Killing a big blacktail?

[WDFW-SUX]

So I have a big one located but he is super random as to when and where he shows up... Im thinking that I will just sit out all day waiting for him to make a mistake.  Anyone else have any good ideas??

[lemondog]

Tree stand, scent, rattel and grunt.....He will be somewhere in the area. I think a big blacktail is as tough to kill as it gets! If he is a suburban buck he will cruze further in search of does and mostly at night therefor harder to pattern. Good luck!

[runamuk]

So I have a big one located but he is super random as to when and where he shows up... Im thinking that I will just sit out all day waiting for him to make a mistake.  Anyone else have any good ideas??

Nope that is the same plan I have for the buck I ran across....well that and possibly dousing myself in deer pee.....

[WDFW-SUX]

Seems like I see good one the week before the season every year and then they disappear.. tricky little *censored*s.

[logan]

seams to me blacktail deer have no rhyme or reason for what they do. all you ran do is be out there, and be out there all day long because he will eventually make a mistake.

[Savage3006]

So I have a big one located but he is super random as to when and where he shows up... Im thinking that I will just sit out all day waiting for him to make a mistake.  Anyone else have any good ideas??

Sounds like you have the right idea....lemondog is right...scent, rattle and grunt should bring him in if he's still around. Maybe throw in a ground blind for good measure. Good luck!

[bow4elk]

go easy on the scent and grunting.  a tiny, tiny, tiny amount of scent can be good, especially for a scent drag.  Overdue it and it's alarming to deer.  Blacktails do grunt but not as loudly or aggressively as whitetails.  Go easy and use more soft fawn/doe bleats to emulate a doe in the area.  That is the best medicine right now.  Find does and you'll find bucks.  Good luck!!

[billythekidrock]

I agree with bow4elk...go easy on the scents and calling. I am not saying don't do it, just do it lightly. And remember that they will often sneak in and watch from the edges. Keep movement to a minimum.

Also make sure to hunt them as often as the weather will allow. Make sure to hunt the nasty weather, but make sure the wind is right. IF the wind is wrong, hunt from another direction or leave it for another day.

[duckmen1]

you shoot it

[bow4elk]

oh, and that nasty habit of being "random"?  Well, that's the way God made them.  Pretty neat deal - about the time you think you have something dialed in, they throw a monkey wrench in your plans to remind you who's in charge.  You can second guess yourself right into Western State Mental Hospital if you're not careful 

[stumprat]

oh, and that nasty habit of being "random"?  Well, that's the way God made them.  Pretty neat deal - about the time you think you have something dialed in, they throw a monkey wrench in your plans to remind you who's in charge.  You can second guess yourself right into Western State Mental Hospital if you're not careful 

 

[Track-er]

oh, and that nasty habit of being "random"?  Well, that's the way God made them.  Pretty neat deal - about the time you think you have something dialed in, they throw a monkey wrench in your plans to remind you who's in charge.  You can second guess yourself right into Western State Mental Hospital if you're not careful 

 

 Or just get lucky.


                          Mike

[Hunter Dug]

Any deer in the Rut is unpredictable, but there is a location that that buck frequents daily a favorate salad bar, or a favorate bedding area, or at least every couple days, find that spot with trail cameras, and very careful scouting, the trails he comes and goes on it takes dedication and a lot of time. If he makes it through the late buck hunt there is a very very good chance he will be in the same general location next year.  Measure his tracks look for those tracks while scouting if he is truely big you should know his print size by sight mark these location on a google map of the area. Every time you go into this area check the wind morning and evening so you have a good idea where to set up.  Put all your efforts together and you will know where this bucks core area is.  Get a very comfortable tree stand, use extreme sent control, and sit all day. One tip get a gameboy or some video system to play in the tree, because this aint Iowa and you aint going to see 30 deer, maybe 2 or three. 

[WDFW-SUX]

I have seen 3 4pt + blackies where this one likes to graze in the last 4 years.. I assume there is somthing that they really like in this spot.  I have also seen some does there in the last week or so.  Seems like a good spot but the deer aren't there everyday.. seems like its just part of a larger circle that they cruise.  Anyway Ill give it a go and see what happens.

[Hunter Dug]

Then they are there at night, this is time consuming you may sit several days and see very little. But if there are does frequenting the area he WILL come through there may not be when your there but he will scent a doe through that area, guaranteed! time in the stand is the ticket.  Wind has to be perfect, he sniffs you once and you may never see him again in that location, the rut is your friend.

[bow4elk]

Any deer in the Rut is unpredictable, but there is a location that that buck frequents daily a favorate salad bar, or a favorate bedding area, or at least every couple days, find that spot with trail cameras, and very careful scouting, the trails he comes and goes on it takes dedication and a lot of time. If he makes it through the late buck hunt there is a very very good chance he will be in the same general location next year.  Measure his tracks look for those tracks while scouting if he is truely big you should know his print size by sight mark these location on a google map of the area. Every time you go into this area check the wind morning and evening so you have a good idea where to set up.  Put all your efforts together and you will know where this bucks core area is.  Get a very comfortable tree stand, use extreme sent control, and sit all day. One tip get a gameboy or some video system to play in the tree, because this aint Iowa and you aint going to see 30 deer, maybe 2 or three. 

Great advise Hunter Dug!  I will read a book or write in a notebook but sitting all day is key.  Daylight till dark isn't for everyone, but it can be the best way to tip the odds in your favor.  You have to be ready too so don't get lazy or sloppy.  We all know how quickly and quietly a deer can wind up in your shooting lane.  If you are not ready, you likely will never see that buck again.

[bow4elk]

I have seen 3 4pt + blackies where this one likes to graze in the last 4 years.. I assume there is somthing that they really like in this spot.  I have also seen some does there in the last week or so.  Seems like a good spot but the deer aren't there everyday.. seems like its just part of a larger circle that they cruise.  Anyway Ill give it a go and see what happens.

Remember that does are in estrous for a short period of time; about 24 hours.  Bucks will be holed up with a particular doe until they allow him to breed her, then he bails and hits the streets again searching for another receptive doe.  This trolling behavior will often become a frenzy of all-day movement as the number of available and breedable does dwindles.  bucks get a bit panicky about it and will be scent checking all doe trail networks in the process.  They will often travel perpendicular to trails as a way to scent check the greatest number of trails as quickly as possible..

Also, the gestation period is around 198-200 days for blacktails.  So you can also work backwards from the first fawns dropping this next spring.  Count back 200 days and you'll come up with the specific date breeding took place, or at least a very tight window.

[trophyhunt]

I've been hunting these evil deer for 22 years, I have killed plenty and passed up some pretty nice 3x3s the past few years. When i say plenty i mean plenty 2 points or 3x2's, I am a firm believer that 60% of the big deer killed that make the book are POACHED. Lots of people see the big ones during elk season or at night, that's when they get taken a lot, I just hope some day to see the BIG one during the right time of year and in the day time. Good luck this late buck, and i hope that someone hasn't allready taken your big buck during this last elk season.

[finnman]

If they did they were trespassing.

Talked to Bob M. today, he said they saw some real nice bucks during the elk season, and no bulls during the rifle season. He said he thinks the rut is just tapering off around the ranch. He also heared that up high things were still going strong. I hope you kill that buck before a cat does!

[Skyvalhunter]

Blacktail are not much of a migratory animal. If there is does around the area where you seen him he will be there. Usuallythe only things that move them is rut(where they go to find a doe if none are around) and deep snow. But their range is usually around a mile.

[bow4elk]

Blacktail are not much of a migratory animal. If there is does around the area where you seen him he will be there. Usuallythe only things that move them is rut(where they go to find a doe if none are around) and deep snow. But their range is usually around a mile.

Their home range is often 1-2 square miles for lowland bucks but they will travel welll outside that during the rut in pursuit of does.  Some foothills and most all Cascade blacktails are indeed migratory. They will move with the season, and are not beyond dropping down to rut with lowland doe groups.