11th hour blacktail

[bow4elk]

Well, not the the buck of my dreams but I was very happy to rattle in and tag this forky on Sunday.  NOTE: Seeing as though we have a lot of new members who love to poke holes in people's hunts, let me be very clear.  I was bowhunting with a rifle tag, during rifle season, which is LEGAL in Washington.  And yes nay-sayers, I took my ORANGE off for this photo because I don't like photos filled with orange.

Now that we have all the technical details out of the way and everyone understands the details of this hunt and photo, here's the story:

In total I called in and passed shot opportunities on about 6 bucks during the last week in October and the recent four-day late season.  Doe bleats were more effective than rattling for me this year but I was in action on every hunt.  I encountered only two bucks that got my heart rate up.  Neither presented shots, both were still-hunting spot and stalk, both about 110" class bucks. One was dumb luck and I literally walked up on him in the rain to about 10 feet behind some brush.  I stepped out and dang, there's a shooter blacktail feeding 10 feet away.  End of that deal  

The next big deer was encountered on Saturday in a different area.  I called him into about 30 yards after closing to an initial 60 yards but he expected to see a doe and hung up.  As he turned to move away I slipped up on him and got to full draw at 22 yards.  The only issue was some small limbs that I felt would deflect my shot.  I let down and backed off hoping to find him on Sunday.

I got into the area and set up for some calling. I tried to locate him Sunday by rattling and calling with doe bleats when a doe came barreling into my location looking for the source of the ruckus.  She was pacing around me while I crouched in some blackberries. Within a few seconds I heard another deer approaching and got ready.  I think I spooked the doe as I turned but I wasn’t about to pass this buck given there was only a couple hours left for the season.

I love blacktails.  I witnessed some incredible action including snort-wheezing for the first time and sparring just 3 yards in front me on the ground.  Both forks but a great learning experience to see how my calling turned a quiet morning into two bucks sparring at point blank range within about 10 minutes.  I love creating action from thin air.  For me, this is what makes hunting so special - getting into the minds of the animals I hunt.

The best part now is the weather - dang thing is nearly frozen solid!  Might have to thaw him in the garage today so I can begin processing tonight.

[NWBREW]

Very nice......Congrats. 

[Skyvalhunter]

Congrats on putting in your time and geeting a nice buck for yourself.

[rb2506]

congrats, way to get after it

[dscubame]

Looks dark in the picture.  Did you have enough light to be shooting?  I am totally kidding.     Nice buck and thanks for the story.

[Skyvalhunter]

Or how about this. Looks like a benchleg buck do you have a picture of its tail so we can tell if its a blacktail?

[Bean Counter]

Well, not the the buck of my dreams but I was very happy to rattle in and tag this forky on Sunday.  NOTE: Seeing as though we have a lot of new members who love to poke holes in people's hunts, let me be very clear.  I was bowhunting with a rifle tag, during rifle season, which is LEGAL in Washington.  And yes nay-sayers, I took my ORANGE off for this photo because I don't like photos filled with orange.

Congrats on the harvest.

Yep, I don't post my kills.

[steen]

Any deer is good in the freezer.  But I don't mind the pictures with orange it is a beautiful contrast to the forest or sage hills.

[840dc]

Congrats man. Sounds like a good season for sure. I appreciate all the tips on blacktails. That blog site you got is awesome for sure. Yeah I don't like orange in my field photos either.

[carpsniperg2]

congrats on your hunt! still a very nice buck and meat in the freezer.

[Tony 270]

Sounds like a great hunt, congrats

[archery288]

Congrats Tom!! Nicely done! 

[bow4elk]

Congrats man. Sounds like a good season for sure. I appreciate all the tips on blacktails. That blog site you got is awesome for sure. Yeah I don't like orange in my field photos either.

Thanks, and thanks for the compliment on my blog.  I try to post useful information that will help the average guy become more successful here on the west side in addition to other topics of interest.  I will be writing up a pretty detailed summary of my blacktail season with a retrospective view on what happened, why I believe it happened, and information to take forward into next season.  Later, I will start my post season scouting and post a whole summary about how to go about it so you can find productive rutting areas and prep stand sites well before the season.  More to come there...

I'm not an expert on blacktails by any stretch, but I constantly try to learn and develop strategies and tactics to produce results for the short few days I get to hunt each season  

[bobcat]

I'm not an expert on blacktails by any stretch

Congrats on the nice buck! I'm hoping to try some rattling on Thursday (first day of late muzzleloader.)

[carpsniperg2]

i am with bobcat on this one

bow4elk i think you are one of the best blacktail hunters on this site! you are a wealth of knowledge on this subject. the tactics that you have learned, and shared. have saved a lot of people time, by reading your info. i do not hunt blacktails "well i hunt benchlegs " but have enjoyed reading your posts! i am sure they have helped more then 1 or 2 people on here.
thanks for sharing with us.

[AKBowman]

I'm not an expert on blacktails by any stretch

Congrats on the nice buck! I'm hoping to try some rattling on Thursday (first day of late muzzleloader.)

 

If you're not than who is!!?   I'm heading out tomorrow morning for a full day I'll have the rattle bag with me, you said you had better luck with doe bleats...I have a primo's can do you think that would work OK on BT's? Also have an alaskan style reed which I can make sound like real soft fawn bleats.


I will post and let you know how it turns out. Two days of deer then off to SW WA for three more days of elk or elk/deer if I dont connect wed or thurs

[bow4elk]

I'm not an expert on blacktails by any stretch

Congrats on the nice buck! I'm hoping to try some rattling on Thursday (first day of late muzzleloader.)

There are guys here who have garages full of nice racks and I'm not one of them.  I have tagged a lot of them, I'll give you that but I've also had to earn every single one  

So, let me throw a tip your way now since you're about to hit it again.  Make sure you use bleat calls frequently and do scent drags where you can set up and watch your back trail.  I had a run in with a really nice 3x3 nosing the ground on a fast trot coming right to me on the trail as I was dragging out my buck.  Funny thing is he was following my scent trail from 6:00 in the morning, which by 3PM was covered in snow.  He busted me dragging that buck and turned inside out running.  I bleated loudly with my voice and locked him up at 20 yards.  Two more soft bleats and he took a few steps to take a better look.  I pretended to draw my bow to see if I’d have had a shot.  No brainer – 25 yards broadside.  He just stood there looking and I was totally busted dragging a deer when he saw me!  And he didn’t move again until I picked up that bucks antlers and started dragging him again.  He couldn’t resist taking another look and it would have cost him had I not tagged out.  He was much bigger than my buck and I just had to laugh.  Maybe next year…

And this is what got me a shot opportunity on my 2008 buck.  He walked right up to my blind and I drew on him at 3 yards.  He turned to bolt and I gave him a loud bleat with my voice.  When he stopped, I drilled him at 25 yards.  And while I was field dressing that buck in the dark, I had two bucks fighting over near my scent drag.  It was December 3rd (late bow season).

[840dc]

I read that blog a while ago then saved it in my favorites. Once the season opened after a few days of hunting, I came back and read it again. I can honestly say I used some of the tactics and it payed off. The funny thing is I kept telling my buddies about these tips and tactics and they kept saying "its all luck man". Needless to say they were surprised when they got a cell pic of my buck on the 30th. HAHA .   Good luck Bobcat.

[bow4elk]

I'm not an expert on blacktails by any stretch

Congrats on the nice buck! I'm hoping to try some rattling on Thursday (first day of late muzzleloader.)

 

If you're not than who is!!?   I'm heading out tomorrow morning for a full day I'll have the rattle bag with me, you said you had better luck with doe bleats...I have a primo's can do you think that would work OK on BT's? Also have an alaskan style reed which I can make sound like real soft fawn bleats.


I will post and let you know how it turns out. Two days of deer then off to SW WA for three more days of elk or elk/deer if I dont connect wed or thurs

I have never had the Primos can (estrous bleat) do anything productive.  I've used it on bucks looking at me and they don't react either way.  A soft bleat from a Jones Grunt call or any other quality call produces more results, in my experience.  The key is it must be soft and not a loud "blat!"  I often modify the reed board to get very soft sounds.  I had two bucks come in grunting and if they weren't inside 15 yards, I'd have hardly heard it.  Blacktails don't tend to create the loud grunts of whitetails.  I've heard whitetails sounds like feral hogs!

[bow4elk]

I read that blog a while ago then saved it in my favorites. Once the season opened after a few days of hunting, I came back and read it again. I can honestly say I used some of the tactics and it payed off. The funny thing is I kept telling my buddies about these tips and tactics and they kept saying "its all luck man". Needless to say they were surprised when they got a cell pic of my buck on the 30th. HAHA .   Good luck Bobcat.

Glad it helped you - that is the whole purpose!  Luck does factor into blacktail hunting, no doubt.  But I only get a few days per year to hunt so I need more than luck on my side.  That's why I make it a year-round quest to learn.  I'll take luck any day it wants to come my way (which is seldom) but in the meantime, I need to do my part in order to fill tags.

The best part of my season was hunting one evening with my 8 year old daughter in the Double Bull blind where she rattled in a bigger fork that the one I tagged.  She did the whole thing and like a dummy, I was too excited about it to get my bow ready.  He was 15 yards in front of us.  The window of opportunity closed and my daughter said, "OK Dad? The next buck that comes in, you just focus on drawing your bow and let me worry about the calling".  Smart kid 

[840dc]

HA HA thats good stuff!

[ser300wsm]

Congrats to you, very nice buck... 

[BigD]

Your opening statement was very well put!
Nice buck.

[MLBowhunting]

That is a good buck and for you to call him in is awesome.  good job maybe call me one in sometime 

[billythekidrock]

The best part now is the weather - dang thing is nearly frozen solid!  Might have to thaw him in the garage today so I can begin processing tonight.

Way to go Tom!

If you need a hand let me know.

[Hawk I]

That's how to get it done.

[bucklucky]

Nice job Tom, starting my blacktail hunt tomorrow! 

[SW Blacktail]

Nice job Tom!

[cooneyes]

Nicely done Bow4elk. That's a nice buck. You're a true sportsman for hunting with your bow when you could've used a rifle. I tried bowhunting back in the 80's. I found it to be pretty tough. Judging distance and closing the gap is challenging. Way to go!

[inkfish86]

EXCELLENT, congratulations!

[DOUBLELUNG]

Congrats!


How come you took the flashlight off your stabilizer for the pics?   

[Glockster]

Congrats.  Thanks for all your contributions.  I've learned alot! 

I only found rubs this past weekend but based on some of the things you've talked about, I found what I believe to be a BIG buck's core rutting area.  In your opinion, will that be a spot that he'll be in next year? 

[bow4elk]

Congrats.  Thanks for all your contributions.  I've learned alot! 

I only found rubs this past weekend but based on some of the things you've talked about, I found what I believe to be a BIG buck's core rutting area.  In your opinion, will that be a spot that he'll be in next year? 

Very likely but you'll want to monitor the doe numbers in the area throughout the spring/summer.  Traditional rubs - and lots of them - is your best indicator.  I have also noticed that I tend to find more sheds in these areas too as compared to random locations.  But that may have more to do with the amount of time I spend in those areas too.  Good luck!!

[billythekidrock]

Congrats.  Thanks for all your contributions.  I've learned alot! 

I only found rubs this past weekend but based on some of the things you've talked about, I found what I believe to be a BIG buck's core rutting area.  In your opinion, will that be a spot that he'll be in next year? 

Very likely but you'll want to monitor the doe numbers in the area throughout the spring/summer.  Traditional rubs - and lots of them - is your best indicator.  I have also noticed that I tend to find more sheds in these areas too as compared to random locations.  But that may have more to do with the amount of time I spend in those areas too.  Good luck!!

I believe the "traditional rubs" are the key and often something that many bt hunters miss. Escpecially the big ones (typically on large willow type trees) that have been hit year after year from different angles. Many times I have seen some great ones posted here and it always creates a debate on whether it was made by a buck or a bull.

[Houndhunter]

hey we took one like that this year too, some years ya ain't always gonna get the big one with blacktails. always fun to rattle one in and definitely an accomplishment to call in a deer no matter what the size is, congrats

[bow4elk]

Congrats.  Thanks for all your contributions.  I've learned alot! 

I only found rubs this past weekend but based on some of the things you've talked about, I found what I believe to be a BIG buck's core rutting area.  In your opinion, will that be a spot that he'll be in next year? 

Very likely but you'll want to monitor the doe numbers in the area throughout the spring/summer.  Traditional rubs - and lots of them - is your best indicator.  I have also noticed that I tend to find more sheds in these areas too as compared to random locations.  But that may have more to do with the amount of time I spend in those areas too.  Good luck!!

I believe the "traditional rubs" are the key and often something that many bt hunters miss. Escpecially the big ones (typically on large willow type trees) that have been hit year after year from different angles. Many times I have seen some great ones posted here and it always creates a debate on whether it was made by a buck or a bull.

The largest willow rub I have found is 16" in diameter.  You're dead on, and as one of the blacktail experts in these parts, I wouldn't expect anything less 

[billythekidrock]

Congrats.  Thanks for all your contributions.  I've learned alot! 

I only found rubs this past weekend but based on some of the things you've talked about, I found what I believe to be a BIG buck's core rutting area.  In your opinion, will that be a spot that he'll be in next year? 

Very likely but you'll want to monitor the doe numbers in the area throughout the spring/summer.  Traditional rubs - and lots of them - is your best indicator.  I have also noticed that I tend to find more sheds in these areas too as compared to random locations.  But that may have more to do with the amount of time I spend in those areas too.  Good luck!!

I believe the "traditional rubs" are the key and often something that many bt hunters miss. Escpecially the big ones (typically on large willow type trees) that have been hit year after year from different angles. Many times I have seen some great ones posted here and it always creates a debate on whether it was made by a buck or a bull.

The largest willow rub I have found is 16" in diameter.  You're dead on, and as one of the blacktail experts in these parts, I wouldn't expect anything less 

Thanks for the ego boost (where's the exploding head smiley).

Those large willows with multiple trunks that are rubbed are a dead giveaway that you are in "the" spot.

[840dc]

I agree BTKR is an expert, I try and read all his posts as well.  I shot my buck this year in one of those traditional rutting grounds. I found these nice fresh rubs, and after searching around a bit more I found a lot of old rubs from previous years.  I hunted this spot early in the season quite a bit and found fresh sign but never got a look at him. He did come out late in the season and that's where I ended up shooting him.

[grunt11B]

Nice Buck, we'll deserved after a long day of hunting.....

[Dmanmastertracker]

 Cool, nice job, I'm getting closer to knocking one down with my bow, had a buck following two does yesterday, just didn't get a shot.