Blacktail Deer help for a new guy to Washington

[JerryKern]

I moved to Washington a couple years ago and I’m from the south. I grew up hunting white tail and hogs so I’m trying to navigate here and learning from the ground up. I understand if no one wants to share but it would be a huge help getting some info on GMU’s to start hunting just so I have a base to start from. I don’t want to waste my hunting season in a GMU that is insanely hard to hunt. I want to get into a GMU that a beginner can hunt for a couple of seasons to gain enough knowledge to start looking at new GMU’s. Anything helps guys and thank you!

[CasterlyRock]

Welcome to WA. They don't call BT the ghosts of the pacific for nothing. If you came from a state that hammers a lot of deer you might be sad. That being said it's not impossible. Are you hunting archery or rifle or smoke pole?

[blackveltbowhunter]

There is blacktail in every gmu on the westside. The more remote the fewer deer you will likely see, but some surprisingly big ones. Timber company and dnr typically have higher densities, but mentally prepare for pressure and the headache of private timber permit navigation. Urban zones have some huge bucks if you are a people person or have an "in".

I would start with the closest gmu your adjacent to that has huntable land or land you can figure out access on and start there. Lotsa time equals more success.

[JerryKern]

I’m gonna be getting after it on modern gun this year. Or try to

[Special T]

Find an out of print Byod Iversons Blactail Trophy tactics 2 or the original. Very insightful. Trail cams, scouting after the end of hunting season and prepping shooting lanes in urban areas are productive. Are you hunting with a rifle or bow? They are very nocturnal and I know folks that bow hunt them in the late rifle so they can hit the out. Archery hunters have better urban acess. Good luck!

[trophyhunt]

All good advice, seeing a spike or forkie should be an easy goal, if you look for bigger ones, be prepared for many fun years of hunting and not much killing.  Might look into a key pass for Hancock in kapowsin if you are close enough, you can learn a lot and not worry so much about your truck getting broke into. 

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

Gas money, boot leather, and Onx.
.
Spend as much time as you can scouting.
.
Have a plan before hunting season.
.

Or, look at harvest statistics and get a bow.
..
"Buck only" units have lots of does..
"Any Deer" units have plenty also, but chances of seeing a buck during legal hours is questionable.
.
Blacktail bucks (IMHO) are almost entirely nocturnal except for October 15-Dec 15.
.
Or, for the summer equinox..
.
June-August..
.
Scout now, figure out a plan, pack a lunch.
Be in the woods before daylight,  don't leave until dark.
.
Extra batteries for your flashlight.

[MADMAX]

And don’t leave anything of value in your vehicle
Thieves abound

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

And, expect other hunters
.
Every good spot has been hunted.
The more hunters you see, the better the spot was..
.
If you have scouted, find a place to sit and watch.
..
Escape routes like creek bottom crossings, saddles between ridges?
.
Say 👋 to any hunter you meet, because you will probably see them again.

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

And don’t leave anything of value in your vehicle
Thieves abound

 
.
I've only had a few issues..
But other than damage to vehicle I haven't lost anything.

[MADMAX]

And don’t leave anything of value in your vehicle
Thieves abound

 
.
I've only had a few issues..
But other than damage to vehicle I haven't lost anything.

I had a POS break into my truck at a gate in Jeff county
Got me for about 500 bucks worth
Especially never leave a weapon
I usually took my O/U for grouse
Luckily I was coyote hunting so grouse season was closed
I haven’t gotten over it
Love gates
Hate parking at them

I even had chitbag steal my lunch out of a cooler in back of my buddies truck


And get a cougar tag and a bear tag as well

[Born2late]

Hide a trail camera locked to a tree pointed at your truck!
I got a guy busted with it once. Hike and explore and look for deer sign and set up cameras through hunting season so you can see if that’s when the deer are using the area

[bkaech]

I think  the best time to find a buck in western wa is the last few days of Oct. Any ground with clear cuts provide lots of food for deer and they move in and out of those areas, but it can be surprising where they spend lots of time vs very little time. If you can find deer sign while scouting around clear cuts there will be bucks there closer to the rut. As for a GMU, that isn't important, all of Western WA is similar, good and bad spots throughout. I like to drive logging roads and find the clear cuts with sign that I can walk into, or walk off an edge and see into a corner that people don't drive through or can't see from the road. Just gotta spend time driving and checking ground, there is soooo much timber ground.

[High Climber]

I think  the best time to find a buck in western wa is the last few days of Oct. Any ground with clear cuts provide lots of food for deer and they move in and out of those areas, but it can be surprising where they spend lots of time vs very little time. If you can find deer sign while scouting around clear cuts there will be bucks there closer to the rut. As for a GMU, that isn't important, all of Western WA is similar, good and bad spots throughout. I like to drive logging roads and find the clear cuts with sign that I can walk into, or walk off an edge and see into a corner that people don't drive through or can't see from the road. Just gotta spend time driving and checking ground, there is soooo much timber ground.

[dilleytech]

All blacktail units are hard hunts until there not. Instead of asking where to hunt try researching how to hunt blacktail. Every unit has good hunting somewhere in it.

[HntnFsh]

And don’t leave anything of value in your vehicle
Thieves abound

We got hammered for several thousand in damage and lost gear and supplies.
Fortunately they got busted.
Went to sentencing for one of them Friday!
I need to update my post about it!

[kodiak06]

What part of the South?

Just remember baiting is legal if ya want to hunt a stand. Anyway. A lot of guys road hunt and think they are hunting so, the roads get hammered if motorized is allowed.
The rut is the easiest time of year if gun hunting with bucks cruising. Sept archery is good spot and stalk and late season's the perfect time to bait, anytime is really..

[dilleytech]

What part of the South?

Just remember baiting is legal if ya want to hunt a stand. Anyway. A lot of guys road hunt and think they are hunting so, the roads get hammered if motorized is allowed.
The rut is the easiest time of year if gun hunting with bucks cruising. Sept archery is good spot and stalk and late season's the perfect time to bait, anytime is really..

Have you found anything deer like to eat that bears don’t immediately show up
To and consume?

[kodiak06]

What part of the South?

Just remember baiting is legal if ya want to hunt a stand. Anyway. A lot of guys road hunt and think they are hunting so, the roads get hammered if motorized is allowed.
The rut is the easiest time of year if gun hunting with bucks cruising. Sept archery is good spot and stalk and late season's the perfect time to bait, anytime is really..

Have you found anything deer like to eat that bears don’t immediately show up
To and consume?

I doubt it exists but, I had apples out last year near Nacelle during late season just to see if any BIG bucks would show to help plan for this years hunting and the only thing to show was a small herd of cow elk. They stayed in and out all week until the apples disappeared. Sure fire way for a cow but, I'll only shoot a bull in Washington since I kill an elk on the OR side every season.

[Buzzsaw461]

Hunt the 4 days of late Buck and hunt all day. Have shot the majority of my blacktails at that time.

[Rugsnfeathers]

If you're looking for a trophy blacktail, it might take years for you to harvest one, or perhaps, you'll just get lucky.  Most of the time, you'll see spikes or forkies.  Study the land and their habitat good.  The more days you are out in the woods, the better knowledge you gain.  By the way, get ready to be wet and miserable!

[Platensek-po]

It’s as important to invest in the right kind of clothing as anything else for BT. The longer you can stay in the woods on days it’s raining and howling wind the better your chances will be.