Some Big Whities For Ya...

[Ourea]

They are survival artists.
Better bucks will most certainly take the most covered route from my experience.

[HarryToolips]

Yup they're definitely starting to go nocturnal where I'm at too. Good idea to focus on a water source right at this time of year when its super dry. Watch the thermals and Good luck!

This camera is relatively close to water (maybe half a km), but having a hell of a time finding him in daylight.

Nice buck you've got tabs on there...I've shot a fair # of WT bucks first/last light around the beginning of rifle opener or a week or two thereafter..so you guys are most likely right that they go nocturnal immediately after shedding velvet but, I can say quite a few pick up on their traditional habits of hitting openings occasionally at first/last light after the 10th.. that is, if they feel secure in that area..

[HarryToolips]

They are survival artists.
Better bucks will most certainly take the most covered route from my experience.

Thats my experience as well..

[Harvest the Land]

Vampire hours once the velvet comes off.
Private land with ample agriculture will be the exemption for the most part.

Anyone that has followed my thread knows the amount of time and energy I invested in killing a big WT in heavily hunted areas where everyone is complaining about the lack of deer...... yet I found some giants. Killing them has proven to be quite the challenge despite my investment and knowledge. They are there.

I think you're right about the private/ag land. That camera is about 4km as the crow flies from the nearest hay field - I bet he waits till dark or close to dark to venture away from his private land sanctuary

[Harvest the Land]

Nice buck you've got tabs on there...I've shot a fair # of WT bucks first/last light around the beginning of rifle opener or a week or two thereafter..so you guys are most likely right that they go nocturnal immediately after shedding velvet but, I can say quite a few pick up on their traditional habits of hitting openings occasionally at first/last light after the 10th.. that is, if they feel secure in that area..

You betcha Harry. Need a horseshoe up my ass to find him in daylight though. You've killed a ton of whitetail in the south Okanagan over the years - do they have the same numbers of them in the Clearwater area?

[HarryToolips]

You betcha Harry. Need a horseshoe up my ass to find him in daylight though. You've killed a ton of whitetail in the south Okanagan over the years - do they have the same numbers of them in the Clearwater area?

I don't think the numbers of deer here are as high unfortunately because of harsher winters but, I have found a few pockets of WT but not a lot of time unfortunately this year to dial them in due to work.. hopefully will get more time during this hunting season... good luck I hope you hammer that guy he looks to be a good sized buck..

[Harvest the Land]

I don't think the numbers of deer here are as high unfortunately because of harsher winters but, I have found a few pockets of WT but not a lot of time unfortunately this year to dial them in due to work.. hopefully will get more time during this hunting season... good luck I hope you hammer that guy he looks to be a good sized buck..

thats what I figured. Same for me where I hunt in Reg 3 there's not many of them, but I've found the pockets and there's some stellar genetics amongst the few that are there (and their numbers are increasing).

You must be pretty pumped to explore and learn an entirely new unit eh? Good luck to you too man

[HarryToolips]

thats what I figured. Same for me where I hunt in Reg 3 there's not many of them, but I've found the pockets and there's some stellar genetics amongst the few that are there (and their numbers are increasing).

You must be pretty pumped to explore and learn an entirely new unit eh? Good luck to you too man

Thanks buddy, yes there are some steller genes in reg 3 WT for sure: I helped a buddy harvest a 6x5 2 years ago, and I saw one that was still growing that had an even bigger rack the following year - both in the south part of reg 3... yes I am enjoying finding new country out here, some beauty mulie country for sure (that should also hold some WT), sounds like the area was hammered not long ago by wolves though..

[Sitkaspruce]

I don't think you start hunting for them until later in the season, but if you were to hunt at this particular time of year, would that still be your strategy in the early season (hunt the does)? If you don't hunt the does in the early season, then what is your preferred strategy for finding big bucks in daylight in early September?

Personally, I don't hunt them in September. It's elk and moose season for me. However, if I was, I would hunt the food sources you have scouted out. Fields, cutlines, old roads, cut blocks that have grown over and provide some cover etc. Then find the access trails and set up about 100m back from the food source.

One thing, my cameras have shown big bucks will have more action between 11-2 mid day on the lick than early morning and last light. The further from the roads, fields etc., the more daytime activity. Deer, even the big boys, don't lay around all day and move only at night. You just have to find the movement corridors and start to figure out the movement times, without showing your card and moving them to some place else. Its all a part of the game.

Your video shows midnight movement. Is that camera on a trail? Is that the only deer and/or buck that shows on the cam? From Google maps or other mapping systems, where do you think that trail goes? place some cameras 5-700m down either side of this cameras location to see if you are getting the same deer moving though. Once you get that figured out, you can start to see how they are moving and start to see their bedding and feeding areas. These little pieces will start to fit together and you will start to put a plan together. Of course, this will be changing in 3-4 weeks as the weather changes and their food sources change. I use a GPS, my cameras and a mapping system that allows me to drop the GPS info onto a map so I can see things from a higher level.

Now if I could only get elk to do the same things as whitetails.......

Cheers

SS

[lovemywinchester]

I found a great scrape and rub from last year. Fresh doe shit around but no action in the scrape or on the rubs. Two small fir with lots of sap balls in the scrape area so I can tell no bucks have been working it yet. Any opinions if the bucks will light it up again this fall? It's almost November, shouldn't the bucks be starting to work scrapes or rubs by now?