Can't make this stuff up... story, rubs... advice?

[caddisguy]

Sooo as usual I got off work Friday and hit the highway, woke up in the jeep this morning ready to go.

Last weekend I pulled out the blind because I figured it could dump snow any day now. I figured I would still-hunt and maybe have a little fun with that cougar that's been hanging around.

I crept into where my blind "was" in one of my favorite little cluster of fir and had a sit for about 20 mins, then did a doe grunt and waited another 20, can-call, waited about a half hour and nothing. Started still-hunting and noticed a couple fresh looking rubs about 30 yards away. Definitely made sometime in the last week, but I'd guess the last couple days. Took some video and moved along.

20 mins and 50-75 yards later... time for some fun. I gave the deer-stopper a rip... fawn distress noise. Maybe a doe will come in with a buck running behind, but this has never happened for me... I kind of have the cat in mind LOL. I hang out for a while and then start creeping along at a snails pace.

The wind has been perfect the whole time. Wind in my face and my plan is to circle back on my own tracks to see if I can exploit the cougars curiosity and bust it following me (I'm quite certain that I have been providing that cat comedy hour for a while now) I still have no idea if I'm interested in hunting it, but it would feel like a win if I could sneak up on it.

I meet back up with my tracks and follow them back to where the blind was in the fir cluster. Guess what? TWO NEW RUBS (literally right where my blind was, in fact one of the rubs is a sapling the blind was tied to... you can see where the blind was due to the lack of brown pine needles) right by where I was sitting, maybe 1.5 -2 hours ago.

Well that's frustrating. I spent the rest of the day still hunting to no avail. Actually threw in the towel and drove home tonight. Normally I hunt a couple hours Sunday morning before I head home, but being pretty frustrated and haven't had a chance to sleep in at home in over 6 weeks, figure some rest would be nice, think I've had a touch of pneumonia off and on a few weeks and need to kick it.

So here's a video of the rubs. All of these rubs are within 40 yards of each other. Do bucks actually hang close to rubs, or do they go on and do this kind of stuff over the course of several miles? I know there's been a few bucks around lately and I'm seeing lots of fresh poops, but wondering if it's mostly deer passing through. There's does around, but they come and go... like weekly visits it seems. I want to put GPS collars on all of them to find out where they are spending the rest of there time. Tons of beds around here too, but I am just not sure it's a "primary" stop I should be spending / wasting my time. Advice please! :D


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8YVkXK9m0Kc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8YVkXK9m0Kc

[Keta1969]

Would say you're not wasting your time if you have lots of sign in the area. Have had smaller bucks come into the can call and start rubbing so may be the calling that brought one in for the new rubs. Never had a big buck come to a call but that,s probably just me. I like to see rubs as it means there has been bucks around but in my experience doesn't mean they still are or that they will come back. This time of year they are looking for or following a hot doe and that gets them moving.More than rubs or anything else I like to see does in an area.

[caddisguy]

Would say you're not wasting your time if you have lots of sign in the area. Have had smaller bucks come into the can call and start rubbing so may be the calling that brought one in for the new rubs. Never had a big buck come to a call but that,s probably just me. I like to see rubs as it means there has been bucks around but in my experience doesn't mean they still are or that they will come back. This time of year they are looking for or following a hot doe and that gets them moving.More than rubs or anything else I like to see does in an area.

I'm not seeing the does often as I would like. The only ones I keep bumping into are WT does... that's another problem I'm having, about 6 whitetails in my BT spot.

Anyway I'll see does on the trailcam once or twice a week and the odd solo buck once or twice a week as well. Bucks always around 2-3am and does are 50/50 (sometimes middle of the night and sometimes day)

I'm not sure what to do. I feel like I'm "close" to keying in on something, but still have to find out where the does spend more of their time. This valley I hunt is a tough one. I think I've only ever seen one deer in the fall driving in / out in the dark. Lots on trailcams though. They're around, but secretive for sure. Just trying to figure out how this pocket of deer works... where they go when they aren't where I want them to be :)

[northof49]

Have seen that many times...classic baiting technique. Not actually rubs at all. That wily old cat snuck in and chewed up the bushes by your blind to try trick you into sticking around until after dark. They frequently do that....then they sneak in thru the back door when least expecting it. Lucky you made it outta there!! ;)

[Bugle M In]

Have seen that many times...classic baiting technique. Not actually rubs at all. That wily old cat snuck in and chewed up the bushes by your blind to try trick you into sticking around until after dark. They frequently do that....then they sneak in thru the back door when least expecting it. Lucky you made it outta there!! ;)

:mrgreen:.………………………………………….

[Bugle M In]

I wish I could tell you something that would help, but BT aren't my thing.
If it was MD, I would say somewhere, meaning several clicks in a circle you most definitely have a buck around and will be, if there are
does near by.
At least for a few days to a week, sticking in that area, chasing does, looking for ones close to being in heat.
Then, once done, off to another area with does.

[Keta1969]

. where they go when they aren't where I want them to be :smile:

Well when you get that figured out let me know. I don't know how whitetail does and blacktail does interact. Don't have that problem on the island. The cougar will move them around but not as much as you would think. The cat is a good indicator that there are deer around. Look for travel corridors or spots where trails cross and fresh doe sign,tracks or blood in urine if there is snow around. Use your nose, lots of times you'll smell a buck before you see him in thicker stuff. You've probably have noticed Blacktails love cover, they'll travel a long ways out of their way to stay in cover so watch for trails coming out of cover into small openings.

[caddisguy]

Have seen that many times...classic baiting technique. Not actually rubs at all. That wily old cat snuck in and chewed up the bushes by your blind to try trick you into sticking around until after dark. They frequently do that....then they sneak in thru the back door when least expecting it. Lucky you made it outta there!! ;)

LOL. Pure gold!! I figure if that cat wanted to eat me he would have done so long ago. I get the pass on the notion being a crappy hunter might be contagious... "ew, not eating that thing.... something aint right with it"

[AllDay]

Happened to me with a BT. First deer trip ever, out with the bow in some random mountain. Had a snow dump. Let the can call out a couple times and went by 20 minutes later and there were deer racks following my tracks.

Before that I messed up on a shot from a spiker.

Day after leaving the mountains went into some tight area with a bunch of sign, let the can rip and had a buck charge in but I was new and moved to fast to get ready.

Never had as much luck with the can call as I did the first 4 days of my hunting career. I thought deer hunting was going to be easy after that weekend haha... But just had beginners luck maybe?

[HarryToolips]

I don't hunt blacktails but it sounds to me like your on the right track, some more time in and you may have success..

[Wild one]

Next time I am in the lower mainland visiting I will have a talk with these BT’s and tell them to stop bullying you lol

[caddisguy]

Next time I am in the lower mainland visiting I will have a talk with these BT’s and tell them to stop bullying you lol

Yes please!

The ministry keeps ignoring my emails asking for a permit to night-hunt them on the basis they are violently attacking poor little saplings.

[Wild one]

Yes please!

The ministry keeps ignoring my emails asking for a permit to night-hunt them on the basis they are violently attacking poor little saplings.

Hey they are capable of messing with you during daylight hours go out at night you will find yourself hanging from a tree with an atomic wedgey lol

You could always try hunting them where they are moving around during daylight hours too you know. I found it did wonders for my success rate :p