west side blacktail habitat question

[JNB]

I am new to hunting in Washington, and am struggling as of day 2 of modern season.  Spent this weekend walking gated roads in areas 460 and 454 (I won't say where, just because I don't want to make anyone mad, but they are absolutely not secret spots) and haven't seen anything encouraging.  I have been told to look for clearcuts, but have a newbie question about that--most clear cuts that are not right on the road seem as though they are in steeper areas or on ridges.  Will the clearcuts on the tops of ridges hold deer even though they are far from water and don't seem particularly hospitable compared to lower areas?

Thanks, and good luck/congratulations

[bow4elk]

it's late - I'll respond tomorrow 

[PolarBear]

Blacktail don't need water sources as much as whitetails.  They get most of it from the plants that they eat.  The bottoms seem to be better than the ridges.  On days like we have had recently your best bet is to hit the timber, sit and wait.  Clear cuts in nice weather are not always a great choice, IMO.  Most of the folks who I know that consistently take huge blacktails very rarely hunt clear cuts.

[smitty8202]

Blacktail don't need water sources as much as whitetails.  They get most of it from the plants that they eat.  The bottoms seem to be better than the ridges.  On days like we have had recently your best bet is to hit the timber, sit and wait.  Clear cuts in nice weather are not always a great choice, IMO.  Most of the folks who I know that consistently take huge blacktails very rarely hunt clear cuts.

very true but it does vary, yesterday i saw 6 deer 3 does and 2 spikes hanging out in the clearcuts within the first hour and a half of day light. some deer like to hang out in them some dont. if you want to hunt clearcuts be there befor the sun comes up and ALOT of glassing. just wait for the deer to make a mistake. we have had a few days of really nice weather and its supposed to rain on thursday through the weekend i would be there for that. deer feel safe in the rain cause there sense of smell and hearing go down a little. just my  hope that helps

[sticky]

I've hunted a ton of clearcuts and there is no definitive answer.  I have seen a lot of deer bedding on steeper, sunny clearings as it seems to give them a good vantage point.  Look down treelines at dusk, bucks don't like to be far from cover.

[JNB]

interesting...well I like the idea of not climbing to the cuts on the tops of hills, but that has more to do with my legs hurting than anything else.

[ser300wsm]

  Very elusive animal them blacktail bucks. Just keep hunting hard & taking your time. Glass as much as possible any area you are looking at going into. May the deer gods be with you.

[Alan K]

My favorite hunt for blacktails is through some good size fir/alder timber with vine maple and deer ferns in the rain.  Hands down my favorite part of blacktail hunting!

[Martinhunter]

find little pockets,nooks and cranny's at the bottom of those clear cuts. You'll hardly ever find a shooter buck at the top of a ridge in a wide open clear cut during rifle season unless you get real lucky.

[AKBowman]

You'll find em everywhere. Pretty much everyone will agree that there are difficult to find. Many times there is not any "typical" areas that they hang. Usually they will not be right on the ridge top though...keep an eye out for flat spots and benches on steep slopes, those are usually good hang out spots. Move slow like everyone says and glass a lot. Most of the guys who do well on BT bucks consistently (I am not one fo them yet) hunt clear cuts but they do not hunt the cut itself. Mature BT bucks will rarely show themselves in a cut during shooting light.

Try to find where they enter or exit then backtrack those trails into the timber. If you can find a small opening 150-300 yards off of the cut with trails leading to the main cut then that should be a good spot to set up as that is probably a staging area for a buck on his way into a cut at night. Hopefully he will show at this staging area during day light hours.

Of course the rut changes everything. If its the last 10 days of the season and raining you should be in the woods sitting and watching.

Good luck to you and me!!

[SFD2015]

My VERY limited experience (4th year hunting, 2 Blacktails and 1 elk down until the end of this year when I plan on adding another 1 of each  ) get into the woods. I have hunted with a few guys who are 100% Clear Cut hunters. They hate walking in the woods and would rather sit on the edge in the morning for about 2 hours, road hunt until 2 hours before sunset and then sit on a clear cut again.

I have never shot or even seen a deer in a clear cut (except for the one that crossed the road in front of my truck and I chased it into one and then lost it). That being said, I see Bucks being pulled from clear cuts EVERY year.

I'm with AKBowman on getting into the woods surrounding the cuts and hunting in there. Also find some really mossy areas and start looking on the ground for sign.

[racksandtails]

If you want to hunt clearcuts, wait until the 28th thru the 31st and you have pretty good odds of stumbling upon a horned up bruiser.  Just stay in the woods and on the move "slowly" those last few days and you'll be alright.  I am a firm believer that opening weekend for BT's is a waste of time unless you have previously patterned a buck and are waiting in ambush.  Find an isolated feeding location and sit quietly in the evenings until its too dark to see and you will be amazed what you see at the very last second.

If you are determined to beat the brush, your not going to beat the alders w/ vine maples for deer sightings.  Hint, if you don't wear out the knees of your pants, you're gonna walk right by them.

[PolarBear]

Keep in mind that they love black berries, not just the fruit but the whole thing.  It is their #1 food.   I killed my biggest blacktail buck while he was bedded down smack in the middle of a berry patch that was 100 yds across in a stand of mixed timber.  I had to crawl on my hands and knees to get to him and had to make him get up from his bed to shoot him from 15 feet.  Bigger bucks will find hell holes and can hold up in them for an entire hunting season feeding only on plants that are within a few yards of them.  Some may not move more that 15-20 feet if they have all they need to survive until the pressure is off and they feel safe enough to venture out.

[webbspinner]

Well since it's on the table and you very knowledgeable folks have much more experience than I do.  I am a eastern washington transplant and shot my deer muley or whitetail every year.  Quite honestly its personal now with these blacktail  .  I have talked to the people I know who seem quite successful and have been given a ton of advice, most of which I am not sure of.  One guy who has killed a ton of deer says go out and tromp thru the reprod and the clearcuts and try to jump deer, be as noisy as you can.  Then be ready for quick shots.  Another guy says sneak thru the reprod trying to sound like a deer and try to catch em laying down, not really sure how this timber hunting goes but could see how ya can wear out the knees of your jeans.  I am finding a ton of sign in the clearcuts and in the reprod, starting to see some real nice rubs.  do any of you just get out in the reprod and find a spot and sit? and is it a good idea to watch a fresh rub in the thick stuff?  not looking to kill buckzilla just trying to figure out my way that will work for me.  Seems totally against everything I have ever done to just stomp around and try to spook deer up, but don't seem to be sneaking up on em either.   Sunday stood in one spot being real quiet and hunting into the wind for 30-35 min after seeing a little buck sneaking up a hillside in the timber(couldn't get a shot) turned to sit on a stump for awhile and had a buck just blow up behind me, couldn't even begin to put him in the scope. Seeing plenty just not getting a opportunity to put the shot in there. And thanks for the posts on here, its a wealth of info that would take years to learn thru trial and error.  these blacktail are quite the animal....

[PolarBear]

Trying to "jump" a deer and then take pot shots at it as it bounds off is a stupid idea!    That is the best way to wound and lose an animal IMO.  I have found that sitting and waiting in timber will serve you a lot better than trying to push them out.  You might find a bunch of sign in clearcuts but they were probably made at night or in the very early or late hours of the day.  

[webbspinner]

I know what you mean, I am looking for a spot to sit, timber or reprod?  any preference you guys have found , pros and cons maybe.  seeing alot of sign in the reprod, but very close quarters in there

[PolarBear]

Timber!

[billythekidrock]

Trying to "jump" a deer and then take pot shots at it as it bounds off is a stupid idea!    That is the best way to wound and lose an animal IMO.  I have found that sitting and waiting in timber will serve you a lot better than trying to push them out.  You might find a bunch of sign in clearcuts but they were probably made at night or in the very early or late hours of the day.  

While I agree that pot shots are a bad idea, I spent many years pushing deer in the thick stuff.  Heard more than I saw, but I always ended up with a deer every year. I think it just depends on the area and your level of experience.

[PolarBear]

Trying to "jump" a deer and then take pot shots at it as it bounds off is a stupid idea!    That is the best way to wound and lose an animal IMO.  I have found that sitting and waiting in timber will serve you a lot better than trying to push them out.  You might find a bunch of sign in clearcuts but they were probably made at night or in the very early or late hours of the day.  

While I agree that pot shots are a bad idea, I spent many years pushing deer in the thick stuff.  Heard more than I saw, but I always ended up with a deer every year. I think it just depends on the area and your level of experience.

No doubt but there is a difference between pushing them out and jumping them.  If you push them right you can get them to move out of their hidey holes without them being at a dead run. If a buck is on the move but not flat out running or "bounding" off I see no problem with a competent person taking a shot.  I was thinking of the folks that I see at Vail shooting at a button buck running mach 5.   

[billythekidrock]

Trying to "jump" a deer and then take pot shots at it as it bounds off is a stupid idea!    That is the best way to wound and lose an animal IMO.  I have found that sitting and waiting in timber will serve you a lot better than trying to push them out.  You might find a bunch of sign in clearcuts but they were probably made at night or in the very early or late hours of the day.  

While I agree that pot shots are a bad idea, I spent many years pushing deer in the thick stuff.  Heard more than I saw, but I always ended up with a deer every year. I think it just depends on the area and your level of experience.

No doubt but there is a difference between pushing them out and jumping them.  If you push them right you can get them to move out of their hidey holes without them being at a dead run. If a buck is on the move but not flat out running or "bounding" off I see no problem with a competent person taking a shot.  I was thinking of the folks that I see at Vail shooting at a button buck running mach 5.  

I hear ya. Very subtle differences. I am thinking about the areas where you would never get a shot at Mach 5. Most times you never even saw the deer.....only heard a "thump" as it leaves it's bed.