The most wonderful time of the year….. A zone general 😆

That should be some great venison, congrats on the buck. I shot a spike fork stag a few years back and he was very tasty.
I let my bro pull the trigger on this guy- he can’t get out much the rest of the season and I can.
The younger ones are always more tender👍
 
Excellent! The buck my son killed this season was the same way. Not a tick on him. It blew me away, I could hardly believe it.
Had there been fires in the area in recent years? I really do wonder if fire suppression has caused an increase in parasites in many parts of CA.
 
Had there been fires in the area in recent years? I really do wonder if fire suppression has caused an increase in parasites in many parts of CA.
Yes. I have concluded that the fire the previous year helped to curb the tick population in that area.
 
Yes. I have concluded that the fire the previous year helped to curb the tick population in that area.
I was really hoping you would tell me so I could hone in on your secret spot. 😀

More seriously, that was my assumption and speaks to an additional and perhaps unexpected benefit of fire for wildlife. I don’t think the average person would understand that fires reduce tick and louse numbers and that wildlife benefits from a reduction in parasites. Just another gift from Smokey the Bear….
 
I was really hoping you would tell me so I could hone in on your secret spot. 😀

More seriously, that was my assumption and speaks to an additional and perhaps unexpected benefit of fire for wildlife. I don’t think the average person would understand that fires reduce tick and louse numbers and that wildlife benefits from a reduction in parasites. Just another gift from Smokey the Bear….
Sorry, can't help you with the super secret hunting spot.😂

Although I don't know if the previous burn is infact THE reason why the ticks were virtually non existent, my observations sure point that way too. It does, at least to me, tend to make sense. If wildfires actually do wipe out those nasty ticks, well I'm with you. Definitely another added benefit of wildfire for sure.
 
I've seen some sniffing around the past few days on my suburbs deer by the house. Pretty excited to get out again this Sunday and next weekend (assuming Sunday doesnt pan out)
 
I saw a decent buck lip curling and following a doe off the side of the road on Tuesday night (September 14th) in Napa county on private land.
 
Heard from the boys in Mendo they are starting to sniff around and they’re definitely starting down here in Stanislaus.
 
Saw a spike fork sniffing 3 does last night on private property, a spike chasing a doe on my in laws ranch, and a small forky hanging with 4 does at VAFB.
 
Sounds like bucks are starting to chase does on a few private pieces in my area.
Anyone else seeing signs of the rut picking up?
Nada in my local areas. Plenty of doe to go around- but the boys are no where to be found. Hope it after this cool stint they may start looking around. Thankfully the NF is open again cause most everything else is slim Pickens
 
My son got it done yesterday morning. The fog forced us to give up on our plan A and we went to plan B till the fog lifted, good choice!! Good redemption for him as he missed a shot at a running buck last year. Nice forky with 1 eye guard. 80 yard shot slightly quartering to him, ran about 75 yards. We let the dog get her feet wet and she tracked the blood trail, she did well. Rifle is a Remington 722 in .257 Roberts, handloaded 80gr. TTSX Barnes over 44.5 grains of IMR4350.

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Sounds like the closure is getting lifted for real this time for the forest ground. I’m curious to see what Los Padres will produce during the last 4 days of the season.
It’s going to be a mad house! Poor little forkies!😁
 
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