Disheartened

[ducktoller]

What species are you hunting?

What strategy? spot and stalk, still hunting, ambush?

What sign are you seeing.

If still hunting are you REALLY slowing down?

I've done a lot of wandering and seen shit all, the most promise I've had has been continuously working one very unloved BT spot I've found. Seen tons of does and buck sign but just matter of time (something I don't have right now sadly).

My goal is to keep developing that spot, the fawns I've seen come from some lucky buck.

The more I've developed that spot the more sign I see, and more does consistently, as well as a few bucks when I can't get them. I know this spot when I get more time there will be mine, and will produce.

Are you on the coast? Blacktail are notoriously hard and sensitive to the ample local pressure. If you are seeing quads maybe go elsewhere to get away from that pressure. I recall a thread from a few years back where one guy was successful just still hunting random mountains/hills away from the sea-to-sky that weren't near any logging roads.

Maybe pick one species and focus on that?

Try to enjoy the process, what drew me to wanting to develop blacktail as a target was not just hunting them but loving old growth forests and getting up high on the wet coastal mountains. Unlike going somewhere like 3-12 or 3-17 for mules/wt and coming home upset, I enjoy my time either way.

[ducktoller]

My only buck was short with someone else.

Maybe post feelers here or on FB to see if someone will take you/let you tag along. I am self-taught so little things you may be doing that blow your cover you may not notice, that's a big thing that comes with me when I've gone with someone else.

[markathome]

What are you calling good sign? In my book good sign is eyeballs on deer. Does, buttons, spikes, two pointers, three pointers, four pointers. If you're really struggling - go and find the ladies and wait until the rut. The boys will show.

Good sign isn't shit in the woods and a few tracks. When I head to a new area and if I don't see a deer in a day - I leave the area and start again somewhere else.

Of course there are exceptions to the rule (Blacktails) but that's a whole other thread. If you're coming up empty and targeting blacktails - drop that idea and set your sites on whitetail and mule deer - if you do that you'll increase your odds by 1000%.

[Walking Buffalo]

Stop wearing out the boots.

Number one error for many hunters is covering too much ground.

[rattling_junkie]

Slow down is the key can often take days to get a moose to move a few hundred yards

Really? I would find different moose to hunt then. From my experience they move too much. Here today, gone tomorrow.

[Cyrus]

Really? I would find different moose to hunt then. From my experience they move too much. Here today, gone tomorrow.

This^ especially in rut. To the op....know the feeling.

[howa1500]

Beginning of October is notoriously hard for deer, gotta get closer to the rut.

I go through spurts, either my freezer is overflowing, or it's empty and I'm buying half a cow...

I've gone to Williams Lake and seen 20 dead bucks from road kill on the highway, and not seen 1 in the bush...

[Salty]

Can't seem to find the game. Hunting areas with good sign, I've tried calling, gassing, still hunting. .

You've figured out step one, knowing that they've been in the area recently. Now you need to figure out step two, figuring out how to find them before they see or hear you. Probably sounds overly simplistic but sorry, it is what it is. and as you're finding step two can be a royal bitch to overcome and can take some time.

Try not to let it get you down just keep at it and keep it enjoyable. Don't put a bunch of pressure on yourself be positive and enjoy the day. You've already figured out step one that's a success right there. Keep looking for that sign when you find real fresh tracks and hopefully poo concentrate on the area. Don't go walking all through it spooking anything off, find a vantage point and wait and watch.

[russm]

I got my first buck on the second day of my first hunt, after that I didn't get anything other than grouse for the next 5 seasons or so, started figuring out a new area and saw more and more every year, last year I saw more bucks in one day than every other season combined (lots of does), at the end of the day after pounding my back on the quad and hiking all day I got my first mule deer buck 2 km from the truck just off the road, it gets frustrating but you never know when your luck will change.

[S.W.A.T.]

Really? I would find different moose to hunt then. From my experience they move too much. Here today, gone tomorrow.

Not in the rut they can stay put for a long period of time food allowing.

No reason to leave a safe place