How was the weekend

[two-feet]

Mine was great, seen tons of critters. Saturday was with the kids and we saw mulies, whitetails, grouse and a cool close look at a lynx.
Went out this morning and saw a wolf, moose, coyotes, elk, deer and a grizz.
Only thing I didnt see all weekend was a black bear!
good times tho.

[ItsGrouseTalk]

Was good. Thursday checked out a new spot and saw 9 Muleys and 15 Elk. Saturday we drove some roads and hiked some skitters, saw close to 60 deer and 1 moose. No bears.

[caddisguy]

Mine was great, seen tons of critters. Saturday was with the kids and we saw mulies, whitetails, grouse and a cool close look at a lynx.
Went out this morning and saw a wolf, moose, coyotes, elk, deer and a grizz.
Only thing I didnt see all weekend was a black bear!
good times tho.

I was awesome. I posted it up as a new thread around the same time you posted this, otherwise I just would have added it on here.

Tons of wildlife... around 8 deer (whitetail, blacktail, mule all within 3 km of each other) 2 bears, 2 beavers, 1 owl, mountain blue birds, hummerbirds, lots of butterflies, a few snakes.

My highlight was the interactions with the deer. We had deer walking up to us and trying (successfully) to engage us. Never felt more in touch with nature until one of several friendly deer makes it clear we should follow it around (circling, tail flicking) Seemed kind of like a dog at first "what's going on did grampa fall in the well again" but after walking around with it a good long time, pausing and glassing where it would stop, point ears and huff now acting like a horse instead of a dog (I REALLY thought this thing was trying to put us on a bear) ... nothing every materialized but there is noting better on this planet that could have "wasted" my time better that that... had two different pet deer this weekend... the most notable one I talked about surprised by wife by sticking his head in the jeep window while she was checking her "chest area" for ticks while I was out hunting... came back and the rest happened but that's how it all started LOL. Maybe that is how you get friendly with deer? Might be a new trademark deer decoy coming out

Anyone else ever have a deer do something like that? Walking side by side for some time, letting you follow a couple feet behind with no fear? It was kind of like something between a well behaved off leash dog and a horse. First for me. Normally deer huff or stomp when they see me but imagine hanging out with one huffing and pointing its ears at other stuff along the way, just glancing back doing the tail wag, then circling and repeating if I got too far away. Was kinda hoping he meet up again this morning just to see what kind of adventure it would take me on. It does take patience though. Like okay we are going to stop here, point our ears and stare into nothing for 10 mins, huff, stare another 10 mins, walk another 50 yards, rinse and repeat.

[walks with deer]

um i will help the deer check your wife for ticks....jk jj

[srupp]

Hmm so far it's the best year for grouse spotting dozens in 3 short trips.several black bears..last trip out 5 moose in just 15 kilometers.ALL badly , really badly infested with ticks, ironically one cow moose was within 100 yards of where I spotted a tick infested cow moose 3 years ago.
most deer have been in great condition..a couple where scrawny.
Srupp

[caddisguy]

um i will help the deer check your wife for ticks....jk jj

LOL we are already talking about cloning chest parts and hanging them off trees... if that is all it takes to be accepted into a deer herd, the "deer call / attractant" industry might be doing it all wrong... fawn distress, rattling... forget all that, maybe found the key

Anyway... not sure why that deer adopted us like that but it was pretty magical and that is coming someone who has spent around 100 days/nights in the bush for 25+ years. In the midst of it some butterfly landed on my finger and wouldn't go away... felt like some kinda super nature hippy god for a while like tarzan or something (just not as ripped or acrobatic)

[walks with deer]

lol the deer just wanted to compare racks...

and thank you guys for shooting somany bears in there fawning ground.

[caddisguy]

lol the deer just wanted to compare racks...

and thank you guys for shooting somany bears in there fawning ground.

Haven't shot any this year and only seen one little guy in my primary feeding pocket. One about 10km away.

I think I have kept them in check pretty good and the smart ones know it's not a safe place and they are feeding more just down the other side of the valley bottom going after second choice feed turf and getting picked off (not even by me) down there.

Never seen so many deer though. It's paying off. I have my beef with all the WT's taking over the BT spots but I do appreciate seeing them all... lots of BT's, WT's and muleys in a short weekend trip... and a couple of those deer walking up to us making the effort to herd us around.... what a treat. I think I will remember that forever. I've told many more "entertaining" stories over the years but this one topped it for us... even if it seems kinda boring "cool you hung out with a deer" ... and I have been close to a lot of deer, walked by them, had them walk up and this and that... but I've been charged by more bears than hanging out with other deers like that. It will go down as one of my favorite memories. Sure deer walk up close time to time and they are curious critters... that happens.. just never had deer walk up like a dog going all weird trying to guide me and tell me what to do, circling, prodding and tail wagging then hanging out for what seemed like forever walking around together... it just doesn't happen... never figured it out... after sitting a while on a hill deer chilling by my side I walked away and it didn't protest. Woke up this morning expecting it might try to tag up again but nope, didnt show.

[Hugh Mann]

Lots of mulies, whitetails, Grouse and a dozen or so bears, including a couple fatties and a gigantic sow with two cubs. Brought home a big bear with a gorgeous, thick black pelt.

[russm86]

Attempted to get into my usual black bear honey hole but still too much snow to get up and over the hill down into the valley. Easily a month behind. Last year we killed a nice boar in that area May 5th, nice and green and no snow. This year too much snow to even get in and not really any green yet. Will have to find a new spot for the next couple weeks I think.

[Iron Sighted]

Picked up a few more moose sheds this past weekend, both pretty decent ones. Last night I took my 16 year old daughter driving, spotted 5 W.T. deer, 1 elk, and some grouse.....no bears yet though. Still early here, snow in many shaded spots still and not much has really greened up yet, thi gs should get better over the next 2 weeks. Hopefully my bear tag arrives in the mail before too long, never bought a tag online before so I'm not sure how long I might have to wait for it to show up in the mail.