Hunting Blacktails During the Rut

[stihlpro]

I have hunted blacktails modern rifle several years and have had pretty good success getting avg-above avg bucks.  Have never hunted blacktails during the rut and get the opportunity to this year.  Anyone out there have experience doing so?  If so, did you use your normal techniques?  I want to get the most out of this opportunity. 

[carpsniperg2]

Just like with any deer learing the places they use and live in is a must. If you know were the big ones live then it makes it easier to hunt them. The problem is they tend to spread out more during the rut looking for does and following and breeding. I am not master blacktail hunter, I just get to hunt the tuff ones, bench legs You should post up some of your bucks! we aslways like to see pics Welcome.

[stihlpro]

Thanks for the welcome!  This is the best I have gotten to date, hoping to get another like it............. not counting on it.  I came on the last few minutes of the last day of late season in 2006.

[BOWHUNTER45]

Carp has pretty much nailed it ... got to hunt where the big boys live in order to harvest them ... alot of hunters go to a spot once and call it good ... I look for fresh horning and I do not let up until I see that bad boy .. If I do not see him in the morning I will keep checking and couple different time during the day ... but I prefer the 11 am to midday and most likely I will get him in that time frame ... I wish I knew how many bucks I have killed after 11 am ...enough to usually sleep in until 10 before leaving the house ...

[stihlpro]

Side view

[stihlpro]

Carp has pretty much nailed it ... got to hunt where the big boys live in order to harvest them ... alot of hunters go to a spot once and call it good ... I look for fresh horning and I do not let up until I see that bad boy .. If I do not see him in the morning I will keep checking and couple different time during the day ... but I prefer the 11 am to midday and most likely I will get him in that time frame ... I wish I knew how many bucks I have killed after 11 am ...enough to usually sleep in until 10 before leaving the house ...

I had planned on putting up a trail cam to scout.......kinda worried about it getting ripped off even though I usually hunt well off the beaten path.  Have you all had success moving around between spots are dwelling in a couple areas & just being patient?

[BOWHUNTER45]

Carp has pretty much nailed it ... got to hunt where the big boys live in order to harvest them ... alot of hunters go to a spot once and call it good ... I look for fresh horning and I do not let up until I see that bad boy .. If I do not see him in the morning I will keep checking and couple different time during the day ... but I prefer the 11 am to midday and most likely I will get him in that time frame ... I wish I knew how many bucks I have killed after 11 am ...enough to usually sleep in until 10 before leaving the house ...

exactley that !!!!!!!!!

I had planned on putting up a trail cam to scout.......kinda worried about it getting ripped off even though I usually hunt well off the beaten path.  Have you all had success moving around between spots are dwelling in a couple areas & just being patient?

[carpsniperg2]

That's a dandy Congrats on a great animal. I move around a lot myself, I try to have a few found so I can go after one and if things ain't right. I can just move to looking for another one. Always helps to know where they are at. Some times a guy thinks the cameras are way off the beaten path but then they get found by others. A good steel lock box and chain always helps, if you can pack it in and put it up. If people really want it they will just come back with bolt cutters

Last year I had 3 dandy bucks pegged in 3 diffrent locations. Hunted the first day saw 2 of them but never closed the deal and didn't want to rush anything, next day snowed hard! All my deer took off and left for the low country. The deer hunting went to crap and I hunted my butt off to take a nice buck. Most years I will eat my tag if I don't get a chance at a dandy. It just goes to show even if you know where they stay they can move and leave a guy chasing his tail.

[huntmando]

Nice buck, I love the blade. What tag did you draw?

[stihlpro]

Quality Buck for Modern Rifle in the Skookumchuck Unit

[Alan K]

That was my first choice, lucky SOB! 

[True Sportsman]

In certain areas of this state blacktail will be rutting the last week of October. That is great for general Modern Firearm. Another good area I know the bucks rut later and Late buck (modern) is hot!

I have yet to draw a coveted tag, but you should have a good time with that tag. My point is you dont need a tag to hunt the rut...

[True Sportsman]

Thanks for the welcome!  This is the best I have gotten to date, hoping to get another like it............. not counting on it.  I came on the last few minutes of the last day of late season in 2006.

By the way, that deer is a pig...

[stihlpro]

In certain areas of this state blacktail will be rutting the last week of October. That is great for general Modern Firearm. Another good area I know the bucks rut later and Late buck (modern) is hot!

I have yet to draw a coveted tag, but you should have a good time with that tag. My point is you dont need a tag to hunt the rut...

I agree, I talk to alot of people who claim deer were rutting hard when they shot them.  Sure seem to miss that here.  I have alot of does on my place and seem to only see the bucks the first couple weeks of Nov.  Looking forward to the hunt.

[Button Nubbs]

What areas do you guys think they will be rutting at the end of mf? I got a multi-deer, I am a bowhunter and I am on the verge of acquiring sole access to 37 acres. I was planning on bow hunting the end of mf and late mf to see if I can catch a big rutted up bt during mf season.

[huntmando]

I was thinking it might be the skook, we might be able to help put that tag to its
full potential. If your interested send me a pm. 

[billythekidrock]

In certain areas of this state blacktail will be rutting the last week of October. That is great for general Modern Firearm. Another good area I know the bucks rut later and Late buck (modern) is hot!

I have yet to draw a coveted tag, but you should have a good time with that tag. My point is you dont need a tag to hunt the rut...

I agree, I talk to alot of people who claim deer were rutting hard when they shot them.  Sure seem to miss that here.  I have alot of does on my place and seem to only see the bucks the first couple weeks of Nov.  Looking forward to the hunt.

The rut really picks up in most of the lowland (puget sound) units the last week of Oct with a short period of lock down before the bucks start running all over the place looking for more does.
 
Even though you have a good permit, I would suggest setting realistic goals and consider dropping the hammer on a good buck even if it is before the permit season. BTs can be hard to find after you pass them up.

[True Sportsman]

What areas do you guys think they will be rutting at the end of mf? I got a multi-deer, I am a bowhunter and I am on the verge of acquiring sole access to 37 acres. I was planning on bow hunting the end of mf and late mf to see if I can catch a big rutted up bt during mf season.

I cant tell you that info, it is a secret... 

I will say there are lots of areas where there are either fewer bucks, or bucks that start rutting later into November. I think the key there might be you are looking at an area with fewer bucks.

Good luck on the 37 acres. Any clearcuts there, or all timber?

[True Sportsman]

Carp has pretty much nailed it ... got to hunt where the big boys live in order to harvest them ... alot of hunters go to a spot once and call it good ... I look for fresh horning and I do not let up until I see that bad boy .. If I do not see him in the morning I will keep checking and couple different time during the day ... but I prefer the 11 am to midday and most likely I will get him in that time frame ... I wish I knew how many bucks I have killed after 11 am ...enough to usually sleep in until 10 before leaving the house ...

Come to think about it, every blacktail I've killed (3 of them), or seen killed (5 of them), has been shot between 10AM and 1PM. Some pigs in there also...

[Alan K]

Bike into the tree farm.  I wouldn't shoot anything smaller than a good 3 point until the last day or two that you have to hunt.

Jealous!

[SkookumHntr]

-If you see a buck like the one your holding you better drop him! The Tree farm would be the last place I would go, Vail that is..

[Alan K]

-If you see a buck like the one your holding you better drop him! The Tree farm would be the last place I would go, Vail that is..

Ever ridden in there during the week, even during general season? You can see 40+ deer easy. . . Don't let the pressure fool you on the weekends.  It's 95% spikes and two points that get killed, but there are still plenty of big boys in there. They're just a little smarter than the average buck, that is, until the rut.

[kglacken]

-If you see a buck like the one your holding you better drop him! The Tree farm would be the last place I would go, Vail that is..

Ever ridden in there during the week, even during general season? You can see 40+ deer easy. . . Don't let the pressure fool you on the weekends.  It's 95% spikes and two points that get killed, but there are still plenty of big boys in there. They're just a little smarter than the average buck, that is, until the rut.

This is looking like a good plan to me this year! me and my buddy are going to start riding in and scouting once it starts to get nice and especially when august comes around and bear season is starting. Being from Yelm it will be really easy to get back there and scout! I also have a friend with 160 acre piece of land in Grand mound That has produced a few monster bucks that I am going to scout too!

P.S. stihlpro, You have the tag I wanted!

[Button Nubbs]

True sportsman,

I haven't been to the property yet, its my girlfriends moms/aunts property. From what she told me there is a river on the property and half of it is thick wet-side jungle, the other half is more open timber. Who knows what its like now, no-one has been to the property in years. She did say she remembered there always being a ton of deer there when she went. I'm to get the chance to get up there. Once elk season ends the cams will be out of the elk woods and into the deer woods. (Fingers crossed)

[BOWHUNTER45]

Thanks for the welcome!  This is the best I have gotten to date, hoping to get another like it............. not counting on it.  I came on the last few minutes of the last day of late season in 2006.

he works.... nice buck !!

[BOWHUNTER45]

if I had to choose the hottest time to hunt blacktail it would be without a doubt Nov.1 st thru Nov. 10 th but of course thats why the season is closed at this time ..

[True Sportsman]

True sportsman,

I haven't been to the property yet, its my girlfriends moms/aunts property. From what she told me there is a river on the property and half of it is thick wet-side jungle, the other half is more open timber. Who knows what its like now, no-one has been to the property in years. She did say she remembered there always being a ton of deer there when she went. I'm to get the chance to get up there. Once elk season ends the cams will be out of the elk woods and into the deer woods. (Fingers crossed)

Nice. That sounds like it'll work. Maybe scour that place for sheds and see if you jump any deer in there. That'd be a cool place to rattle during the last couple days of October, and during late buck. Hunting the timber is really fun during the rut. A lot of times you can hear deer moving through the brush before they hear you.

One trick I learned in the really thick brush (salal and rhododendron) is if you jump a deer in the thick stuff. Just stand still. For 20 minutes or more if you can and make no sounds, and just listen. Where I hunt it is ridiculously thick, so thick you cant see 10 feet in places. You can barely crawl through the stuff, but thats where the bucks live. They get really big because they have food and security and they dont come out into clearcuts. (my guess).
On several occasions, while working/hunting I have jumped deer, and I stood still and waited. The deer would make a big loop around me and come right back to the same spot. (You could hear them moving through the brush).

Patience is the key. Look for rubs in there and if there are some, you sould have a good time....