Blacktail Advice

[wreckerman5288]

So here's my situation, I live on the Palouse and have killed Muleys and Whitetails here on the Palouse and in the Blues and their foothills around Walla Walla, Dayton, and Pomeroy. This year my Palouse hunt has been a nightmare.

My main area out by Colfax was ravaged last year by Blue Tounge. This year we found out that all of the properties we had permission to hunt had at least 2 new hunting crews with permission. I'm talking big groups of hunters that hunt together and put so much pressure on a place that it's hunted out in short order. I sat up on a spot that every year a hunter gets an opportunity on opening morning. about 10 minutes before shooting light rigs started pulling up everywhere, 4 to be exact and by shooting light I could see 12 other hunters on this 500 acre section of the farm and they were all just bumbling around like idiots.

That's pretty much how this week has gone for our hunting camp. The one guy who drew a 2nd deer tag but nobody got bucks. Quality bucks were seemingly non existent. Every bit of ground I have permission to hunt has exponentially higher numbers of other people with permission plus the ever present trespassers. Add up lower deer numbers, rain, and more hunters and it all adds up to the worst hunting experience I've ever had.

This brings me to Blacktails. One of my hunting buddy's now lives near Olympia. His home is in a neighborhood with 1-3 acre lots. Behind his house is an old (non operational) Christmas Tree farm, a small cattle ranch,  there is also a fair sized overgrown apple orchard, and some other undeveloped land (timber). Total acerage is around 650 acres. He has the only permission to hunt modern firearm on the property. 1 of his neighbors has permission for archery, the other muzzleloader loader. They each get bucks most years.

My friend has been hunting it the last couple days. He has seen deer both days and missed a 2 point this morning. He got permission for me to hunt it as well and I will be going over for the late season.

My question is what works well tactics wise on Blacktails in an area like this and is the November Blacktail hunt any good, are they rutting then? I have read a bit about hunting Blacktails on here, I just want to be as prepared as possible for this hunt.

[TikkaT3-270Shortmag]

I can tell you that almost 50% of blacktails are harvested in the 4 days of extended buck season.  Majority will still be rutting and those 4 days are awesome days to be out.  That being said blacktails are nothing like what you have been hunting and there is alot of brush here.  My advice based on what you have mentioned i would move slow and glass as much as you can

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

[fishnfur]

Tikka knows what he's talking about.  Good advice. 

My suggestion:  Like other deer hunting around the rut, finding the does is probably your best bet, then sit on them.  If the apple trees still have fruit, they are probably the best bet to find does.  Even if the apples are all gone, they love the leaves too, so I'd spend a significant amount of time hidden between bedding areas and the apple trees.  The bucks should be closeby or occasionally scent checking the orchard for hot does.

[TikkaT3-270Shortmag]

Fishnfur i agree the tree should still have apples and they will be there 😀

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

[browney5er]

If you have the option of hunting this next week or those four days in November, I would take the last four days of October over the late hunt any day. If you can't swing that hen November can be ok.

[Band]

Unlike deer in the wide open Palouse, assuming black tails aren't highly pressured, they will only travel a very short distance when spooked.  So, if you do kick one up go even slower, do a lot of glassing, and be on the lookout for another sighting of the same deer close by.

[Turner89]

If you have the option of hunting this next week or those four days in November, I would take the last four days of October over the late hunt any day. If you can't swing that hen November can be ok.

  last 4 days of October is the best.

[wreckerman5288]

Well, I finally got the chance to check on my thread and thanks for all the advice guys. My buddy has the cams (I sent him 2 of mine to add to his) and he's got lots of photos of bucks day and night so it's looking promising. He put a bunch of alfalfa out at one tree stand and the 3 does are pretty well camped out on it and the cam shows that they have had their share of antlered visitors. I don't know if that's a blacktail thing but I have tried to bait whitetails 3 times and it has never worked for me.

I'm very excited for the hunt, I have hunted bear in Western Washington but never deer so I am excited to try my patience with a new species of deer. Between the comments here and reading all the other Blacktail threads I can, I think I have a plan of how to hunt this property. The things I have learned about Blacktails in the last couple weeks will certainly help me in a couple weeks, thanks guys! Hopefully our plan is a good one and we have even the slightest bit of luck because God knows we haven't had luck on our side at all this season.

[fishnfur]

Don't forget to post pics if you score!

[RadSav]

Rut was way early this year in our areas.  So that late hunt might be a little slower than usual.  But even if it is you should have good luck that time of year. 

My advise is never stop hunting from start to stop of shooting hours during that hunt.  We have taken late blacktails at all hours of the day.  Edges are key most of the time but inside the trees - not on the opening side.

And pray for a morning frost and sunny mid morning.  These bucks are getting worn out. Not like the early rut where they cruise all day when it's wet and nasty.  During late hunts if it is cold and you get a mid morning sun they will often wander out into the open for some feed and a recharge.  They are usually so spent you can really get up close and get those high percentage shots. 

Best hunt of the year for blacktails, IMO!

[Skyvalhunter]

Season maybe be closed now for this gentleman and he tagged out