White tail advice

[Huntingtyler123]

Never solely went out to hunt white tail before. Trying to make a long weekend to go hunting in November.

only thing I really know is they hang out in pockets and in thick stuff, correct?
I was thinking of heading east along the border or just up a bit. I’m going to take my truck camper and hike on foot, no atv.

is it better to rattle or call a white tail in November?
Greenwood would be as far as I’m willing to go for a short weekend hunt trip. More like a scouting trip with my gun lol

Either way will be fun to get out and explore.

[HarryToolips]

Rattling and calls can both work...your right, get into those thickets....

[Norwestalta]

In alberta i like the last week of November for whitetail. The weather is cooler and the bigger bucks are coming down off the rut and taking on a lot of feed. Typically we'll hunt fields with a good regrowth of alfalfa. I can't comment on rattling or calling because I've never done it before but i noticed the last week that the young bucks are sparing with each other but they don't seem to have their noses to the ground sniffing out does in heat nor are they chasing yet. I suspect in the next 2 weeks the does will be ready to be bred.

[HarryToolips]

^^^^I could be wrong, but at this stage I believe they're just determining pecking order, before the chasing stage of the rut kicks in....

[338win mag]

Finding fresh scrapes on the ground is how I do it. I first try to locate some scrapes along a traditional scrape line which is almost always along a ridge or set of intersecting ridges. The edge of a swamp that has a ridge or series of ridges running down into it is a natural....I have been hunting the same small area all my life for whitetails so I know where to look for these scrapes and don't go out blindly trying to find them.

Sometimes they don't revisit the scrapes, sometimes they visit several times a day, I have shot 4 bucks standing on, or heading to the same scrape under a tree which is used every year for an unknown reason. I always set up downwind and as far away as possible from the scrape and avenue of approach of the bucks coming in. I don't use trail cams so I have no idea what size of buck is making the scrapes.

November 10---30 is the best time imo.

A "hot scrape" (unrine saturated) tells me where a buck is gonna be...maybe, ,,,lol, and it is my most exciting way to hunt Whitetails, and I have shot alot of them this way.

[Huntingtyler123]

Thanks everyone for the replies. Sounds perfect. I’ll be heading up that way in roughly two weeks.
that’s what happened to me couple weeks ago also with the fresh scrape I found. I sat in that area waiting for two days seeing some smaller two points duke it out then that one four point that I only saw run away.

it’s just fun to get out, if like to try a different area for the rest of this year. Probably the last time I’ll be getting out also until spring bear comes around
thank you

[338win mag]

Its pretty early for a scrape....your looking for scrapes on the ground, not rubbed trees. When they scrape they use their feet like a dog that marks his territory, dirt flies everywhere and they piss in it, thats the one you want to look over....good luck.

[B-rad]

in regards to whitetail,,,,,,you can rattle for them from Sept straight through to end of season,,,,,,,,but with that being said,,,,,,if rattling,,,you have to be in serious cover,,,,even the slightest head turn to see direction of nearby noise will alert them,,,,,,whitetail are extremely curious deer,,,,,and dont be surprised if you even rattle in a curious mule deer,,,,but last 2 weeksof Nov. as a rule of thumb,,,is probably the best time to rattle for them,,,,,stick to the rule of "odds",,,,,,,start a rattle sequence with 3 good rattles,,,to get attention,,,,,,wait 60 seconds,,,,,,do 1 sequence,,,,wait 60 seconds,,,,,,then move up to 5 rattle sequence,,,,60 seconds,,,,,back to 1 sequence,,,,,then 3 rattle sequence,,,,,60 seconds,,,,,then 1,,,,,,i found 60 seconds the bare minimum between sequences,,,if you have patience to wait a bit between sequences the better,,,,,3--1--5--1--,,,,hope this helps alittle,,,,good luck and hope you do welll B-rad

[Huntingtyler123]

Its pretty early for a scrape....your looking for scrapes on the ground, not rubbed trees. When they scrape they use their feet like a dog that marks his territory, dirt flies everywhere and they piss in it, thats the one you want to look over....good luck.

yes your correct, I meant rubbed trees

[knighthunter]

If you happen to be hunting in an old logged over area, that is getting to be regrown with brush & scrub and if your slowly walking down an old haul road or skidder trail, about every 75-100 yards ( if the trail is reasonaly straight) stop walking and slowly turn around because sometimes a deer that is bedded off the trail will hear you go by and will walk out to the trail and watch you from behind. This has happened to me several times. When you turn to look behind you, be expecting to see something, so don't be carrying your rifle over your shoulder.

[JSaw]

Find a spot with fresh and numerous sign and sit. Scrapes and rubs are the best, you'll know when you're in an active area as there will be scrapes every 20M and rubs intermixed as well. I've found with WT the more you move around the less you see, unless you're a seasoned still hunter and the ground is quiet enough. My best luck has been still hunting (moving 2 steps every couple of minutes) or sitting patiently in an area with fresh sign (sometimes hours a day for a few days). The last 2 weeks of November is usually go time, as smaller bucks are cruising around a lot looking for does. If you see does anytime in November STOP and watch, there's a good chance of a buck being with them even if you don't see him right away.

[knighthunter]

Make a mock whitetail scrape. Super easy to do, just find a limb off a tree, bend it over with the tip about 5-6 feet off the ground for a licking branch. Kick all the leaves off the ground under the licking branch. Add a few drops of Tinks 69 Doe urine. Make this fairly close to where real scrapes are located but in a place where you can sit or stand comfortable for a few hour's if needed, like maybe 50-60 yds away but where you can see if any deer is visiting your scrape. Make a bit of a blind if needed, something to break up your outline. Best to be able to see several yards down wind as sometimes a buck will scent check the scrape before going to it. Some hunter's just pi** in it instead of using the doe urine.

[Ghilliesuit]

Some hunter's just pi** in it instead of using the doe urine.

Does that work? I've heard several sources that say it does.

Is the Muley rut late in November too?

[knighthunter]

I never pi**ed on a scrape myself but I've heard of other's doing it, you got nothing to lose, so try it. I've only hunted & shot whitetails and know nothing about Mulies.