Blacktail Hunting Tips Thread

[WapitiTalk1]

Thought we'd start a thread on tips/tactics for these "grey ghosts of the northwest".

Tip 1 - They have underground bunkers (equipped with video monitors connected to tree mounted camera surveillance systems). They hide in these bunkers somewhere on the alder/blackberry choked hillsides during the day and only come out only at night

[WapitiTalk1]

No bt hunters in the elk nut ranks?

[twinkieman]

I hunt these deer in the wilderness areas of northwestern Calif., I primarily bowhunt at timberline, or above, and spot and stalk. I have rattled in the late season for friends on private land management hunts with a great deal of success. I have used treestands as well, but not really my cup of tea.

[Washington Wapiti]

lol! RJ, you stole my tip! Every year, more and more, I'm convinced they are not nocturnal . . . they are actually sub-terranean! I find these deer the most difficult to hunt. I've found still-hunting the edge of clear-cuts early morning to be effective. Also, getting in before sun-up and waiting out these areas. 5-10 year old clear-cuts are very good areas. One thing I'd like to try, now that I've gotten into tree-stand mode, is hanging one in a "tree-island," those group of trees in a clea-cut. They often like to bed in these areas.

[WapitiTalk1]

Good tips Shawn. I am not an accomplished black tail hunter at all I've put a handful down while hunting elk but geez, they are some thick brush loving critters perhaps more than any other deer. The ones I've taken have been while I was sitting (ground blind I guess) off a trail towards the end of November. I know a few guys that are successful on decent BT bucks using corn around tree stand locations. Of coarse, this depends on your state (legal or not). I'll be hugging the edges of some clear cuts in a few weeks in the late archery season here trying to get some elk meat. May come across a dumbed down rutting BT buck and get a shot.

[Washington Wapiti]

" Maybe you'll make up for early season by putting down an elk AND a BT!"

Will give it a shot buddy. Will be In a 3 point bull area so it'll be tough going in late November. Will give it a go though . Haven't hunted this area for 20 years but gonna try it and see who's home.

[Washington Wapiti]

I'm lookin' forward to getting out here in 2 weeks too. My blacktail time is going to be really limited this year though . . .

[Washington Wapiti]

Whoa . . . there must have been a glitch here. RJ I think this is your reply, but it is showing my Avatar, etc.
20 years! Sounds like it is a good time to go a knockin' . . .

[WapitiTalk1]

Whoa . . . there must have been a glitch here. RJ I think this is your reply, but it is showing my Avatar, etc.
20 years! Sounds like it is a good time to go a knockin' . . .

Wow, that is wierd! I think I probably clicked "edit" as opposed to "quote" and my super duper moderator permissions kicked into high gear. Sorry. If I remember right, you had some additional text in that post also (which it appears, I deleted) . Yeah, gonna hit a spot on the penninsula I used to hunt many moons ago when the elk population was much higher than in more recent years. I'm sending a rifle hunting buddy of mine there this weekend (last weekend of modern firearm deer season) to see what he can see for deer, and, to inadvertently do some deer and elk scouting for my late archery hunt. Sneaky, I know.

Blacktail tip: From my limited experience targeting these things, I've observed that they do not hang much in open timber. Find used trails/scrape lines on thicker sidehills or alder bottoms and sit on one side with the wind in your favor in the early morning and right before dark.

[Mav]

I'd love to give some help here but it sounds like the areas you guys hunt BT in are quite a bit different than my limited knowledge can assist on. My BT's have come from the open country brush lands of central California coast areas. No clear cuts to hunt down there!

[Washington Wapiti]

Ahh no worries, just a lot of hot-air anyway . . . there's more where that came from! Sneaky indeed! I like your style. Work smarter, not harder LOL. Are you after a buck specifically, or does too? I ventured out to the Minot Peak area in 2010, some of my old stomping grounds from about 10 years ago. I didn't see much out that way during that late season. Saw a couple of does and that was about it. I was considering heading out there for a little jaunt, but I'm trying to stay close to home this season.

Good tip! I've also noticed this. I've only seen that a couple of times; in Oregon and California. They were obviously cruising though the more open timber, and at night no less. Like you said, they ARE some thick brush loving critters. I've also flushed does out of bedding areas that were right off the gravel road, on those gated off roads.

[Washington Wapiti]

I'd love to give some help here but it sounds like the areas you guys hunt BT in are quite a bit different than my limited knowledge can assist on. My BT's have come from the open country brush lands of central California coast areas. No clear cuts to hunt down there!

Thanks for chiming in anyway Mav. The Pondersoa Pine forests of the Lassen are CRAWLING with them! Open country and blacktails is almost a counter-intuitive sentence. LOL Never hunted them in that habitat type . . .

[Mav]

Lol very true on the counterintuitive comment. Maybe not open country but more buck brush than timber.