Tips for Hunting Whidbey Island Blacktail (Already have a spot)

[Ellensburg]

I tagged out but I am helping an bow hunting acquaintance bag a late season deer. I have 10 acres of heavily forested land on whidbey island where we always see deer prancing around. We went there yesterday and set out a big bin of apples, a kandy apple mineral lick, and a trail cam in a clearing. Its extremely thick but the bait is set up in the best shooting lane. (he will be in a blind on top of a wooden trailer shelter structure). There was plenty of deer doo doo. The problem is just going to be getting them to come out of the thick *censored*. It is any deer in that unit, so it doesn't have to be a buck. We will be over there the saturday and sunday following Thanksgiving.

-Would rattleing and a scent line be useful?
-Any other advice for getting them out of the thick stuff? It is impossible to hunt on foot in this area. You need a machete just to get from point a to point b.
-I have hunted and killed mule deer and whitetail but never hunted blacktail. Is there anything special about these little critters that I need to know?

-Any additional advice will be great! Its going to be a fun trip no matter what and if the deer hunting is horrible, we can always go hunt ducks.

Thanks

[markts]

The apples will bring them out-but might not be till just before dark

[NWWABOWHNTR]

apples are the best and cob with molasses is real good also,  you can get 50# bags at Skagit farmers supply for around $8   

[Ellensburg]

apples are the best and cob with molasses is real good also,  you can get 50# bags at Skagit farmers supply for around $8   

Nice... We have some apple trees here in ellensburg so we just picked up a bunch of them and hauled them over. Probably 75 lbs worth. Figured if they eat up all the apples, we also have a kandy apple mineral block and we may bring more apples to put out friday night.

[markts]

Those apples will be gone I bet

[NWWABOWHNTR]

I put out 25 lbs on Friday and they were all gon on Sunday,  along with almost 50#'s of cob.... WIll be putting out more tomorrow.

[markts]

Once they find them its over

[Lowedog]

The apples will bring them out-but might not be till just before dark

I heard a flashlight strapped to your bow helps. 

[markts]

The apples will bring them out-but might not be till just before dark

I heard a flashlight strapped to your bow helps. 

It has worked for some it seems

[patton1]

It's snowing right now on the island.  Everybody's losing their frickin' minds but that's another story.  Hopefully it will stick around and cause the deer to feed during the day.  If you put out bait they will come.  My best advice is get out their before light and sit until dark and hope they get hungry.  You can try and rattle or call but I've had no luck with it.  I'll be out hunting all weekend about 10 minutes from Coupeville.  Let me know if you guys get anything or need any kind of help.  Oh yeah, I've been putting out molasses too and they are going for that before anything else.

[Ellensburg]

apples are the best and cob with molasses is real good also,  you can get 50# bags at Skagit farmers supply for around $8   

Hmmm 8 bucks seems reasonable for some apples to reload the spot. I gotta google that local!

[patton1]

apples are the best and cob with molasses is real good also,  you can get 50# bags at Skagit farmers supply for around $8   

Hmmm 8 bucks seems reasonable for some apples to reload the spot. I gotta google that local!

I think he is talking about the corn.

[bow4elk]

I'd put a doe decoy out and bleat to pull the bucks in.  Apples should work better than anything but older bucks are likely trolling for does so don't expect the same pull from apples now as in the early season.  I'd also sit that stand mid-day 11-2 for buck action.  and I'd scent drag across every trail in that 10 acres and walk back to a shooting lane.  Hang the scent drag or leave it there.  FYI - a decoy will likely alert does, just so you know.  They all seems to hate decoys