POW blacktail rut?
Mule Deer
Contributors to this thread:
Anybody have a any current information on how the blacktail rut on Prince of Wales island going?
The rut has been heavy for a couple weeks now.
It's been a very wet weather pattern. Many deer are still higher up in the steep old growth timber. The muskegs and lowlands are very wet with lots of standing water.
I'm sure it's winding down in some areas. But like normal there will be good hunting till early December.
We've been hunting here 2 days now. It appears the rut is still going strong, lots of action so far. This isn't a giant, but my best one so far.
Gene
Tom's arrow from yesterday ....
How about a picture of what that arrow went through!
Here's the one my buddy got, 10 yard shot.
We hunted from the edge of the ocean to up high where the snow was almost to our knees. Had some action every day.
This is where my arrow ended up after going through a small, quartering to me, fork horn on the last day. The meat from these deer is excellent.
Has anyone heard from Tom? The last I saw him, he was waiting at Ketchikan airport for his delayed luggage to arrive.
Tom gets back today......I'll let him post his results....
Looking forward to Tom's report.
Very roughly how many bucks can you reasonably expect to see a day? I've always wanted to hunt POW, but as a meat hunter more than happy to shoot does, I've been turned off by the buck-only requirement... but if it's reasonable to see a few small bucks a day I'd like to rethink that...
I saw 11 bucks in 7 days.
I just got back. It was a fun and different type of hunt. I took one buck the first full day of hunting. I will post a picture when I can. I am probably going to write a short article, so the details will have to wait. I don't know how many bucks that I saw, but I think that I can say that I saw as many resident hunters as I saw bucks. The quality of the bucks that I saw was disappointing. I had good gear and can honestly say that for most days, my outer layers were constantly soaked. We were able to dry out each night though. Good waterproof gear was a must.
You got wet on POW!? Say it ain't so :)
Mad Trapper,
Are you now familiar with an incinolet?!! LOL!!
Yeah, your definitely going to get wet on POW.I'm looking to go again for the NR opener next August.I really liked the alpine hunting there.I could live with the constant rain but the bugs will drive you nuts at times Been on 3 Alaskan hunts for almost a months worth of time total and think I may have had 6-7 days of no rain.I found the blacktail would move better in the rain
Can't wait to hear about it Tom...
Nice buck, Gene. Congratulations.
Tom, glad you got one. Can't wait to see it.
Anybody going to POW in November, this year?
I'm here on the Island hunting ....
Johnnie,
How is the weather so far this year, any snow yet, has the rut started yet?
No snow and kinda warm temps. No lower level frosts. Some heavy rains. The rut is ramping up with fresh rubs and Bucks chasing Does. But with the lack of snow to drive them off top the deer are scattered from high mountain to sea-level.
How's the rut looking this week? Have the bucks started coming to the call yet? Looks like alot of rain up there this year so far.
weather has had everything hunkered down ..... tough hunting conditions
First day of my trip on POW this year. Still have 6 more days to hunt.
Nice job. What advice can you give me? I would like to go up there next year and try to get a blacktail with bow. I know this is when the rut starts to kick in and I am guessing you called him in? Any advice would be appreciated...Thanks
Way to go Gene! I wish that I was up there with you guys!
Nice buck .... did he come into the call ?
Pv There guys here that know alot more about these deer than I do. I will send you a pm with some information.
Good luck in Canmore, Tom
I was hunting a rub line that I had found last year and killed him on that.
He was rubbing trees about as big around as my leg. You can see in this picture he had rubbed the hair off of his forehead.
having some nice and cooler days ... it's just what the 'rut' needed.
"he had rubbed the hair off of his forehead"
what is it about POW that makes the animals do that...... =D
Good luck folks. Looks like great adventure and a fun hunt!
That is a great buck. BT are my favorites, not the biggest racks but thick and knobby with character and rich color from rubbing on alders. Congrats!
I'm back home now. No other blacktails were harmed during my trip. Saw 9 bucks in 7 days.