Post by: Amsdad on December 16, 2008, 10:51:28 PM
I was hunting last Saturday in Lewis county about mid day and I busted a group of deer on a hillside overlooking a woodlot. The deer were bedded and I made a bad step on a branch underfoot and all hell broke loose on that hillside. By the time I got my feet back under me and got around the tree in front of me all I got a good look at was the backside of two very large deer hitting that woodlot below me at maybe 30 yds. Like I said earlier, I am familiar with Whitetails and the flags I watched disappearing into those woods were huge and I could make them out for some time in the trees before I lost them. So I know there is a lot of knowledge here, I thought Whitetails only existed on the East side here.
I ran into some other hunters the next day, described what I had seen and both used the term bench bucks. From my reading here I thought bench bucks were a Mulie dominant blackie, and I did not think either had the tail makeup I saw on Saturday. Just wondering if any one had any comments on what I thought I saw.
Post by: Hoytstaffshooter83 on December 16, 2008, 11:21:11 PM
Post by: chester on December 16, 2008, 11:21:41 PM
Post by: wrangler on December 17, 2008, 09:36:40 AM
Post by: bowsandhose on December 17, 2008, 09:40:34 AM
Post by: bucklucky on December 17, 2008, 10:13:30 AM
i have seen blacktails flag and they look like whitetails when they do it
Me too, and I have seen some blacktails with some really long tails too. More like a whitetail.
Post by: Bearhunter on December 17, 2008, 10:14:06 AM
Post by: STIKNSTRINGBOW on December 17, 2008, 10:41:21 AM
Post by: Amsdad on December 17, 2008, 01:11:26 PM
I personally have never seen a blacktail flag, but my experience is limited and these were large deer for any area. But I know that blacktail can get pretty big, I saw a doe crossing the road a few years back by Waddell Creek that looked like a pony.
My intent here is to find out if I can hunt these guys. I know columbia whitetails are endangered but they seem to only occur much further south. One of the hunters I spoke with over the weekend spoke of some Whitetail stock that was released by Lephisto like 40 years ago and he called any hybrid of these bench bucks. They are probably just big blacktails, so now that I know their area, I will try to get a better look at them in the coming year and maybe some pics to better identify them. Gives me something to do in the off season.
Post by: robodad on December 17, 2008, 01:24:55 PM
So I think it is possible you saw a WT !!!
Post by: cascademountainhunter on December 17, 2008, 01:36:15 PM
Post by: skybusterbo on December 17, 2008, 04:12:33 PM
Post by: fc2038 on December 17, 2008, 04:32:45 PM
Post by: croix on December 17, 2008, 05:13:57 PM
Post by: bobcat on December 17, 2008, 06:52:31 PM
But there are some whitetails down on the columbia that the state planted years ago, dont know much about them though. :twocents:
I'm not sure the state ever planted any. :dunno:
Also, according to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, historically the Columbian White Tailed deer were found as far north as Puget Sound. :o
Quote
Historical Status and Current Trends
The Columbian white-tailed deer is the western-most subspecies of white-tailed deer which occurs throughout North America. Early records indicate that Columbian white-tailed deer were once quite numerous over its historic range, from the western slopes of the Cascade Mountains to the ocean and from Puget Sound in Washington southward to the Umpqua River Basin in southern Oregon. This subspecies of white-tailed deer became endangered throughout its range due to habitat modification by human activities, such as farming and logging, as well as commercial and residential development. Overhunting and poaching also contributed to the decline. The remaining Columbian white-tailed deer occur in two separate populations. The Lower Columbia River population is found in Wahkiakum and Cowlitz Counties, Washington, and Clatsop and Columbia Counties, Oregon. The Douglas County population is found in the Umpqua River Basin, Douglas County, Oregon. When the Columbian white-tailed deer was listed, the number of deer remaining was estimated to be less than 1,000 individuals. Under the protection afforded by the Endangered Species Act, the Douglas County population has increased to over 5,000 animals. The Lower Columbia River population suffered heavy losses due to extensive flooding of its habitat in 1996; however, it is expected to recover to pre-flood numbers within a few years.
Post by: alecvg on December 17, 2008, 10:14:08 PM
Post by: DWP on December 17, 2008, 11:23:17 PM
Post by: STIKNSTRINGBOW on December 18, 2008, 03:04:32 AM
Post by: STIKNSTRINGBOW on December 18, 2008, 03:14:58 AM
Post by: Bigshooter on December 18, 2008, 04:37:27 AM
i have seen blacktails flag and they look like whitetails when they do it
Me too, and I have seen some blacktails with some really long tails too. More like a whitetail.
+1
Have seen blacktails flag hundreds of times.
Post by: jstamp on December 18, 2008, 10:29:44 PM