Calling during early season archery? Washington black tail

[dpetrzelka]

Sundance - inbox full

Dpetrzelka, you aren't by chance related to the boat builders are you?

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[Bullets_n_Octane]

Be VERY alert using a Fawn in distress call in Sept, you may bring in a nice sized bear... bring your pistol...

[billythekidrock]

First a disclaimer, this is my first year preparing to hunt blacktail deer with a bow. I've been, and will be putting in many more hours at the Silver Bowmen Archery club - feeling very confident at 20-30 yards, and working on my 40 yard grouping.

Deer calling is something I've not yet worked on and wondering if this is something that is applicable to Washington black tail - I have access to property on Whidbey and in Skagit that I'll be hunting in Sept.

I've read quite a lot about calling white tail in the early season with quiet dow grunts and contact calls, and wondering how that translates to early season black tail deer. Take a similar reserved approach? Be prepared to call in the case I need to keep one interested / stop one traveling through?

Would you recommend any specific call for black tail  and a beginning archer?

Any thoughts greatly appreciated.

What are your expectations? Any deer, doe, buck, trophy buck?

As stated, most calling techniques are going to work best later in the year. But if you are after any deer you can have great success with fawn distress in September.  I have never called in a large buck with fawn distress, but have called in several spikes and two points along with hundreds of antlerless blacktail.

[dpetrzelka]

I am not after a trophy - I'm after a good clean shot, on a respectable deer. Being totally new to hunting, its as much about being out there learning and enjoying the process as anything. That said, in GMU 410 I'd be allowed any deer Sept 1-26th.

Its all about learning at this point.

Any thoughts on what call I should look at for starting out?

[billythekidrock]

If you are willing to take a doe or smaller buck, I would suggest not using a call as your primary weapon. Use your binos and practice your stalking skills.

But if you want to try and call in a deer I would suggest contacting Bearmanrick on this site and get one of his closed reed calls. Let him know you want it for fawn distress.

[elk247]

As a hunter that has bowhunted in the 410 for years I'd suggest that you burn about 2 miles of boot leather for every time you put a call to your lips in September. There are some really thick areas that hold nice bucks, maybe just behind that farm that you drive by twice a day.  there are a lot of bear too. Fawn in distress is primarily used for bear or coyote. If your seeing good Berry's be prepared to see boo boo. During late season the calling might be more effective. The real challenge with 410 is knowing what property you can hunt.  The best call you could make would be the one to the old timer with 200 acres asking for permission to hunt. In person of course. A handshake still means something in these parts. Good luck!

[dpetrzelka]

Luckily I have decent access to two pieces of property form long-time friends in the 410, potentially a third. So I should have plenty of ground to cover.


My resources may be best put toward miles hiking, and some decent glass.
And of course, hours on the archery range.

[elk247]

  those are the three most important IMO. If you need a sure thing to fill the tag send me a pm and I'll let you in on a spot fairly close by. Your first deer with a bow is a milestone you won't soon forget 

[kentrek]

I wouldnt even be afraid to rattle...September these bucks are all establishing a pecking order

Idk where its at but one of the whitetail  hunters on here posted a phonomonol thread on rattling, id highly recommend reading it

Goodluck 

i should clarify that calling in September might be very ineffective and ive had very little luck at calling in bts any time of year

but ive had watched bucks call in  other bucks out of the wood work while sparing

this is toward late September

just an observation