent new cuts in a couple of years.

[FullDraw]

jstamp you took the words out of my mouth.  My old man logged some of that and hunts it alot.  He said that he hardly saw any does during regular season.  He used to see up to 20 deer a day in there.  Hard winter last year? maybe or he is getting old. lol

[jstamp]

i wouldn't say he's getting old. i hunt and scout it a lot, and there just isn't the amount of deer up there as there used to be. there isn't even a lot of deer sign anymore. that place used to be a guarantee for at least a 2 point, now i struggle just to see a few does up there. last year i hunted it everyday, after opening week, and i only saw 12 deer total and one little spike buck. it was the worst i've seen it yet. this year i went up there a few times, and saw a few does and no bucks. this year i started looking for new areas to hunt blacktails. 

[FullDraw]

j stamp, what do you think is happening there?  I know I have seen what that area can produce and to hear that it has dried up that much from several people.  Really makes me wonder?

[jstamp]

i wish i knew!! i talked to the biologist and the warden last year at the office in morton and they told me that it was poaching. i personally don't think that it's all poaching, maybe a slice of the pie, but not totally. i think it has to do with several things. 1. 10 times the hunting pressure as it was a few years ago. 2. habitat. most of the clear cuts are grown up now, so feed isn't as abundant. 3. predators. lots of yotes, bears, and big cats up there. 4. poaching. i do know that the area is spotlighted quit a bit, so i think you to have factor it in there, but not the sole reason for the numbers being down. i've also noticed that more and more people are out hunting, by this i mean walking. there used to be tons of people up there driving around (and there still is) but now there are just as many people out of their rigs and hunting. like i said before, if you want to walk behind a gate, you better be there at around 3 am.

it is frustrating to see that place go down hill so quickly. I have seen some big bucks come off of that hill in the past, having taken a few myself.