cupo
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cookin' reels and killin' wading boots
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Reged: 12/26/01
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Loc: speeding on 530
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I checked on my plan A, B, and C areas this morning. Before I hunt monday and tuesday I wanted to know if some gates were still locked and how much pressure they're getting. At spot A there were 5 trucks plus a camper parked by the gate. How many rigs have to be there before somebody goes somewhere else?
Last year I stopped at another spot on the opener that's always gated and best accessed by atv or motorcycle. There were 8 trucks! What are the guys in trucks 5, 6, 7, and 8 thinking when they pull in?
At least I'm a little more prepared now.
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This can't be healthy. All this fishing is really messing with my head.
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Musicman
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Thick Tail
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Reged: 11/26/03
Posts: 7356
Loc: Roy
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Depends on the area....sure would be disheartening no doubt....also, if they're on quads, that sucks. Plan A for me is usually the best cause I know where I want to head in and work certain areas....most of the inturders, no typo there, are gonna be pushing animals around. Thats usually a good thing esp when hunting alone...if you're gonna share some ground with strangers might as well enjoy what they have to offer...good luck!
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JD
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Dogfish
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Ultimate Egg Whore
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Loc: McCleary, WA
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That's why I hunt ML season for deer. No crowds, ever.
I tend to look for little pockets I can hunt in an hour or less. Through out a day I can hit 4-6 of these spots, so I have plans A-F. In between these spots there is an opportunity to do a little road hunting, kind of a nice breather. Yes, I do road hunt, but I spend much more time out of the truck than in it. Zipping down a road on a bike behind a locked gate has allowed me to sneak up on elk, deer, coyotes, and even a bobcat.
I also tend to hunt areas that require a bit more effort that just plain scare other folks away, like bicycling in 3-5 miles. You can always tell the guys who are really hunting by how wet and dirty they are. If they aren't as dirty as me, they're a slacker.
During modern rifle, it is good to sit and let the other guys push the deer to you, as John says.
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"Give me the anger, fish! Give me the anger!"
Be like Big Stick!
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cupo
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cookin' reels and killin' wading boots
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Reged: 12/26/01
Posts: 2255
Loc: speeding on 530
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I just don't get the thinking of guys who show up, see 4, 5, 6, 7... trucks and still choose to hunt there.
The place with 5 trucks today would best be hunted by 2 guys, maybe 3 or 4 if somebody wants to pound the timber. I think it's kind of disrespectful to the guys who made the effort to get there early. The guys going in late may just screw up a hunt for somebody who is already in there.
For me, having monday and tuesday off, I'm thinking more about all those guys spooking the animals and pushing them into the thick stuff.
I'm gonna check on the first spot monday after hunting somewhere else. If there's little or no pressure I'll count it as a day for the animals to settle down, then hunt it tuesday.
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This can't be healthy. All this fishing is really messing with my head.
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firedog
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dual red striper
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Reged: 05/05/01
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Loc: SW Washington
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I wouldn't park in an area there was one rig let alone more unless I knew the person really well and had a real good idea of where they were going. Now I might go down on the other side of a spot and let them run something past me but more than likely I am going into country I am pretty sure no one is in.
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IAFF Local 43 
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Tony1831
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Native slab
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Reged: 07/20/05
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Loc: near DC
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I always have backup plans for stuff like this.
If I was # 3 4 5 6 7 or 8, you can bet I'd be going to plan B pronto!!
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<---- "Jihad this!"
Team 10%
Semper fi, PGR member
Bocephus for President 2012
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Goharley
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Chromer
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Reged: 12/06/03
Posts: 599
Loc: Washington
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Dogfish-
How big, approximately, are these areas you hunt in an hours time? I know it's all somewhat relative, but what I'm trying to ascertain is how slow is slow when hunting blacktails. So I'm wondering how much ground to cover/hour.
Along those same lines, how long should a person sit in one particular spot "waiting" for a buck to come along? I know most answers begin with, "...it depends...", but I'm looking for some general guidelines here.
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Landslide: See Obama vs. McCain 2008
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Musicman
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Thick Tail
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If you're kicking up deer and all you hear is...them bounding or crashing away...you're going to fast or the wind isn't in your favor. Slow is the name of the game if your busting brush. Don't forget to check for the signs of deer while still hunting, not the whole deer....ears, legs, eyes, throat patch. I rarely see the body.
I like to sit at first light and catch em going to bed.
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JD
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Tony1831
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Native slab
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Reged: 07/20/05
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Loc: near DC
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I move slowly also when busting thru brushy areas. I can't tell you how many deer I've seen at the base of rootwads, in a thicket of poison oak scrubs 4' tall, in a fern patch etc, and the only reason I spotted them was due to a slow pace that is stealthy. 3 or 4 steps, pause-listen-look, 3 or 4 steps, p-l-l.
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<---- "Jihad this!"
Team 10%
Semper fi, PGR member
Bocephus for President 2012
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firedog
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dual red striper
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Reged: 05/05/01
Posts: 308
Loc: SW Washington
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I will third the moving slow. You can't move to slow when hunting blacktails. You don't end up covering miles and miles of country but you are hunting effectivley. To cover a mile if your hunting slowly will take at least 2 hours, probably more.
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IAFF Local 43
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Dogfish
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Ultimate Egg Whore
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Loc: McCleary, WA
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Rick,
I look for little pockets where two clearcuts come together, and I hunt the timber in between as there are two edges. I usually hunt down hill, in a zigzag pattern, so that I have a good view of what is out there, and I can hit two treelines. Most of the deer I kick up are withing 50-100 feet of the tree lines. Move slow. 5 to 10 steps, stop and look.
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"Give me the anger, fish! Give me the anger!"
Be like Big Stick!
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Musicman
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Thick Tail
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Reged: 11/26/03
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Loc: Roy
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Theres a good book by Boyd Iverson, it's all about blackies...its a great start on how to gitter done on these elusive critters. Nothing like getting soaked in October as you still hunt patches of timber. Way cool! That was before I could buy great hunting gear.
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JD
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Gooose
Online!
Ancient Mod
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Reged: 09/14/01
Posts: 11150
Loc: Area 12
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Buy some Blacktail doe estrus scent. Put some on your pant leg bottoms or scent rags attached to your boots.  I actually had a 2 point come running at me because of the scent at daylight as I was easing down an old skidder road at day light. Happened so quick that I missed at less than 10 feet due to the surprise for both of us. The stuff works!
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Independent Advocate For The Fish
Not Represented By Any Organization
It's Gonna Be A Long Winter
There's lies, damned lies and then there are statistics......Mark Twain
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Goharley
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Chromer
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Reged: 12/06/03
Posts: 599
Loc: Washington
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Thanks guys, great advice and tips. I'm hunting just West of Doty tomorrow and did some recon via the WDFW website that has satellite images. I found some areas with clearcuts separated by narrow bands of woods and such. My plan is to sit and watch at first light, then do some slow walking after that.
Hope it all comes together. But if it don't, there's always the next day. 
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Landslide: See Obama vs. McCain 2008
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Musicman
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Thick Tail
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Reged: 11/26/03
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Loc: Roy
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Good luck Rick!
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JD
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