and year 5 begins

[webbspinner]

Keep at it, you'll get your shot.     I know what you mean, these blacktail are hard to hunt, sneaky little buggers but stay one em.  It'll happen, outta nowhere, bam! there one is, then   next thing ya know,

[uncoolperson]

little luck this way please... hopin this snow everyday thing helps out some.

[woodrat]

I'm in my second year of no success, but I've been learning a lot. Headed out tomorrow AM for the late season.

[mjbskwim]

I started over hunting this year.Bow hunting early season.After 15? + years

Never killed a deer before this season.
5th day out I killed a very fine tasting doe.

Just sayin'



(change your tactics and standards,TONS of deer out there)

[uncoolperson]

I think I've tried almost every tactic out there for blacktail, and my standards... well lowering them anymore would be illegal.

[billythekidrock]

Uncool -

I hope this does not come off as harsh. That is not my intention, but I have a hard time understanding how anyone can go 5 years without shooting even a spike blacktail. This is not all directed at you, as I have seen a few of these types of threads lately and have been wondering how the experienced hunters can help. Hunting can be tough and it is not always easy to fill a tag but a 5 year dry spell on bt's is hard to understand.

So the question is, "How do we turn this around?"
A couple of things in your post caught my attention.

"I may not be as bad as the worst hunter in washington... but I'm a close second"

You need to stay positive. We all get down (and I have even "prayed" for a spike before) but that is when the action tends to happen and you will not be prepared. During the off season do what ever it takes to be confident, scout, read, shoot, etc. and it will pay off during the season.

"I've got school and work (and the wife reminding me I've got homework to get to) getting in the way"

Is it getting in the way mentally as well? When you are in the woods you need to be focused on the task at hand and not thinking about work. How much time are you really hunting? Six full days and at least 5 nights after work during the general season are what I set aside every year. Sometimes I need that time, others I don't.

" 9 hours of hiking around, estimating probably 13-14 miles in today"

Way too much hiking for most blacktail country. I don't know where you are hunting but if you are in the lowlands that is a lot of hiking. Slow down and compartmentalize. Learn a smaller area and know it better than you know your own yard. Notice the amount and size of the deer tracks and turds. Notice what they are feeding on and where they may hide during the season.

"and I need to figure out my point of impact compared to point of aim at 20 feet.... "

Don't be shooting grouse, coyotes or anything else while deer hunting. Why put every critter on notice when you don't have to?

"and when I finally get to my clearing I realize I forgot something back where I had lunch. I start
doing the math and if I give it a good fast walk up (super duper up) and jog down I should have 20 minutes to watch this clearing before heading back... so I do it, drop my pack, empty my pockets of most of my stuff and start my trek. I find my misplaced item pretty quickly and start jogging down."

Forget what you forgot. If you have your tag and your rifle then you can get what you forgot later. You would have been better off staying in your spot and watching until dark. Yes, you saw deer but in your hurry you put it on alert. A buck would have never given you a shot in that scenerio.

20 minutes is generall not enough time. If you had the whole day to hunt than you would want to be on your evening spot at least one hour before dark, if not two hours. If it was the only time you had after work then you do what you have to do.

Don't get me started on smoking. I know some great hunters that are smokers, but they have confidence, skills and plenty of kills. For a beginer or someone who is unsuccessful I would suggest not smoking while in the woods.

[uncoolperson]

no worries, advice is advice... I'll happily take whatever I can.


I know right, law of averages says I should have put something in the freezer by now... I'm not much taking it as a 5 year dry spell, it's more 5 years of teaching this slow learner.


That was a joke about the guy on here with "the worst hunting in washington" signature line, he's got a few more years than I do.

School and work are just keeping me from getting outside, not cutting my outside time short. took vacation time so I could wander the afternoons/evenings during the week during general, and doing the same for late. May not be a bunch, but I still got close to 60 hours in general season.

that 13-14 mile day was a spur of the moment, "hey I still haven't looked here" thing... then I had to follow every trail and side road I could find... exploring with a rifle

yeah.... but him and his 5 friends scared me, I had to get revenge. what was going through my mind was "a definate dinner beats a long shot".

that clearing is mostly just a place to wait for sunrise/set... I wasn't taking it seriously (too many trucks rolling by), just a "I've still got x minutes and I might as well".


On the smoking, man I know.... I'm not quite no smoking ever, but 4-5 for a 12 hour day is about as good as it's getting this year. Only before I'm moving on.

[wildmanoutdoors]

BTKR has some great advice. But the biggest problem I see is your moving wayyyyyyy to fast. Slow it down, move less and you'll see more animals.

You would be a great candidate for reading Boyd Iversons Black tail book. Get a copy of the first edition. Used there about 15 bucks. Search Amazon for it.

Its a awesome book and will instill confidence in you like you have never had!

[teanawayslayer]

I waited 2 years for my first deer. The thing is, like stated above confidence is huge. staying positive is huge.  If something hasn't worked in 5 years change things up.  Find a good hunting partner who is successful.  I learned from some good hunters picked up alot of tips.  the rest you need to learn on your own.

[Raul Duke]

My hunting buddy went 7 years befor getting his 1st deer.
I've been hunting 3years now and still havnt fired my rifle. But between my buddy and son we have gotten 5 deer in 3 years.
Plenty of meat in the freezer.
Hang in there. we will get ares sooner or later.

[Mike450r]

My best advice to rookie hunters is to find an experienced and successful hunter to hunt with for a season.  You can try to do all the things that you read or that people tell you but if you do them wrong it aint gonna work out so good.

You will learn from watching and doing what the experienced hunter does much easier than anything else in my opinion.

[d-rock]

Well I have to admit it.....................this is year 13.  I have had plenty of opportunities but still haven't closed the deal.  Everyone I hunt with is successful and tries to teach me and have even led me to the deer.  I know my problem, way too much movement.  I scout I plan I know my area, but for many reasons (the biggest being I can't sit still) i just haven't connected.  People are amazed when I tell them I am still hunting they think I should quit and wonder what still holds my attention.

But EVERYONE on this site knows what it is.  I love hunting.  I stalk and hunt all year long and as soon as the season is over I am excitedly looking for ward to next year.  It doesn't matter that I don't pull the trigger, I am doing what I love and besides, as soon as you pull the trigger the fun is over and the work starts (not that I wouldn't mind a little extra work).  Don't get me wrong I am frustrated as heck but it's what I do and what I love to do.  If it was easy it would be called killin, not huntin.

So hang in there and know that while a ton of guys on this site are extremely successful there are a lot who are on here to learn and make connections with the successful guys and maybe get a leg up.

Besides you could be working, or worse yet at home watching hunting on TV.

For me, I am looking forward to a little snow for this weekend, it might be my lucky day.  I'm off to late modern.

[billythekidrock]

BTKR has some great advice. But the biggest problem I see is your moving wayyyyyyy to fast. Slow it down, move less and you'll see more animals.

You would be a great candidate for reading Boyd Iversons Black tail book. Get a copy of the first edition. Used there about 15 bucks. Search Amazon for it.

Its a awesome book and will instill confidence in you like you have never had!

I agree 100% with all of the above.

My brother was a speed demon when hunting. Run here and spend a couple minutes, go there and glass for a few....always on the run. He did have a few oportunities and killed a couple animals, but after a few years he finally slowed down. I think last year was the first that he hunted and didn't get an animal in about 15 years. Slow is the key. Confidence in your area and your abilities and go slow.