Timber Hunt

Ok, I have been scoping out this nice timber patch in an area that I have been on a couple hunting/scouting missions.

I typically am your basic clearcut, reprod, power line type hunter for Blacktail.

I want to expand my horizons and hunt timber more than I have.

My question to the experts is under what conditions is best for hunting timber. I have heard that you want it to be nasty and storming. Is this true?

I mean if the deer aren't out in the clearcuts, odds are they're in the timber right?

Thanks

The reason you want it to be nasty and stormy is because when its like that it causes alot of noises in the woods (trees falling, branches braking, and so on) so the deer will move to the clear cuts to get away from the noise and believe they will be safer. Which is one of the reasons why last weekends opener sucked for most people, sunny and no wind=no deer in the clear cuts.

We usually hunt timber mid-day. Cuts in the morning and evenings.

Bigman and Dogfish hit the nail on the head.....

Typically blacktail will bed down during mid day and hang in the thickest stuff you can find.... If you're making a ton of noise walking through it, that's where they're likely at. I can't tell you how many will just get up and let you walk by just out of eyesight...

Extremely smart animals... That's why the rut is so nice to hunt. Where the does are the bucks will be...

I hunt a lot of timber. IMHO, the best weather for it is just enough rain to cover your sound. Wind and the noise it causes in the woods can get them stirring around but I've been in the timber when trees are falling and it ain't cool.
Obviously, in dry conditions it's harder to be quiet. In frozen conditions it can be impossible. When it's dry or frozen, I just take my steps when the wind gusts. Or just stop all together and let them be the ones to give themselves away with noise.
If you can find unpressured deer during the rut, it's not a huge deal if you make a little sound. The bucks will come to see who is on their turf.



I'm afraid they're in the reprod a lot of times. Ya know that nasty stuff you don't want to go in? The stuff where the trees are 8 feet tall and 8 feet apart? With devil's club and blackberries between them? That's the stuff.

If the weather's like it's been recently (mild), and they aren't rutting yet, they are going to feed by night, bed down in the cooler timber on warm days, in the reprod sometimes. I like to glass a patch of reprod , look into the little open patches-you can sometimes pick up the flick of a tail or an ear. Midday hunting requires patience.
No timber hunting for this guy when the wind is really blowing! They might never find you...

The other thing to remember is that... when the deer leave the clearings and head to the trees (older growth - not reprod)... my advice is that you want to enter the trees away from clear cut and then walk toward the clearcut... understanding that the deer/bucks will bed down within the first 10-15 yards of the old growth and be looking towards the clearcut for danger... if you find oldgrowth with ferns and folage that is less than 2 feet high you should be in the money... and yes... a slight drizzle (rain falling from the trees) and slight breeze is a help... and then go slow... staying back in the trees and walking a parallel path to the edge of the clearcut... watching ahead of where you will walk...

Once when my buddy had spotted a 2x3 buck at the edge of a clearcut... I worked my way back into the trees to maybe pick him off when my buddy made an approach from the clearcut... well I got into the trees (with ferns and food) and made it about 20 yards, keeping the location of the buck in the clearcut in sight... well all of a sudden I am busted buy a massive 4x4 (thick mass beams) laying in his bed and actually rubbing his antlers on the small sapling right next to his bed... well he jumped up before I could nock my arrow and he bolts up hill and in runs the buck from the clearcut and joins the bigger buck... and then they both stop and look back at me from about 100 yards away.... SO keep your eyes open and scanning near and far...

Thanks for all the advice guys. I actually found some nice elk trails through the patch I was hunting and made it possible to walk through quietly as long as I went real slow.

Do deer spotted but lots of tracks so I will keep at it.

Well, it wasn't in the Timber but I thought I would post up my deer here instead of making a new post. Shot at 1st light in a walk-in area behind a locked gate (gotta love locked gates). I took a sniff at the weather Monday morning and couldn't resist a quick little hunt in an area not far from my home. My plan was to walk through this one unit for 1/2 hour and then head to work a little late. Well, this guy was the reason that I had to change that plan and take a "personal day". I have shot a couple 3 points that were not as big in body size or antler size.

Now I can go back to chasing chrome.....

Nice one! That is a really good looking 2 point. Solid blacktail for sure.

I looked at the "Who's Online" yesterday and saw that you weren't on there and knew that the weather was the reason. Looks like it might have been the only stormer in the whole rifle season.

Yup, had to pay hookie to get this guy. When I saw the tall curl I thought it would've been a 3 pt or more but hey.... I'll proudly take it.

He was alone and not swollen. I have heard of a few bucks that were in rut but this guy wasn't.

did you save the cape? I hope you did. I know a guy who will do a nice horn mnt. for a trade for the cape. Shoot me a pm and I'll get you his #. that is a nice looking BT.


my wife shot one just a little smaller and I had it mounted for her for a B-day present.


Kris

Actually, I did cape it out. I was having thoughts of doing a head mount but have decided to wait for "Big Walley" so I will be doing a horn mount.

My dad does a good job on the horns. He works in the woods and has been collecting maple and cedar burls (sp) for about 30 years. A nice set of horns mounted up on a nice piece of bird's eye maple is really cool.

I think he is low on leather though so if you or anyone else has some hide that is dried and tanned, I would happily trade my cape for it or something.

Congrats!

Beats the hell out of working, and the meat is 10 times better than you can buy with your wages.

Great Job Man... that is a nice looking buck!!!

Congrats!

Very nice!

Keith