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So my townhouse sits on the Northwest corner of suburbia Corvallis and then the beginning of the Coastal range. It seems there are far more deer in the city area than spots where I have hunted such as BLM 10 rd. or some of the wilderness areas near the coast. Maybe its just because they are adapted to the area and not as frightened by humans. I have watched in my back yard, over 4 different does, 2 of which who had twins, and 2 with singles raise their little ones. Literally from a few days old to now. As a Fisheries and Wildlife student at OSU this is one of the coolest things to witness over the course of time. I have hunted deer in Minnesota for 12 years. Yes, I am older than 30. But to witness the course of life in the wild is a precious opportunity. I have seen a mother who was assumed to be hit by a car, struggle while the little one followed. Other fawns unrelated would go up and sniff her and you could tell they knew she was hurt. She died, and a lone doe "adopted the fawn", who was old enough not to have to depend on milk. I have seen one of the two twins I named "poopey, and pokey", turn to only poopey. Pokey died for unknown reasons, yet the night before, I heard what sounded like a murderous scream. Which I thought was a bobcat, but, what ever it was, if it killed the fawn, left it un-eaten. It was picked up by the city before something could return.
The last week I have noticed the deer acting differently. Kind of like earlier in the season when I witnessed, 5 TROPHEY Black tails all hanging out together - Bachelor group. But this was different in the fact that the does were with or without fawns, but being followed by younger bucks. Later in the week, I started to see late at night with night vision, the big bucks, who have been gone most of the summer, start to reappear. TODAY...A young buck, who looked to be this years fawn, with only 1 tiny button, smelling puntang, chasing, following, and then trying twice to mount a doe. I could not believe it.
But then I watched them after he got the picture it wasn't going to happen. Both of them were smelling the air, breathing like marathon runners, and the doe was always squatting like she had to pee or poop. And the little guy, well, I Saw the dingy....I thought to my self, one of those big bucks has to smell this. Within 1 hour, the biggest, 8 points, and very tall, ran in and tried to kill the little yearling buck. Not fight it, but gore its stomach and side. The little guy fell, but avoided death. I ran to get my nice zoom lens dig. camera, and a neighbor walking her dog on the path behind our house, slowly convinced the doe and big buck to run across the street, middle of the day, in slight traffic. So I am hoping to get some pics of this guy and will post them.
Moral of the story, if you did not get out 2day to hunt the coast range? You better get out 2morrow for the last day of the season. It was like a light switch and the does are Hot, and the bucks are out to Trott.
Best of luck everyone.
Mark
The last week I have noticed the deer acting differently. Kind of like earlier in the season when I witnessed, 5 TROPHEY Black tails all hanging out together - Bachelor group. But this was different in the fact that the does were with or without fawns, but being followed by younger bucks. Later in the week, I started to see late at night with night vision, the big bucks, who have been gone most of the summer, start to reappear. TODAY...A young buck, who looked to be this years fawn, with only 1 tiny button, smelling puntang, chasing, following, and then trying twice to mount a doe. I could not believe it.
But then I watched them after he got the picture it wasn't going to happen. Both of them were smelling the air, breathing like marathon runners, and the doe was always squatting like she had to pee or poop. And the little guy, well, I Saw the dingy....I thought to my self, one of those big bucks has to smell this. Within 1 hour, the biggest, 8 points, and very tall, ran in and tried to kill the little yearling buck. Not fight it, but gore its stomach and side. The little guy fell, but avoided death. I ran to get my nice zoom lens dig. camera, and a neighbor walking her dog on the path behind our house, slowly convinced the doe and big buck to run across the street, middle of the day, in slight traffic. So I am hoping to get some pics of this guy and will post them.
Moral of the story, if you did not get out 2day to hunt the coast range? You better get out 2morrow for the last day of the season. It was like a light switch and the does are Hot, and the bucks are out to Trott.
Best of luck everyone.
Mark
I was out today on some private property just outside of Newberg that the owner has given me permission to hunt on, and he had a HUGE 3 pt buck run thru his garden. I had to pass on the shot for safety reasons, but that buck will be back and so will I. I am a UPS driver with a rural route, so I am seeing the deer all the time and the rut definately started early this year.
