What terrain to hunt BTs

[predatorG]

I've got everything behind my house, hills, valleys, clearcuts, thick timber... where's the spot to get the goods?

[JimmyHoffa]

Where they all (or most) come together. 

[Jonathan_S]

Spend time scouting and watching deer.  What time of day are the feeding?  clearcuts offer the best browse.  Thick timber is where they feel safest to run all day during the rut.

Don't hurry through clearcuts, spend time watching them and glassing.

[coachcw]

in nasty weather with wind hunt the cuts

[Mongo Hunter]

I've got everything behind my house, hills, valleys, clearcuts, thick timber... where's the spot to get the goods?

BT are the ninjas of the deer world. They are pretty much everywhere and nowhere lol. If you can set up some cameras in the thick timber in bedding areas, trails that maybe you see at the edge of clear cuts, or any other area that looks like its frequented might give you an idea of what's moving through there and when.

[predatorG]

I've had some cams up but haven't had any on in a while. I'll do some more scouting and slowly hunt around.

[hunter_sean08]

Clearcuts are good for browse, but this time of year it's kind of too warm to expect to see bucks out in the open in the middle of the day. Nicest blacktail I ever got was one that had been hanging out in an old friend's backyard for most of the season with a doe he really liked. It just so happened that a logging road ran around the backside of the property that they would have to cross to get up into the reprod on the hillside above. It was game over for this guy at 15 yards as he came out onto the logging road and stood there broadside to me. Long story short, use these sorts of things to your advantage. If you don't have a specific buck you've been patterning, my advice would be to get in the woods bordering clearcuts/reprod and hunt the creek bottoms from an elevated position, hopefully near one of their trails. There's water, some food, places to bed down and hide from the heat and people. I live in Wenatchee now and haven't hunted blacktails really since '07, but that's how I would approach it if I was back on the Westside. Had a friend in high school who wouldn't even bother with clearcuts. He'd just park his rig, grab his gear and drop into the woods, staying out there as long as he needed to (all-day, all-night, sometimes multiple days) before he got his buck. Think he was going on 7 years straight getting his blacktail before I moved away from PA.

[predatorG]

 

[huntingbaldguy]

I look in timber or reprod with a clearing that has grass and other browse vegetation in it.  Almost always find bedding areas especially.  I like to set up high overlooking 3 to 5 year old clear cuts too.  See a lot of deer early and late in those kind of cuts, and occasionally mid day if you happen to spook them.  They are hard to catch up to though.  You hunting archery?  I would say the hottest spots are on the edges of young clear cuts and older timber in my limited experience.

[RadSav]

I've got everything behind my house, hills, valleys, clearcuts, thick timber... where's the spot to get the goods?

Is there an old lady in the neighborhood with lots of roses in her garden?  That would be my first choice

[predatorG]

I've got everything behind my house, hills, valleys, clearcuts, thick timber... where's the spot to get the goods?

Is there an old lady in the neighborhood with lots of roses in her garden?  That would be my first choice

Yah it's my mom  they disappear literally opening night.

[predatorG]

I look in timber or reprod with a clearing that has grass and other browse vegetation in it.  Almost always find bedding areas especially.  I like to set up high overlooking 3 to 5 year old clear cuts too.  See a lot of deer early and late in those kind of cuts, and occasionally mid day if you happen to spook them.  They are hard to catch up to though.  You hunting archery?  I would say the hottest spots are on the edges of young clear cuts and older timber in my limited experience.

Yes I am and that's what I've noticed also.

[MountainWalk]

When I want a big buck, I look for maples and ferns and blue lines.

[fishnfur]

Mountain Walk - Blue lines?

[Turner89]

Mountain Walk - Blue lines?

  ??

[PolarBear]

Heavy timber and thick brush.  I hardly ever hunt clear cuts unless it is right after or during a big storm.

[RadSav]

When I want a big buck, I look for maples and ferns and blue lines.

That's where you find us during rifle seasons on those odd multi-season years.  Deeper, darker and above the maple edges mid-day during early archery.

[predatorG]

When I want a big buck, I look for maples and ferns and blue lines.

That's where you find us during rifle seasons on those odd multi-season years.  Deeper, darker and above the maple edges mid-day during early archery.

I'll spend a couple hours in that thick stuff today. It will be nice because outside in the cuts I don't think the wind has dropped below 30 mph all week. Thanks for all the great advice guys, I've got a couple dandy's around here so hopefully I'll post pics.

[Jonathan_S]

Mountain Walk - Blue lines?

  ??

Logging boundaries...trees have blue paint on them.  Or maybe he means creek bottoms.

[MountainWalk]

Nope! Look at map!

[predatorG]

  I was wondering that also but I kinda figured it would be the creeks.

[MountainWalk]

Bingo.

[RadSav]

Mountain Walk - Blue lines?

  ??

Logging boundaries...trees have blue paint on them. 

Usually boundary lines are red.

[Jonathan_S]

Come to think of it  but I still see tons of trees marked blue in the woods 

[bobcat]

On DNR land, the trees painted blue are the "leave trees" - the trees they're not supposed to cut.

[RadSav]

On DNR land, the trees painted blue are the "leave trees" - the trees they're not supposed to cut.

Yep.  At least on BC where I grew up.  Yellow/Orange = Harvest, White = Experimental/Research Plot, Black = Correction

[fishnfur]

When I want a big buck, I look for maples and ferns and blue lines.

That's where you find us during rifle seasons on those odd multi-season years.  Deeper, darker and above the maple edges mid-day during early archery.

RadSav,
    let me try to squeeze your mental image from you again (one that obviously makes total sense to you) and turn it into some thing I/we can visualize  'cause it's a bit too cryptic for my brain to paint a picture clear enough that I will know that I found that spot it when I see it.  (It took me about 5 minutes of thinking about blue lines after your quoted post above until one of my few remaining functional neurons fired and I had a rare moment of clarity).
    I seem to remember a similar post you made last year about the BT bucks being in dark/big timber this time of year.  (please correct me if I'm wrong).  I think you also mentioned above cuts, but perhaps on more level ground/benches rather than bedded 2/3rds up the sides of the steepest north facing slopes. 
    Where then would you look when you're early season archery hunting in vast areas of commercial timberlands consisting of mostly level ground with minimal hills and timber ages ranging from young reprod to 30 - 50 year old commercially thinned trees?  Seems like they could be about anywhere, because there is food, cover, and enough water virtually everywhere.
   Many thanks! 

[RadSav]

When I want a big buck, I look for maples and ferns and blue lines.

That's where you find us during rifle seasons on those odd multi-season years.  Deeper, darker and above the maple edges mid-day during early archery.

RadSav,
I seem to remember a similar post you made last year about the BT bucks being in dark/big timber this time of year.  (please correct me if I'm wrong).  I think you also mentioned above cuts, but perhaps on more level ground/benches rather than bedded 2/3rds up the sides of the steepest north facing slopes. 
    Where then would you look when you're early season archery hunting in vast areas of commercial timberlands consisting of mostly level ground with minimal hills and timber ages ranging from young reprod to 30 - 50 year old commercially thinned trees?  Seems like they could be about anywhere, because there is food, cover, and enough water virtually everywhere.

Very seldom do we ever run into bucks during BT hunting season of any kind that viney maples and ferns are very far away.  Wife shoots most of her rut bucks in Christmas trees, but even if the pics don't show it there are maple edges and ferns within an arrows cast away.

You are correct about me saying that during this time of year I have found most of my bucks bedded in big dark timber.  But in my most productive areas the clearcuts have been to the side of the timber.  My best spot being a clearcut that runs from the creek bottom to the top of the ridge.  In this early archery spot the vegetation under the timber canopy from creek to ridge goes something like this - creek, muck, devils club, maples, maple/ferns, definitive game trail, mostly ferns and fir needles, then ridge line.  There are always some small benches, but I don't pay too much attention to flats and benches until the rut.

I should note here:  I'm talking true coastal blacktails here and not benchlegs.

Those late August and early September bucks seem to be sleeping well off the fire trails of a clearcut.  Usually bedded above the definitive game trail but only a couple bounds away from the tangle of viney maples and seconds from the horrors of the muck and devils club.  Very seldom, or maybe even never, have I spotted one of these bedded bucks before they have seen me.  It may be an easy time to find them but it is one of the absolute worst times to successfully shoot one.  Seems they are always bedded with their head facing the fire trail and their posture facing the game trail.  You are almost always silhouetted as you make visual contact with the bucks. This is the only time of year I find the big bucks sleeping in this location.

When they see you they usually freeze.  I've taken advantage of this by continuing to walk, avoid eye contact (hard to avoid horn contact  ), I draw while I am walking and then stop, swing and shoot in one fluid motion.  If it takes you more than a second and a half to get the shot off it's usually a miss followed by fleeting glimpse of a raised tail and clean arse hole!

As pressure increases they seem to go deeper in and further down until they completely vanish until pre-rut.  It is an extremely fun time to hunt them, but it can become equally frustrating!  Tracks I follow show they are definitely eating out in the cuts at night.  On rainy evenings I have gotten lucky and caught a few headed out early before shooting hours end.  My first P&Y qualifier was one of those rainy early September bucks that couldn't wait for dark.  Those are the easiest of all to sneak within bow range!  Put in the time and you will find one that makes a mistake.  Might take a lot of evenings to happen though.

When you do find one of those get back in the timber, find a good quite trail, drop down (or up) to his level and come up from behind him on the same trail he entered the clearing from.  Should be quiet enough for you to move fast!  If you move quickly you should be able to take the shot from inside the timber.  He wont have a clue you are there until the arrow hits.  If ever there is a slam dunk in early archery blacktail hunting...that's it!!  Just watch the wind.  This approach allows for a large margin of error, but wind direction is not one you can avoid!!

[predatorG]

I though I found a fantastic spot Friday. It was about the size of 2 football fields and it was all ferns with some birch, alder, and a couple maples mixed in. There was one logging road leading up towards a clearcut, and one leading down to the creek. There We're trails everywhere, spots they had bedded down, and some old sign, but no deer. Is this a spot to put some serious time in at?

[fishnfur]

I wish I could give you a great answer - I'm book smart, field stupid. 

The beds tell you there are certainly deer around.  From my experience, evidence of deer bedding only lasts a few days up to a couple weeks before the area recovers enough to hide the past activity.  You may be able to guess how long ago the bed was used based on the recovery of the surrounding plants.  Also, remember that deer also bed in the middle of the night in between feeding forays.  These spots are often in more open areas where they can watch for predators while they rest.  You should consider whether the beds and trails in that spot you found is used during the day or during the night.  A trail camera may give you a great idea of how much the area is used and whether it is worth spending time sitting on.

RadSav - as always, great input!  Thanks for taking the time to paint a clearer picture of what you do.  I found the comments on fire trails interesting as I never even knew they existed.  Perhaps they don't use them as much out in 506 and 530, or more likely, I didn't know what I was looking at.  I don't learn something new every day anymore, but I did today. 

[JimmyHoffa]

I though I found a fantastic spot Friday. It was about the size of 2 football fields and it was all ferns with some birch, alder, and a couple maples mixed in. There was one logging road leading up towards a clearcut, and one leading down to the creek. There We're trails everywhere, spots they had bedded down, and some old sign, but no deer. Is this a spot to put some serious time in at?

There were probably deer nearby.  They do like RadSav says and then some.  Sometimes they will play ring around the rosie and circle the trees they are in, matching you step by step keeping the brush in between you.  I had one that was hanging out by my campsite one time, I knew he was there--tracks/scat/browse.  I looked and looked and never saw the actual deer.  Then a few days later a buddy of mine came to join in camp.  I went to hang up the food bag in a tree and my buddy said as soon as I rounded the bushes, the buck came sneaking around the opposite side.  Didn't know there were two people and was his last mistake.

[predatorG]

I though I found a fantastic spot Friday. It was about the size of 2 football fields and it was all ferns with some birch, alder, and a couple maples mixed in. There was one logging road leading up towards a clearcut, and one leading down to the creek. There We're trails everywhere, spots they had bedded down, and some old sign, but no deer. Is this a spot to put some serious time in at?

There were probably deer nearby.  They do like RadSav says and then some.  Sometimes they will play ring around the rosie and circle the trees they are in, matching you step by step keeping the brush in between you.  I had one that was hanging out by my campsite one time, I knew he was there--tracks/scat/browse.  I looked and looked and never saw the actual deer.  Then a few days later a buddy of mine came to join in camp.  I went to hang up the food bag in a tree and my buddy said as soon as I rounded the bushes, the buck came sneaking around the opposite side.  Didn't know there were two people and was his last mistake.

My dad just shot a small buck the other day and he had the same experience. He spooked it, and then followed it for a bit and stopped. The deer circled all the way back around to where he was spooked from. My dad shot him at 10 yards.

[fishnfur]

Hmmm, there's a lesson hiding in there somewhere.   

I had a deer circle downwind of me three days ago.  I couldn't see it, but I could hear it creeping in the bush.  Rather than move on once it got downwind (as I did, knowing I was totally busted), perhaps I should have circled my way back to it's approximate point of origin and hung out an hour or two.   Word has it they often re-bed where they were before the intrusion.

Perhaps I'll try something different next time.

[predatorG]

I'm heading out rn to see if this works and maybe bust a big one.

[PolarBear]

Hmmm, there's a lesson hiding in there somewhere.   

I had a deer circle downwind of me three days ago.  I couldn't see it, but I could hear it creeping in the bush.  Rather than move on once it got downwind (as I did, knowing I was totally busted), perhaps I should have circled my way back to it's approximate point of origin and hung out an hour or two.   Word has it they often re-bed where they were before the intrusion.

Perhaps I'll try something different next time.

\

Or just sit tight. I have had bucks wind me and leave only to come right to where I was less than an hour later.   

[predatorG]

 

[predatorG]

I'm out here right now. Hopefully one will walk on by.

[PolarBear]

Good luck!
Just sit quietly and let them come to you.  You would be surprised how many deer and elk you will see just by doing nothing more than waiting in big timber and the edge of a a cut or break in terrain.  I shot one of my biggest mule deer bucks and blacktail bucks while sitting with my back to a tree eating lunch.  They just appeared out of nowhere.  My cousin has shot over a dozen BIG bucks buy doing the same thing.

[fishnfur]

Polar Bear always makes finding BTs sound easy - as always - sage advice.   Sitting still is the hard part - it's not in my nature.   Good input once again though.    Go get 'em PredatorG!

[RadSav]

Polar Bear always makes finding BTs sound easy - as always - sage advice.   

Finding them can be rather easy.  Killing them - well that hasn't been as easy in my experience.  I used to sit a lot for blacktails.  Good method!  I just haven't had an opportunity at BIG early season bucks playing that game.  Lots of smaller bucks and does though.  For me, it seems the more miles I put on the boots the more BIG bucks I find.  Find the right area where you know there are big bucks and then keep moving until I find one willing to lay still until an arrow finds it's mark.  Or flies over his back as I have a problem with

Those truly big bucks seem to have some sort of arrow deflection shield.  Only good excuse I can figure

Or, if you want it to be easier...wait for the late season

[predatorG]

That's what I'm starting to think ^^

[fishnfur]

Late season has always been my plan for this year.  I bought a "new" old Marlin 336 with iron sights just for late October and and the Late Buck season.  That is how I would like to bag a buck this year.  Early archery is just a warm up, a chance to get my mind and body slowing down from normal everyday craziness.   Every once in awhile I get the feeling I might finish the season during early archery.  I have pretty low standards for what I consider an acceptable buck, so who knows what might happen.

I mostly enjoy reading the thoughts of accomplished hunters and how you all think and work your way through the the blacktail puzzle.  Intriguing stuff, to say the least.
 

[RadSav]

With this weather there are a lot of young 2X2 and 3x3 opportunities to be had on the edges.  Wife passed on a small buck and a bunch of does this morning.  All she was doing was walking gated roads running above some flatter clear cuts with a few huckleberries left in them.  Not really "Coastal" blacktail but 100% true blacktail for sure.

[predatorG]

I think I'm hunting pretty different terrain than you. The land I'm hunting is some private woods with a small private clearcut. No major logging companies or anything. The only logging roads are about 100 years old.

[Turner89]

I think I'm hunting pretty different terrain than you. The land I'm hunting is some private woods with a small private clearcut. No major logging companies or anything. The only logging roads are about 100 years old.

those old logging roads are my favorite. They are game highways.  Perfect place to setup a treestand about 30 yards off.

[predatorG]

Yes, it's just massive beds of fern with trails through them. A treestand would be a good idea for me because the ferns are as high as my head.

[Skyvalhunter]

were you walking on your knees in the ferns?

[Natas5150]

My successes at seeing BT's have been hunting in clear cuts and usually around 8:00 am to 9:00 am. I like sitting near a clear cut and glassing the area for hours. If you haven't seen something, wait 5 more minutes. That was the best advice I was given by another hunter.  Good luck!

[predatorG]

were you walking on your knees in the ferns?

Nope. It was kinda weird terrain though. There's trails where you can walk quietly but they are in these little dips so everything else seems super high ( they're about chest high anyways and I'm 6 foot 1). If you don't walk these little trails you sound like a hurricane coming through.