Whitetails

[Prairiekid]

For those of you hunting WT over the next couple of weeks, what tactics will you use? In the past few years I have used mock scrapes for inventory of bucks. The last two years were much better for me, regarding bucks visiting and taking over my scrapes. This year for whatever reason it wasn’t great, even on established mock scrapes. I have also found deer sign to be a bit less, not much for rubs or natural scrapes. Maybe the deer population is a bit lower, not sure. I’m on public land with a pretty healthy predator population. The last week I have rattled in a couple bucks, mid morning. One (24 yards) escaped when my arrow hit a branch, the other was small enough I didn’t try to call in any closer.

[Stinky Buffalo]

Originally Posted by Prairiekid

For those of you hunting WT over the next couple of weeks, what tactics will you use? In the past few years I have used mock scrapes for inventory of bucks. The last two years were much better for me, regarding bucks visiting and taking over my scrapes. This year for whatever reason it wasn’t great, even on established mock scrapes. I have also found deer sign to be a bit less, not much for rubs or natural scrapes. Maybe the deer population is a bit lower, not sure. I’m on public land with a pretty healthy predator population. The last week I have rattled in a couple bucks, mid morning. One (24 yards) escaped when my arrow hit a branch, the other was small enough I didn’t try to call in any closer.

When it comes to historical scrapes/rubs etc., those can change year over year.

Multiple factors at play (besides predators/starvation/disease), among them being

• Food sources/availability (better quality browse available elsewhere)
• Changes to travel routes (blowdowns over legacy trails)
• Industrial activity
• Increase in recreational activity
• Increase in competition for forage (other deer, elk or other herbivores, such as wild horses or grazing cattle)
• Local buck:doe ratio

...and so on.

With the rut heating up, expect movement patterns to change again.

[Hilgy]

Originally Posted by Prairiekid

For those of you hunting WT over the next couple of weeks, what tactics will you use? In the past few years I have used mock scrapes for inventory of bucks. The last two years were much better for me, regarding bucks visiting and taking over my scrapes. This year for whatever reason it wasn’t great, even on established mock scrapes. I have also found deer sign to be a bit less, not much for rubs or natural scrapes. Maybe the deer population is a bit lower, not sure. I’m on public land with a pretty healthy predator population. The last week I have rattled in a couple bucks, mid morning. One (24 yards) escaped when my arrow hit a branch, the other was small enough I didn’t try to call in any closer.

I've noticed far less deer activity in the areas i frequent. Looking back at trail cam activity in the same spots last year confirms it. Could be deer using new travel routes, could be the fact that there used to be a trapper in the area that was hard on the yotes but he is no longer trapping the area.

What does your rattling strategy look like? I tried plenty of times and never had any success. Are you setting up on trails, fields etc and what does your sequence of rattling sound like?

Hilgy

[Gun]

I have one very small property on the edge of some big harvested at fields. I set up a mock scrape on a early existing one two weeks ago. I spotted two separate groups of five Bucks off the gravel road that splits the fields. Four definite P&Y class and one possible Booner. I'm waiting for it to cool down again before I go to sit seriously.

I haven't had much luck rattling in the last 10 yrs or so. That may be because I hunted spots for years and could have educated Bucks.

Once things really ramp up I'm going to start sitting more mid day. Three of some of my best Bucks were killed from 11-2.

Good Luck everyone!

[Prairiekid]

I have not noticed any changes to the area. Overall I felt like it was in good shape after last hunting season. There may have been a small increase in summer rec use, but of course there could be any number of subtle changes that I haven't picked up on. Overall this place and the spots where I have built mock scrapes mostly get left alone. There was a trapper in there in the past that was going after wolves. I haven't noticed him being there during the winter anymore. Maybe that's why we were able to take one on opening day...

Hilgy, I think for rattling where I am, no ag fields, no obvious food source I have the best success when I get close to bedding. Let's say within 300 m. I'm not sure how well you know your hunting spots, but if you know where they tend to bed, then try to find a set up where you are downwind and have some visibility. Then start off with some lighter rattling, maybe 30 seconds at a time, followed by a grunt, bleat or both. Repeat every 20min. If I am on the ground I will break a few branches. I will use the opportunity to clear the ground of noisy stuff so I can move quietly when and if they do come in. If I'm in a tree I will break the odd branch if I can reach them. The two times I rattled in bucks this week I was in a tree I had never been in before, so there was the odd branch I wanted cleared when I had a chance. I just break those off in the rattling sequence. If I am sitting on a trail I expect them to pass by going to bed down or in a funnel then I will likely stay quiet as long as possible, there is something to be said for them not expecting something to be there. As soon as you call I feel they will make an effort to get your wind, sometimes they can't or just don't, but they now have extra reason to try.

Gun, some P&Y and a B&C. That's a place to sit for sure. The best scrape hunters would say, deploy a trail camera if that's your thing and only hunt when the wind is right. I find on scrapes short sits can be the best if you know their pattern. Where I am hunting in the mountains and foothills, I struggle to get the wind or thermal to cooperate for an all day sit.

Good Luck is right!

[calgarychef]

Decoys work incredibly well… p.s. don’t get shot by your local rifle hunters.

[gman1978]

Originally Posted by calgarychef

Decoys work incredibly well… p.s. don’t get shot by your local rifle hunters.

It would be a death wish in my neck of the woods. I seen some poor bugger set up in a ground blind with a doe decoy out front. Visible from the road. I just cringe.