Cleveland National Forest

if you ever go up on skyline and see the odd pine trees that look way out of place up on the mountain. My dad planted them as a eagle scout sometime around the civil war like 1950.

the burns stay closed because mountain bikers like to go up and drag their tires and make new trails. After the burn up off hwy2 i had to wait 3 years to get back up to see if one of my 10 cams and 5 tree stands survived. NOPE! This should be a hint for you guys that want to hunt D15. i know it like my back yard and i still go up north.
 
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This should be a hint for you guys that want to hunt D15. i know it like my back yard and i still go up north.
Hmmph.. interesting... you don't say. ;) (2018 missed on a bow shot) (2019 they just weren't coming out during hunting hours unfortunately.)
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However, I do agree with you that once you've put in the gargantuan effort in D11, you will see more deer, technically. But you'll spend a lot more energy and a lot more time before you do see them though.
 
Imagine if blue jay campground wasn’t there those meadows would be a good place to sit for deer.
You'll see deer *near* Blue Jay. I'm sure they pass thru those meadows when people aren't there... but I was seeing them not in the meadowy areas buy in tight little areas of Oak more past it. Again, kinda where there wasn't really available shoulder to park at. Had to park more like towards the far in edge of where the road passes Blue Jay... and then walk back in along the road a ways... then just veer off and pick a spot in the shade and like let the Binos do the walking.
 
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It's great that you have taken 4 deer. It's a challenge for sure with the deer numbers we have here in oc. Numbers are just higher up there. Any zone takes work to get regular kills in. Then again what do I know I'm just a duck hunter
 
You'll see deer *near* Blue Jay. I'm sure they pass thru those meadows when people aren't there... but I was seeing them not in the meadowy areas buy in tight little areas of Oak more past it. Again, kinda where there wasn't really available shoulder to park at. Had to park more like towards the far in edge of where the road passes Blue Jay... and then walk back in along the road a ways... then just veer off and pick a spot in the shade and like let the Binos do the walking.
I hunted near Blue Jay a few years ago, I was sitting up in an area of oak when some deer started to pass thru when all of a sudden some guy spotted them from the road and decides to get out of his truck and follow after them, then he sees me and realizes that he ruined my potential opportunity, I guess I could have avoided the scenario by getting farther from the road. On the bright side I did drop a ground squirrel with my 243, kinda felt undergunned luckily he didn’t charge.
 
how come you only shoot small deer in D15. Here are a couple of mine from the 15 and im not even a big game kinda guy. think of them as duck hunting by catch
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and the infamous sweater deer



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Well, one of the deceptive visual effects you might not realize in the photos... is that I'm a pretty wide individual, I weigh about 225-230 Lbs. And yeah... the bow buck was small (guess maybe 135-140Lbs), and that first buck was a little nicer(maybe 140-150). But that 2nd one in 2016? That one was a nice workout. I'd guesstimate him at like 180lbs. But whatever... I'm just happy to get anything at all. Too early in my experience level to be picky.

Meh... for what it's worth... here's a pic of the nice one I freakin' missed twice... the day before I got my first bow buck: Missed twice... and then? We had a Mexican stand-off at like 7yds. I was in process of rising to my feet and began to walk about to where I thought he'd pass by an opening in the trees...only he turned and came back in towards me! So I froze in the leafy suit, so as not to spook him off. I hadn't yet had chance to grab and knock that 3rd arrow. Was one of the most intense experiences of my life! A great memory! He then turned and faced me with his rump, and then looked over his shoulders at me. And..in a matter of time... my scent eventually managed to make it's way over to him now that we were so "nose-to-nose" you might say. Was so upset with myself that day. But still, a real cool crazy memory! :)
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