Olympic Alpine Blacktail

[predatorG]

Went backpacking this weekend in the south east side of the olympics, and as I looked around all the basins in couldn't help thinking "there has to be a ton of deer here". But despite how perfect it looked, I never saw any sign. There were plenty of blueberries so I am guessing there's plenty of bear, but everything in me kept looking at the Meadows backed up to thick brush and thinking that Blacktails must love it.

So here's the question of the day: do blacktails love the high alpine as much as mulies do? I've never hunted mulies much, but I know their reputation for loving the big mountain fields and rock outcroppings. Are blacktails the same way? What's the BT population like on the east side of the Olympics in the alpine?

[optic2]

Went backpacking this weekend in the south east side of the olympics, and as I looked around all the basins in couldn't help thinking "there has to be a ton of deer here". But despite how perfect it looked, I never saw any sign. There were plenty of blueberries so I am guessing there's plenty of bear, but everything in me kept looking at the Meadows backed up to thick brush and thinking that Blacktails must love it.

So here's the question of the day: do blacktails love the high alpine as much as mulies do? I've never hunted mulies much, but I know their reputation for loving the big mountain fields and rock outcroppings. Are blacktails the same way? What's the BT population like on the east side of the Olympics in the alpine?

I spoke to the biologist that covers that area and he said the basin and meadows are where he would look but doesn't have any hard evidence on their population and gets his information mainly from the harvest stats (which only tell you the GMU). His suggestion was to do the high hunt but would have much better luck down in the timer harvest areas.

I hunted in the Buckhorn during the high hunt and then east and northeast of lake Cushman and found very little sign. In that whole time (9 days of hunting) I saw only two separate spots of scat, 3 does, a spike and a 3 point. The 3 point I saw was about a mile outside of the Buckhorn wilderness during the high hunt, an hour after the end of shooting light.

[kselkhunter]

Yeah I didn't see much in the Buckhorn either during a high hunt in the past.  I'm sure they're in there, but I haven't spent enough time in there to find them. 

[fishngamereaper]

So many clear cuts around the wilderness over there most of the deer don't need to go high for good food. Water is also an issue.

[ASHQUACK]

Lots of predators up there as well. Bears and big cats keep the numbers down.

[JimmyHoffa]

Predators are a big concern up there.  I find chomped on fawns and yearlings too often.  I used to see a lot more deer out in the high stuff, and the other hunters that pack in annually have said the same thing.  For finding the game trails, look above the human trails and at the switchbacks.

[predatorG]

Interesting. It definitely makes sense why deer would stay low for the cuts and the timber, but I've always wondered if there are good deer numbers in both spots. I feel like basins with lakes and a couple streams should have some deer population. The predator comment makes sense, and I can see how that would limit the population. I was really just curious about this info; I leave for college this august so it will be at least 4 years before I even consider hunting up high but honestly most of my time was spent down low. I was really just wondering about the differences in Blacktail and mulies when it comes to that high elevation.

[bkaech]

I’m no expert but I think black tails live wherever they find a place they like and can move up and down as it suits them. Mullies (I think) have more affinity to migrate and go high in summer and low as the weather turns. I believe this is due to them trying to find good feed and water in arid, less fooliage rich environments. On the west side with black tails there is not a need to search as far for good food, there is more of it in more places more times throughout the year. Therefore they have less affinity to go high in summer, not to say they don’t at all.

[CaNINE]

I've done a lot of backpacking in the SE Olympics and tried hunting the lake basins for fun a few times.  I never saw a deer in the wilderness area.  Did find some mummified sign once but not enough to dedicate time and resources to the hunt.  IMO leave the rifle at home and take a fly rod. 

[Shaqdiesel]

I got a quality muzzleloader tag for deer in the 621 this year, I’ve been spending quite a bit of time scouting the higher elevations and have had mixed results, I’m going to try hunting high depending on weather the first week of November but i am also curious what bucks will come out of the woodwork down low in the state land when they are rutting. I’m excited to see how it goes, got my buck last year up in one of the wilderness areas over there.

[Bob33]

About ten years ago I hunted the Buckhorn Wilderness several times and got into deer every year that I hunted.

[predatorG]

I've done a lot of backpacking in the SE Olympics and tried hunting the lake basins for fun a few times.  I never saw a deer in the wilderness area.  Did find some mummified sign once but not enough to dedicate time and resources to the hunt.  IMO leave the rifle at home and take a fly rod.

All my hunting would be done with a bow... so more the disadvantage to me 
My last couple trips have been with a fly rod and very successful!

If I ever hunt up there it's starting to look more like an attempt at bears.

Bob33 do you have any success pics ? I love seeing deer on the ground!!