Hunting Washington Forum

Big Game Hunting => Deer Hunting => Topic started by: Tbob on May 05, 2025, 06:09:47 AM

Title: I’m on a blacktail mission
Post by: Tbob on May 05, 2025, 06:09:47 AM: Okay all you Blacktail masters, please help a brothuh out. I’m on a mission to kill a Blacktail buck with my bow this year… I’m only going to be able to hunt the late Blacktail archery season from mid Nov through December 31st (my unit is open until then). I bought a tree farm permit on a very active tree farm (this farm also has a designated walk in area only as well). I have the drive in permit too so I can access the entire farm. So, with that said how would a guys best use his time to harvest a blacktail buck in an area such as this? like, where would you concentrate your time and efforts, tactic for that late season etc…? Thanks so much yall and I’ll def keep this thread alive with updates as to how any advice might be producing. I’ve got plenty of time to scout, but I know as the seasons change so do their areas they frequent and their habits. Thanks so much yall and I’m super stoked about this coming season.
Title: Re: I’m on a blacktail mission
Post by: Boss .300 winmag on May 05, 2025, 08:46:14 AM: Talk about the hardest way to kill on.

Better hope you find one chasing a late estrus doe, then you gotta get in close to get a shot that’s not obscured.

I tracked on down a few years ago in this situation, got within 30 yards of him bedded I slipped on a stick I didn’t see he stood up behind a tree and didn’t move until he bolted.🤬

It can be done, but it’s not easy, oh but the thrill is none better.👍
Title: Re: I’m on a blacktail mission
Post by: OutHouse on May 05, 2025, 09:34:09 AM: I met a guy who has the pictures to demonstrate he is mature black tail killer. He told me that he always gets a buck to trail him in the modern season by using doe urine on a hanky attached to his boot.
Title: Re: I’m on a blacktail mission
Post by: bobcat on May 05, 2025, 11:47:53 AM: Late archery season is a tough time to hunt blacktail bucks. I think I would try some rattling. If you're in the right area you could definitely get results with that method through the end of December.
Title: Re: I’m on a blacktail mission
Post by: Sundance on May 05, 2025, 03:18:51 PM: I'd try to hunt October 25th through the 31st, always been my most productive dates. Some units have draw tags for November 1st through 12th, can't go wrong there. Late archery/muzzy is tough without snow, with no baiting I can see those late season statistics dropping hard. Maybe look for a rub line to use cameras and *WDFW approved scents*, if a buck makes a showing there's a good chance he'll be back the next day. The 2nd rut can be tough to hunt, you can use your bow during rifle season, that was my SOP for many years.
Title: Re: I’m on a blacktail mission
Post by: CarbonHunter on May 05, 2025, 06:50:46 PM: Shoot a fawn with nuts. It technically a buck and they are still stupid come December. Any big buck that survived the rut will be tough to arrow come December.
Title: Re: I’m on a blacktail mission
Post by: brokentrail on May 05, 2025, 08:10:32 PM: I'm not a bowhunter but I did recently attend a seminar of someone who is and he prefers to hunt that late season with his bow. Look up his podcast, The BlackTail Coach, you may be able to garner some info from them that may help you out, ymmv, but it is the best I got for you.

https://theblacktailcoach.com/
Title: Re: I’m on a blacktail mission
Post by: MADMAX on May 05, 2025, 08:41:10 PM: Quote from: brokentrail on May 05, 2025, 08:10:32 PM
I'm not a bowhunter but I did recently attend a seminar of someone who is and he prefers to hunt that late season with his bow. Look up his podcast, The BlackTail Coach, you may be able to garner some info from them that may help you out, ymmv, but it is the best I got for you.

https://theblacktailcoach.com/

I went to one of his seminars
Well worth it 👍
Title: Re: I’m on a blacktail mission
Post by: Tbob on May 06, 2025, 05:06:34 AM: Awesome!! Thanks for all the input so far everyone! Sounds like I’ve got my work cut out for me. I mean these bucks are around somewhere during that season right? Sounds like I’m gonna need a lot of luck and even more patients and time in the field..
Title: Re: I’m on a blacktail mission
Post by: OutHouse on May 06, 2025, 01:24:46 PM: Quote from: Tbob on May 06, 2025, 05:06:34 AM
Awesome!! Thanks for all the input so far everyone! Sounds like I’ve got my work cut out for me. I mean these bucks are around somewhere during that season right? Sounds like I’m gonna need a lot of luck and even more patients and time in the field..

The guys I know who regularly get black tail bucks formulate a plan and stick to it unless some very good reason tells them to change course. It takes a lot of patience and trust in the strategy you develop...I think :chuckle:
Title: Re: I’m on a blacktail mission
Post by: Feathernfurr on May 06, 2025, 01:37:33 PM: I’m a blacktail newbie, but I had great success my first year. We will see if it was luck or skill. I would brush up on Midwest whitetail tactics. I applied 26 years of whitetail hunting to blacktail and it worked out. Biggest thing to killing a deer with a bow, to me, is spending as much time in the woods as possible. If you have 8 days to hunt and want to have success, you better spend every hour of day light in those 8 days hunting, and it needs to be where the deer are.
Title: Re: I’m on a blacktail mission
Post by: blackveltbowhunter on May 06, 2025, 05:41:55 PM: Rut is going to be winding down on most commercial timberland.

High country bucks at snowline will still have some sauce left in them thru the 5thish of December seems like. More scattered, but the bucks are often more mature and getting shots isn't quite as difficult. Does seem more tolerant of human intrusion and big timber is cleaner than commercial grow operations.

After the first few days of december it's a grind. I intentionally seek areas with low buck to doe ratio, [ vail used to be excellent for this, but I haven't hunted the farm for 10+ years ] as a cruiser may show on late cycle does. Anecdotally, the week of Christmas i have killed a few and witnessed enough activity to put some stock into it.
Title: Re: I’m on a blacktail mission
Post by: Birdguy on May 06, 2025, 07:26:47 PM: Tree stand and artificial (thanks commission) doe in heat drag. Hopefully your scouting will identify a few areas where you feel confident bucks live. Being able to validate it after the rut you can set it up based on your intel. If you find that cruising buck he may well follow that trail into your lap.
Title: Re: I’m on a blacktail mission
Post by: Sundance on May 12, 2025, 07:10:25 AM: I need to double check the new regs and the scent I have been using. For the last two years I’ve been buying a Tinks spray can that claims to be artificial, also been using a wind scent vapor stick. The Tinks works well, usually use 2-3 cans per season. The Wind Scent works, first stand had a good buck slip in behind me, but the thing crapped out after a week. They sent me a new one for free, but overall I wasn’t super impressed with the quality of it. Not sure if the wind scent cartridges will meet WDFW new standards. Worse case just the rattle antlers and the Phelps bleat/grunt tubes.
Title: Re: I’m on a blacktail mission
Post by: pd on May 12, 2025, 07:37:28 AM: My partner and I have both done very well with bows over the years on blacktail bucks. It can be done. For me the key is not so much the hunting tactics (which are of course critical), but the location. My advice to the OP is simple: Develop knowledge of your area. Find good concentrations of does with fawns, and learn that area well. Late November to early December will definitely be more difficult, as any remaining rutting activity will be low, but there will still be a chance.

As always, go find the does. Then find the buck.
Title: Re: I’m on a blacktail mission
Post by: AL WORRELLS KID on May 16, 2025, 01:05:26 PM: Quote from: pd Late November to early December will definitely be more difficult, as any remaining rutting activity will be low, but there will still be a chance.
[/quote

Late in the year, leave no stone unturned. The "Carry Over" Bucks are still alive because they have found a good place to hide out. :tup:
Title: Re: I’m on a blacktail mission
Post by: HntnFsh on May 17, 2025, 06:18:16 AM: :chuckle: :chuckle: :chuckle:
Title: Re: I’m on a blacktail mission
Post by: skagitsteel on June 07, 2025, 09:45:22 PM: Post rut with a bow it can be done. Some areas get quite a few 2nd cycle does around the first week of December. For whatever reason I've rattled in quite a few late archery but never had it work during regular modern.
Title: Re: I’m on a blacktail mission
Post by: fowl smacker on June 08, 2025, 06:53:09 AM: Quote from: OutHouse on May 05, 2025, 09:34:09 AM
I met a guy who has the pictures to demonstrate he is mature black tail killer. He told me that he always gets a buck to trail him in the modern season by using doe urine on a hanky attached to his boot.
Great tactic that is unfortunately illegal now.
Title: Re: I’m on a blacktail mission
Post by: kodiak06 on June 08, 2025, 07:22:05 AM: Quote from: fowl smacker on June 08, 2025, 06:53:09 AM
Quote from: OutHouse on May 05, 2025, 09:34:09 AM
I met a guy who has the pictures to demonstrate he is mature black tail killer. He told me that he always gets a buck to trail him in the modern season by using doe urine on a hanky attached to his boot.
Great tactic that is unfortunately illegal now.

LOL, scents ARE NOT ILLEGAL!!! The new reg has banned urine based scents only and the deer don't know the difference between that or synthetic.
Title: Re: I’m on a blacktail mission
Post by: addicted1 on June 08, 2025, 12:10:11 PM: Yeah, definitely not illegal to use scents. Just make sure you are using synthetic.
Title: Re: I’m on a blacktail mission
Post by: Turner89 on June 13, 2025, 11:33:35 PM: I would definitely try some rattling in late season. I think bucks are looking for any last opportunity to get a doe. I was able to rattle a nice buck in on December 6th.
Title: Re: I’m on a blacktail mission
Post by: Sundance on June 17, 2025, 11:34:34 AM: Quote from: Turner89 on June 13, 2025, 11:33:35 PM
I would definitely try some rattling in late season. I think bucks are looking for any last opportunity to get a doe. I was able to rattle a nice buck in on December 6th.

The buck is beautiful, but the saran wrap on the muzzy's action speaks to the western WA late season experience :chuckle:
Title: Re: I’m on a blacktail mission
Post by: Boss .300 winmag on June 17, 2025, 08:03:51 PM: Quote from: Turner89 on June 13, 2025, 11:33:35 PM
I would definitely try some rattling in late season. I think bucks are looking for any last opportunity to get a doe. I was able to rattle a nice buck in on December 6th.
I’d shot that buck day one of any season. 👍
Title: Re: I’m on a blacktail mission
Post by: Turner89 on June 17, 2025, 10:03:24 PM: Quote from: Sundance on June 17, 2025, 11:34:34 AM
Quote from: Turner89 on June 13, 2025, 11:33:35 PM
I would definitely try some rattling in late season. I think bucks are looking for any last opportunity to get a doe. I was able to rattle a nice buck in on December 6th.

The buck is beautiful, but the saran wrap on the muzzy's action speaks to the western WA late season experience :chuckle:
:chuckle: yea, it was a beautiful thing when she fired. You just never know for sure...
Title: Re: I’m on a blacktail mission
Post by: fowl smacker on June 18, 2025, 05:55:51 AM: Quote from: kodiak06 on June 08, 2025, 07:22:05 AM
Quote from: fowl smacker on June 08, 2025, 06:53:09 AM
Quote from: OutHouse on May 05, 2025, 09:34:09 AM
I met a guy who has the pictures to demonstrate he is mature black tail killer. He told me that he always gets a buck to trail him in the modern season by using doe urine on a hanky attached to his boot.
Great tactic that is unfortunately illegal now.

LOL, scents ARE NOT ILLEGAL!!! The new reg has banned urine based scents only and the deer don't know the difference between that or synthetic.
Post said doe urine, just didn't want someone getting in trouble using doe urine. Calm down.
Title: Re: I’m on a blacktail mission
Post by: bobcat on June 18, 2025, 05:57:56 AM: Quote from: kodiak06 on June 08, 2025, 07:22:05 AM
Quote from: fowl smacker on June 08, 2025, 06:53:09 AM
Quote from: OutHouse on May 05, 2025, 09:34:09 AM
I met a guy who has the pictures to demonstrate he is mature black tail killer. He told me that he always gets a buck to trail him in the modern season by using doe urine on a hanky attached to his boot.
Great tactic that is unfortunately illegal now.

LOL, scents ARE NOT ILLEGAL!!! The new reg has banned urine based scents only and the deer don't know the difference between that or synthetic.

How can we know 100% that deer don't know the difference?