collapse

Advertisement


Author Topic: Olympic Alpine Blacktail  (Read 3472 times)

Offline predatorG

  • Ski Bum
  • Non-Hunting Topics
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Longhunter
  • *****
  • Join Date: May 2012
  • Posts: 661
  • Location: Arizona
  • BT's are making me crazy
Olympic Alpine Blacktail
« on: July 14, 2018, 02:19:51 PM »
Went backpacking this weekend in the south east side of the olympics, and as I looked around all the basins in couldn't help thinking "there has to be a ton of deer here". But despite how perfect it looked, I never saw any sign. There were plenty of blueberries so I am guessing there's plenty of bear, but everything in me kept looking at the Meadows backed up to thick brush and thinking that Blacktails must love it.

So here's the question of the day: do blacktails love the high alpine as much as mulies do? I've never hunted mulies much, but I know their reputation for loving the big mountain fields and rock outcroppings. Are blacktails the same way? What's the BT population like on the east side of the Olympics in the alpine?
"All of my best elk hunts are the ones where I come home with a big buck!" -RadSav

Offline optic2

  • Political & Covid-19 Topics
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Scout
  • ****
  • Join Date: Jul 2017
  • Posts: 285
  • Location: Sultan,WA
  • Groups: 2AF, FPC, GOA, BHA, RMEF
Re: Olympic Alpine Blacktail
« Reply #1 on: July 14, 2018, 03:50:27 PM »
Went backpacking this weekend in the south east side of the olympics, and as I looked around all the basins in couldn't help thinking "there has to be a ton of deer here". But despite how perfect it looked, I never saw any sign. There were plenty of blueberries so I am guessing there's plenty of bear, but everything in me kept looking at the Meadows backed up to thick brush and thinking that Blacktails must love it.

So here's the question of the day: do blacktails love the high alpine as much as mulies do? I've never hunted mulies much, but I know their reputation for loving the big mountain fields and rock outcroppings. Are blacktails the same way? What's the BT population like on the east side of the Olympics in the alpine?


I spoke to the biologist that covers that area and he said the basin and meadows are where he would look but doesn't have any hard evidence on their population and gets his information mainly from the harvest stats (which only tell you the GMU). His suggestion was to do the high hunt but would have much better luck down in the timer harvest areas.

I hunted in the Buckhorn during the high hunt and then east and northeast of lake Cushman and found very little sign. In that whole time (9 days of hunting) I saw only two separate spots of scat, 3 does, a spike and a 3 point. The 3 point I saw was about a mile outside of the Buckhorn wilderness during the high hunt, an hour after the end of shooting light.

Offline kselkhunter

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Sourdough
  • *****
  • Join Date: Jun 2014
  • Posts: 1596
  • Location: United States
Re: Olympic Alpine Blacktail
« Reply #2 on: July 14, 2018, 04:03:56 PM »
Yeah I didn't see much in the Buckhorn either during a high hunt in the past.  I'm sure they're in there, but I haven't spent enough time in there to find them. 

Offline fishngamereaper

  • Trade Count: (+6)
  • Old Salt
  • ******
  • Join Date: Oct 2011
  • Posts: 7986
  • Location: kitsap
Re: Olympic Alpine Blacktail
« Reply #3 on: July 14, 2018, 07:26:36 PM »
So many clear cuts around the wilderness over there most of the deer don't need to go high for good food. Water is also an issue.

Online ASHQUACK

  • Non-Hunting Topics
  • Trade Count: (+3)
  • Longhunter
  • *****
  • Join Date: Oct 2010
  • Posts: 742
Re: Olympic Alpine Blacktail
« Reply #4 on: July 14, 2018, 10:49:48 PM »
Lots of predators up there as well. Bears and big cats keep the numbers down.

Offline JimmyHoffa

  • Non-Hunting Topics
  • Trade Count: (+2)
  • Explorer
  • ******
  • Join Date: Sep 2010
  • Posts: 14340
  • Location: 150 Years Too Late
Re: Olympic Alpine Blacktail
« Reply #5 on: July 15, 2018, 08:01:44 AM »
Predators are a big concern up there.  I find chomped on fawns and yearlings too often.  I used to see a lot more deer out in the high stuff, and the other hunters that pack in annually have said the same thing.  For finding the game trails, look above the human trails and at the switchbacks.

Offline predatorG

  • Ski Bum
  • Non-Hunting Topics
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Longhunter
  • *****
  • Join Date: May 2012
  • Posts: 661
  • Location: Arizona
  • BT's are making me crazy
Re: Olympic Alpine Blacktail
« Reply #6 on: July 15, 2018, 08:18:17 AM »
Interesting. It definitely makes sense why deer would stay low for the cuts and the timber, but I've always wondered if there are good deer numbers in both spots. I feel like basins with lakes and a couple streams should have some deer population. The predator comment makes sense, and I can see how that would limit the population. I was really just curious about this info; I leave for college this august so it will be at least 4 years before I even consider hunting up high but honestly most of my time was spent down low. I was really just wondering about the differences in Blacktail and mulies when it comes to that high elevation.
"All of my best elk hunts are the ones where I come home with a big buck!" -RadSav

Offline bkaech

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Scout
  • ****
  • Join Date: May 2018
  • Posts: 302
  • Location: Puyallup
  • Groups: BHA, RMEF, NRA
Re: Olympic Alpine Blacktail
« Reply #7 on: July 15, 2018, 09:02:39 AM »
I’m no expert but I think black tails live wherever they find a place they like and can move up and down as it suits them. Mullies (I think) have more affinity to migrate and go high in summer and low as the weather turns. I believe this is due to them trying to find good feed and water in arid, less fooliage rich environments. On the west side with black tails there is not a need to search as far for good food, there is more of it in more places more times throughout the year. Therefore they have less affinity to go high in summer, not to say they don’t at all.

Offline CaNINE

  • Trade Count: (+5)
  • Sourdough
  • *****
  • Join Date: Jul 2015
  • Posts: 1358
  • Location: Gig Harbor
Re: Olympic Alpine Blacktail
« Reply #8 on: July 15, 2018, 09:29:47 AM »
I've done a lot of backpacking in the SE Olympics and tried hunting the lake basins for fun a few times.  I never saw a deer in the wilderness area.  Did find some mummified sign once but not enough to dedicate time and resources to the hunt.  IMO leave the rifle at home and take a fly rod. 
The lazy do not roast any game, but the diligent feed on the riches of the hunt.

Proverbs 12:27

Offline Shaqdiesel

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Hunter
  • ***
  • Join Date: May 2014
  • Posts: 112
  • Location: Bonney Lake
Re: Olympic Alpine Blacktail
« Reply #9 on: July 15, 2018, 05:33:21 PM »
I got a quality muzzleloader tag for deer in the 621 this year, I’ve been spending quite a bit of time scouting the higher elevations and have had mixed results, I’m going to try hunting high depending on weather the first week of November but i am also curious what bucks will come out of the woodwork down low in the state land when they are rutting. I’m excited to see how it goes, got my buck last year up in one of the wilderness areas over there.
60% of the time, it works every time.

Online Bob33

  • Global Moderator
  • Trade Count: (+2)
  • Legend
  • *****
  • Join Date: Apr 2009
  • Posts: 21177
  • Groups: SCI, RMEF, NRA, Hunter Education
Re: Olympic Alpine Blacktail
« Reply #10 on: July 15, 2018, 06:46:06 PM »
About ten years ago I hunted the Buckhorn Wilderness several times and got into deer every year that I hunted. :twocents:
Nature. It's cheaper than therapy.

Offline predatorG

  • Ski Bum
  • Non-Hunting Topics
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Longhunter
  • *****
  • Join Date: May 2012
  • Posts: 661
  • Location: Arizona
  • BT's are making me crazy
Re: Olympic Alpine Blacktail
« Reply #11 on: July 16, 2018, 09:30:26 AM »
I've done a lot of backpacking in the SE Olympics and tried hunting the lake basins for fun a few times.  I never saw a deer in the wilderness area.  Did find some mummified sign once but not enough to dedicate time and resources to the hunt.  IMO leave the rifle at home and take a fly rod.

All my hunting would be done with a bow... so more the disadvantage to me  :bash:
My last couple trips have been with a fly rod and very successful!

If I ever hunt up there it's starting to look more like an attempt at bears.

Bob33 do you have any success pics ? I love seeing deer on the ground!!
"All of my best elk hunts are the ones where I come home with a big buck!" -RadSav

 


* Advertisement

* Recent Topics

Pairs by Dan-o
[Today at 08:15:34 PM]


World Record Archery Blacktail by pd
[Today at 07:31:15 PM]


Let’s see your best Washington bull by trophyhunt
[Today at 07:20:21 PM]


Hunting Dog Memorial by Henrydog
[Today at 07:06:30 PM]


Springer 2024 Columbia River by Blacklab
[Today at 06:50:06 PM]


Holster for FNS 40C by bb76
[Today at 06:37:56 PM]


Let’s see your best Washington buck by bearpaw
[Today at 05:27:26 PM]


Bangers and mash by elkrack
[Today at 04:32:06 PM]


Fishing with kids in Wenatchee by elkhunter00
[Today at 04:12:45 PM]


Wenatchee Hydro Park Fishing by Jake Dogfish
[Today at 03:40:17 PM]


Owners of Ireland Farms Dogs by ASHQUACK
[Today at 12:24:39 PM]


1x scopes vs open sights by andersonjk4
[Today at 09:23:28 AM]


2024 sheds…..let’s see em’ by NOCK NOCK
[Today at 07:59:18 AM]


Grande Ronde by WSU
[Today at 07:27:36 AM]

SimplePortal 2.3.7 © 2008-2024, SimplePortal