Any Blacktail Hunters here?

[Chiloquin]

Hello Guys/Gals I have posted much here, but I have been hunting with traditional equipment for a while. Elk use to be what makes my hear stop, but lately the dreams of mature blacktail bucks are what invade my nights. Are there any other chronically addicted blacktail hunters here? Thanks Nate Bailey

[RAGHORN 3]

Uhhhh Yeah!      I got my 1st last year during the late season.. Can't wait until November, thinking of renting a cabin for the family over Thanksgiving, I will be hunting, while they sit by the fire and play games and drink coco...

[nd chickenman]

Sitting here on the plains of North Dakota, I can only wish. I would love to hunt them some day.

[Tree Killer]

Howdy Nate!  Yep, been hunting them since 1967...archery only since 1984.  Have taken a few in that time.  

[Florida lime]

I was wondering you would post in this thread Ron.

A few...  

[RAGHORN 3]

I am glad I replied 1st... Because following Ron would be tough act...          

[jwhitetail]

I've not hunted them but my brother lives near some really nice lowland habitat in the Puget Sound... Only issue is that the country is so different than the open pine forested Mtns that I hunt for Whitetails on the East side of the Cascades... not sure how to deal with patterning deer in the rain, thick brush and sword ferns on the west side of the Cascades.  
Is it the same game of identifying bedding, feeding areas and then posting between?  Do you hunt the rut - and find scrapes?  Interested in tactics for these critters.

[Chiloquin]

Ron, you still need to write a book! here are a few of the monsters I'm chasing.    

 

[SAM E. STEPHENS]

Not yet but on my list of to do hunts.....

,,,Sam,,,

[fujimo]

thats all we get to hunt here- we have  the sitka blacktail- they are  a bit smaller than the columbian blacktail, but we get tags for 15 a year, over a nine month season.
best eating venison i have ever had- OVER everything!!

[fujimo]

i have sought advice from Ron before- he sure knows about a blacktail- ( oh and maybe a bit about arrows too   :D   )

but we find the deer up here where we are do not pattern.abundance of food , water and cover- means they are very sporadic.
calling works best for us. you soon get an eye for what looks like good habitat- setup, and start calling- and expect them to just magically appear 15 feet away- they are spooky quiet!!

i have had them sneak up behind me- and stand there 10 feet away - just staring at me- never knew they were there until it was too late.

works best if you can tag team them.
and for after the shot my tracking dog is indespensible- the brush is thick- and they will crawl into the thickest densest stuff they can find!
everything is wet and spongy- tracks are almost non existant!


i know the columbian behaves a bit differently though!
good luck- they are a blast

[jwhitetail]

Thanks for the input.  I may try calling if I get over there this fall.

[newhouse114]

During the early season here, most of the bucks go nocturnal about a day and a half after the season opens! Been chasing blacktails for around 44 years now. Hunted the Sitkas in Sitka and Prince William Sound. Does will often respond to calling but I've never had a buck come in here in Oregon.

[bbell]

I have rattled in 1 buck before but it circled and winded me before bow range. Pretty cool experience.

[V I Archer]

I cut my proverbial hunting teeth chasing blacktail on Vancouver Island.  I love still hunting them through thick timber.  Never have been patient enough to sit in a treestand and am barely able to hold it together more than a half hour in a makeshift blind while calling.