Finding Blacktails during the day

[Grousehunter19]

I’m an adult onset hunter who started hunting back in 2019. Last year was my first year of deer season. During the season I never saw deer in the daylight but saw several 30min-1hour after dark. I was wondering if there are any ways or tricks to find blacktail deer during legal shooting hours that you guys would be willing to share.

[Skyvalhunter]

Your probably going to have to go to where they bed to find them during the day. If they are nocturnal in the area you hunt like a majority are then they will mostly move during that time especially if there is high predator activity. Of coarse there is exceptions and the rut time.

[millerwheeler]

There are several books on blacktail hunting that are very very worth the read , and always have wind in your face

[blackveltbowhunter]

A bedded BT is almost impossible to see once the vegetation gets tall enough they feel comfortable in it. Get good glass, and WAIT. They will get up every now and then to stretch and possibly switch beds. Thats when you will see them.

If hunting dense timber or reprod and seeing them in the open after dark, where ever you are seeing the deer in the dark, backtrack from there a bit.

[trophyhunt]

I’m an adult onset hunter who started hunting back in 2019. Last year was my first year of deer season. During the season I never saw deer in the daylight but saw several 30min-1hour after dark. I was wondering if there are any ways or tricks to find blacktail deer during legal shooting hours that you guys would be willing to share.

Welcome, and I have to say, you picked the hardest animal to hunt in the west. I'm talking about a mature buck blacktail, it doesn't get any tougher.  If you get good at killing mature blacktails, you can kill anything.  I'd pick up some good books and have tons of patience.  I'm 52 and hunted blacktails most my life, I've only killed a couple good ones. 

[Taco280AI]

I've unknowingly walked past them in the timber only to hear them move out after I went by. Sneaky suckers.

[npaull]

Are you hunting the firearm season or bow season? Big difference in expectations.

During archery (in September) seeing a mature buck is like seeing Bigfoot. Except there's better photo evidence for Bigfoot. In almost 30 years of archery hunting blacktail, I've seen a big buck during shooting hours in September a handful of times at the very most. That begins to change in mid October and becomes increasingly likely through the first half of November. But if you're archery hunting in September, it's a meat hunt. Which is great fun, but just calibrate your expectations accordingly.

Blacktail hate the sun and heat. Hate it. You won't see them, or rarely, during midday on nice days. This month so far has been atrociously bad for blacktail hunting. Plus it's crispy and noisy in the woods. Rain is your friend for blacktail hunting, regardless of season. The ideal day is one where heavy overcast alternates with rainfall, which seems to get em moving really well. Although I've had great hunting during storms too. If the weather is bad, the hunting is good. It's basically that simple.

I've noticed that in addition to first and last light (untouchably the best times) there is often a period of activity for does and young bucks around 10-11AM too. I don't think they move much but they will get up and move a little.

Strategies are pretty straightforward in my experience. Find an edge of a clearcut about 4-8 years old (trees roughly 6'-10' high depending on how dense it is), look for sign, and then still-hunt during prime time or when the weather is bad. And I mean STILL hunt. Almost all of your time should be motionless. It feels weird, because we're so used to moving, but the point of still hunting isn't to go TO the deer, it's to let the deer come to YOU. Lots of guys don't get this and basically hike through spots hoping to bump deer. Which often works but it's not as effective, at least with archery gear (which is primarily what I do). Other effective strategies are just slowly walking old logging roads, still-hunting alder/fern groves, and tree stands can be deadly if you find reliable travel routes.

If it's your first deer you're after I'd definitely say shoot the firs legal animal and don't be expecting big antlers. Blacktail does have wonderful venison and are 100x easier to kill than bucks. They may as well be different species.

[Grousehunter19]

Thanks for the info guys! I have believe I know where they bed down but have only ever hunted around it. I’ve been worried about spooking them out of the area I hunt when trying to get to their bedding area because I’m not sure how to get back in there without making a ton of noise. Maybe I should find a new spot…

I’ve heard people say I should get some books on hunting them. Are there any you would recommend?

[fishnfur]

Are you hunting the firearm season or bow season? Big difference in expectations.

During archery (in September) seeing a mature buck is like seeing Bigfoot. Except there's better photo evidence for Bigfoot. In almost 30 years of archery hunting blacktail, I've seen a big buck during shooting hours in September a handful of times at the very most. That begins to change in mid October and becomes increasingly likely through the first half of November. But if you're archery hunting in September, it's a meat hunt. Which is great fun, but just calibrate your expectations accordingly.

Blacktail hate the sun and heat. Hate it. You won't see them, or rarely, during midday on nice days. This month so far has been atrociously bad for blacktail hunting. Plus it's crispy and noisy in the woods. Rain is your friend for blacktail hunting, regardless of season. The ideal day is one where heavy overcast alternates with rainfall, which seems to get em moving really well. Although I've had great hunting during storms too. If the weather is bad, the hunting is good. It's basically that simple.

I've noticed that in addition to first and last light (untouchably the best times) there is often a period of activity for does and young bucks around 10-11AM too. I don't think they move much but they will get up and move a little.

Strategies are pretty straightforward in my experience. Find an edge of a clearcut about 4-8 years old (trees roughly 6'-10' high depending on how dense it is), look for sign, and then still-hunt during prime time or when the weather is bad. And I mean STILL hunt. Almost all of your time should be motionless. It feels weird, because we're so used to moving, but the point of still hunting isn't to go TO the deer, it's to let the deer come to YOU. Lots of guys don't get this and basically hike through spots hoping to bump deer. Which often works but it's not as effective, at least with archery gear (which is primarily what I do). Other effective strategies are just slowly walking old logging roads, still-hunting alder/fern groves, and tree stands can be deadly if you find reliable travel routes.

If it's your first deer you're after I'd definitely say shoot the firs legal animal and don't be expecting big antlers. Blacktail does have wonderful venison and are 100x easier to kill than bucks. They may as well be different species.

Nice post.  Npaull's right on target. I agree with all of that.

Books:  Scott Haugen Trophy Blacktails, The Science of the Hunt
            (in many ways better) Boyd Iverson - Tropy Blacktail Tactics II.     Amazon new and used for reduced prices.

During the early season, bucks older than 2 year old often will not to move at all during the day in early Sept.  They might get up, pee, grab a quick snack and rebed, but they typically won't move without good reason.  To catch these bucks, Iverson suggests catching them as they work their way into a feeding area at dusk.  Alternatively, since bucks tend to bed above feeding areas, being very close to (and probably to the side of) known bedding areas before dawn will put you into position to kill a buck returning from feeding at first light.  Thermals will ruin a hunt quickly if you're in the wrong spot.  There's really only a 20 - 30 minute window at first light and last light that your chances are decent to find a moving buck in Sept.  Once muzzy season (and later) starts, sitting on reprod and glassing for bucks bedded above or below trees/stumps/logs may stand up momentarily during mid-day offering a shot on a previously unknown deer.

Radsav once posted his technique for early season archery.  In the morning, when the thermals are working downhill, start at the bottom of a known or likely bedding area and still hunt uphill.  Winds will carry you scent downhill and keep you stealthy if you don't make massive movements or noise.  Once the thermals reverse, often around 9 - 10 am this time of year, you should reverse you direction and hunt downhill (away fro where you just went through).  Thermals carry your scent uphill and away from deer below you.  If you get a glimpse of a buck, don't look at it directly.  Look away, nock and draw an arrow slowly and rotate to shoot immediately... (or something like that)  Challenging hunting for sure. Once October arrives, the bucks are getting more antsy and might move to bedding areas directly above clearcuts, perhpas just waiting for the upcoming rut.  20 - 50 yards inside/above the timber +/-


 

[ghosthunter]

When I was growing up, now 70. I hunted black tail did t even know what a mule deer was. Never went to eastern wa except for elk till I was late 20 s. Back then we had a lot more clear cuts.

My favorite way to hunt them was dig in and sit.  If I knew they were around I would get in the timber and find the best trail I could. Than try to get a little above it and sit. I make a nest. Back against a tree. And sit and listen. Be sitting by 9 Am or sooner and wait. 10 am is a magic time in the woods.

Some deer you can set your clock by.

Sit get a good pad and sit. Lots of people can’t sit. 3/4 of the animals in my life were spotted and killed while sitting and listening. Good luck.

[fishnfur]

When I was growing up, now 70. I hunted black tail did t even know what a mule deer was. Never went to eastern wa except for elk till I was late 20 s. Back then we had a lot more clear cuts.

My favorite way to hunt them was dig in and sit.  If I knew they were around I would get in the timber and find the best trail I could. Than try to get a little above it and sit. I make a nest. Back against a tree. And sit and listen. Be sitting by 9 Am or sooner and wait. 10 am is a magic time in the woods.

Some deer you can set your clock by.

Sit get a good pad and sit. Lots of people can’t sit. 3/4 of the animals in my life were spotted and killed while sitting and listening. Good luck.

Great words of wisdom.  Find something that works for you and perfect it. 

[Grousehunter19]

What are the foods that BTs focus on? It seems like they have water, food, and cover everywhere. But I have heard people say hunt feeding areas so I assume there are certain plants that one can finds stands of to hunt over.
How does one move through big timber or even clearcuts without making a ton of noise. There are quite a few old logging roads that deer use  in an area I hunt but I can’t figure out how to still hunt them without making a lot of sound.

[7mmfan]

What are the foods that BTs focus on? It seems like they have water, food, and cover everywhere. But I have heard people say hunt feeding areas so I assume there are certain plants that one can finds stands of to hunt over.
How does one move through big timber or even clearcuts without making a ton of noise. There are quite a few old logging roads that deer use  in an area I hunt but I can’t figure out how to still hunt them without making a lot of sound.

I gleaned a couple words of wisdom from a blacktail post some years ago, and it has proven true time and time again for me.

"A blacktails confidence is his camouflage can be his biggest downfall."

Blacktails have so much confidence in their camouflage that they will lay or stand there like a statue and let you walk by. I've watched other hunters walk right by bedded bucks, and I've done it many times myself. I have also killed a few that were staring lazer beams through me and by all rights should have run but they were confident they were concealed and that was their undoing.

All of that said,  my best suggestion for finding and killing blacktails is to find the places they are spending their time and spend your time there. Whether it's just sitting and watching or still hunting. If you're still hunting move super slow, use your binoculars and pick the brush apart. Look with your binos at brush that is 20 yards away. Look for little patches of white,  or horizontal lines that don't belong. When you see it, move slowly and cautiously to get ready for a shot. Try to make them believe you still haven't seen them. Do your best to be quiet but don't worry if you make a little noise. As long as you aren't crashing through the brush they will often just lay there to see what's making the noise. They're curious creatures.

The tips about finding good game trails 40-50 yards inside the treeline adjacent to clear-cut is good. Those deer will travel inside the treeline at all times of day.

[JakeLand]

What are the foods that BTs focus on? It seems like they have water, food, and cover everywhere. But I have heard people say hunt feeding areas so I assume there are certain plants that one can finds stands of to hunt over.
How does one move through big timber or even clearcuts without making a ton of noise. There are quite a few old logging roads that deer use  in an area I hunt but I can’t figure out how to still hunt them without making a lot of sound.

Blacktails are more like domestic goats then anything they will concentrate salal, blackberry leaves and a good key note is alder leaves , when you have a storm come through and the ground floor gets littered with the green alder leaves they suck them up like a vacuum! And yes day time is very good too a lot of times they will be at the bottom of pocket cuts right on the edge of timber where ferns are still growing thick and green . A blacktail buck completely changes come October , some people say those deer stay in a close home territory but most big bucks I shoot ive never seen on cam in the general area and I put lots of cams out. On sunny days look for those deep shaded pocket cuts they’ll produce
Good luck !

[7mmfan]

What are the foods that BTs focus on? It seems like they have water, food, and cover everywhere. But I have heard people say hunt feeding areas so I assume there are certain plants that one can finds stands of to hunt over.
How does one move through big timber or even clearcuts without making a ton of noise. There are quite a few old logging roads that deer use  in an area I hunt but I can’t figure out how to still hunt them without making a lot of sound.

Blacktails are more like domestic goats then anything they will concentrate salal, blackberry leaves and a good key note is alder leaves , when you have a storm come through and the ground floor gets littered with the green alder leaves they suck them up like a vacuum! And yes day time is very good too a lot of times they will be at the bottom of pocket cuts right on the edge of timber where ferns are still growing thick and green . A blacktail buck completely changes come October , some people say those deer stay in a close home territory but most big bucks I shoot ive never seen on cam in the general area and I put lots of cams out. On sunny days look for those deep shaded pocket cuts they’ll produce
Good luck !

So that's the trick huh?