Taking bets, Who has faith.

[VirginiaxBoi]

Ok, I am just curious. The majority of you guys either grew up in Washington or at least have 10+ seasons of experience hunting Washington. I on the other hand am looking for success with NO experience hunting Washington.

So who here has faith in a young country boy from the east coast, hunting these phantom black tails in the pacific northwest. You guys think I have the skills using east coast southern tactics up here to take down this buck who seems to be ever elusive? What ya think?

[jackelope]

from one east coast whitetail hunter to another...forget everything you know about whitetails and start over. apples and oranges...
i can think of a million and 1 wise-ass remarks(because i've heard them all already), but i'll shut up.
 

[VirginiaxBoi]

Now thats scary.

[VirginiaxBoi]

I could have taken 5 or 6 Does with my bow so far, but I have yet to see horns. I know they are here.. I see the signs EVERYWHERE. Very frusterating and challenging, which is what makes it so fun...

[jackelope]

don't get me wrong...i have all the faith in the world in you...it's just wayyyyy different.

[VirginiaxBoi]

Ive noticed.. Thanks for the confidence. Did you bag anything your first season coming from the east coast Jack?

[jackelope]

no i did not...but it was not for a lack of trying.
if you want my .02, head east if you really want to try something cool, try getting on a muley buck. now that's living.
flame away, wetside hunters, i'm ok with that.

[VirginiaxBoi]

Yea, unfortunately, I dont have the time or resources to head west.. 

[Blacktail135]

 When I hunt blacktail's, I hunt from a treestand. During rifle season. In the wood's, mixed hardwood's and conifer's. The place I hunt is an hour's walk from my truck. Where I place my treestand is about 150 yard's from a bedding area. The bedding area is about 150yard's from a huge overgrown clearcut. The big buck's are out of the old clearcut and in their bedding area's by daylight. Where I place my stand is between their bedding area and their first choice feeding area which is not the big overgrown clearcut. From my observation's they don't enter the big clearcut until after dark. I only hunt this stand in the evening's and ONLY if the wind is right and that is, if the wind is at their back......yes, at their back! I haven't taken the time to figure their route when the wind is from the other direction but, I've got an idea. I'm considering getting one of those trail camera's and have some fun with it. I know a guy who know's a guy that where he hunt's he get's in his treestand around 3:00 in the morning and when daylight come's often there is a buck in bed. Haven't tried that yet either. My last hunt in my area I got in a little late (around 2:30pm) so I set myself up a ground blind (as quietly as possible). 10 minute's later I saw movement on the trail (about 30 yard's away) coming my way. It was a doe. She eventually walked right past me. Sitting on the ground,not moving a muscle, and peeking under the bill of my hat at a doe's belly 1 foot from my feet was cool. After a few minute's she was gone. 5 minute's before the end of shooting light (around 5:30pm) I saw movement on the trail again. When the deer put his head down in the small creek to drink (30 feet from me) I raised my rifle. When he finished drinking and started my way I watched thru the scope. I could see he was a small 4x4 (not counting his eyeguard's) with about a 12-14" spread. I decided not to shoot. He kept coming my way and when I moved my eye off so the side of the scope slightly to see how close he was....he caught that movement and came to full attention. I lowered my rifle and he bolted. He got to 12 feet from me before bolting. That was fun. I've only seen buck's in this area the last 15 minute's of legal shooting light. I've placed reflective thumbtack's on tree's so that I can get in or out in the dark easier using a headlamp (with the red len's when I'm close to my stand). I cut the trail in the summer. Mostly just fern's and salmonberry brush. I try to touch no vegetation along the trail and I spray scent killer on myself. I've read Boyd Iverson's first book front to back several time's. He'll explain the wind thing. Made me a believer. I've et the proof! Good luck, have fun and remember to get a quality safety harness, Patrick.     

[Krusty]

A friend of my Uncle took a world record blacktail. He had some tactics that might help you.

Blacktail bucks are almost exclusively nocturnal. You'll see them when driving at night, but not in the daylight.

Patterning by truck lights, marking crossings, and establishing travel routes is a big one.
When you do hunt, hunt the pre rut, before the bucks break their pattern, chances are better of bagging a target buck that way.

And that leaves the rut for "last gasp" opportunity.

When you finally get a shot, you'll be straining for enough shooting light.

Don't leave town.
Big blacktail bucks are friendly good neighbors, and many come from just outside some very suburban areas.
If I could still draw a bow, or felt like the abuse of slugging a deer, I could take my pick of a nice trio of bucks, a few miles outside of Everett.

Mule deer don't require a whole lot more effort or travel time, and can be found at or near the Cascade Crest and on east.
Some of the best public land we have is in prime mule deer country, where you could actually bag any one of the three deer species, or a hybrid.

I don't know nothin about no "eastern tactics" I just started deer hunting last year, and bagged a nice 5x5, in the late buck hunt (with a rifle, in the Selkirk Unit).
I believe anything is possible, but I am not a betting man.

Krusty

[boneaddict]

All it takes is time patience and a little luck.  2 out of 3 isn't bad either, but if you have all three you'll do fine.

[Alchase]

I think you have fantastic chances, every time I take a newbee hunting beginners luck takes over and I usually get skunked and end up helping with the drag, lol

I always look for a sun lit patch of ferns within the thick stuff. Then be as still as possible and watch for the ears to move.
Pete