How high?

[wafisherman]

I'm considering going high for my late hunt next week.  Blacktail.  But I'm new and don't know if it would be a waste of time?  The area I have in mind is around 3000ft where I'd camp.  Part of the Sept high hunt actually....  Are they down low with the does now?  Will it depend on snow levels?

I have another option that is private land along I-5.  My non hunting buddy has been seeing multiple does almost daily.  No confirmed bucks yet.  It is in an area that almost feels like hunting town deer.  I'll be happy to fill my tag, but torn between the high elevation area or the low one...

Would really appreciate some of your insight.

[fordpowerforever]

bucks will be with the does, never been up high hunting blacktails but i have seen them close to 3000 feet this time of the year...but i think lower elevation with higher concentrations of available does might be better.

[fish vacuum]

Higher elevation bucks will be up there until they get hit with snow.
The lower elevation area will have local deer year-round. Some of those will be bucks. Local, low elevation bucks can be big. Higher elevation bucks are more likely to be big.
If it were me, I'd hunt high the first part of the hunt, then move to the lower elevation in the last couple of days if I still had a tag.

[savagehunter]

I was in bucks at 6000 feet the last week of regular season saw a fork and a four point blacktail on the thirtieth at 6000 feet with snow on the ground

[wafisherman]

Awesome, thanks for the input.  I'm probably going to take one if my boys, so a backpacking hunting trip in crappy weather sounds fun.  Well, for me at least