Hunting Washington Forum
Big Game Hunting => Deer Hunting => Topic started by: sffguitar on August 19, 2007, 09:14:20 PM
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Hey guys, first off this is my first post to this forum...I've been searching around on here and have found great information!
This is my third year deer hunting...and I consider it to be my 2nd because I only went out once during my first hunting year 3 years ago. I Have only had one friend to teach me the basic of hunting...so I've been learning on my own and teaching myself as I've gone along.
Anyways- this year is exciting for me because Ive done my homework and found some good deer spots, been scouting every week since late june and ive found alot of deer...and a good number of blacktail bucks. I would just like to know any of your techniques you like to use when hunting blacktails. I want to have a really good understanding of the blacktail deer.....so any comments on their habits, or your techniques to hunting them would be very helpful to me. Thanks guys
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I have found the best way to learn is to watch the animal you are hunting and learn from them. What they eat during different parts of the season. animals will act different from one location to another and during different parts of the year. :)
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Since the terrain varies so much in areas you can hunt blacktails you kind of have to adjust your technique to fit the area. If you have clearcuts, sit tight and glass at first light and sundown. If it is windy and storming this is especially true. They don't want to be in a stand of noisy trees when it is storming. If you are hunting extremely thick fire breaks or replants, set up on a high point on a two track where you can watch known trails between bedding areas and food or water sources. If you have older timber, with not a lot of undergrowth, than still hunting can e effective and less boring. If by streams or rivers, try looking for the biggest tracks and following those. Mid day I like to hit likely bedding areas and jump bucks out of some of these pockets. Good luck, a nice blacktail, despite it's size is a great trophy.
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Best tip I ever got for blacktail was to be in the woods when the rain is sideways and the wind blows out the power.
A couple of great books on Blacktails are listed here
http://www.blacktailtrophytactics.com/index.htm (http://www.blacktailtrophytactics.com/index.htm)
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I grew up on blacktail hunting. As the rifle season approaches, the deer may be pressured to behave a bit differently than what you have been observing lately. My favorite approach after the early am glassing, is to tiptoe thru timber with my binoculars, taking only one step at a time, and glassing everywhere around myself. Even behind myself at extreme angles. I have looked over the top of bedded deer this way and actually walked up to within 10 feet of deer, without either of us knowing until the buck stood up and looked at me rather bewildered. (Dead deer). The point here is slow and quiet. Really slow and quiet. This has worked for me on various hunts, when my buddies are covering huge tracts of land, they jump the deer but are unable to get the shot, I am observing a tail flicker or ear movement before the deer knows I am there, then I win.
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Welcome! I primarily hunt blacktail also. You're taking the right approach, that's exactly how I did it, studied blacktail for two years before I even bought a license when I was in High School. Weather does move the blackies, I took my best blackie in a monsoon. Think low, low, low, when the weather hits the peaks. Blacktail will also bed in wide open cuts and won't be seen until you almost walk over them, chances are that cut that 50 rigs have driven past, but no one ventured out in will have deer in it, if it is of any size. I like to just super slowly work my way through the upper end of a cut, watching all the canyons in it and side hills, sometimes I'll take up a stand for an hour or two. My best advice is buy plenty of wet weather clothes so you don't have to road hunt!
