My blacktail hunting day

[nature girl]

Well went out blacktail hunting today. In region 2. It was a nice some what cool day. Heard a squirrel chirping. So I stepped in the bush and had a plan of where I wanted to go. As I entered the forest the squirrel was still chirping. Ah to be in the forest in region 2 I just love the smells and the scenery. And the mushrooms and ferns and moss.
Well anyways as I entered the squirrel was chirping. Then just over the other side of a small hill I could hear something walking on the branches. Now this is what I didnt really know what to do. I could wait or guickly get to the top of the little hill and look over but I was thinking it may be a cougar or a bear or a deer. So I was like dang i wish i had my deer bleat it may be a bit early but who knows. So I waited a few minutes. Then I slowly went over the hill and I saw a little older deer track. And no animal. It was thicker then what I expected.

So I did something today I never do I took like over an hour to walk like 300 yards. Over little hills and cross some small streams. Look at the mushrooms I totally wanted to take pictures of but thought no I am here for hunting not taking pictures.
My plan was to go real slow try to be quiet but gosh dang those twigs on the ground are hard not to step on. Then I was going to go up a hill and do a small loop and come around again. But I dont know I just kept getting this feeling not to do that. I just dont know what it was. So I took my binos out and was looking around and getting that feeling not to go up the hill. So I turned around and looked on the ground and my eye piece was on the ground.
So it got me thinking is that why I was getting a feeling to not go up the hill or else when I got home I would be mad I lost my bino eye piece. So silly.
Then I was going to go another way which I have gone before and i was getting that feeling again to not go that way. So strange.
Then I came out of the bush and went to another little area and looked around for a hour. A nice little area lots of moss on the ground to be quiet.
So that was my blacktail hunting story for today.

I would like to know what some of you guys and gals would of done when you heard the branches breaking?
And have any of you ever had that feeling of not to go to a certain area for a walk.
My day was just awesome anyways it was nice to just go nice and slow and at my pace. And enjoy the scenery.
Sorry if some of you thought I may of shot something.

[caddisguy]

Sounds like a nice outing!

Breaking branches... I try not to, but if I do, I don't think of it as much of a problem. I freeze and use the opportunity to stop and listen. Deer make noise too and will investigate snaps and such thinking it is another deer.

That feeling not to go over the hill? Never a bad idea to go with your gut. Last year I was walking back from the blind like any other time. I was absolutely terrified the whole way rubbernecking and clutching the rifle, walking through the little maze of fir reprod and vegetation. When I got back I think I think I unloaded the gun, unlocked the jeep, swung open the door, jumped in and slammed the door all in about 1 second lol. About an hour later I hear something circle the jeep. Checked the trailcam a week or two later and there was a pretty big cougar with what looks like a pass through wound towards the rear... abscess on either side... if I recall it was sniffing around not too long after I left. Did it follow me back? Who knows... never found a track. Did I subconsciously detect it? Also no idea.... but I'll go with my gut everytime. Whenever something feels off and I get the creeps I follow my instinct whether it is to just be on higher alert, turn around or get the heck out of dodge.

I think there's something to it. Our minds key in on stuff that doesn't register consciously. Call me crazy, but I think I can "feel" when I am being watched. Ever get that feeling and turn around and someone or something is staring at you? It happens to me enough I am convinced that it's not just a broken clock being right once in a while.

[stixnstones]

Sounds like you had a great day. I was out in the woods in region 2 yesterday. Saw 7 deer. 2 small bucks. Waiting for bigger. Rut is starting up. Seen a buck mounting a doe

[nature girl]

Sounds like you had a great day. I was out in the woods in region 2 yesterday. Saw 7 deer. 2 small bucks. Waiting for bigger. Rut is starting up. Seen a buck mounting a doe

Yes I did have a great day. Blacktail hunting is my favorite.

[Harvest the Land]

Great story. Sounds like you had a blast - thanks for sharing. I totally get what you're saying about the moss, mushrooms & ferns - its hard to beat walking through a rainforest eh?

Yes I have had that feeling about not walking in a certain area - but it was because I didn't want to run into a (potentially) steep cliff and have to backtrack to get back on my trail to get back to the truck. So many times I've tried to take shortcuts to get back to the truck, only to run into a wall or a cliff - sucks.

If I had the wind and thermals in my favour, I absolutely would have slowly walked towards the sounds of breaking branches over that small hill. Unless it was possible to determine that the sounds were getting closer and coming my way, then I would've stayed put. Yes a call might have helped you too - who knows.

Glad to hear you had a great time and maybe learned more about a new hunting spot - that intel is priceless. I'm going to give it a go in a reg 2 blacktail spot tomorrow - going to be cold as f_ck. Can't wait!

Thanks again for sharing your story

[brian]

Breaking branches get me excited, big critters break branches. That means something is close, now you simply have to figure out what it is, where it is, get within shooting range, and have a shot opportunity open up (haha)! Most often for me noises do not end in a shot opportunity, but then again sometimes they do. One piece of advice I can give is if you hear an animal making noise it is likely pretty close to you. If that noise suddenly stops, then the animal is likely spooked. Deer will hold still for a hell of a lot longer than you think they will. Wait quietly for much longer than you think. When you think that the animal must have moved off, then wait some more. Often that deer is still right there when you have assumed that it made quiet retreat. Otherwise what you do and how you do it are entirely situational, try your best not to spook the animal. With some experience you can try to predict where it is going and what it is doing to help guide your actions.

Now more importantly, that little supernatural voice in your head! That is the hunters secret weapon. That intuition has guided me to more than a few kills. Listen to it, cultivate it, when it is ringing high and everything comes together... it is like magic. Knowing beyond knowing. I love those moments.

[tomahawk]

I would have done as you did, if you can easily hear an animal while its walking they will be on to you as soon as you move. Ive also had the gut feeling not to go in directions at times, i always go with the feeling if nothing else but its what I feel is best to do, you did the right thing. My problem is always wanting to see whats around the next corner or tree and I go way further then I ever plan. Thanks for sharing something about hunting!!

[brian]

I wanted to share a story. It was my first experience of true strong hunters intuition in the woods. I was hunting all day and had an opportunity where I took an ill advised shot on a big buck. I missed and was disgusted with myself for taking the shot. Antler size got the better of my common sense. I did an extensive search for blood sign just in case, and tried to reasonably track the animal, but nothing! The long and the short of it was I was in no headspace to hunt. I began the long hike out with regret and self loathing. I thought I was better than that. I vowed never to let that happen to me again. I contemplated wether to regroup and continue hunting, or to cut my losses and head home as I hiked down the mountain. I came to fork in the trail, left would lead me home and right would lead to a different place to hunt. I turned right. After that I had little control. My feet just brought me to an area I hadn’t hunted much before. I barely knew the area before me. I sat down in some ferns on a small hill side vantage point. Nah, this isn’t right. I moved down and over another thirty yards. Yup this is right! Ordinarily I would pull out my range finder and check a variety of ranges all around me. I want to know for sure when something comes into my 30 yard range from any direction I can shoot. But this time I ranged a single tree. Then I put my pack down in the ferns, lay my head down and closed my eyes. One thought entered my mind with absolute certainty, “it won’t be long now!” I opened my eyes within 10 minutes of laying down. I sat up, turned my head, and looked right down at her. She hadn’t made a noise, I simply knew she was there. She was slowly feeding her way around the one tree I had pulled a range of off. I waited for her to come around the tree and present a shot, which she did. My buckshot hammered her. Then it was like waking from a dream. How did that happen? I said my thanks to the wind and made my way down to her. She was an old dry doe, big and beautiful. I learned many lessons that day, it was an incredible experience. Since I have had similar experiences, but that one was simply the most profound. Like you I had the little gut feelings before. Some even lead me strait to deer. But this was on another level. I never doubt my intuition now.

[stixnstones]

It’s my favourite thing as well .It’s close to home so I can get lots of time in. I do love elk hunting as well but then I have to travel.

[nature girl]

Thank you all for the great feedback. This year for blacktail hunting my boyfriend goes hunting one way and I go the other way. I am really liking it this way. I get to see some areas I want to see which is great. This area I go to every time we go now I am going to venture a little farther and deeper and see what I can see. Even if I do not see a blacktail its still a great adventure to be outside and just enjoy my time in the woods.