Blacktail strategy

[dbrenna]

Bowhunters; tell me your strategies for this season. ground blinds, tree stands, baiting, still hunting. Edges or clear cuts? Have you finished scouting? Do you hunt morning and evening during th early season or just the evening?  The blacktail rut seems to be "closed" to hunting, correct? Different strategies for late and early seasons?? David

[GreenHunter]

http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,7471.0.html

There are several other threads on this subject.  Do a search and you will find a lot of info.  You will also see that most of the information is happily given if you put in a little time and research first.

It also helps loosen some tongues if you give a little background on yourself.  These guys did the intro really well.

http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,10184.0.html
http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,6883.0.html

Just trying to help as I'm a beginner just like you.  Hopefully in a couple of weeks I will be able to post an intro with my first kill.

[Bscman]

I hunt both morning and evenings. Usually from first light until about 10am...then hunt the last 2-3 hours of light.

Most of my blacktails have come during the late archery hunt, almost entirely in the evenings. Even better if there is a light-to-moderate rain.

I don't agree much with baiting...takes a lot of the "hunt" out of hunting.

I can't handle sitting in a stand or blind for more than an hour or two, so I don't go through all the hassle/effort of placing stands.

The majority of my hunting is spot-and-stalk and takes place along edges of older cuts away from the road hunters and lazy guys. Some of the best hunting can be found in "high pressure" areas just a few steps further than *most* guys are willing to go. The big ones are smarter, and high pressure will keep them in the thick stuff until last light...great time to be just off the trail. 

[dbrenna]

Well, I'm a bit modest, but I'll try to take advice here and tell a bit about myself. I'm almost 60, hunted most of my younger life with a rifle (but my love was upland birds; grew up in South Dakota and Minnesota). Came here in the mid-70's and fell in love with the Pacific NW. Raised a family and didn't spend too much time hunting. Two years ago my brother in-law started bugging me about hunting with a bow. He owns an archery shop in Michigan and invited me to hunt whitetail from a tree stand that November. I wasn't successful in one respect, didn't harvest a deer, but in another, was very successful! Since then, I've bought a PSE X Force bow, learned to shoot effectively, and now it's my turn to host my brother in-law this fall on his first elk hunt. So, I'm thinking, why not try to learn to hunt archery here in my (now) home state! I've developed a great relationship with the local pro shop, my wife and I both shoot twice weekly (she may try hunting next year!!) and I'm trying to do all that it takes to experience the sport I loved so much as a young man. I've been watching the posting here for awhile now and it seems that folks know what they are about and want to help beginners like myself. Thanks for all the help!! David