blacktail home ranges

[MountainWalk]

Q-how big do you think the home range of a dominant blacktail buck is? are they pretty much homebodies? i'm pretty sure they are pocket animals. reason i'm asking is, last year on this horse farm i worked, i'd seen a huge buck, booner no doubt.(i'm not exagerating at all). he was hanging around with a lesser 3 point and a smallish spike both times i seen him there. i bow hunted him for awhile, but never seen him again. but just yesterday, driving down 305 lo and behold, there he was again, maybe a mile from the farm. this time he was with another buck, which was lesser. im absolutely sure that the big guy is the same buck i seen last year.

[BC CHASER]

It is said that they live and die within two miles of where they were born.  That seems to hold true, some I dont believe travel even that far.  We watch a buck for two years and never could get him in the area we were hunting for him.  The following year my buddy harvested him in a different area about a mile and a half away.  Your big boy will be around but they dont get big from being dumb, hit the thick stuff if you can they hold up in it if there is any pressure.

[PolarBear]

I remember reading, I think from Boyd Iverson, that an old blacktail's range can be as small as less than 100 yds depending on pressure, food and cover.

[hogsniper]

Those big boys stay right there but like said in previous post, they dont get big from nothing...As soon as they get the slightest pressure I think they go completely nocturnal...Even for the little guys but they make alot more mistakes than a big guy...just my 2 cents....Justin

[demontang]

It depends on a lot of things. I last thing I read said it averages around 700 acres, but some are much bigger and some are smaller.

[MountainWalk]

well, right outside of poulsbo, there really isnt any pressure at all, hunting wise. plenty o cover and food. both times i seen him, he was right on the edge of the horse herd, and never minded me cruising by on the tractor. i wont be able to take a crack at him till the late season tho. im sure he wont be killed tho.

[bucklucky]

You should be hunting the does not the buck Thats how you will kill him Hope for some nasty weather .

[MountainWalk]

funny thing is, never seen not one doe on the place. all bucks.

[bucklucky]

Better find the does then, cause he will be close to them come the end of october through November. Find any rub lines?

[MountainWalk]

a few sporadic rubs, not a true "line". wont be able to hunt it till the end of the late archery season.

[bucklucky]

OH! I thought you ment late buck rifle. I get it now, you want to be where he is living and close. He will be bedding close to his feed source since he's recouping from the rut and wont be moving around as much. Gona have to find his bedroom and live around it with treestands to get a chance at him probably.

[MountainWalk]

im gonna give er a shot. last year, seen some shootable bucks, but i was holding out for that b-c buck. even then, never seen a doe. i found a very good travel  funnel. few other spots i used, all depending on the wind direction. im hoping i can arrow him. friend, im not joking. he is definetly booner material. looks like a mulie buck. when i seen him, he looked about 25 inches wide. 4x4 also. but all three times i seen him, he was not a big bodied buck

[bucklucky]

Dang, sounds like a hog! You need some trail cameras.

[MountainWalk]

i really would like to have them, but i just aint got the jack to get them. cheapest one i found was a wal mart one for like 60 bucks. i dont want to get one unless i can get a pair of them at once. but it would help thats for sure.. this buck i think is fairly young.. no sway back,, no big old gut, and he doesnt have a roman nose. but every time i seen him, he was never alone.. kinda like a bull elephant with some "askaris" for his body guard.. if i take him,"i wish", i believe i would be in close contention for the head and horns comp for this site.

[G.R.K]

You better find him before the Rut.How far do you think they travel?

[MountainWalk]

dont think terribly far. the folks here seem to agree. nope, cant rut hunt him, i'll be guiding in mt, i wont have a chance till near the bitter end of archery late season.