Properly locating blacktail deer

[JeffRaines]

Alright so, this is my first year hunting blacktail. From everything I've read, the consensus seems to be to still hunt the timber/fringes of clearcuts. Seems simple enough, right? Well, the past couple of mornings I've been out, the deer are actually busting out of the clearcuts as I'm driving up. Queue me hopping out of the truck and sneaking over to where they went into the woods to either find nothing, or them right there but with a bunch of brush between us... and don't forget the walking the fringes part turning up nothing - even when deer don't bust out of the cut. This area I'm hunting doesn't really have any behind closed gates unfortunately, or I'd be all over that.

Anyway, you can see my dilemma. I've gotta be doing something wrong while I'm still hunting the fringes, or either I'm looking in all the wrong places. I do stop to check the wind every so often, so I don't think scent is an issue.

Any idea of what I may be overlooking?

If its any help, the unit I'm hunting is any deer. While I'd love a buck I'm mainly out for meat, so I'm 99% sure if I get anything this year it will be a doe.

Thanks!

[DoubleJ]

So, when you drive up, deer run?  Seems like you've found them, you just need to adjust your timing or approach.  Either get there much earlier or park further away where you won't spook them with the truck and walk a ways.  don't over think it

[DoubleJ]

The other thing is, where they run to when you spook them is probably where they are going to walk to anyway at the end of feeding time.  If you can, circle around and flank them.  Be at those "run to" spots and set up before they walk out of the cut at the end of the morning

[fishnfur]

If it's your first year, I'd attempt to try to find the trails they are exiting the cut on, get there well before first light, sit tight and let them come to you.  Make sure you're pretty well hidden and sitting still.  Those buggers are hard to find once they bed so your best chance to get a shot at one should be to catch them moving from feeding to bedding or vice versa in the evening.  If the wind isn't favorable to get in there, wait until it is or come in from a better direction, rather than educate them that you're out near them all the time. 

[fishngamereaper]

They generally will re appear pretty close to where they ran in later in the evening as well. The weather has them moving the last few days, colder than normal nights. Find a back way into the timber and hunker down, let them come to you.

[JeffRaines]

I guess I should've been a little more specific. The lack of sleep is getting to me 

If I understand correctly, as the season wears on they're going to get more and more spooky to the point of not showing themselves too much during the day at all.
For example, I went out this morning and seen nothing at all.

I would really like to be able to find them on foot vs. in my truck. The other day I actually hiked down into this pretty deep hole next to a clearcut and found a lot of sign, but nothing that looked like it had happened within the past day.

[Natas5150]

Are you driving and then jumping out as you see them? That's a tough way to hunt especially if your bow hunting. Not saying there is anything wrong with road hunting. Try getting into the area you want to hunt before dark. Someone else said look for game trails to and from a clear cut. Hunt near the game trail but far enough that it don't make the deer skittish. Everything I have read about BT's is when they do get scared they will not go far from where they were scared from. They will hide but not leave the area especially if there is good food source and water source nearby. So if you do jump them stay put, eventually they will come back. They are very curious animals. BT's are tough to hunt but if your patient your hunt will pay off. Good luck !

Also as side note a good book to read about these ghosts of the woods is Blacktail Trophy Tactics. Lots of good information about hunting BT's. Its a available on amazon. The book will help you look for things while your out hunting that you would never in a million years would think make that much of difference.

[JeffRaines]

Are you driving and then jumping out as you see them? That's a tough way to hunt especially if your bow hunting. Not saying there is anything wrong with road hunting. Try getting into the area you want to hunt before dark. Someone else said look for game trails to and from a clear cut. Hunt near the game trail but far enough that it don't make the deer skittish. Everything I have read about BT's is when they do get scared they will not go far from where they were scared from. They will hide but not leave the area especially if there is good food source and water source nearby. So if you do jump them stay put, eventually they will come back. They are very curious animals. BT's are tough to hunt but if your patient your hunt will pay off. Good luck !

Thank you! And as for road hunting, that is not what I'm trying to do at all. Basically, I'm finding these deer when I'm not really expecting to find them(in the truck driving around is one good example). Then, when I actually go looking for them(on foot in the timber, etc) I'm coming up empty handed. I guess my next time out I'm gonna try just sitting around some of the cuts/game trails and watching.

[Natas5150]

As the season wears on the deer should start coming out more for the rut. Like last year we had a stormy weekend in late October and the days proceeding and after the storm bucks were going crazy. Weather like that drives them nuts and it really gets the rut going. The author of the book I told you about says he has killed monster BT bucks in complete down pours.  The time of year right now is still a little early. That's not to say that a buck is not interested in a doe but as the season wears on the better your chances should be. Pressure from others hunters can also come into play where you are currently hunting. If you see people in the area you are hunting chances are so have the deer and well they may move away from that area. So keep that in mind. I highly recommend the book.

[HankC]

Jeff - I seem to be having the same issue. I can find lots of sign, but once I do, there are no deer in sight. The other day I found WARM beds, but since it was my first time there, I was not quiet at all. Been out 3 times this season and have not seen a deer yet. It's my first year living in WA and bowhunting, so double whammy...

[bobcat]

Does stormy weather really "drive them nuts?" Or is it the does that do that to the bucks?

[Natas5150]

Does stormy weather really "drive them nuts?" Or is it the does that do that to the bucks?

Yes it was probably the does that were driving them nuts. I never claimed to be an expert. I just remember last year it seemed as though everyone I talked to in and around the area I hunt that the weather just seemed to spark the bucks up. Just keep at Jeff and Hank. When you least expect it here comes a deer. I again recommend reading the book. It has helped me a lot in what to look for. The last two years I have seen deer while hunting however they were out of my range with a muzzle loader and last year it was a doe and I was hunting modern. The book is by no means a magical answer but It will help, the author talks about scent, wind, early morning hunts, weather, rattling and calling in deer, looking for rubs, sign, etc. Check it out!

[HankC]

Thanks Natas! Is that book by Boyd Iverson?

[Natas5150]

Yes sir! Boyd Iverson is the author. 

[fishnfur]

Still hunting is an art that is hard to master.  It is even more difficult with a bow because of your limitations on shooting range.  Sitting still and mostly hidden in an area where deer are using a trail regularly probably gives you a much better chance at a shot on a deer, especially if you can find a spot where two major trails cross.  A moderate amount of brush in the area will make the deer feel safer to move about freely when they decide to get up and move while still allowing you a visual part of the time.  Too much brush, and they may walk right by you without you ever knowing they came and went.  Make sure above all else, that you've got the wind correct for your position.

Finding does should be relatively easy if you're in those areas you've seen them before.  A change in wind direction or a change in the weather may cause them to change the time and direction they enter and leave their feeding area.  That may be why you're no longer seeing them, or just as likely, they are tired of you keeping them scared all day as you hunt around their home and have moved to a safer area.  If there is more than one feeding area close by, which is very likely, they may switch to an entirely different area.

 If you can find an area that is getting browsed repeatedly and the browsed stems appear freshly cut rather than black with age, just back out to 30 - 40 yards or so, or just inside the timber if you're on a cut, and wait it out while moving as little as possible.  Chances are pretty good the deer will be back again that day sometime.  Don't forget, you must enter and stay downwind of the trail you're hunting.

Bigger bucks will be more sensitive to hunting pressure as the season progresses and will likely tighten up their core zones and become (or are already) entirely nocturnal at least until late October and possibly early November.  This warm weather makes the deer just lazy, they don't need to burn calories to stay warm.  They may stay bedded most of the day (and very hard to find), getting up just once to pee and grab a quick bite to eat.  All the does on my cams lately have been out at 0900 or so and then absent the rest of the day - I'm not quite sure where they are feeding at night, but it's not near my cams.  They may be doing the same where you hunt.

 Later in the season, cold weather will get all the deer feeding more often in order to raise their caloric intake, which means more time on their feet and a better opportunity to be seen.  This makes life a lot easier on you in finding and hopefully killing a deer. 

Go have fun!