Blacktail tactics

[kglacken]

I usually hunt archery for blackies but this year I have a multi season tag and unless I get a shot at a nice buck during early archery, I am going to hold onto my tag until modern season! I have hunted whitetails with rifles before and one season here for blacktails during modern but never really worked extremely hard at it on the westside. I would like to hear some of your guys input. It seems like the nastier the weather the more deer I usually see. Is that the case for you guys too? Do you prefer to hunt mornings or evenings? Timber or cuts? Calling or spot and stock? Moving or tree stands? I am just trying to educate myself even more with skills for this next season. Pictures too if you got them. Im not looking to shoot any buck this year too. I want to get a nice mature deer. I dont mind hiking in and I can handle the elements we have over here. I just wanted to get some other hunters opinions and most of the people on here seem to be pretty well educated on hunting blackies. Thanks in advance for the advice!

[Sneaky]

get yourself a good climber tree stand (I like the summit goliath, not for the increased max weight but for the extra platform space). Scout for a good place to hang it and have faith. You can use similar methods to stand hunting whitetails - just don't expect to see as many deer. You won't likely get into bow range of a good BT that knows you are there.

[deerslyr]

Wait until the 25th of october or so to hit hard, find a gated road that you know is gated on both ends, wait until its the NASTIEST day you can imagine, hike as far as you can behind that gate and stay back there ALL day glassin clear cuts and still huntin big stands of timber, and dont shoot the first 2 point you see. If you have the discipline to do that ull do just fine

[kglacken]

get yourself a good climber tree stand (I like the summit goliath, not for the increased max weight but for the extra platform space). Scout for a good place to hang it and have faith. You can use similar methods to stand hunting whitetails - just don't expect to see as many deer. You won't likely get into bow range of a good BT that knows you are there.

I have a summit climber and love it. I think I will use it alot more this year! Thank you!

[Alan K]

Weather generally keeps them moving throughout the day. I hunt all day unless the weather is just brutally dry making it impossible to hunt the timber. Cuts for the first and last hour or so of daylight, hitting the timber in between. Head into the timber 150-200 yards or so from the edge of clear cuts and parallel it.  They don't often bed much further in the timber unless they've been shoved hard. Just take your time still hunting through there.  Midday glassing reprod can produce. Keep your eyes out for anything, an ear, leg, tail, antler, whatever.  The big bucks won't be bedded in the wide open.  You can also move a hundred yards or so and get a completely different angle into the thick stuff.  You'd be surprised what you spot that you couldn't see from the other angle.

You're in a good area for deer numbers, but it gets a LOT of pressure.  The big bucks don't get big in that unit unless they're extremely smart and elusive.

[Dansk]

Your chances will be much, much higher of sighting bucks when weather and the rut are in your favor, especially for blacktail- because once they are bedded, it's near impossible to find them let alone get off a good shot.

My simple BT rules:

Hunt the last few days of the season- the closer to the heavy rut the better.
Go when it's raining- the more the better, esp if it rained all night and rains the next day you are hunting.
Lot's of rain with little to no wind is best.
Find open areas you can glass- the more you can see the better.
Hike behind closed gates or trails for at least 1 hour (maybe 2-4 miles back)... even on a road- you will see more game when you get back just a few miles.

I've taken my last 2 BT's on Halloween day, in nasty rain between 11 and 2.  One on the gravel road I was walking, the other on a fresh clear cut.  Both in the wide open.  Both were chasing does and in the rut.

I kind of treat it like fishing: If the fish are there, and conditions are perfect, you will do well.  If the fish are there, and conditions unfavorable, you might not catch anything.

[kglacken]

Weather generally keeps them moving throughout the day. I hunt all day unless the weather is just brutally dry making it impossible to hunt the timber. Cuts for the first and last hour or so of daylight, hitting the timber in between. Head into the timber 150-200 yards or so from the edge of clear cuts and parallel it.  They don't often bed much further in the timber unless they've been shoved hard. Just take your time still hunting through there.  Midday glassing reprod can produce. Keep your eyes out for anything, an ear, leg, tail, antler, whatever.  The big bucks won't be bedded in the wide open.  You can also move a hundred yards or so and get a completely different angle into the thick stuff.  You'd be surprised what you spot that you couldn't see from the other angle.

You're in a good area for deer numbers, but it gets a LOT of pressure.  The big bucks don't get big in that unit unless they're extremely smart and elusive.

I have a friend with a 160 acre piece of property I can hunt on that borders some public land. It has produced big deer over the past few years. It has timber, cuts and alder patches. I plan on doing a  lot of hiking around there and the public land it borders. A lot less pressure than the vail zoo 

[Special T]

purchas boyd iversons BT trophy tactis 2. Best $$ ever spent. 

[blacktail luv]

Hunt the last few days of the season hard pray for some crappy weather and find a secluded clearcut.   

[Greg Mullins]

Put a treestand in a dark,wet,brushy area.Look for a the edge of a swamp or some other kind of ridge . Ive shot my share of big blacktails 3 over 140 in the last 4 years.They like to lay on the edges of hills and look down on everything. But the best info I can give you is hunt where you think a deer would ever be or even want to go.  Greg       GOOD LUCK