\New Region 2 area: Trailcam/Scout trip.... more whitetails

[caddisguy]

Sooo we headed out Friday night for a camp trip. We figured we would set up some trailcams in a new area since our other spots have been taken over by whitetails vs muley/BT by at least 5 to 1.

We went to another Region 2 area that I was interested in as I was seeing some BT's there last fall and found a lot of good trails in the timber.

Next morning we got our packs ready to go set up some cameras (late in the game this year but it is what it is). When we tried to get into the first spot right by our camp (some timber behind a feeding area) we spot a buck and didn't want to spook it. When I got a better look, I realized it was actually a whitetail buck. Now I'm getting kind of annoyed. It seems everywhere I go in Region 2 there are more WT's than BT or Muleys... can't catch a break.

https://i.imgur.com/YwkAEqf.jpg

Then we spot a doe.... yep another whitetail.

https://i.imgur.com/I1t7VpD.jpg

And then... another buck pops out. This one looks like a hybrid zone benchleg, 3x3 with a decent sized body. Okay, now I definitely don't want to spook them. Did I mention this is right by our camp?

https://i.imgur.com/PZNvr7Y.jpg

We watched and filmed them for quite a while. They knew we were there but didn't care too much. Whenever one started to look stressed out, I would just make myself fairly visible, stand up, walk around, talk a little bit then they would relax and go back to browsing a little, bedding a little, etc. It had been a few hours so we gave up on waiting for them to leave and decided to hike into the further and higher up spots before it started to get too hot.

Off we go! (continued)

[caddisguy]

So we headed up into the timber and set up 3 of the 4 cameras we brought on well used trails while at the same time scouted for areas to be concealed for both bow and rifle range...

https://i.imgur.com/CIHRYQd.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/mb9g2Ze.jpg

[caddisguy]

We get back to camp a few hours later and sure enough the deer are still blocking us from getting into the timber we want to access. Sure we could have popped in somewhere else and snuck in from behind, but that would probably have been more spooky than just walking right by them going "mehhhh"

Soo we watched and filmed them a bunch more. Took a bunch of video while making supper. Later we actually started a little campfire as the thermals were blowing down towards the deer. It didn't start them, but they did wander off into the timber. Perhaps we should have tried that earlier.

After the fire burned out we went to bed. Didn't even think of getting in my sleeping bag. It must have still been 20 out and I didn't expect it to drop below 10C. Amazingly it actually froze overnight. Not sure how could but the windshield was all frosted up and some "almost-empty" water bottles were frozen.

Time to go hang that last camera! Nope. The deer are back.

https://i.imgur.com/42QYsKs.jpg

It's really interesting to watch this group of mixed species deer. The WT Buck and Doe always seem to be the first to enter a feeding area while the muley lags in behind. When the WT's start to get nervous and stick their tail up, they seem to look back at the muley for direction.

When they went to cross the old deactivated road to get up into the timber we hung the other cameras, they doe went first, then WT buck, then muley. Both bucks seemed very reluctant to follow her but they did anyway... sooooo FINALLY we got to go hang the other cam

https://i.imgur.com/zviFEvS.jpg


As we finished setting up that camera, we heard a number of deer grunts. Not certain if it was the same deer and they circled back or if there were some other deer back there.

I really hope the cameras in this area reveal more BT/Mule but the initial impression left me with mixed feelings. It's always awesome seeing deer, especially a promising candidate for bow season. On the other hand, watching a species that there isn't even a season for becoming dominant in most of the little pockets I am familiar with and finding that to be the same case in other areas I scout in effort to get away from the whitetails is a little discouraging... if I head much further west I will be back in Langley and since they banned spear hunting I can't even do that :)

Still super excited for bow season and great to get out there and get some exercise, getting the bush legs tuned up. I've been stagnating way too much and forgot what it felt to get a good bush workout.

Also really enjoying the iHunter app. What a useful tool that is. I cached a bunch of satellite maps at home just by hovering around the areas I was interested in, then when I was out there with no reception it worked just like any GPS... I could see my location over the satellite imagery and wet waypoints. Very nice!!

[DannyO]

Love the story, thanks for sharing it. Pity there isn’t a season for WT yet!

[caddisguy]

Love the story, thanks for sharing it. Pity there isn’t a season for WT yet!

I imagine there will be at some point. I am not quite sure what it will take. Probably hunters getting stopped at game checks with WT's in the back of their truck with no idea... "I thought any deer with antlers was OK in Region 2. I read on the internet forums there are no whitetails" ... a few cases like that is probably where it starts to get attention.

The bios are aware of the growing WT population in Region 2, but stop short of pursuing an opening for them. I'll respect any stance from bios as I am just some guy with some boots, trailcams and an internet connection. I just hope they have sufficient data to work with and their opinions are not influenced by politics. From the communications I have had, they seem to be very straight forward, personable and no BS at all, so I don't think the latter is an issue, but as far as having enough data to work with, I think they would like more. You can never really have enough data, but the more the better.

And remember... not many people are reporting WT sightings on forums let alone to bios. I have trouble believing it, but am open to the idea there is a "Maybe it's just me?" (aka the caddisguy factor) Perhaps I have similar luck with WT's as I do ticks. Someone can hunt an area for years and only pick up one or two while in the same area I manage to pick up 20 in 5 minutes. It would be quite amazing though. "Hey this spot is taken over by WT's, lets try our other spot 20km away", "well crap this one is all WT now too, let's try a different valley", "What the heck? This valley seems all WT too", "Oh, your friend sent you a bunch of deer pics from her back yard in Mission? Cool let's see them. Wow, all whitetail".

So unless others start seeing them and posting them up, it's hard to say how prevalent these things are. One problem I am seeing though, is that when I post these up on social media, I am still getting a lot of mixed reactions:

"There are no white tails in region 2! Those pictures are BLACKTAILS. They look similar. I have mistaken blacktails for whitetails too but those are DEFINITELY blacktails"

"This is FAKE! There are no whitetails in Region 2"

"That's photoshopped. WT in Region 2 is a myth."

You get the idea. It seems around 30% of those who hunt in Region 2 are unable to distinguish the difference between a WT / BT even with the most obvious pictures of the rear end. Another 40-50% are confident enough there are no WT's in Region 2 that it's fine to shoot at any deer with antlers. So with that in mind, it would be difficult to obtain data through reports of sightings, which is why I believe game checks are the only way (other than government paying for Region 2 deer surveys) that it will get much attention.

Anyway, here's a couple more pics I pulled from videos (pretty much the view from our camp for 2 days) First one shows the muley and 2 WT's hanging out together. Second is a cool still-frame of the WT buck.

https://i.imgur.com/pmxLfDg.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/qxxBswn.jpg

[Ride Red]

I’ve seen a lot more whitetail too than ever before; they’re closing in. Won’t be long and they’ll be a common site in the valley. Who new you were going to be a “Tick Magnet” eh :)

[TyTy]

The area I hunt has a real mixed bag of genes. Seems to be more mule deer genetics are coming in, following the logging. My guess is the WT are expanding NW from state-side. Looks like they pack up with the mulies for company. I have seen WT & Mule together before, but not in R2. Neat how much their tails tell about their genetics

[TyTy]

And great pics - no doubts there. thx for posting these

[caddisguy]

I just took a buck out of that little pocket with the bow. I thought it was the muley looking buck in the pic a few posts up but now i think it was a diff 3x3... less white on the rump and black goes all the way up the tail. Still some kind of benchleg I'm sure. Gonna finish unpacking and try to get a story up before i pass out