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Thread: Newbie questions about deer signs and what to do

  1. #11
    Join Date
    Feb 2021
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    8

    Re: Newbie questions about deer signs and what to do

    As a lurking (brand) newbie hunter in a similar situation I had to chime in with a huge thanks to Caddis for his response on this thread. Extremely helpful. Working hard to convert found poop and tracks into actual success and I really appreciate your taking the time to provide this detailed advice. Cheers,

  2. #12
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    Langley
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    6,032

    Re: Newbie questions about deer signs and what to do

    Quote Originally Posted by bconthefly View Post
    As a lurking (brand) newbie hunter in a similar situation I had to chime in with a huge thanks to Caddis for his response on this thread. Extremely helpful. Working hard to convert found poop and tracks into actual success and I really appreciate your taking the time to provide this detailed advice. Cheers,
    Thank you for coming out of the shadows and saying hello. Welcome to HBC. We're glad to have you and many eager to help.

    Poop and tracks are a bonus and I often stop to guess how old. I don't read much into it though. Fresh track in the mud or snow that weren't there the day prior, that buck could be a long way away (but noteworthy it was there) and sometimes I scratch my head in timber crawling with deer at the lack of poop wondering if they carry little baggies to clean up after themselves.
    Last edited by caddisguy; 09-27-2021 at 09:01 PM.

  3. #13
    Join Date
    Nov 2014
    Location
    Lower Mainland
    Posts
    296

    Re: Newbie questions about deer signs and what to do

    Quote Originally Posted by bconthefly View Post
    As a lurking (brand) newbie hunter in a similar situation I had to chime in with a huge thanks to Caddis for his response on this thread. Extremely helpful. Working hard to convert found poop and tracks into actual success and I really appreciate your taking the time to provide this detailed advice. Cheers,
    ^^^^^^^^^ 2nd that CG - I've really enjoyed your input on HBC and appreciate you.
    forever noob

  4. #14
    Join Date
    Jun 2012
    Location
    central saanich
    Posts
    890

    Re: Newbie questions about deer signs and what to do

    I wish that I could devote the amount of time that caddisguy does to hunting. Getting into the situations and having those experiences would be very rewarding. well written and good advice for everyone even in different style hunts.

  5. #15
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    Duncan
    Posts
    2,983

    Re: Newbie questions about deer signs and what to do

    To the original poster, to answer a few of your questions. Will the deer come back? Maybe! They are actually individuals making individual choices to any situation. If they feel safe where they are and they are still using the area then they will likely be back. But there is never a guarantee of that. If they don’t feel safe they may only be back out in the open on the edges of the light or in the darkness. Should you go into the timber after them? Absolutely yes you should! But go lightly at first, make sure you feel comfortable in there and can navigate your way around. As caddisguy says, sometimes it’s not about being a ninja. It’s about the kind of noise you make. Fool them or confuse the piss out of them, just don’t sound like a human. It’s weird, they get more concerned when it sounds like something is trying to sneak up on them but not being successful rather than hearing something that is not trying to cover its noises. On very noisy days I move around slowly without trying to cover my sounds. Often I will sit for a bit, then move always listening for deer. One other thing, the noises in the forest have their own timber to them. Little critters can sound big in dry forests. I can’t tell you how many squirrels made my heart start to pound, or even how many times I slowly hunted down falling maple leaves mistaking them for deer sounds. They all have a cadence to them. Learn to separate the cadence of the different animals. Also remember, generally only big critters snap branches. Where I hunt snapped branches means deer, bear, or human. I like the sound of a snapped branch. I also like hunting the noisy stuff sometimes because I am able to hear them as well. Killed a fair amount of deer that way.

    I don't know why I can't find him. Checking trailcam footage, he follows my routes and sniffs everything I touch like he is trying to find me.
    almost like he is patterning you. I hear they will do that, Especially the Wiley old ones. That’s why I like to try and switch it up all the time.

  6. #16
    Join Date
    Oct 2015
    Location
    Vernon
    Posts
    1,572

    Re: Newbie questions about deer signs and what to do

    Welp I've been after deer for a few years now with some close calls but no success. I've spotted & bumped them in the open as well as in timber. Both WT & Mulies. Any sign whether droppings or tracks is good, confirms their presence. There's barely a time I don't find some sign when I'm out. Sometimes it's pretty old. As caddisguy mentions, even with fresh sign, by the time you discover it the critter could be long gone. It's amazing the amount of ground they can cover when they're in a hurry. While you were hiking it may have either seen, heard or whiffed your scent & bolted well before you got there. Perhaps obvious but whenever you're moving keep the wind in your face!

    My last outing in the alpine a few days ago I'm fairly certain I spotted a deer in the timber. I was using my canoe as transport & putting ashore every so often for a short hike. Entered the timber very slowly stopping often to look around with the binos. It was while I was standing on a downed tree that I caught a glimpse of what looked like antlers in a sunlit patch. It was a fair distance away so couldn't get a clear look. Saw additional movement of what looked like the side of the animal. Got off the tree & did the slow approach, a few steps, stop, glass. Never did catch another glimpse, the going was a bit tricky. Plenty of fresh tracks along the shoreline.

    Even though I was once again unsuccessful in my pursuit of deer it's still great to get out to this favourite spot of mine. I shot 3 ducks & caught 3 trout. While fileting the fish after putting ashore to head home, 2 moose entered the lake at the far end. The wind had totally calmed & the surface of the lake was a mirror!


  7. #17
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
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    Duncan
    Posts
    2,983

    Re: Newbie questions about deer signs and what to do

    As caddisguy mentions, even with fresh sign, by the time you discover it the critter could be long gone.
    Or it could be right around the corner. For me fresh sign means it’s time to slow right down and put my game face on. That’s one of the conundrums of hunting, you could be spending but loads of time and effort hunting nothing, or it could be right there under your nose. Even spooked deer may not be blown out of an area completely. One of the blacktails favourite tactics is to make a big show of stotting away, it sounds like they have headed to the next province. Only they will stop dead around 50 yards away and check their back trail. Often then they will slink off to their next safest hidey hole. So Even spooked blacktails can be a lot closer than you think they are post spooking.

  8. #18
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    Jun 2007
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    Duncan
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    Re: Newbie questions about deer signs and what to do

    And that is a beauty of a canoe mike! I have serious boat envy going on here.

  9. #19
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    Langley
    Posts
    6,032

    Re: Newbie questions about deer signs and what to do

    Quote Originally Posted by brian View Post
    almost like he is patterning you. I hear they will do that, Especially the Wiley old ones. That’s why I like to try and switch it up all the time.
    Hey Brian!

    Thank you for jumping in here. That two point isn't a wiley old one, that's for sure. Definitely a youngin. Watching him on the cams, he just seems kind of goofy. Almost reminds me of a puppy. He might be trying to pattern me, but I have been quite random myself. Sometimes even I don't know what I am going to do next. Also rather than hunting together, my wife and I have been covering different areas to better the odds of one us being in the right place at the right time.

    What are your thoughts / experience about early rattling, between velvet off time and pre rut time (like now) ... I have read a lot of mixed opinions on the matter.

    I am somewhat interested in trying a small amount of light rattling. My line of thinking is that it would be best to save that for when there is actually rut activity, rather than doing it now and deer identifying that as my signature sound before rut time. That said, I am quite confident that two point is currently the only buck around and it will stay that way until the snow is half way down the mountain or rut comes, so probably not much risk in giving it a try to see if I can exploit what I perceive to be his extra curious personality. He does seem keen on testing out his new head gear, albeit against the trailcam a doe. I think that he thinks he has a massive rack. It's funny. I nick-named him "Fingers" because it looks like he's throwing a couple peace signs. I could imagine him being interested in some social sparring. Just wondered your thoughts, if it is worth a try.
    Last edited by caddisguy; 09-28-2021 at 05:15 PM.

  10. #20
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    Duncan
    Posts
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    Re: Newbie questions about deer signs and what to do

    I have never had any luck rattling, I try it a few times every year but am never able to get anything to come in. It’s strange some people swear by it for blacktails and others like myself get nothing. What I have had tremendous success with is mouth calling a snort wheeze after being snorted at myself. Just mirror their calls. It can bring those deer right back to you (as long as they snorted first), and I have gotten bucks moving with mouth calling doe in heat grunts.

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