D16 Opener

Just got home spent another 3 hours behind glass this evening tons of sign just no deer. Debating on getting out on the morning might just do a few evening hunts this week and then go hard next weekend when it is cooler.
 
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Just got home spent another 3 hours behind glass this evening tons of sign just no deer. Debating on getting out on the morning might just do a few evening hunts this week and then go hard next weekend when it is cooler.
I think I would have done better in the afternoon. I to rap it up I hike in a long ways. One nerv. Racking night was enough. But I saw most of the deer during scouting was in the afternoon.
 
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Saw 3 does early and a doe & yearling a while later.....That was it for the day.....Primo spots too.

Yesterday scouted and pulled some trail cam pix off the private prop.....Stefanie gets 1st shot here.....So back to MCC tomorrow.....The 2nd picture is turkeys chasing a coyote.....3 dogs in the one pic.....Think there's a problem here....lol

ps....I know of one buck taken and he's a SCH'er.

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IMG_5333.PNG Me and a partner hiked in this morning in the dark. We were at the spot as the sun came up. Nothing till the sun crested the ridge and I seen bling! Watched him and a smaller buck with about 4 to 5 does. I let my partner get the first stalk of the season since this is his 2nd year hunting and has yet to drop a local muley. I stayed on the glass as he went for it. Half way there some one shot 4 times on another ridge at something else and they spooked. I let him get to the shooting spot because he needs the conditioning and then I hit him on the radio to give him the bad news LOL. Up the mountain after that for the day. It was a hot one. Back down at sunset. Seen no other deer and no life. Lots of sign. I know the area good and I know they are there. Coming down the mountain my partner ate it big time LOL after him telling me he was ok we laughed our asses off. 10 minutes later Karma struck and I took one for the team. I didnt have the energy to stop my self so I just picked a cheek and let it happen with style. We laughed again and made it back to the jeep at 8pm. Cold gatorade in the yetti and we were good! Back at it in the AM. Same spot. Going solo , partner just texted me that he is beat. LOL rookies. He was a nice mature 3x3 or else I would probably sleep in too. Just doing morning to see if he still hanging around. Good luck to who ever hitting it tomorrow.
 
Nice report, Cali! Good luck tomorrow.
I was out scouting one last time yesterday. Saw three bucks at 775 yards. One was a monster, and he had already been watching me. The others were clueless, but who needs to pay attention when you hang out with such a smart buck? After we had stared at each other while, he got up and lumbered down the ridge with his buddies.
We were out at first light this morning, and as day broke we saw lots of other hunters on the ridges. We had a 3x3 coming in from 535 yds to just over 300 yards, but he never left private land, so no shot. We bumped one this afternoon going to a different spot. We are headed out again tomorrow.
Good luck to all.


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I tried to take pics but I must hit the video icon.
Revised: I took my uggly mug out . I looked like S
 

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Similar story here. Went for a nice long hike, spent some time glassing, found a bunch of sign, came back tired. Early in the morning I ran in to a hiker with two dogs that said they had just scarred off a "monster buck"... I am going to try to get back to the spot this week on Tuesday or Wednesday.
 
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Yesterday was a good day, but man it was warm. I hiked in around 5 am to my usual spot and spotted 3 doe around 7 am (two at 350 yards and another at 500 yards). I have my G13 tag but since it is opening day I wanted to try and get within 200 yards. So I go up and around to drop down on them. Got to above where I saw them disappear around 9 am. Glasses for a few minutes and found the doe under a bush near where I initially started, about 600 yards away. I watched for a bit when a big bodied 2x2 came out of the same bush and was checking her out. I decided to try and close the gap, but ended up losing them. Always great to see them in their element. After all that I was exhausted by 11:30 and decided to call it a day. Looking forward to the weather cooling down!
 
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[QUOTE="Truduct, post: 98051, member: 28722"

Anyone seeing any rutting activity? Seemed like by opening weekend it was in full swing last year. I am surprised to not be seeing more deer moving. I know there are a ton of deer where I ma hunting just not seeing them.[/QUOTE]

Of the three bucks we saw opening day two were on does and one was on the move, looked to be scent checking. I do agree that it doesn't seem to be quite in full swing though... last year it was non-stop action.
 
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Filled my tag opening day. Man it was hot in the afternoon! Took him at 4pm and it was 91 degrees per the truck thermostat. Lot of hiking involved. Bumped him off his bed in the morning, and thankfully got a 2nd chance on him in the same spot in the afternoon. Just from my experience, in the cool of the morning there was allot of activity, but with how hot it is in the afternoons I'd cover allot of ground and try to find them in their beds, knowing that they'll probably start to move again in the last 30 minutes of shoot time.

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Nice going, Tom.....Quality D-16 buck.....Hunted yesterday afternoon near where you got your buck.....Saw over 20 does and at least 3 bucks (no shooters).....Rut is just starting with some does getting chased.....Tonight I saw 2 really good bucks, but just couldn't find a 3rd point with darkness setting in.....One was with a spike and I actually thought he was a doe until he raised his head.....2 steps and he was gone.....The other big boy was chasing a doe like no other right at shoot time.

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Fri-Mon in a tent 2 miles in.
Fri night 5:45-6PM, watched a nice forkie dogging a dow for 15 mins.

Sat 1 doe cruising at 8AM at 100yds. HOT day! Just before sunset a group of 5-6 (maybe 1 buck), way out at 800-900yds in a small clearing.

Sun 2 does cruise by close, around 8:30. Again HOT day! At 5:30PM got glimpses of a 2x3 chasing a doe at 300yds in the thick stuff. Never enough time to put the hammer down.

Mon AM thought it would be better with the cooler AM but no movement anywhere.

Working Tue/Wed and then back out Wed night for 6 days. Should be good with cooler temps and some rain to wet the grass/leaves and make still hunting possible.

Good luck to everyone!
 

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