No BS on Black Tails Going Nocturnal

[Butchmeathook]

Man being really new to the Black Tail Archery game....You guys were not BSing about those dudes going nocturnal!!!  Me and a friend that has been in the game for some time now went out this weekend!!!  Walking to the spot we had already figured out that we were going to setup in...We first jumped a lone Doe and she was gone in a hop...skip and a jump...It was cool to see her though, because we figured that, that area they were moving because of all the sign we had the day before(thanks for the snow, that helps a lot too)  So sat in our setup for a few hours, really didn't see anything, heard some moving around at about 15 minutes before sunset but nothing came out!!  So we are on our way back to the rig and we start walking this huge clear cut and we have our flashlights out to see where we are walking, and I figure what the heck so I shine it on the field and what do I see but four pairs of eye shine!!  Man it was pretty cool, and you guys were not at all BSing about being nocturnal!!!  It was cool to at least know where they are coming from and just maybe if we setup in a different spot we will get a shot at one!!!  Thanks again for all the help this forum is really an awesome way to get the tips and tricks needed in this game!!!  I am hooked even if I don't get one, I will be an archery hunter for life!!!  Happy Holidays!!!  SHOOT STRAIGHT!!!

[boneaddict]

Merry Christmas.   I'm glad you enjoyed the hunt.

[Butchmeathook]

The great thing is I learn something new every time we go out!!!  Just being out in the field is the best feeling!!

[JDHasty]

Wait until you see a mature BT buck down on his knees moving behind a screen of ferns.  I have caught them belly crawling past an ambush twice and know two other guys who have as well. 

[elkboy]

That's the spirit!  Especially as a blacktail hunter, you have to put in a lot of days of no activity for any given day of encounters!   Blacktails are very hard, but not impossible. 

Glad you enjoyed your hunt.  Best of luck next year!

[huntingbaldguy]

Wait until you see a mature BT buck down on his knees moving behind a screen of ferns.  I have caught them belly crawling past an ambush twice and know two other guys who have as well.

Are you serious?  I've never heard of such a thing.

[Butchmeathook]

Growing up in Iowa and hunting White Tails, these are way different!!  So with the help of a couple friends we will get on them!!  We have until the 31st so if we get one we get one, if not there is always next year!!!  And I will be going on an Archery Elk hunt with them next season, so have to get ready and in shape for that!!!  That would be pretty freaking awesome to see one belly crawling and who knows maybe if he just for one split second will give me that shot and bam, my arrow finds it's mark!!!  And I will put in as many days as possible, that I do not mind, wet, cold whatever!!!!

[JDHasty]

Wait until you see a mature BT buck down on his knees moving behind a screen of ferns.  I have caught them belly crawling past an ambush twice and know two other guys who have as well.

Are you serious?  I've never heard of such a thing.

Yes, I am serious.  Unfortunately for me, both times I was archery hunting.  Once  I was set up in a blind and the second time I blundered onto a herd of deer in an overgrown field just at last light.  The does with their fawns and a spike bounded off the buck just melted down into knee high grass and crawled away.  I lost sight of him and then just caught a glimpse of him after he had gone quite a way on his belly.

[huntingbaldguy]

This time of year i would think still hunting would net you better chances at getting one.  Knock an arrow, move slow, if something spooks, draw and follow and see if it gives you a shot.  They usually stop and look briefly to see what you are.  Many times they stop broadside and if you're ready for it you'll have a great opportunity if they stop in a shooting lane.  I'll be doing the very same til end of the month or til i get something.  Good luck.

[Butchmeathook]

Good luck to you too Mr. BaldGuy!!!!  Thanks for the tip!!!

[SkookumHntr]

Getting 3+ year old blacktail is by far the hardest deer to get in this state! They are pretty much impossible to pattern, theres no migration, snow doesn't push them down, even in the rut they don't act like muleys or WT. Getting a 4pt Blacktail is the best accomplishment in deer hunting in this state as far as im concerned!

[WSU]

One odd observation I've made is that some days there is more activity for no apparent reason. I really noticed it when I lived in a neighborhood with lots of deer. I would go a month and not see a deer then out of the blue I'd see ten driving to and from work.  That's translated to hunting too.

[huntingbaldguy]

Rut is the only time i've seen big blacktail bucks in daylight.  Usually outside of rut i see them crossing a road at 10pm or something.  A buddy and i for early rifle 3 years ago were driving to our hunting grounds and we saw 3 3pt or better bucks in less than 2 miles of road before shooting light.  All we saw was a spike and 2 does in daylight.  Sadly i didn't get a deer that year because i didn't shoot that spike.  It was day 2 of hunting in an any buck unit.  We spooked him off a logging road and he stopped about 50 yards away and stared at us for about 20 seconds then split.  Had him in my sights for 10 seconds of that with a shooting window.

The big guys are smart though.  I thoroughly feel that you have to catch them in their bedding areas when it's not rut time.  My theory is that when spikes haven't been part of a bachelor group yet and they've recently left their mothers, they haven't been able to learn how to stay alive from the big boys.  I saw 7 different spikes last year in daylight.  Then Oct 25th caught my 3 point in daylight when i'd only seen 1 other instance on cam of big boys in daylight.

[JDHasty]

Rut is the only time i've seen big blacktail bucks in daylight.  Usually outside of rut i see them crossing a road at 10pm or something.  A buddy and i for early rifle 3 years ago were driving to our hunting grounds and we saw 3 3pt or better bucks in less than 2 miles of road before shooting light.  All we saw was a spike and 2 does in daylight.  Sadly i didn't get a deer that year because i didn't shoot that spike.  It was day 2 of hunting in an any buck unit.  We spooked him off a logging road and he stopped about 50 yards away and stared at us for about 20 seconds then split.  Had him in my sights for 10 seconds of that with a shooting window.

The big guys are smart though.  I thoroughly feel that you have to catch them in their bedding areas when it's not rut time.  My theory is that when spikes haven't been part of a bachelor group yet and they've recently left their mothers, they haven't been able to learn how to stay alive from the big boys.  I saw 7 different spikes last year in daylight.  Then Oct 25th caught my 3 point in daylight when i'd only seen 1 other instance on cam of big boys in daylight.

There is a lot of truth in what you say. 

One thing I think is that a lot of the bucks that get to grow up to become mature bucks are out of wise old mature does that instill a sense of caution early on in life. 

[Butchmeathook]

Man you guys are making so much sense!!!  Of the deer that we were able to see that night was  a forked horn!!
Just saw the other ones eye shine!!!  But I have  a feeling this weekend we will get our deer!!  Thanks again fellas for all the info, it is going into my hip pocket!!!