Blacktails near the coast

[dylan34_36]

Ill be heading out for the late archery opener and a few days after in a washington coast unit that is mostly national forest. More elk sign than deer and very low harvest. I have seen a doe with fawns in a small radius over the past couple years, highlight being my first set of triplets seen in late october of this year. Its steep and nasty but the elk trails make it walkable. I guess I'm just wondering what are the odds a buck is hanging around the areas I have seen doe with fawns? I got some rattling antlers but I'm still pretty new to hunting. Thanks

[brokentrail]

Blacktails are often wherever blacktails want to be that day.  I know that sounds sarcastic, but it isn't meant to be, I just don't find Blacktails to be very patternable, compared to the whitetails I grew up hunting, without the presence of bait.  I'm also not someone that uses bait to hunt over because everything I do is on public land. 

I have never hunted late archery but based on the dates, and what I saw of pre-rut/rut action during modern firearm season, you may catch a buck cruising near known doe hangouts looking for a doe that wasn't bred during the first rut and is starting to come back into heat.  If it were me, I would find a funnel or a pinch point in that area, downwind of the doe bedding areas, and I would hunt there daylight to dark, every day I had available to hunt and the wind was right.  Bucks will cruise downwind of bedding areas searching for a hot doe and then bucks are cruising, you may as well be stationary and let them come to you vs. putting miles on looking for them, especially with a bow.

Just my opinion, I don't archery hunt, but if I did, this is what I would do.

[addicted1]

might be worth putting some miles in looking for a feeding buck too. I have seen them feeding all day post rut before, either way you got a tough hunt. Good luck out there, and remember for the most part deer are moving incredibly slow and rarely in hurry. Don’t move too fast!

[Griiz]

I hunt late muzzleloader elk on the coast and I see most of the deer in the river bottoms and in the really steep hillsides in the top 1/4 of the hill in big timber this time of year.

[Crunchy]

If I was going in blind I would look areas around Port Angeles and Sequim. I towed the boat up there a lot this year from pierce county and saw a bunch of deer just a couple miles outside of town.  Few really nice bucks as well.  Right off 101.  Lots of good looking timber land to hunt, just don't know access status of whoever owns the timber land.

[dylan34_36]

I appreciate the information. Have any of you tried rattling? I tried for a little in late october and I swear I heard something break a branch on the ridge behind me but it coulda been my imagination. It was upwind of me.

[kodiak06]

I'd go bait them or spot and stalk unless you're familiar with some intersecting trails in the timber to sit.

[Fidelk]

They like apples.

[pd]

Based on your description of Washington coast and mostly USNF land, I think I know what/where you mean.  My experience with those areas is that these are mostly Roosevelt country (as you said), very few BT.  But, I have seen a few deer.  As another person said, mostly in the river bottoms.  In my experience, never at the top.

Said another way, Roosevelt and BT do not inhabit the same areas.  I know, I will get flamed for this, but this is my personal experience.  YMMV & good luck.

[MADMAX]

Unless your set on the coast
I’d go somewhere else
Find an archery gmu open to either sex
And check the harvest stats on the wdfw website

Take the first good solid shot on a legal critter
Enjoy your deer steaks

 

[addicted1]

It sounded like you had hunted the modern season based on your rattling in late October? Maybe that was just for fun, but if you did makes me think you have multi season tag? If so why not muzzy hunt an any deer unit? Increase your chance at success, there are any sex units. If your only option is archery, as others said bait might be your best option. But, even that takes finding deer and most likely waiting a day or two for them to find your pile.

[TeacherMan]

Not to sidetrack this thread but do the Ocean Shores giant bucks leave town? About a mile or two outside of Ocean Shores yesterday when we were leaving after dark to drive back to Idaho I had the biggest black tail I’ve ever seen cross the highway in front of me. It was in an area that I would say looked open to hunting without looking into it.

[blackveltbowhunter]

I have a decent amount of experience hunting blacktails in late archery.

IMO 2 things are giant factors to success. Deer density and elevation.  If your hunting where there are good quantity of deer, odds increase of an uncovered doe. If your hunting higher elevation often does eastrous later and snow is huge. If you have a pocket with some deer in it at elevation that could get snow, I would be excited. The buck is there and is clearing covering a doe. If it's not that high, I would likely make a pass thru, see if I turned anything up and go from there. Otherwise I would look for an area with more deer to  chase.

[dylan34_36]

I do have a multiseason tag. Life happened and I had to miss the late modern season which had me even more bummed out. There are a couple spots I have found that are any deer closer to me but I plan on doing some doing some razor clamming among other things on the coast. There was a light dusting of snow when I drove up the other day. Wintery mix in the forecast. Think its just a bit below snow line. I know theres not many deer but I enjoy the area a lot and a day in the woods is always welcome. In my dreams i figure I'm just as likely to stumble on a bulls hangout as I am a buck.

[Sitka_Blacktail]

Not to sidetrack this thread but do the Ocean Shores giant bucks leave town? About a mile or two outside of Ocean Shores yesterday when we were leaving after dark to drive back to Idaho I had the biggest black tail I’ve ever seen cross the highway in front of me. It was in an area that I would say looked open to hunting without looking into it.

Most of the land between OS and Hoquiam is pay to hunt land. I believe most of it is Rayonier.   There may be some Green Diamond mixed in. and last I checked that is ok to hunt. But I would make sure.