Blacktail wetside question

[Atroxus]

If you can only hunt one, which dates do you think would have best chance of success? Modern Firearms General Season, or Late Season? I ask because I have very limited vacation time for hunting this year, and want to maximize my chances of success. I can take off 2 days and hunt all 4 days of late season, or I can take off 2 days and hunt 4 days of general season.

[MADMAX]

Late buck

[Jordanskylery]

From my experience, everyone and there mom are out during general modern firearm.  This combined with the fact that a majority of the GMU's are multiple point buck only your chances are going to be pretty slim unless you have done extensive scouting, have a good piece of unhunted land, or know the exact location of a big buck.  If you can find a GMU that is any deer or antlerless and have the access to drive in deep past most road hunters you may have an okay chance.  Other than that I would say late season.

I switched to archery for that very reason, over crowded, short season, limits on deer able to take and by that point in the season many are nocturnal from all the hunting activity and pressure.

Hope that helps.

[BnB]

Late season.

[notellumcreek]

  If you get out early for archery then you have a good chance, because none of them have been too pressured or shot at yet. I have seen some of the biggest bucks in september before they get real nocturnal. ALTHOUGH, every response I have got from this is the later the better. Once they hit the rut, they get pretty stupid chasing does. This was how I shot mine last year, on the last day of regular season (oct 31st), about 930 and he was just running around snorting in a cut lookin' for some action. Most seasoned hunters I know dont even bother with regular season, they scout and hunt the late buck hard. I have only shot 1 buck in my life so far so don't take my opinion too seriously 

[BOWHUNTER45]

Late hunt is usually alot better ...deer are moving around more and the rut is on ...you can usually find areas to hunt blacktail that are less crowded by putting on some boot leather ...I hardly have trouble getting away from other hunters and last year I think the only hunters I saw were driving up and down the road 

[NWBREW]

Late  Thats what I would do.

I currently hunt whitetails but I only hunt the late hunt. I do not bother hunting the general season.

[Atroxus]

If you get out early for archery then you have a good chance, because none of them have been too pressured or shot at yet. I have seen some of the biggest bucks in september before they get real nocturnal. ALTHOUGH, every response I have got from this is the later the better. Once they hit the rut, they get pretty stupid chasing does. This was how I shot mine last year, on the last day of regular season (oct 31st), about 930 and he was just running around snorting in a cut lookin' for some action. Most seasoned hunters I know dont even bother with regular season, they scout and hunt the late buck hard. I have only shot 1 buck in my life so far so don't take my opinion too seriously 

That's one more than I have. This is my third hunting season, and so far I have yet to even see a deer while I was hunting. Seen several while driving home, but they were standing in peoples yards mocking me. 

Thanks for the info though everyone. Gonna put in my vacation request for late season this year. I hunted general last 2 years, maybe this will change my luck. <crosses fingers>

[shedkid]

I have killed deer 7 years in a row on westside in rifle general season. 

[rasbo]

L8

[deerslyr]

Ive always had better luck the last 5 days of general than the late hunt.

[Blacktail Sniper]

Late buck in the Cowlitz Co. area (have hunted it since 1976), has generally been much more productive for me as far as getting a decent buck.  I have managed to get three, 3 point bucks during the late seasons in years past. 

But last few years, deer have been few and far between down there.  Been very discouraging.   You look an area over, walk through it looking for sign, drive the roads along the edges and while all the things are there: cover, food, water...and yet, not even a single track or used trail...just sterile land.

First year hunting Thurston Co. and have an antlerless tag for deer up here so looking forward to a new area.

So if you can spend anytime scouting your area(s) now, I would do it, so when you can actually get out and hunt, you know there are some critters there.

[grundy53]

Ive always had better luck the last 5 days of general than the late hunt.

I would rather hunt the last four days of general season then the 4 day late Blacktail season.

[headshot5]

I agree with Grundy.  Around Halloween I always see big bucks rutted up cruising around.  Late buck the swelled necks are usually pretty well gone and the buck settle down a bit, although you still see a few. 

[jackmaster]

the last 4 days of the regular season, especially if it is gonna be cold and nasty, if its gonna be warm and dry then wait for extended