Newish hunter here and this is my first season chasing blacktails in region 2. My hunting experience till this season was limited to spot and stalk for mule deer in open country, which is pretty different from still hunting blacktails in the steep and thick of region 2. Thanks to a lot of research and walking, I've found an area with really thick sign (trails, fresh droppings, occasional sheds). I've hunted it five days over the last two and a half weeks, and shot a 2pt on my second day hunting there. I have one more tag and I've found some relatively new sheds (maybe last season) from a 4pt, so I've gone back a few more times to see if I can find a bigger buck.
I'm worried about putting too much pressure on one area. The sign is concentrated in a couple of draws, and I've still hunted through the draws each time I've been there. I've seen two bucks (one of which I shot, didn't have a second tag in my pocket at the time) and a doe and fawn in the first two days of hunting, and nothing over the last three. It's really close to my home so I'm able to hunt it often, but I've tried to leave 5 days or so between trips to avoid spooking game. Is this enough time, or are BTs so skittish that I should be worried that I've pushed them out of the area by going back in over and over again and that's why I havent seen deer for a while? I'd like to hunt the rut there this season, but I'm worried that I've disturbed the area enough that they've moved out for the time being. Should I back out and wait for a few weeks or longer, or could I go back in sooner?
Like I said, I'm new to BTs. I know it's normal to go a long time between coastal deer and that I got lucky to get one my first season out here. I just don't know how careful I should be about putting pressure on an area, and how often would be safe to hunt it without disrupting the deer too much.
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