crunchy roads and blacktails

[snarkybull]

Question for you archery blacktail hunters of renown:

How in blazes to you hunt blacktails on these frozen mornings?  My normal strategy is to walk slowly on old logging roads and hope one of these ninjas magically shows up in front of me and then gives me 10 or so seconds to pulll off a short shot.  Many sightings, very low success rate.

So how the heck can I get close to these silent ninjas when I'm pretty much blowing a trumpet and cranking up the rest of the band announcing my presence with every crunchy footstep?

[PolarBear]

I use the same tactic for blactails as I do whitetails when the woods are too damn noisy be it leaves, snow or ice..  I use a treestand, get into a spot well before daylight and wait.  If you sound like you are dancing in a pile of potato chips, the chances of seeing a buck at close enough range to shoot with a bow are slim.  I have been sitting on ridges watching guys try to sneak up drainages in the snow and noticed how many deer vacated the area around them like a bomb went off.  I know where a really nice 4X5 blacktail is and I will be 30 feet up a tree at 6:30 tomorrow morning crunching through the snow to get there.

[Vo2max]

Have to hunt the conditions... Stand hunting may be the best bet on crunchy ground days. If you can't approach them, let them approach you. I hate sitting but when the conditions call for it, I'm game. Especially with a bow. If I'm not within 60yds and a deer sees me first I might as well be hiking with my bow in hand.

[Turner89]

If you don't have a tree stand I would be in an elevated area. Watch,  and keep your ears open. You can hear them walking through the frozen stuff. Good luck

[passing-thru]

Find a pinch point and set up. Let the noisy conditions work for you. Those walking will push to you.

[BABackcountryBwhntr]

The most effective way to kill mature bucks is from a blind or stand ... if we had better season timing you could hike and rattle and do well.. but for late nov-Dec stands are the best.. no doubt... I have 6 pope and young quality bucks since I started doing it.

[fishnfur]

Six?   Geeze.....   
I guess that's the stand or blind is indeed the answer to that question.
 
BTW, I did watch a vid on Howtohunt.com that suggested in crunchy situations as described above, walking purposefully toe, then heel (right foot), toe, then heel (left foot), trying to make crunching noises similar to that of a deer as it walks (crunch, crunch, crunch, crunch) on that same frozen ground is the best way to proceed.  They make noise too when they walk in the stuff.  Just go slow and pause fairly frequently as though you are a deer.   

[snarkybull]

Thanks guys for your responses.

So they do move well on these cold days?

[Turner89]

In my area friends have been seeing them most of the day.

[kodiak 907]

Head out at 10am. Sit and call. Do not walk around.

[predatorG]

The most effective way to kill mature bucks is from a blind or stand ... if we had better season timing you could hike and rattle and do well.. but for late nov-Dec stands are the best.. no doubt... I have 6 pope and young quality bucks since I started doing it.

My dad shot his first blacktail after missing a buck that was all over her on a snowy late December morning. So throwing out some doe in heat piss and finding an area that they frequent could be a Fairley good idea.

[fishnfur]

As I learned on this forum, the cold mornings will have the does out sunning themselves early to warm up.  I went out last year on a day like today, and there they were!

[BOWHUNTER45]

just like a few mentioned above ...do not leave the house until mid - morning ..once the sun comes out So will the deer ...Not easy killing bucks right now ...rut is about over and they find the nasty hole and do not move much !

[BABackcountryBwhntr]

I shot my buck 35 min or so after light, they were moving around before that.. when it is cold they dont lay around, they have to move to keep warm and find food.

[sled]

As I learned on this forum, the cold mornings will have the does out sunning themselves early to warm up.  I went out last year on a day like today, and there they were!

. I caught a doe and a fawn sunning today in 448.  Wish it was in 407.