How to hunt Blacktail in Alder

[predatorG]

Predator G. -

Also - perhaps the late afternoon of the 17th (after school), you should drag and hang some quality doe estrous urine scent in or upwind of your spot and do some light rattling in the last hour of light, which is pretty much right after school now.  The rut may be declining at that point, so this is your first and best day of the late buck season.

I'm hunting archery so it might have to be a couple days later. That's when conferences are so each day is half as long-- which means an afternoon and evening hunt!

Next year I think I'm going going to buy a MF tag and hunt it with my bow (My little brother already got an eastside MF muley, so my only way to one up him is a stud blacktail with my bow  )

[fishnfur]

Predator G.  -  sounds like a good plan for next year, but a lot more money.  You might consider just buying the modern firearm tag and hunting that season with a bow.  Perfectly legal.  Archery picks up again after late buck.  There are still a lot of bucks looking for does until late in the month.  Good luck!

Bracer - more than happy to harass RadSav. He and others like him are a wonderful source of information for those of us who are still learning.  I'm missing Sundance lately.  He's another member who is more than happy to help you out with great ideas and share knowledge of how to hunt these challenging animals.  I hope he's well and just off hunting somewhere. 

I love to learn as much about BTs as I can.  Mulies and Whitetails are wonderful deer and awesome when fully mature, but the difficulty of finding a quality blacktail is what makes the game so fun, and in my mind, Blacktails are the ultimate challenge.  My wife wants me to go east and hunt, I won't even consider it. 

I've probably read more BT literature than 95% of the hunters here.  That doesn't translate well into success, but gives you a solid base from which to work on those situations that you encounter in the woods.  Many times, we just need to have someone with experience shed a little brighter light on the questions at hand.  Many hunters figure out one way to find and kill a deer, and do that year after year.  I find it more interesting to try to understand the deer and it's behaviors, so that I can hunt them in whatever situation I find myself in.  This leads to failure on a regular basis, but does increase my field knowledge immensely along the way.      I also wish to thank you again RadSav. (but I'm not quite done yet!)
G.

[predatorG]

You might consider just buying the modern firearm tag and hunting that season with a bow.  Perfectly legal. 

I thought thats what I said  but I may have got mixed up.

Also fishnfur, I missed out on my grandparents buck that we joked about killing. They were in Germany in September all the way through mid October and I missed my chance to get him or one of his kids at the end of early archery 

I need to read more literature. Blacktail Trophy tactics is next up on my list.

[fishnfur]

Yes, that is what you said.  My mistake.

Good book.  My problem with the five blacktail books I have is they all refer to Oregon - generally around Eugene, which is quite dissimilar to Western WA and also, they all tend to concentrate only on trophy bucks.  Less accomplished hunters don't need books about trophy hunting, but instead, books about hunting techniques that will allow the reader to see the most deer possible (IMHO).

[bracer40]

Yes, that is what you said.  My mistake.

Good book.  My problem with the five blacktail books I have is they all refer to Oregon - generally around Eugene, which is quite dissimilar to Western WA and also, they all tend to concentrate only on trophy bucks.  Less accomplished hunters don't need books about trophy hunting, but instead, books about hunting techniques that will allow the reader to see the most deer possible (IMHO).

I agree on your opinion of Boyd's books.

[RadSav]

(but I'm not quite done yet!)

It's blacktail hunting.  Not sure you can ever be done learning about them.  I've spent a good 30+ years reading everything I can on them, talking with successful hunters and spending time observing.  Five of those years I probably spent more time in blacktail woods than I did at home.  And I still see things every year that make me go - WTF is he doing there!!!  They are fascinating animals. 

If I found a genie in a bottle and was given one wish.  And that wish was that I could shoot one world record animal before I die. All I had to do was choose.  I can't think of a better answer than blacktail deer.  They are the perfect blend of challenge and beauty.

[huntingbaldguy]

I have 2 massive deer on cam in Kitsap.  They grow big there because you have this tiny piece of land to hunt them on if it's private and surrounded by private residences.  And there's a lot of fruit trees, veggie planters and clover fields all over.  I'm working on getting another property next year in the gmu.  I know a guy that owns a ton of land out there bordered by alder and maple trees.  I worked for him in high school.  I would just say try to catch property owners outside.  Most people won't let you gun hunt there, but archery is much of the time a yes.  I just drive by properties i'm interested in a lot and hope to see the owner out and about to chat with them.  Not a big fan of knocking on doors and the little i've done it, they seem less receptive.

I'm still in high school so buying land isn't really an option right now, although it is definitley a goal in the future. I've been torn between asking people to hunt on their land or just scouting and putting more work in behind my house. I've thought about offerring to do some work around someone's place in exchange for being able to hunt, but I would probably be more focused on people that live in a more urban area.

Fishnfur- sorry for hijacking the thread 

Yeah i'm just talking about asking people if you can hunt their land.  Generally i'll promise some venison or fish or something else, or ask if they need a reasonable amount of help around their place.  I've had a decent amount of success with it. 

[huntingbaldguy]

Predator G. -

Also - perhaps the late afternoon of the 17th (after school), you should drag and hang some quality doe estrous urine scent in or upwind of your spot and do some light rattling in the last hour of light, which is pretty much right after school now.  The rut may be declining at that point, so this is your first and best day of the late buck season.

I'm hunting archery so it might have to be a couple days later. That's when conferences are so each day is half as long-- which means an afternoon and evening hunt!

Next year I think I'm going going to buy a MF tag and hunt it with my bow (My little brother already got an eastside MF muley, so my only way to one up him is a stud blacktail with my bow  )

You very well could hit a nice buck at the tail end of the rut late November. 

[predatorG]

I'm going to try. A few years ago my dad missed a buck that was still chasing a doe in the middle of December. The doe came back and he was at least able to get her. Dragged her back through the snow.

[predatorG]

I'm working on getting another property next year in the gmu.

Saw a piece of land for sale today between seabeck and silverdale. There's a massive buck on the property.