Where did all the whitetails go

[HarryToolips]

my WT hunting consists of setting up before first light in a spot I know they could be moving through to get to their bedding areas. If they move past I get one...if they take a different route I still have a pretty good idea where they went and I go get one....silent stalking is the key for me...I count steps (max is 30 even on a road and I get down to as few as 1 step at a time) and always stop and do a full look and listen. they hear well so you need to be able to see farther than they can hear if you really want to succeed.

I am not saying you shouldn't sit in a blind or call and rattle but super ninja stealth mode has always worked well for me

I hear ya, it's my favourite way to hunt them...

[Islandeer]

Yes, while slinking along, if you are not spotting squirrels early then your not hunting well. Stop, slow down, hunt tree to tree, lean and look for 5 to 30 mins, slowly move into it again. Be a tree. See them first.

[Norwestalta]

Quick question for the WT experts can you explain why there a very few deer sightings or road kills anymore in 4 arent these a good indication of population?I haved lived in the WK my whole life on the road every day and see very little

Not a expert by any means but the rut seems late this year. I don't know what it was like ten years ago in your area but here in my area it would be nothing to see 100+ deer in a tour around the block. To many deer imo.

[Wild one]

Not a expert by any means but the rut seems late this year. I don't know what it was like ten years ago in your area but here in my area it would be nothing to see 100+ deer in a tour around the block. To many deer imo.

I have been seeing good rut activity since the 10th and in the last few days bucks have put in less effort into keeping their scrape lines fresh. From the 19th till the 25th was banging here and slowed the last few days not as good but weather could be a roll in it

A lot of bucks hit the dirt this past weekend to your south so maybe the GP deer decided just to cancel the rut this year or go south.

[Norwestalta]

I have been seeing good rut activity since the 10th and in the last few days bucks have put in less effort into keeping their scrape lines fresh. From the 19th till the 25th was banging here and slowed the last few days not as good but weather could be a roll in it

A lot of bucks hit the dirt this past weekend to your south so maybe the GP deer decided just to cancel the rut this year or go south.

Hot and heavy the last week. Tough hunting with the wind though. -20 the last couple of days and I've been at work when I should be hunting. I seen more 130" to 150" bucks this year then the last five years combined. I'm excited for next year. I think we'll have a helluva buck crop.

[Wild one]

Hot and heavy the last week. Tough hunting with the wind though. -20 the last couple of days and I've been at work when I should be hunting. I seen more 130" to 150" bucks this year then the last five years combined. I'm excited for next year. I think we'll have a helluva buck crop.

At the end of the day I ate my tag but passed on lots of bucks and missed a solid 170+ buck. My picky ness and choking when I had my chance is the only reason. Good season but I definitely had to work to find the few big bucks I did.

It will take a bit to get used to the new stomping grounds

[Norwestalta]

At the end of the day I ate my tag but passed on lots of bucks and missed a solid 170+ buck. My picky ness and choking when I had my chance is the only reason. Good season but I definitely had to work to find the few big bucks I did.

It will take a bit to get used to the new stomping grounds

I did to. Not much of a deer eater lol. My nephew shot a pretty nice one but his G2 was broke off at the beam. My buddy shot one but it had a little ground shrinkage. All in all I thought the numbers were looking positive.

[GreyDog]

I walk most every day, year-round, in an area within a five mile radius of my house. In peak years, I would see a dozen whitetails or more each day. Now, I see oneor two and , many days, none at all. Mule deer are doing better, elk are way down. This in pretty good area in 4-3. GD

[Wild one]

Oh forget it all the WT are gone everyone stop hunting them they are too fragile

[HarryToolips]

I walk most every day, year-round, in an area within a five mile radius of my house. In peak years, I would see a dozen whitetails or more each day. Now, I see oneor two and , many days, none at all. Mule deer are doing better, elk are way down. This in pretty good area in 4-3. GD

How hard was your winter and snowpack last year?