2017 Hunting Season

It's almost time to kickoff the 2017 Hunting season!

Toff, myself and maybe a couple others will be out on the island again this year. Stands are going up very soon and plans are coming together nicely.

Anyone else have any awesome tags and / or hunts planned?

I should be back up in the Tonasket area going after Buckzilla again. Or, at least going on some nice Armed Nature Hikes. Just hoping we don't have another typhoon hit the coast this time.

I just got back from Lk. Curlew near to Tonasket. There are more giant mule deer running around there than anyplace I have ever visited in the lower 48. I think you're gonna have good luck Parker.

Paker needs all the luck he can get!

The sticks will start flying tomorrow.........

I hope to be flinging some on my island tomorrow AM. They fatten up all year on my sugar peas, tomato flowers, and other veges...

2 new tree stands are being assembled today and going up next week. Death (and naps) from above.

Hope all of the stick boys are doing good this opening weekend.

Whoda thunk that Amazon could help set up an ambush ?
https://www.amazon.com/Purina-Mills-Premium-Deer-Block/dp/B00JN9GNJG

Chompin' at the bit. SOON!

QQ: If Grouse are supposed to be dumb and they out smart me, does that make me dumber? I vote yes.

I'm getting anxious! Pretty much packed up for muzzy elk season and leaving tomorrow. Hopefully put a bull to bed tomorrow night for the opener Saturday. Hopefully this year I don't miss!

Good luck to anyone heading out for muzzy elk.

Good luck WSU. Hope you give em' the ol' smoke pole treatment. Let us know how you do!

Got a nice mature male Sooty last weekend (my first Sooty!). Beautiful bird. Made jalapeno bacon poppers and saved feathers for the tying bench.

Also got two different 3x4's with 3" eye guards and a large 3x3 on our trail cams.

1 week and counting....

I just checked in to see if any of our trail cam pics got a mention or post...they sure have me worked up!

Fish on...

Todd

WTF is a "sooty"? Lived in WA all my life, never heard of that?

We had some ups and downs for sure. Mid-day Saturday I got on a couple bulls in the timber. I tracked them for about an hour after jumping them out of their beds. Everything was perfect: wind was blowing consistently downhill and it was raining enough to cover most noise. I managed to sneak to about 30 yards, lined up the sights on smallish 5 point, and ............ click. I can say definitively that bull elk do not like the sound of a hammer hitting a cap. Cap didn't go off and the bull bolted. No more elk encountered on Saturday.

Sunday morning I ended up getting small four point. Not much story to it. Parked in the dark, waited a couple hours for light to walk into the clearcut, and came around a corner and there he was. I shot as he spun to run over the ridge and double lunged him. Meat in the freezer!

We came home to get the bull hung and get back in the office for a day or two. My dad still has a tag and I'm trying to convince him to head back out. Hopefully more to come!

Very cool!

Today I received the unfortunate news that my employer will be clawing back 8 very well planned out (and very well earned) vacation days off. First 5+ day vacation I've planned in like 7 or 8 years. Too quote South Park...."aaaaaaand it's gone".

And and AND!!!!!

I'll be lucky to get the weekends and a 95%+ chance late season will be screwed as well. Basically 3/4's of my season (if not more) has been gut shot.

Hi Snit - a Sooty Grouse (sorry...edited post above). They are type of Blue Grouse (specific sub-species) that live at higher elevations in a small band that runs along the PNW Coast only. Dusky Grouse are the other type of Blue Grouse that are MUCH more common.

Sooty's are a dark slate blue gray with a very specific tail pattern and they're BIG for Grouse. They have much darker and more flavorful meat than say a Ruffed Grouse and are a solid 1x larger in size. Very cool feathers to add to my tying kit.

I'll try to post a cool pic I got....

WSU - congrats on the Bull! Only saw cows on my West side muzzy hunt over the weekend.

Nick - Thanks for the info as I have learned something new! I've killed a pile of Blue's in my life, but never on the West side of the mountains. I doubt I've encountered a Sooty, we just call them "Blues".

Is it Saturday morning yet?

Fuckodeer I am so ready to be in the woods.

Fish on...

Todd

Congrats WSU - well done!

Saturday is soon Todd. Probably not soon enough, but soon'ish. I've started camo laundry. This is a good sign that the season is upon us...or so say the ancients.

Good season so far, shot a bull in washington. Killed a muley in oregon, tagged 2 of my guys out as well. The outfitter I work for has had an epic season so far. We've killed a 236, 187, and 185 and filled every tag but one, and only because our hunter left early due to the country being rough. Now off to kill some more elk..

Good luck to everyone on the general deer season this weekend and week.

I'm outta here for an extended "Armed Nature Hike". Maybe this will be the year the "Armed Nature Hike" turns in to an actual successful hunt.

Oh well. Gotta keep trying! Buckzilla, here I come!

Shoot far and shoot straight, y'all!

Got a 2point with my bow after work one day.

Out helping a buddy get his 14 year old daughter onto a buck or doe. Had a devil horned spike at 30 yards this morning but she wasn’t quick enough. Also had 3 does at 200 yesterday and a bear in the brush at 50.

Parker, you hunt?

Good thing I don't drink coffee....

Filled my first tag today. One more to go.

Fish on...

Todd

Boy got his 4th buck in 5 years, and it happened to be his 4th 4-pointer as well. Like the rest of them, it's a typical Douglas County mule deer. 20" crab clawed, wheat fed, butterball. We had tenderloins and mashed taters last night. There was another shooter in the herd, but I just enjoyed watching him make the stalk-shot while watching through binocs. I'll go back this weekend and see if I can rustle one up for myself.

It was a great start to the season.

Congrats Todd.

Heard/saw a couple nice bucks beating up the bottom boughs of a big Doug Fir opening morn'. Watched this trey tending a couple does until he got tired. Love is in the air....

Nice pic Driftin!

Good luck Snit!

We have some monsters on camera under our stands. They're just nocturnal right now. I had two come through before shooting hours directly under my stand that made a big ol' ruckus. Trashing, stomping and snorting around like they own the place. 5 more minutes and one would be hanging in my shop. Next weekend should be awesome with all the rain. They are in the pre-rut and the nasty weather really brings em' out. More to follow....hopefully with some good news.

This crappy weather has really got me wishing that today was Friday and not Wednesday!

Fish on...

Todd

Never chased the elusive blacktail. Sounds like you guys are in some great habitat! Good luck!

Don't think so.

I believe what I do are called Armed Nature Hikes.

I used to do a lot of Armed Nature Hikes. I went almost a decade without seeing any deer, much less a legal one. Got better when I tok up pointy sticks.

Armed nature hikes can be fun when the snowflake city slickers are out and about. "OH my gosh...a gun! REEEEEEEEE!"

Toddster and I cut and rolled his first BT last night at my casa. Team effort! His animal had the most fat I've ever seen on any wild game. Took forever to get the all of the tiny bits cleaned and prepped, but the freezer is most happy. Whatever they are eating, they are eating well!

Getting ready for weekend #2. I'm due for some action.

I haven't deer hunted yet but plan to start tomorrow.

The rut appears to be getting started here in Oly. I saw a 2 or 3 point in a field with a doe at the crack of 9 a.m. this morning. Some rut activity plus crap weather should make for decent hunting.

I hope you are right, getting tired of seeing all the big bucks on our cams at 3am!

We did have a brute show up on the same can at 2am, 4am, and then again at noon...he really likes our apples, and we are hoping to arrange a meeting on Saturday morning!

Fish on...

Todd

Moving over to BTs in Coyle after a muley boondoggle near Winthrop. Looked more like a pumpkin patch there than anything else...

Gone nocturnal to avoid the Todd and Nick wrecking crew !
They sleep somewhere, though.

If you get another one, show it to Paker so he knows what they look like.

Rocket J. Squirrel just ran across my keyboard and said this...
/.-

Most pumpkins are quite comfy sitting in one spot year after year. Works if the weather cooperates and early snows dislodge big mulies from their habitual haunts for lower elevations. Most local dinks are hanging whole in camp after the opener. Being willing to hike in well before daylight and pack out with a load of meat over a day or two will oft get one outta the pumpkin patch. Horses are more better. Pard & I woke one snowy morn' decades ago to find what looked like 100 head had migrated through our horse camp under cover of darkness. Quite the impressive highway in the snow when they've a mind to move ZIP Codes....

Safe & successful hunts to y'all!

I think we know abouts where a couple of them sleep on one of our properties, and I spent a sweaty morning last week hiking up the very steep and brushy hillside towards Nick lounging in a tree stand. If they were there I didn't step on one, so they didn't move. Such is life when hunting in the jungle.

The one I did shoot was walking around in the sun nibbling on grass at noon, I walked right up on it and there it was, and down it went.

35 yards with 00 buckshot...two in the brain, one in the muzzle, two in the neck, one of which thru the jugular. As with the two last year it was dead before it hit the ground.

If you can get close enough to hit 'em with a shotgun buckshot to the head is an effective technique to drop 'em where they stand and not put even a tiny hole in the edible parts.

The key is to spot a deer and by "2 Mississipi" be letting the lead fly. Any longer than that and that deer will disappear like a ghost.

Fish on...

Todd

Would it be cheatin' to use hog hunter style night vision, follow them back to their beds and then light 'em up at legal shooting time ?

Although a guy could buy a lot of beef for the cost of that night vision gear.

I think I will rely more on this crappy weather kicking them out of bed for a couple of hours during the day to warm up and have a snack. We are still about ten days from the usual start of the rut out there, but a few may get going earlier and this weird weather all summer and now so far in the fall can push that around a bit, too.

Out of here soon to head into the bushes and look for #2. Nick has two deer and a score to settle, he's chomping at the bit to get out there, too.

Fish on...

Todd

Apples, tree stands, trail cams & night vision, oh my!

I'm still bettin' on the big ethereal bucks.

May The Force be with you....

This is always the safe bet.

Still hoping to cover the spread, though.

Fish on...

Todd

Our deer get cracked corn covered in molasses...they stay a while and come back often.

Fish on...

Todd

"Our deer get cracked corn covered in molasses...they stay a while and come back often."

I put out the wet COB and all I got were black bears!

We are hunting on an island that has no bears!

Fish on...

Todd

"Hey Nick, what's that ?"

"It's a goddam big bear and he's swimming this way !"

"Let's get outa here !"

This thread is ready for some pictures!

Yep.
How do we know these aren't Paker-esque Armed Nature Hikes ?

Posting from a spot right now. Todd is out walking and I'm soaking up the sun they said wouldn't be out today. It's been a great weekend!

I should have been on my hunting vacation this entire week. Work sucks. Bastards.

Well at least Todd will share some of the bounty with you for all your hard work....



Right?

He's done right by me - it's all good. I'd like to be able to share back after this upcoming weekend though. The Island BT Posse is growing and a couple of guest guns will be joining us in on the fun. Supposed to have blue bird weather this weekend which will suck for deer but be great for my complexion.

I finally got on the scoreboard Saturday evening with a nice little 2x1 buck out of one of our tree stands. Not the big boy I was hoping to get, but a good 2.5 year old "problem child" buck that will eat well and no longer be doing any damage. There is also one less stinkin' Song Dog roaming our grounds.

Nice job Nick!

Congrats!

Watched his twin brother on Friday. Dink 2x with a shattered port side antler. He was determined and was relentlessly pestering a doe for quite a spell as he played follow the leader. Fortunately, they stayed upwind. The local boys musta stunk up the woods. Either that or the big bucks are reading the game regs again. Got real quiet after opening....

Congrats Nick !

Suicide Watch... Cancelled!

Fish on...

Todd

Yup!

Our season has been very productive so far!

We have filled three of our four tags, in spite of lots of warm and sunny weather and very little daytime movement of deer...we have tried hard, and it has paid off.

There will be a post mortem of the season with pics and all in a couple of weeks

Fish on...

Todd

And after the last couple of weekends you'd be losing your money, too

Fish on...

Todd

Looking forward to late season and filling my doe tag, but it'll be nice to get some rest over the next couple of weekends.

Rest? There's no rest!

I struck out during deer but we're headed out to see if my wife can kill the bull I almost killed. He's been back in his normal haunt. We're leaving at 3 to get in position well before daylight (and before the competition!).

Good luck to anyone hitting the woods for rifle elk.

I got a good reminder why I don't rifle hunt elk. We got to our spot about 4:30 and hung out in the truck for a few hours. At daylight we started hiking into the clearcut where the elk were. Shortly after daylight, a truck drove around my truck (parked at the edge of the road at the start of the cut in hopes that a courteous hunter wouldn't blow it for us) and came driving into the middle of the clearcut. I just stood in the road and the driver attempted to drive around me. His tire was within about a foot of my foot when he finally stopped. I explained that we were sneaking in on the elk in the cut. He said "we're going to hunt them too, we saw them from another road." About then, a guy in the back seat jumps out and starts jogging down the road in front us while trying to shove bullets in his gun, put his coat on, and put orange on. Long story short, no elk were harmed and I got a good reminder why rifle hunting sucks.

My friend did get a bull though across the canyon. We're headed back for more (fun?) this weekend. Hopefully the yahoos went home.

A trait of yahoos is that they NEVER seem to go home. At least not where I hunt/ fish...

It has been my observation that, in a broad brush way, elk bring out the very worst in WA hunters. Not just the rifle guys as I knew archers taking 100+yard shots at bulls.

Me too. But at least there less that use other weapons. I had the first elk I ever shot at 15 or 16 by some guy during muzzy season.

Apparently the yahoos only hunt the first weekend. No pressure at daylight yesterday and my wife got a nice little five point bull. This is the first year we’ve both got an elk. I’m pretty sure we have more than we’ll be able to eat in a year!

The Yahoos are over-populating.

Just a matter of time until there is a massive winter kill.

Just sayin.

That winter kill is long overdue....

During deer season a couple decades ago, pard and I moved down from our horse camp to stay ahead of the deep snow that pushed us lower. Upon arrival, we bumped into a father with his preteen son on their way to see the local Sheriff. Dad was pissed and son was in and out of tears. Seems the lad tipped over a dandy mulie buck that morning (his first) that was similarly migrating downward, notched his tag and commenced dressing when two men on quads roll into the drainage and took the boy's buck. Father was over the adjacent ridge, heard the shot but arrived after the heist.

Congrats WSU!

I'm sure you'll have no problem chewing thru all that tasty Wapiti. If you do have any problems, I know a guy that could take some of that burden off your hands.

Getting fired up to head back out to the island for late season. Work screwed me again and I won't get to take Thursday / Friday off as previously planned. I've got two days to take a doe so I hope that'll be enough. I've pretty much concluded that this will be my last shafting at the behest of my current employer. As soon as late season is over, my resume goes out.

WTG wsu! I thought I had posted a "congrats" earlier in the week, but it has disappeared...or it's the older age creeping in!

This weekend I'm attempting my 1st ever blacktail hunt...we will see haw this shait how goes! Good luck fellas

Good luck Snit! Once those smart BT's get into your blood, there is nothing else like it. Knock em' dead!

I'm mostly happy for my wife. She's had a long dry spell and was really excited to get an elk!

Good luck during late buck. I will give it a shot here locally but don't think I'll too much time to devote to it. Hopefully there is still some rut action going on!

From the flehming I saw this morning, those randy BT bucks are still horny....

Good luck!

My after work deer hunt yesterday was interrupted when I discovered a nice 5 point bull and 6 cows in my deer spot! It's private property here in Olympia. My dad still has a multi-tag and I'm hoping the elk will stick around until it reopens Wednesday. If I push them, I may not see them again until 2019 (there's damn few elk in Olympia!).

Hopefully I can find a buck elsewhere. Anyone else get out?

All tags have been punched. We'll post a season report sometime in the near future.

Congrats!

About 3 dozen Canada geese pitched in this morning. One's about 10 feet from my office window as I type. Told him it's a good thing I bought an organic turkey a couple days ago. Failed to mention that Christmas is coming....

Almost glad the season is over...need rest! We really whacked and stacked 'em this season, with no errant shots or inopportune naps...plus we even have a few good stories behind some of the animals.

Fish on...

Todd

Right on. Tag soup for me on deer.

Fookin' rednecks!
You can fix the damage for cash money too. That's kinda a double win.

My friend and I (we both got skunked on deer) joked that we saw more dead bucks on the side of the road during the season than we did hunting and should have just picked up already dead deer instead of trying to kill one.

Last round of deer butchering tonight...I'm almost glad the season is over so I can get some rest! Post season wrap up will come sooner or later, once it is all over!

Fish on...

Todd

Glad you guys had a good season. I struck out again, as in, none of the archery guys I invited over came to shoot a blacktail. A few weeks ago a spike and a forkhorn were humping does in the side yard. I haven't seen the 3-point since before deer season opened. Either he stayed well hidden, or maybe one of my neighbors shot him, don't know. Near as I can tell, I'll have another major crop of fawns come spring. We have way too many deer around here. They walk through the breeze way between my house and garage, walk up 3 steps onto my front porch to eat geraniums, and they smirk at me when I walk too close to them on my way to the mailbox.

I'm glad I left the elk alone. They stuck around until muzzy opened and my dad managed to harvest our third bull of the season. We all tagged out on elk and struck out on deer. I'll take it!

That's awesome WSU and congrats again. Glad they stuck around for your dad (good call on leaving them alone). Freezers full of Elk are a wonderful thing!

Salmo - I'll have my multi-season next year and will remove a problem animal for you. I couldn't this year as I had modern tags. Pretty sure you don't want the 12 gauge booming from your porch at first light...

I filled my second doe tag with a 21 yard crushing thump to the head. It's rather incredible the amount of punishment a 3" magnum shell doles out. Lights out sweetheart.

Salmo,
Let me know if the 3 point shows back up.
Now that he has made his doe donations I can help him with a responsible dirt nap and truck ride.

I think the seasons are over for this GMU. I should get a paintball gun and do a population census just to learn how many of the critters live around here. It's probably more than anyone would think.

If only I could figure out blacktails. I'm toying with the idea putting up a tree stand or two. I've got a spot that has trails crossing in a bunch of directions and is in a timber strip between a clearcut and open field. Seems like there are always deer there but seeing the bucks is difficult.

Tree stands are 110% the way to go. This is the first year we deployed stands and they made all the difference. I filled both my tags out of the same stand and Todd filled one of his tags from our other stand. We bought (and recommend) Hawk's 1.5 man 21' ladder "Sasquatch" stand. It's big, but it sure is comfy and roomy. I'll be getting two more during the off season.

Two more stands or two more deer?????

I'll have to figure out a way to sit in one once I buy it. I don't have a lot of patience but we'll see. I'm convinced I'd kill a lot more deer that way.

Stands good sir.

WSU - I've hunted from stands a few times back out east...a very LONG time ago. So I'm (we) are just sort of re-learning it all over again. One thing I can tell you is that you only need to be in your stands at dawn and dusk (for BT's). Once the sun comes, mature animals will bed down tight for the day. It's best to give em' till 9 am or so, crawl down out of your stand and get into the bush for a daytime still / jump hunt. Or just leave em' completely alone and not pressure their beds.

Both of my animals came within the first and last 5 minutes of hunting hours this year. It's pretty much a 15 - 30 minute window of opportunity....more or less.

Wait until we give our season recap sometime here in the future. We learned some interesting things this year. This was my 3rd year hunting BT's and I don't think I'll ever truly figure them out. The only truisms are to expect the unexpected; their pattern is that they have no pattern; forget what normal deer are "supposed to do" and be in the right place at the right time. Once or twice per ENTIRE YEAR they will make a legit mistake and you have to be right there when it happens.

Also, game cameras are THE most important thing. There is a reason Salmo doesn't see his yard 3 pt. all that often and that his 3 pt. isn't the big daddy that IS there and NOBODY ever sees.

Good luck,

Salmo - BTW, I'll put up a camera for you if you would like. You can track what's really there year round. It's pretty cool to see what the yard critters are up to during the middle of the night and we may just get your neighbourhood boss on camera.

Were your stands in cover or in open areas? Mine will be in cover where I can look down into a swamp/jungle that is full of trails/tunnels going every direction but up on a timber flat above that is also full of trails and rubs during the rut. I killed a pretty decent buck on the flat last year doing a little drive with a buddy (shot in damn-near self defense as the buck ran by). Behind the stand is a big clearcut. Between the stand and the more open parts of the clearcut is a flat covered in 7 ft tall scotch broom. Also filled with trails going everywhere.

A tree stand is unnecessary at my place. I have a full width deck on the back of my house. With a daylight basement, the deck is one story up and commands a view stretching downhill about 200 feet. The hill out back used to be BT I-5 connecting the lower forest with the ridge that is forested on neighboring back yards. Since I landscaped and fenced (in self defense) my back yard, the hill remains a main thoroughfare, but there are a couple alternate "collector" route trails to my immediate north, leading into my neighbor's yard. So I get a lot of deer traffic.

I should get a game trail camera - oh, something for my X-mas list - for the entertainment. The trail along my fence line is so well used, I would probably be surprised by just how much traffic goes by while I'm sawing logs in bed.

That's an interesting theory Nick, that the 3-pt (I think there are 2 of them, but since I never see them together, I can't tell for sure) isn't the biggest big daddy out there. Last year a forkhorn had a harem of 5 does in the side yard. It would be fun to learn more about the local BT population.

I live near a large neighborhood association that has long been a no-shooting area. That's logical because there are probably a couple hundred homes. The mixed forest and yard land use creates tons of "edge" habitat favored by BT, so I think that accounts for so many deer around here. I noticed that the neighborhood assoc. this year adopted a "no hunting" policy, probably because someone reported a deer walking around with an arrow sticking out of it. I think the policy is mis-guided, and the deer might be out-stripping the available winter range. Of course I'm not sure of that. But there's far less forage available now and for the next 3 months, and it seems like the population could use some thinning by hunting. We have coyotes, but I never see any cougar sign, the most logical predator species.

One stand is in an open area / older alder patch with mixed undergrowth of all types (tons of feed). It's placed at the intersection of 3 main trails and several side trails up on a hump point between two shallow gullies. It's deer central.

The other stand is at the edge of a older growth cedar swamp that was once logged a long time ago. It's reprod is pretty massive today. That stand is up in a cedar thats pretty damn big and it overlooks the swamp bottom. The swamp bottom itself is a long big gullie that has smaller side gullies & trails feeding into it. We access the stand through one of those side trails.

Even though they are in very different habit, both stands see tons of deer and both produced this year.



Salmo - I almost guarantee that there is a big daddy out and about. There are always bigger BT's as we have painfully learned. They just never show themselves and a camera is the only way to get a good look. We have at least 12 bucks of varying degrees of age and size. 3 showed themselves during hunting hours. 9 did not and get to live another day. We'd never even know they were there without the cameras. Drives me crazy. As Broodbuster tells us..."sometimes it's really better NOT to know what's out there"....

Game cams are a blacktails best tool for patterning hunters

Thankfully one of those big mature bucks made the one and only mistake of his life while I was in the neighborhood!

I hope we can figure out a way to clear out a few more of them next year!

Fish on...

Todd

Probably. Yeah....

Todd - we need to figure out better back doors into our stands. Going to require some trail blazing for certain, but we need some bat cave entrances somehow someway me thinks. Mull it over....

I truly appreciate your continued academic growth at BTU. Should one be paying attention in class, and given the stakes, deer and elk are incredibly gracious professors on campus. They spend their entire lives evading far more proficient predators than those of us seeking to "overwhelm them with superior technology" (ala Caddy Shack).

If I may, I proffer to you and the readers that you correctly stated that "their pattern is that they have no pattern." Accordingly, to best tip the odds in your favor, why eliminate the bulk of the legal shooting hours under the traditional mythos of a solely dawn/evening sit in your stand in the am/pm with a mid-day stroll? If you spend any time at all out among your quarry inhabiting your AO during non-hunting season months, you will discover which animals call it home, feeding patterns, travel routes and bedding areas (snow reveals all).

A brief story as illustration: I grew up in the company of those that focused on the am/pm hunting strategy. First year out of college and working at an engineering consulting firm, I met a co-worker who I still consider to be the best true hunter I'll ever know in my life. We shared our common love of bucks, pack horses and solitude in alpine environs and our respective families enjoyed many hunting seasons together until he sadly lost a race with cancer in his late 40's. His bride asked me to spread his ashes where he loved to roam....

So, first day hunting together, we trek over a tall ridge and into a beautiful drainage and go our separate ways. About 10am, I'm having a hard time from the lack of sleep in the preceding days to get to camp and head back down to catch a nap in the wall tent before exploring around camp in the evening of Day 1. I'm rousted from a wonderful slumber when my pard throws back the tent flaps with a dandy buck's head in one hand and blood on both. He states in a deadpan monotone, "You won't find any bucks in here." Since then, I'm generally hiking into alpine drainages well before daylight and don't get back into camp until well after dark. And to quote Robert Frost, that has made all the difference....

Continuing, ethereal bucks tend to go nocturnal as you cited and generally all will get up mid-dayish to stretch/browse a tad. More so when it's cold. You failed to cite the rut when most of the above goes out the window. Hormonally-addled bucks will ravenously pursue does. The latter will seek respite in open areas and the like where even a tad of hesitancy by the former will suffice. Bucks will travel miles seeking those in estrous and tending those that are there or close. Does in full estrous will pursue bucks, loving them up to seal the deal. I felt dirty watching.... Accordingly, I look for does and I *do not* still hunt to avoid stinking up my AO. Bucks get big by avoiding such obvious interlopers. The only exception is the last day dumpster dive into bedrooms. YMMV. My primary stand is *downwind* of a number of features that afford a front row seat to the desired sojourners that also removes their primary defenses and tilt the balance in my favor. I have never used trail cams. I know mature bucks exist in the surrounding habitat and those that aren't on home turf will likely pass through during the rut.

After glimpsing one such buck recently materialize and stop to inhale the sweet aroma where an estrous doe had squatted to pee, he lifted his head toward the heavens, flehming hard. That evening I had butterflied Rockies fried with a couple strips of bacon and topped with a dot of sauteed mushrooms and caramelized onions for an appetizer before a tenderloin dinner. I softly said "thank-you" again for such a truly wonderful gift...

Excellent! I should further clarify that I am basing my comments on one area in particular (our area) and the evidence from trail cams. Other user data and results may vary.

We have a camera at each stand and our mature bucks have not once shown themselves during the day during hunting season (excluding the dead ones shot at dawn and dusk). One did show himself, one time, midday during the rut in between general and late season. That was his one annual daytime mistake and it came when hunting was closed. All other pics of that nice buck have been at night. Cameras ARE cheating but dang - they really help cut to the chase so to speak.

I will say that nobody hunts around us, so that lack of pressure play a small factor. Moon phase is another of many, but I'm not 100% sold on some theories around moon phase activity. Such as when the moon is full, they feed all night so are most likely to move at noon. When the moon is new, they are more likely to move at dawn and dusk. I don't know about all that. I can see it I guess, but am not 100% sold as fact.

The pattern has no pattern...

All of the above is why I've fallen in love with BT hunting. It really is like nothing else.

Late Archery General Deer Seasons
Black-tailed
Deer
Nov. 22- Dec. 15 437, 466, 510 through 520, 524 Any deer
448, 460, 506a, 530ad, 560, 572, 601, 603 through 618, 638, 642,
681, 699d Any buck
Nov. 22 - Dec. 31 407, 410 through 417, 419 through 422, 454, 505, 564a*, 624, 627,
636, 648, 652, 654, 655, 660 through 672
Any deer

In the last few years I have shot more than a couple in our preferred zone...and missed two.

Hours of encounter, in no parparticular order;

Doe: 9am
Buck: noon
Buck: noon
Buck: noon
Doe: dusk
Doe: noon
Buck: dusk
Doe: dusk

I also jumped a buck this season at daybreak, and still not sure how he busted me, the odds were in my favor and he still got me. Bad luck is a thing, too.

All three of those noon bucks, and the noon doe, were within 1/2 mile of each other on one piece of property, all the dusk animals came from another piece of property, and so far over a handful of seasons, never the twain shall meet.

Our game cams, as Nick mentioned, caught only young bucks, two points or less, during shooting hours, from early on thru the rut and right thru late season...the big mature ones flat out don't venture, period...with two notable exceptions.

First exception is a single pic of one of our familiar foes at noon, once, in the height of the rut, and he was alone.

Second exception is the biggest blacktail I have ever harvested, who never appeared on a camera during shooting hours, not once, until making a mistake on an evening as hunting hours were expiring... I was there for the mistake, and that buck expired at the same time as the hunting hours did.

There will still be some stories and pics to add to this thread, sooner or later.

Fish on...

Todd

To freshen up this thread a tad....

Makers of those blades?

BTW - this style of zip knife blade is the greatest thing ever. Nobody in our camp will ever use a standard gut hook again. Thanks to Broodbuster for the awesome tip.

Also...check these out. Watch their skinning and gutless videos - kinda interesting concept especially for safety and speed. Not sure if their worth the $150 bucks though....

(L) Buck Kaala with added ivory micarta grip/red liners and Kydex necker sheath done by Dale Howe of Howe Mountain Knives. It's S30V steel with BOS heat treating. Wicked edge. The Kaala is long discontinued by Buck but you can occasionally find them on ebay. With the added grips/liners it's basically a dandy custom blade for around a C-note and a dainty drop point necker that I have used for everything but skinning, including holding it like a pencil to gingerly slice connective tissue when pulling a buck/bull's dick and bladder out of his pelvis.

(R) Bob Dozier K-19 Pro Skinner in D2 tool steel/black micarta grips. Much prefer S30V but my love gave it to me for a birthday present years ago (with a penny). Handily peels bucks and bulls and the grip shape keeps my slimy mitts solidly attached to the dull part. Really like Gene Ingram's #1 Semi Skinner but the Dozier will likely remain in my pack.

As evidenced by your links, there are a lot of gizmos in the hunting cutlery market place begging for your $$. I'll proffer that all one *really* needs is a pair similar to those above in S30V steel. Specifically, a nimble one like Ingram's Yellowjacket or Dozier's K-33 B&T for opening up and parting out bucks/bulls, grouse, trout, etc. and t'other for peeling hides. Having 2 in your pack also keeps Mother Murphy away should you lose/break one miles into a steep and deep drainage. Spend your cash once, enjoy them for all your splendid days afield and hand them down to your progeny. Savvy?

Have long preferred fixed blades to folding that get bloody for obvious reasons. I also keep a small ceramic sharpening rod in a 1/2" PVC pipe case in my pack to touch them up should I want. Both blades will easily do a complete elk without a touch up if one is smart enough to keep from running the blade on bone. I use the base of the blade for cutting tendons around joints and such to save the tip's edge. YMMV.

So, given your timetable above, we agree that cervids are crepuscular and get up mid-dayish to stretch/browse as I noted before. Lunar phase can also result in a mid-day breakfast after an all-nighter.

As to your getting busted, any number of things could have been the cause. First year chasing mulies in the late 70's, I thought I was being quiet as a mouse when I approached a saddle and peeked over only to see half dozen does that had missile lock on me. Surprising part was that they were at least 300 yards out on the opposite ridge. Modern detergents with "whiteners and brighteners" likely make one appear like a UV Casper to deer's eyes. If it is quiet in the forest, we are clumsily the most discordant note in that symphony. Clothing sounds or simply breathing through your schnoz may make a whistle that is inaudible to you but quite apparent to a deer's auditory defenses at 40 paces....

Given BT habitat and apparent lack of interest in the academic world, there isn't much in the way of BT studies. Extrapolating ubiquitous WT data is moderately helpful. As noted before, bucks have a home territory. Obviously, it will vary in size based upon a number of factors like adjacent territories, topography, food/water sources, etc.. These territories do not correspond to our property lines. Uncharacteristic human interlopers in that territory will make a savvy buck alter its movements within that territory. Heavy hunting pressure may push a savvy buck into adjacent territories. Further, a buck's movements due to the rut cycle rises and falls like a statistical bell curve from October-December hereabouts. At its apex, a bucks stomach contents may be next to nil as his singular focus is not on sustenance. Accordingly, horned-up bucks will travel constantly *within* that territory in search of love and students of data will see that the late hunt oft results half the season's harvest....

The reason I don't use trail cams or still hunt BT's where I have a stand is that I don't want to inadvertently alter that Booner buck's territorial wanderings at all. Particularly during the rut when he's most vulnerable. As noted earlier, bucks and bulls successfully elude far more proficient predators than our bumbling brethren on a regular basis.

Perspective is everything. Give it some consideration based upon your data cited above. What would you do if all of a sudden some total stranger stunk up your AO? Would you even stick around to see if he did it again and again, particularly when your very life may depend upon your choice? How will you alter your behavior afield? Have fun on the campus of BTU!

How do they like it if we stink up their zone?

I doubt they "like it"...but it also doesn't change the fact that in a new zone last late summer we went at a piece of woods with power equipment, cleared some trails, built a couple of trails, dropped a few trees, and raised a stand, and installed a new cam, all in one day...and four hours later we had shiny new pics of deer walking on our new trails and gallivanting around all night, including big mature bucks...and then everyone but the big mature bucks showing up there during the day.

That piece of land is the one where we took exactly one pic of a mature buck during shooting hours from July thru December, no day time walks for any if them.

Fish on...

Todd

Victoronix hunter.

That's the one! Flippin' sweet gut knife.

I just bought the Outdoor Edge version. Heavy fixed blade + sheath for $14 bucks on Amazon. Not bad for a specialized tool that will only be used a couple of times a year (hopefully). It would make for a great mushroom knife. Nice inside cutting angle and a blunt tip in case you trip and stumble. Hunter orange handle stands out on the ground.

We'll see how well it works next year. Or during spring Morel season.