I’m on a blacktail mission

[Tbob]

Okay all you Blacktail masters, please help a brothuh out. I’m on a mission to kill a Blacktail buck with my bow this year… I’m only going to be able to hunt the late Blacktail archery season from mid Nov through December 31st (my unit is open until then).  I bought a tree farm permit on a very active tree farm (this farm also has a designated walk in area only as well). I have the drive in permit too so I can access the entire farm. So, with that said how would a guys best use his time to harvest a blacktail buck in an area such as this? like, where would you concentrate your time and efforts, tactic for that late season etc…? Thanks so much yall and I’ll def keep this thread alive with updates as to how any advice might be producing. I’ve got plenty of time to scout, but I know as the seasons change so do their areas they frequent and their habits. Thanks so much yall and I’m super stoked about this coming season.

[Boss .300 winmag]

Talk about the hardest way to kill on.

Better hope you find one chasing a late estrus doe, then you gotta get in close to get a shot that’s not obscured.

I tracked on down a few years ago in this situation, got within 30 yards of him bedded I slipped on a stick I didn’t see he stood up behind a tree and didn’t move until he bolted.🤬

It can be done, but it’s not easy, oh but the thrill is none better.👍

[OutHouse]

I met a guy who has the pictures to demonstrate he is mature black tail killer. He told me that he always gets a buck to trail him in the modern season by using doe urine on a hanky attached to his boot.

[bobcat]

Late archery season is a tough time to hunt blacktail bucks. I think I would try some rattling. If you're in the right area you could definitely get results with that method through the end of December.

[Sundance]

I'd try to hunt October 25th through the 31st, always been my most productive dates. Some units have draw tags for November 1st through 12th, can't go wrong there. Late archery/muzzy is tough without snow, with no baiting I can see those late season statistics dropping hard. Maybe look for a rub line to use cameras and *WDFW approved scents*, if a buck makes a showing there's a good chance he'll be back the next day. The 2nd rut can be tough to hunt, you can use your bow during rifle season, that was my SOP for many years.

[CarbonHunter]

Shoot a fawn with nuts. It technically a buck and they are still stupid come December. Any big buck that survived the rut will be tough to arrow come December.

[brokentrail]

I'm not a bowhunter but I did recently attend a seminar of someone who is and he prefers to hunt that late season with his bow.  Look up his podcast, The BlackTail Coach, you may be able to garner some info from them that may help you out, ymmv, but it is the best I got for you.

https://theblacktailcoach.com/

[MADMAX]

I'm not a bowhunter but I did recently attend a seminar of someone who is and he prefers to hunt that late season with his bow.  Look up his podcast, The BlackTail Coach, you may be able to garner some info from them that may help you out, ymmv, but it is the best I got for you.

https://theblacktailcoach.com/

I went to one of his seminars
Well worth it 👍

[Tbob]

Awesome!! Thanks for all the input so far everyone! Sounds like I’ve got my work cut out for me. I mean these bucks are around somewhere during that season right? Sounds like I’m gonna need a lot of luck and even more patients and time in the field..

[OutHouse]

Awesome!! Thanks for all the input so far everyone! Sounds like I’ve got my work cut out for me. I mean these bucks are around somewhere during that season right? Sounds like I’m gonna need a lot of luck and even more patients and time in the field..

The guys I know who regularly get black tail bucks formulate a plan and stick to it unless some very good reason tells them to change course. It takes a lot of patience and trust in the strategy you develop...I think   

[Feathernfurr]

I’m a blacktail newbie, but I had great success my first year. We will see if it was luck or skill. I would brush up on Midwest whitetail tactics. I applied 26 years of whitetail hunting to blacktail and it worked out. Biggest thing to killing a deer with a bow, to me, is spending as much time in the woods as possible. If you have 8 days to hunt and want to have success, you better spend every hour of day light in those 8 days hunting, and it needs to be where the deer are.

[blackveltbowhunter]

Rut is going to be winding down on most commercial timberland.

High country bucks at snowline will still have some sauce left in them thru the 5thish of December seems like. More scattered, but the bucks are often more mature and getting shots isn't quite as difficult. Does  seem more tolerant of  human intrusion and big timber is cleaner than commercial grow operations.

After the first few days of december it's a grind. I intentionally seek areas with low buck to doe ratio, [ vail used to be excellent for this, but I haven't hunted the farm for 10+ years ] as a cruiser may show on late cycle does. Anecdotally, the week of Christmas i have killed a few and witnessed enough activity to put some stock into it.

[Birdguy]

Tree stand and artificial (thanks commission) doe in heat drag. Hopefully your scouting will identify a few areas where you feel confident bucks live. Being able to validate it after the rut you can set it up based on your intel. If you find that cruising buck he may well follow that trail into your lap.

[Sundance]

I need to double check the new regs and the scent I have been using. For the last two years I’ve been buying a Tinks spray can that claims to be artificial, also been using a wind scent vapor stick. The Tinks works well, usually use 2-3 cans per season. The Wind Scent works, first stand had a good buck slip in behind me, but the thing crapped out after a week. They sent me a new one for free, but overall I wasn’t super impressed with the quality of it. Not sure if the wind scent cartridges will meet WDFW new standards. Worse case just the rattle antlers and the Phelps bleat/grunt tubes.

[pd]

My partner and I have both done very well with bows over the years on blacktail bucks.  It can be done.  For me the key is not so much the hunting tactics (which are of course critical), but the location.  My advice to the OP is simple: Develop knowledge of your area.  Find good concentrations of does with fawns, and learn that area well.  Late November to early December will definitely be more difficult, as any remaining rutting activity will be low, but there will still be a chance.

As always, go find the does.  Then find the buck.