Need some blacktail advice and motivation

[Ajj828]

So I'm a second year hunter and I'm fairly new to hunting blacktail. I killed a spike last year opening weekend and now I'm realizing how lucky I was. I know where the deer are and I've seen about 7 does the last 3 days. The problem I'm having is that I feel like I'm doing something totally wrong. I don't know if I should be in the middle of the clear cuts, the bottom, or the edges. I have 2 spots with lots of deer activity not too far apart from eachother.

I feel like I'm not hunting these clearcuts correctly. What I've been doing is walking down the steep clearcut over all the branches and thick stuff making a ton of noise. I go to the bottom of these cuts because I know for sure no other hunters go down to the bottom. It is a huge pain in the ass because it takes me about 20 minutes to get to the bottom. I don't find myself using my binoculars much because I just don't like using them for some reason. I feel like I'm going to be looking through them and miss a deer where I'm not looking. I have a perfect shooting spot on a stump on the top of a hill and I can shoot down into the clearcut. I always tell myself I will sit there all day but it never happens. I can only sit there and wait for about an hour at most before I get bored. For all you clearcut hunters do you tend to stay in one place most of the day or move around. Every time I was moving I was seeing more deer because I would bump into them on the edges of the clearcuts. I also found a nice woods area between the 2 clearcuts I hunt and it has lots of deer sign and it's not too thick under the trees. Today I saw huge scratches on a pretty decent sized tree in there and got out asap because I thought they were bear marks on a tree. I don't know if they were buck scrapes but I'm deathly scared of bears so I stayed out of the area lol. The scrapes had very fine grooves in it and was about 5 feet tall from the bottom.

[tgomez]

Play the wind, move slowly and stay in the shadows. Patience kills deer. There is absolutely no reason to fear black bears,  they are more afraid of you than you are them.  Use you binoculars whenever possible.  You want to use your binoculars to spot game and then come up with a plan to get in range.

[Tiger1358]

Read the comments in this post( link below), they should help you a little bit. No need to be scared of bears, you'll hear those  bears before you see them, they're too clumsy. Just get a bear tag and shoot that bear too 
Seems like you already found your spot, where there's deer and you have a place from where you can shoot from. What can be better than that?
Just get there when it's dark, start glassing until around 11, if you don't see them just very slowly walk the trails or roads that they use to get to those clearcuts. Sometimes you can hear them in thick timber, walk slowly and pay attention to any noises inside the thick timber. A couple hours before it gets dark, go back to your shooting position and keep glassing. Telling you, you'd be surprised how many hunters would only wish to know about a spot like that.


http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,219502.0.html

[steeleywhopper]

I find that binoculars and moving very very slow have helped me kill many black tail bucks. Slow down and glass rather than clumsily tromping around. Spot them before they spot you.

[lazydrifter]

This weather system that has moved in will really help get them moving.  Give it  another 10-12 days and there will be lots of bucks moving.

[Ajj828]

Read the comments in this post( link below), they should help you a little bit. No need to be scared of bears, you'll hear those  b@st@rds before you see them, they're too clumsy. Just get a bear tag and shoot that bear too 
Seems like you already found your spot, where there's deer and you have a place from where you can shoot from. What can be better than that?
Just get there when it's dark, start glassing until around 11, if you don't see them just very slowly walk the trails or roads that they use to get to those clearcuts. Sometimes you can hear them in thick timber, walk slowly and pay attention to any noises inside the thick timber. A couple hours before it gets dark, go back to your shooting position and keep glassing. Telling you, you'd be surprised how many hunters would only wish to know about a spot like that.


http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,219502.0.html

So I'm looking at the regs for bear tags and I can kill any black bear with a tag? Male or female doesn't matter? Or size? I might buy a tag

[JakeLand]

Yes but beware of a sow with cubs in tow

[savagehunter]

Vote slow and when you think you are moving slowly go about half that fast. Glass from the top till its nice and light paying special attention to inside the tree edge a buck will spend quite awhile on the edges way before hell go into the open then follow the treeline around the cut to avoid the heavy brush walk five ft then glass. Inside the tree out into the clearing then move five more feet and stop listen and look repeat til evening get back up top and keep looking til last light. Deer are where you find them. If you are out then you have a chance . Always be prepared cuz your shot opportunity can be quite short. Don't be afraid to just find a spot and sit 5oyds inside the tree edge. Most importantly keep the wind in your face.

[Tiger1358]

Read the comments in this post( link below), they should help you a little bit. No need to be scared of bears, you'll hear those  b@st@rds before you see them, they're too clumsy. Just get a bear tag and shoot that bear too 
Seems like you already found your spot, where there's deer and you have a place from where you can shoot from. What can be better than that?
Just get there when it's dark, start glassing until around 11, if you don't see them just very slowly walk the trails or roads that they use to get to those clearcuts. Sometimes you can hear them in thick timber, walk slowly and pay attention to any noises inside the thick timber. A couple hours before it gets dark, go back to your shooting position and keep glassing. Telling you, you'd be surprised how many hunters would only wish to know about a spot like that.


http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,219502.0.html

So I'm looking at the regs for bear tags and I can kill any black bear with a tag? Male or female doesn't matter? Or size? I might buy a tag

Yep, any bear. But yea, don't shoot at a sow with cubs, although it's legal, but what's legal doesn't mean it's right. And when you see a sow with a cub, try to avoid them, don't do anything, just let them go, unless she charges at you. Mother is a mother, if she feels any threat, she might attack or something.

But if there's a bear in the area why not harvest it, the bear tag is also the cheapest thing ever.

[JDHasty]

I have spent four weekends (probably put in 20 hours each weekend in the blinds) out in my blinds and haven't had a deer I wanted to shoot in front of me yet.  I don't know if I would have even been able to shoot until about a week ago though because my shoulder and neck have been screwed up from the wreck.  I just like being out there.   

I had a Modern second antlerless deer tag that wasn't good until Saturday, and managed to solve my bratwurst problem using my compound bow on Saturday evening. 

I am not at all discouraged.  I do my best work late in the season.  Keep plugging away at it and you will start to figure out these most elusive deer to hunt. 

Use the search feature and take a look at some of our discussions and you will find good advice therein.

This year is different for me and other guys who have an informed opinion agree.  Usually it is not so unforgiving and it is a bit easier to score on a deer if you are not too choosy by this time.  The reason I got the doe I got is that does are almost always moving through the funnel I caught her moving through about the same number of minutes after sundown and before legal hunting hours end every day.  I figured I had about a 60-75% chance of catching a doe there Saturday evening.   

That kind of confidence will only come with experience. 

Four of us were out together this weekend and it is not uncommon to have six deer in camp.  There was only one other taken last weekend by our party. 

[fishnfur]

Just for fun, google images of bear claw marks vs. cougar territorial claw marks.  If there's elk in your area, you might want to have a look at those images too.  It may help clear up what sign you found on the tree.

I like to get down just below those stumps so I'm a little more hidden, put my backpack behind me for lumbar support, kick back and glass everything. Go over the entire cut several times. Pick apart each field of view looking into/through the vegetation for white patches, horizontal lines, flicking ears, or anything else that looks out of place.  Once your satisfied there's nothing there, move your binocs a bit and repeat.  After an hour or so, if you find nothing, take a break, close your eyes for 10 minutes or so, then repeat the entire process.  Often, you'll find a deer has suddenly appeared where there was none before.  Magic! 

I generally burn out after a couple hours of this.  Rather than tromping down the middle of the cut, you can try pulling out a fawn distress call, or even some of the real noisy predator calls, and while hidden, blow that thing like crazy.   Make it scream really loud bursts for maybe 20 - 30 seconds.   It is not unusual for deer within range to stand up from their beds to see what all the commotion is about.  I don't do this with any regularity, but in a cut I'm not familiar with and that I will not likely hunt again, it is a great tactic.  I wouldn't do this if other hunters are possibly working the cut though.

[rtspring]

Have Patience!!!  Resist the urge to move...  glass glass glass, 

[Piscatory_5]

So I'm looking at the regs for bear tags and I can kill any black bear with a tag? Male or female doesn't matter? Or size? I might buy a tag

I would use some type of weapon to kill that bear, the tag just won't do it. Or from the other interpretation, the bears that are legal to kill are not already tagged so you can identify them. Sorry couldn't resist 

[Bullkllr]

Agree with most of the posts above. Some really good advice there.

On the traipsing through clearcuts idea; with time you will realize you need to have a good reason to do that. Is there a really nice vantage point that you can get to without beeing seen/heard by everything around?Is the cut thick enough to make it worth still hunting?

I tend to see more deer closer by looking thoroughly before even going near a clearcut in daylight. Glass the road going in. Look everywhere you can before you even step out. I have trouble sitting also, but I've blown out a lot of deer by not being careful and looking first. A bedded deer may see you and try to wait you out, but if they're not bedded 99% will bolt or sneak off when the see you.

[trophyhunt]

Advise, unless you want to kill spikes, forkies or small 2x3's, quit hunting blacktails now!!  The big ones are evil, invisible and don't play by the rules!  If you want to poach you can kill big blacktails every year, at least that's how I see it. You guys that legally kill big blacktails every year, don't take me seriously. I've hunted the grey ghost for 30 years, killed one that scored 117".  I think I'm a decent hunter, but (big) blacktails make me feel like a toddler learning to walk.  Motivation, there's always a lucky sumbeech that stumbles on the one dumb pig blacktail in the woods, you have to be there to be that guy!!   

[JimmyHoffa]

Keep tabs on what deer like to do during different types of weather.  For example:

Real windy--are they laying on the edge of the cut with the trees acting as the wind block.  Are they in the cut with using the hill as the block?
Cold and sunny--are they in a dry spot in the middle of a clear cut in a sunbeam?
Cool and sunny--do they start moving once the sun is lower?

[pope]

After 8 years of hunting blacktails, I remember seeing only one or two bucks out in a clearcut during modern season. After a very cold, clear night, it may be worth looking at east-facing cuts protected from wind. In November, if you see a doe or two in a clearcut, keep glassing. I've had two opportunities at big blacktail bucks. One came during late buck while driving down a highway and noticing a doe in a clearcut. Due to work schedules, we were on the way home at maybe 11 a.m. We pulled over and noticed a second doe, and further inspection revealed a stud buck soaking up some morning sunlight. Long story, but I missed.

I was introduced to an accomplished hunter. His garage and home were full of antlers of all varieties of deer and elk, including mature blacktails. As a novice hunter, I asked him for advice, to which he replied, "Not one of these deer was killed in a clearcut. They are in the woods."

[JDHasty]

Advise, unless you want to kill spikes, forkies or small 2x3's, quit hunting blacktails now!!  The big ones are evil, invisible and don't play by the rules!  If you want to poach you can kill big blacktails every year, at least that's how I see it. You guys that legally kill big blacktails every year, don't take me seriously. I've hunted the grey ghost for 30 years, killed one that scored 117".  I think I'm a decent hunter, but (big) blacktails make me feel like a toddler learning to walk.  Motivation, there's always a lucky sumbeech that stumbles on the one dumb pig blacktail in the woods, you have to be there to be that guy!!

Don't matter where ya' find em either.  Some people think island blacktails are easy.  Dumb ones are easy, but mature blacktail bucks don't get ta be mature blacktail bucks by standing along the road daring some jacklighter to shoot them.  In a lot of ways mature blacktail bucks that live in close proximity to people are even tougher nuts to crack than those found where people are not. 

[JDHasty]

Agree with most of the posts above. Some really good advice there.

On the traipsing through clearcuts idea; with time you will realize you need to have a good reason to do that. Is there a really nice vantage point that you can get to without beeing seen/heard by everything around?Is the cut thick enough to make it worth still hunting?

I tend to see more deer closer by looking thoroughly before even going near a clearcut in daylight. Glass the road going in. Look everywhere you can before you even step out. I have trouble sitting also, but I've blown out a lot of deer by not being careful and looking first. A bedded deer may see you and try to wait you out, but if they're not bedded 99% will bolt or sneak off when the see you.

I agree with all of this

[MrSmallington]

Ever think there are folks diving into this without having mentors or guides? I never grew up hunting but have had a passion for it since moving to and from colorado. all i do is read about it and scout.  this is my third year and i feel all i do is ask, but how else does one learn?  i hunt solo and all i meet are road hunters who don't seem to ever want to leave their car.  I honestly love seeing these threads because there is so much info and so many positive feed back and cool stories.

[DaveMonti]

Regarding Blacktails, just listen to Jakeland. 

Regarding bears, just google "Black Bear Attacks" and you will see how very infrequent they are, especially considering the number of people here in WA that are in the woods all year long, from hikers and hunters.  No reason to worry, just be aware. 

[fishnfur]

...but just in case, carrying a sidearm is a great solution to dealing with an attacking bear issue.