WetSide Whitetails "or not"

[Amsdad]

Ok, first let me start with the fact that most of my deer hunting has been in the U.P. of Michigan, so I am familiar with Whitetails and their tricks. I have hunted blacktails in California, and after not hunting for a period of time recently started Muzzle hunting again here on the Westside for blacktail. I haven't been very successful yet, but I am learning every year. I have never hunted Mule deer so I am not familiar with them at all.

I was hunting last Saturday in Lewis county about mid day and I busted a group of deer on a hillside overlooking a woodlot. The deer were bedded and I made a bad step on a branch underfoot and all hell broke loose on that hillside. By the time I got my feet back under me and got around the tree in front of me all I got a good look at was the backside of two very large deer hitting that woodlot below me at maybe 30 yds. Like I said earlier, I am familiar with Whitetails and the flags I watched disappearing into those woods were huge and I could make them out for some time in the trees before I lost them. So I know there is a lot of knowledge here, I thought Whitetails only existed on the East side here.

I ran into some other hunters the next day, described what I had seen and both used the term bench bucks. From my reading here I thought bench bucks were a Mulie dominant blackie, and I did not think either had the tail makeup I saw on Saturday. Just wondering if any one had any comments on what I thought I saw.

[Hoytstaffshooter83]

Its possible but alot of people mistake tail markings.. odds are it was a bench

[chester]

mixed with columbia whitetail?

[wrangler]

iv seen mulie/blackie crosses with all white tails before, but i never seen a deer 'flag' when spooked like a whitetail does, nothing even close. i would imagine it would be HIGHLY unlikey for them to have been columbias, or columbia/black tail mix. 

[bowsandhose]

i have seen blacktails flag and they look like whitetails when they do it

[bucklucky]

i have seen blacktails flag and they look like whitetails when they do it

Me too, and I have seen some blacktails with some really long tails too. More like a whitetail.

[Bearhunter]

I also have seen lots of blacktails give you the flag when running away, and when they do they sure do look like whitey tails.  This is pretty common.  But there are some whitetails down on the columbia that the state planted years ago, dont know much about them though.

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

Blacktails flag just like whitetail and in a full winter coat they look just like a whitetail (although if sidexside whitetail flag is HUGE) Columbian Whitetail are a native species that are on the endagered species list, but live further south closer to Oregon) and are smaller deer. Genetically a blacktail is a cross between a WT and a Mulie, but it happened a loooong time ago.

[Amsdad]

Interesting mix of information, but that is what I expected..Thanks everyone.

I personally have never seen a blacktail flag, but my experience is limited and these were large deer for any area. But I know that blacktail can get pretty big, I saw a doe crossing the road a few years back by Waddell Creek that looked like a pony.

My intent here is to find out if I can hunt these guys. I know columbia whitetails are endangered but they seem to only occur much further south. One of the hunters I spoke with over the weekend spoke of some Whitetail stock that was released by Lephisto like 40 years ago and he called any hybrid of these bench bucks. They are probably just big blacktails, so now that I know their area, I will try to get a better look at them in the coming year and maybe some pics to better identify them. Gives me something to do in the off season.

[robodad]

I have seen a single WT doe out here on the OP in the Pysht Tree farm, I grew up in Wisconsin so I too know the traits of the WT and this thing was definitely a WT. She was with a group of 5 does including herself and was in a clearcut no more the 30 yds from me standing still facing quartering away actually they all were for about 10-15 seconds, and the one just looked different, had that typical triangular all brown (no black what so ever) tail and when they fled finally she didn't hop like the other 4 did she galloped and had that obvious WT "Flag" and when the BT does stopped to have a look back at me she kept right on going into the timber !! Total whitetail looks and behaviour.

So I think it is possible you saw a WT !!!

[cascademountainhunter]

not saying you didnt see whitetails but ive seen blacktails flag just like a whitetail before.....

[skybusterbo]

The W.D.F.W. might have planted some. They have done it with other species and not said anything.

[fc2038]

yea same here blackie flagging me down like a whitetail. but you never know

[croix]

I've seen waaaay more blacktail flags than I'd like to admit, and to me they look a lot like wt - esp. running.

[bobcat]

But there are some whitetails down on the columbia that the state planted years ago, dont know much about them though.

I'm not sure the state ever planted any.   

Also, according to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, historically the Columbian White Tailed deer were found as far north as Puget Sound.   

Historical Status and Current Trends
The Columbian white-tailed deer is the western-most subspecies of white-tailed deer which occurs throughout North America. Early records indicate that Columbian white-tailed deer were once quite numerous over its historic range, from the western slopes of the Cascade Mountains to the ocean and from Puget Sound in Washington southward to the Umpqua River Basin in southern Oregon. This subspecies of white-tailed deer became endangered throughout its range due to habitat modification by human activities, such as farming and logging, as well as commercial and residential development. Overhunting and poaching also contributed to the decline. The remaining Columbian white-tailed deer occur in two separate populations. The Lower Columbia River population is found in Wahkiakum and Cowlitz Counties, Washington, and Clatsop and Columbia Counties, Oregon. The Douglas County population is found in the Umpqua River Basin, Douglas County, Oregon. When the Columbian white-tailed deer was listed, the number of deer remaining was estimated to be less than 1,000 individuals. Under the protection afforded by the Endangered Species Act, the Douglas County population has increased to over 5,000 animals. The Lower Columbia River population suffered heavy losses due to extensive flooding of its habitat in 1996; however, it is expected to recover to pre-flood numbers within a few years.

[alecvg]

I would guess either a blackie and mulie mix, or a columbian whitetail?   maybe?... I have heard of the occasional whitetail on the westside though.

[DWP]

Grew up in Ohio and have seen lots of WT flags. Have lived in western Wa for 22 years and seen enough BT flags for my liking. Looks the same at a glance. Have seen BT bounce/bound as well as flat out run. I don't think that any one species does the same actions/reactions all of the time. More like "almost all WT flag when alarmed", or "very few BT will flag when alarmed".

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

I live in Lewis County and 20 years ago was laughed at while hunting Winston Creek Area down by Kidd Valley because I thought that I saw some whitetail deer and didn't know if they were legal, same thing,... Blacktail flag.

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

also a bench deer is a cross between a Mule deer and a Blacktail, resulting in less tail,more butt, so there wouldnt be any flag.

[Bigshooter]

i have seen blacktails flag and they look like whitetails when they do it

Me too, and I have seen some blacktails with some really long tails too. More like a whitetail.

+1
Have seen blacktails flag hundreds of times.

[jstamp]

my guess is you saw a blacktail. i have seen them flag numerous times as well. I also hunt and scout the winston unit all year, as well as most others in lewis co. and have yet to see a whitetail. the only place i've seen bench bucks, or mulies, is up in the goat rocks and they are few and far between.