Out smarted by deer

[Backwoodninjajunky]

We are there for first light, last light, tons of tracks everywhere old and new... We hoof in to our spot sit tight, but nothing ever comes... Go back the next day and there s new tracks guessing my timing is not right and they probly moving in the dark hours of the night. Is that a bust on my spot? ... I love being there, I ve tracked up in to the higher ups the down lows, silent as a ghost, just cannot seem to run into these deer...
Am I missing something? Any hints to better my odds or should I just stick to the game plan and hope for the shot?
Like I said there lots of tracks but no skat, must mean they moving thru quickly and maybe I should be looking else where..... After the day warmed up, we did more scouting tryig to see any more signs and yes there's tracks everywhere.... So they are around.... Elusive creatures no doubt...
Just lookin for any healthy pointers..... Lmao

[HarryToolips]

In the last couple years I've learned more about hunting not harvesting anything compared to the past when I was harvesting bucks..alot of it I'm thinkin is just luck, I've been in the right place as shown by the amount of fresh sign, wrong time, simple as that I'm thinkin..

[dino]

We are there for first light, last light, tons of tracks everywhere old and new... We hoof in to our spot sit tight, but nothing ever comes... Go back the next day and there s new tracks guessing my timing is not right and they probly moving in the dark hours of the night. Is that a bust on my spot? ... I love being there, I ve tracked up in to the higher ups the down lows, silent as a ghost, just cannot seem to run into these deer...
Am I missing something? Any hints to better my odds or should I just stick to the game plan and hope for the shot?
Like I said there lots of tracks but no skat, must mean they moving thru quickly and maybe I should be looking else where..... After the day warmed up, we did more scouting tryig to see any more signs and yes there's tracks everywhere.... So they are around.... Elusive creatures no doubt...
Just lookin for any healthy pointers..... Lmao
region 8 bucks have timbered up by now and are pretty nocturnal. set some cams up and you will see what I mean

[brian]

A couple of notes, if you are hunting non migrating blacktails then that is definitely not a bust for your overall hunting location. I've noticed that it takes a hell of a lot more pressure than a couple of trips in to get them to move out to their secondary more secure ranges. They are home bodies and don't want to move if they can help it. Their most likely behavior will be to go nocturnal. They may switch up feeding areas if they have a lot of options, but changes in available browse plants could just as easily signal this change. Its not unusual to see a ton of activity and then nothing. But keep heading in and keep gathering data as to where they could be.

A few deer can make lots of tracks. You think the area is absolutely over run when in reality it is a small group of does or (if you are lucky at this time of year) a bachelor group.

No scat is not unusual. Some times I swear they carry baggies with with. You'll often find more scat in areas/ times where they feel more comfortable or where they spend more time feeding. In some areas you will find tons of groups of multiple ages of scat in a single area, what I call a latrine. This is usually associated to bedding.

Yes they are very elusive. It doesn't take much for them to hide completely unseen and you need to be right on top of them to push them out of their beds. So all I can add is to keep looking around, make sure you head to areas you have always overlooked. Chances are other hunters have over looked it too... which makes it a good place for a deer to be.

[Big Lew]

region 8 bucks have timbered up by now and are pretty nocturnal. set some cams up and you will see what I mean

x2! I had 2 areas similar to yours in that there were fresh and old tracks everywhere. One was in the Fraser Canyon, and the other was in the eastern Cariboo. Both areas were adjacent to great feeding areas and water.
Nothing I tried resulted in me seeing any of them. By studying their tracks I finally determined where their
bedding areas were in both places. I changed my tactics, put on silent multi-coloured clothing for camoflage, put on my 'sneaky feet', and very carefully, keeping aware of the breezes, crept into them one or two steps at a time before stopping to listen and critically scan any place that could hold a bedded deer. I was successful in locating deer in both places although I only got to shoot 2 from the Cariboo location and one from the Fraser Canyon place.

[bc_buckshot]

Are we talking about blacktails or Mule deer?...If blacktail then there is a reason why there called the "ghost" deer. Because you saw them yestetday doesnt mean you will see them the next day. I have trail cams of bucks from may till aug and not around in september. They come out when you least expect it.

[Backwoodninjajunky]

great comments everyone! i shall keep on tracken.... And I'm in Region 2 not 8. Just moved from omineca region 7 but the nocturnal movements is definetly a huge factor... Sounds like I'm on the right track, just started doubting the tactics ha thanks again!!!

[dino]

great comments everyone! i shall keep on tracken.... And I'm in Region 2 not 8. Just moved from omineca region 7 but the nocturnal movements is definetly a huge factor... Sounds like I'm on the right track, just started doubting the tactics ha thanks again!!!
I apologize for my assumption, I used to hunt blacktails until I pulled out all my hair.Try reading Proguide 66 threads, hes a blacktail nut and hasnt gone insane yet or maybe he has.lol. A mature BT is the hardest game animal to shoot in this province IMO. when you do find them , my advive is to hunt in the rain. good luck

[takla1]

Their {BT} here,you just have to get into the area's their comfortable in.Of course the doe's are located from sea level up to the tops of the local mnts at this time of the yr but will be moving down as the weather dictates.We are early right now,i went out opening morning for a hike up to around the 7-800 ft level of a local mnt and seen sign but no actual sightings in this know area I ve harvested BT deer in the past.
Of course the real opportunities will present themselves as we get into early Nov...have patients,get out and hike and look for traditional area's

[Singleshotneeded]

Use Google Earth and find some clearings surrounded by forest and hike in...approach clearings from downwind in camo, with face masked, quietly, at first light. You'll see bucks.

[caddisguy]

I'm in the same boat and just got back from a one nighter hunting and cam-check trip. There's deer in the area, but I only have them on the cams up until the end of August. Heck mid August we had a nice 4x4 buck walk passed us and bed down close by. I've never seen any poop. Like someone else said, maybe the carry baggies or learned how to bury it. I'm disappointed, as I found what look like tracks that weren't there before (hard to tell in the moss) but something made them. I was certain there would be deer on the cam but just checked and nope... only critter on the camera is me! I think Sep 1 they learned to turn invisible and climb trees.

I'm a novice hunter (second year, never taken a deer) and for whatever reason I decided to step in way over my head and focus on blacktail--technically muley area but lots of blacktails and hybrids--in terrain that is crawling with cats and is nothing short of a jungle. So far we have a cat sniffing does on the trailcam, a few buck sightings (4x4, spike and one with nice rack but unconfirmed points) and we got jumped by a bobcat. My knee is starting to bother me from all the climbing, especially the downhill in soft stuff and over logs and junk. Have ropes tied up for some of the sketchier rock faces to get to our spots. My girlfriend is exhausted from getting up early and hiking all day and needs a weekend off. I am having trouble deciding whether to go solo or take next weekend off too... heck if I do, that probably means the end of my Region 2 blacktail efforts until November.

I'll try for any-buck in Region 3 in October but even if I get it, I'll still have the Region 2 monkey on my back that nothing short of taking a Region 2 blacktail deep in the bush will satisfy. Even getting lucky off the road won't do it for me. Sure blacktails make mistakes crossing the road and hanging out in the cut blocks after legal shooting light once in a while. Certainly nothing wrong with shooting a deer off the road or cut block. I totally would and it would be great but won't satisfy my itch. Neither will Region 1 blacktail... must get Region 2 blacktail.

Proguide's hunting style and videos inspired me. It might also be the death of me. Cougars, sows with cubs, ticks, falling trees, rock slides, highway traffic... no worries caddisguy will never stop. If there's one thing I've applied to everything in life I've been successful at, it's keep doing it until you get it right. Hunting blacktails in the jungle is no exception. Welcome to the jungle.

[Wentrot]

Let the women stay home, keep on keepin on man you will get your prize if you keep er up...The deer don't disappear, they are still there...somewhere!

[Backwoodninjajunky]

Right on, love the feed back!!

[Backwoodninjajunky]

google earth is the shit, tho I find she a few years behind when lookin at slashes/ clearcuts