A Zone Chatter 2020

[Bubblehide]

Furthermore, in relation to mule deer within the Los Padres NF, the normally start the rut toward the end of the season. As such, they tend to begin to move into their winter range, raising the number of deer and bucks utilizing their winter range. So, if the rut is starting (toward the end of the season) the deer will start to concentrate in their winter range. As such, during that time, one is likely better off hunting those areas. Additionally, during this time, the deer, including bucks, tend to move more, simply from the bucks sticking their noses up does butts.

 

[lifeisgoodsteve]

Don’t get so hung up on “glassing your ass off”. Get in there where you know there is good fresh sign (heavily used trails, poop, beds, rubs, big tracks). Get into a solid area that’s glassable but don’t try to take on so much landscape when you simply don’t have to. Be where the bucks are going to be. Much easier and smarter hunting if you actually want to kill bucks instead of just watching them.

Thanks, that's always a question of whether I should even spend time looking at the distant places where stalking is darn near impossible. We do tend to hang in a couple drainages but even there feel I need to glass my ass off to not miss them. My buddy had a couple seconds view of the 3x3 before it passed behind a small finger amidst the trees.

Interestingly, we jumped 3 nice bucks amidst the burn last year where we didn't expect they'd settle down for the day in the 100 degree heat. The new growth is tall enough now through they seem to get enough shade and it's hard to spot them in it. Wondered if maybe they bed there as more likely they'd hear a mountain lion coming in all those dry branches...?

Are you guys seeing acorns dropping yet? How does a dry year effect the drop (earlier?) ?

Just saw a couple green ones around. My buck last year had his whole throat and stomach full of them, so gives a nice indication of where they like to eat when dropping.

 

[jfs82]

Thanks, that's always a question of whether I should even spend time looking at the distant places where stalking is darn near impossible. We do tend to hang in a couple drainages but even there feel I need to glass my ass off to not miss them. My buddy had a couple seconds view of the 3x3 before it passed behind a small finger amidst the trees.

Interestingly, we jumped 3 nice bucks amidst the burn last year where we didn't expect they'd settle down for the day in the 100 degree heat. The new growth is tall enough now through they seem to get enough shade and it's hard to spot them in it. Wondered if maybe they bed there as more likely they'd hear a mountain lion coming in all those dry branches...?

Are you guys seeing acorns dropping yet? How does a dry year effect the drop (earlier?) ?

Just saw a couple green ones around. My buck last year had his whole throat and stomach full of them, so gives a nice indication of where they like to eat when dropping.

I haven't seen any acorns dropping yet, though the area I was in most recently did not have a ton of oaks.

 

[MeatBuck]

Furthermore, in relation to mule deer within the Los Padres NF, the normally start the rut toward the end of the season. As such, they tend to begin to move into their winter range, raising the number of deer and bucks utilizing their winter range. So, if the rut is starting (toward the end of the season) the deer will start to concentrate in their winter range. As such, during that time, one is likely better off hunting those areas. Additionally, during this time, the deer, including bucks, tend to move more, simply from the bucks sticking their noses up does butts.

So now the A zone “winter range” is simply where the does live?

Again the only thing that blacktail in a zone do differently in winter is, since they aren’t being hunted and it’s not 100+ degrees, they actually come out of their nocturnal hide and relax a bit. They spent the fall chasing does and in winter are trying to take it easy and put weight back on.

“Winter range” is not the rut, it’s not even a thing in A zone.

It’s the same as saying because you see them out in the open when in velvet that it must be their “spring range”. When in reality they’re just not being pressured and are focused on feed, same as right after the season, no pressure, focus is on pussy. Winter time, no pressure, focus is feed. These times of year they are out and about, not holed up prepping for rut. During season, they have nothing to do but stay alive, stay cool and Work up neck muscles and testosterone and they do most of it at night..

I’m just not convinced of this whole winter range thing. If anything they have a summer range and that’s basically just a nocturnal period where we as hunters focus most of our time on their behavior. When we don’t see them we start trying to over analyze what’s going on, asking ourselves where did they go? Talking about winter ranges in a zone, things like that.
It’s just the cover of dense brush and darkness that’s hiding them, nothing else.

 

[MeatBuck]

Seen some scrub oak brush just loaded with green acorns and a few select trees with some small ones dropping. North a. Overall not a cache crop that I’ve seen

 

[Cahunter805]

Man I love Hunting A zone!
Hoping this heat wave ends soon as glassing is a pain even early morning and evenings. Still seeing some bucks but waiting for the big bucks to make a mistake.
I tend to agree with meatbuck also on the rut and winter patterns.

 

[MeatBuck]

These three fires in Napa co have the sky dark and it’s raining ash out to 505. Knoxville gonna get torched

 

[plentycoupe]

I have only hunted southern A zone near the coast. How in the world do you get away from the poison oak? We just haven’t seemed to find any areas that are not private. I stay in Lompoc when hunting there.

 

[Bubblehide]

So now the A zone “winter range” is simply where the does live?

Again the only thing that blacktail in a zone do differently in winter is, since they aren’t being hunted and it’s not 100+ degrees, they actually come out of their nocturnal hide and relax a bit. They spent the fall chasing does and in winter are trying to take it easy and put weight back on.

“Winter range” is not the rut, it’s not even a thing in A zone.

It’s the same as saying because you see them out in the open when in velvet that it must be their “spring range”. When in reality they’re just not being pressured and are focused on feed, same as right after the season, no pressure, focus is on pussy. Winter time, no pressure, focus is feed. These times of year they are out and about, not holed up prepping for rut. During season, they have nothing to do but stay alive, stay cool and Work up neck muscles and testosterone and they do most of it at night..

I’m just not convinced of this whole winter range thing. If anything they have a summer range and that’s basically just a nocturnal period where we as hunters focus most of our time on their behavior. When we don’t see them we start trying to over analyze what’s going on, asking ourselves where did they go? Talking about winter ranges in a zone, things like that.
It’s just the cover of dense brush and darkness that’s hiding them, nothing else.

Okay, you are not getting me at all. Perhaps I have been unclear. I have been referring to MULE deer, as I have previously stated. That translates into southern A zone.

In the northern Ca zones that hold blacktail, it is well known that some blacktail do migrate, while in other northern Ca areas that hold blacktail, what I say applies to southern Ca A zone MULE deer, also applies to some areas in northern Ca which hold blacktail. Perhaps where you are hunting (I assume along the coast) the deer may not have winter range, nor migrate; but that does not make me wrong, as I have applied it.

Either way, I wish you the best of luck this season, and in the future.

 

[MeatBuck]

I have only hunted southern A zone near the coast. How in the world do you get away from the poison oak? We just haven’t seemed to find any areas that are not private. I stay in Lompoc when hunting there.

Deer eat it, so hunt it.

 

[plentycoupe]

Deer eat it, so hunt it.

Sucks getting it yet I hear you. Anything you do to prevent getting it? First time I had it and want to avoid a 2nd.

 

[MeatBuck]

Sucks getting it yet I hear you. Anything you do to prevent getting it? First time I had it and want to avoid a 2nd.

I’m mindful of what I’m touching and what’s touching me. That’s about all you can do to prevent.
When you get home each time you go wash with technu and dry with rubbing alcohol (to dry skin of oils).
Don’t forget It’s on the deers hair too, youll have to touch it after killing one unless you wear gloves.

 

[MeatBuck]

There a thread from last season on poison oak. Thinking it was here in bt forum. Take a look.

 

[MeatBuck]

 

[Tobias]

Sucks getting it yet I hear you. Anything you do to prevent getting it? First time I had it and want to avoid a 2nd.

Did a bit of logging in poison oak heaven last summer and never got it. Wear long sleeves if you can stand it. At the end of the day treat everything as if it’s contaminated. We used baby wipes at lunch and the end of the day, then scrubbed like hell once we got home. You have a few hours before the oils cause irritation, but if you have access to a creek or wipes you should get the oils off sooner than later. Wash your clothes often and when you take them off leave them inside-out. Be careful taking your boots off, as the oils can remain for a long time. Often when you see people with prolonged rashes it’s because they’re re-exposing every time they lace up.

Scrubbing with dish soap/ coco scrub is just as effective as tecnu, imo

 

[MeatBuck]

Knoxville closed. Hwy 16 closed. Fire moving up blue ridge north towards cache. It’s into capay valley. Saw 11 deer so far this morning. It’s actually not that hot up here either. Breeze blowing, few clouds. No smoke.

 

[Azone]

There’s a couple new fires in my area and it’s not looking good. I’m thinking they will be closing the forest down here pretty soon. It’s smokier than a Willie Nelson concert and we got ash coming down, not good at all.

 

[lifeisgoodsteve]

Poor Knoxville. Burned a few years ago and burning again. Been windy, but as mentioned not too hot up here in Northern A.

See smoke, but fires are many miles away from where we're at, but keeping an eye out on wind directions and forecasts so can move if needed. Good luck fellas!

 

[MeatBuck]

15 deer now. Winds picked up. Fire maps are pretty wild now. Lots of growth.

 

[MeatBuck]

Picked up first buck just after noon moving through the brush headed downhill. Not sure if going to water or getting out of wind. Dark block bodied deer, black head white face. Need to get better look at rack but body says mature buck.