Question - Late blacktail tactics......rattle, call??..need your experience here

[Moosehunt]

New member looking for some help.  Not a very experienced blacktail hunter.  Have been lucky with a 3x2 in the vail tree farm a few years back.  I have been reading all the posts from members that hike in behind locked gates, have also read that a few of you use a rattle bag in the pre-rut.  But can I get a few tips to try in the late blacktail hunt.  I have spent a good deal of time in Unit 660 - Minot Peak, but never seen anything of substance.  Maybe it's my approach......logging roads, clearcuts and landings.  Sounds like I need to change my tactics and put in some time.  What would be your best suggestions?

Thanks!

[Mike450r]

Well, I consider myself a capable balcktail hunter and think my tactics are what have helped me be successful.  I start out any morning hunt by getting on a clearcut, if I drive in I park as far away as possible but try to get my truck positioned so other hunters know there is a hunter or hunters there and keep driving on by.  If I walk in I just hope that I am first and position myself so the next guy in can see me and know I have that area and keep walking, In this state you would not belive how many people will wave at ya and sit down watching the same spot.  I have rattled and grunted and while I can't say I called them in I have gotten their interest and shot a few. 

Do not give up on a clearcut because you do not see anything, in my experience unless pressured out the deer are still there, just laying down or hidden by brush or ridges.  If I get too restless I will slowly make my way through the cut and the majority of the the time I find that almost any cut has at least three deer in it.

Reprod is where I go next, if you can get a good spot looking down into or across a hill into a 4 to 7 year old patch of reprod glass the hell out of it then when restless start walking through it. 

Next is big timber, I usually skirt it walking the road looking into it as far as I can see.  When I have finished this walk I head in as far as I could see from the road and head back the way I came from watching both the road and again as far as I can see into the timber.

About this time I go back to a clearcut and end my day the way I started.  I think balcktails require the right combination of patience and still hunting.  And of course while I do not make it a practice I have also shot my share while driving to the next spot.

[billythekidrock]

All sound info!

[280ackley]

Yes I agree.  Also, look at the old cuts with trees about 5' plus.  If you can find one that has a few openings in it or is steep enough look into sit and glass, glass, glass.  If you are patient you will see deer and the buck you want.  You might not get him but you will see him.

[Palmer]

I'm new to Blacktail as well.  We've been hunting them the same as Whitetail.  We sit in a blind with a decoy 15 yards out and use Blacktail scents.  We started using this tactic because the brush on this side of the mountains is so thick with stickerbushes.  Today a grunted some doe grunts and rattled as it began to get dark.  I had a doe sniffing my decoy today.

[Moosehunt]

Great Info!
I was hoping I'd get some perspective on Blacktail.  Hopefully this will lead to a buck on the ground, meat in the freezer and some pictures to post.

Thanks!!!

[saylean]

One other tid bit would be crappy weather (rain, wind, etc)....hope for it. In my experience with black tails...the worse the weather the better. If it clears up a bit, keep an eye on the clear cuts. They seem to get up after the storm and move about alot. That is just my limited experience. Not sure if others will agree with me...but it seems to ring true for me. Good luck.

[billythekidrock]

More good blacktail info! Nasty weather!

[bucklucky]

High winds along with the good ol down poor, gets em movin every time! The nastier the better.  Or find a good apple orchard and put a tree stand in it, when the does come to feed hopefully a big ol buck wil be right behind.

[ICEMAN]

One other tid bit would be crappy weather (rain, wind, etc)....hope for it. In my experience with black tails...the worse the weather the better. If it clears up a bit, keep an eye on the clear cuts. They seem to get up after the storm and move about alot. That is just my limited experience. Not sure if others will agree with me...but it seems to ring true for me. Good luck.

I totally agree. I have shot more blacktail when it is raining, than any other type of weather. You are able to slowly stalk into the timber along clearings, and sometimes walk up very close to deer. Use your binoculars in the timber. One step, stop and glass. Then one step....do it again. This may sound wierd, but try it.

[Crunchy]

My suggestion is to have to good binos 10 to 12 power and glass the clearcuts.  I cant think of how many times I have sat on a clearcut and then some 30 minutes later find a deer that was probably there the hole time.

[actionshooter]

I totally agree. I have shot more blacktail when it is raining, than any other type of weather. You are able to slowly stalk into the timber along clearings, and sometimes walk up very close to deer. Use your binoculars in the timber. One step, stop and glass. Then one step....do it again. This may sound wierd, but try it.
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Thats not wierd at all thats VERY good advice. The big boys don't come out.