Alpine Blacktails

[joedawjes]

Does anybody know when blacktails generally push up into alpine areas? I realize now melt is probably a contributing factor, but I wonder if they gradually follow the snow line as it melts. Planning my 2022 Washington High Buck Hunt

 

[Hoodie]

They generally do (follow the snowline, that is). In my area, which has less alpine habitat than the North Cascades or Olympics, they're usually in the high basins by mid-July. But it's totally snow dependent. Some bucks never go up above the timberline, as long as there's good feed a bit lower. They definitely stick closer to the timber than high country mule deer.

The way the snowpack is shaping up this year it could be a bit later, assuming we don't have another hot dry spring.

 

[joedawjes]

Good to know re: bucks sticking close to the timber line.

 

[Hoodie]

Even in the velvet they usually like to bed in the thick stuff. I've spent several years scouting for high country bucks in my area, but only hunted them one season (usually dedicate September to elk). I was expecting to bed them up and stalk them in the alpine while they were still in velvet. It did not play out like that at all.

In my area, once they shed you are far less likely to catch them in the open during shooting light. Bucks that would be up feeding until 9am disappear after Sept 1-2. I'll be hunting in Oregon during the same general timeframe as the High Buck hunt and I won't be focusing too much on the open basins.

Summer is a good time to find bucks, but don't necessarily expect them to be doing the same thing during mid-Sept. that they were in late July.

I'll be looking for revenge on this guy or one of his close relatives this year.

 

[joedawjes]

Even in the velvet they usually like to bed in the thick stuff. I've spent several years scouting for high country bucks in my area, but only hunted them one season (usually dedicate September to elk). I was expecting to bed them up and stalk them in the alpine while they were still in velvet. It did not play out like that at all.

In my area, once they shed you are far less likely to catch them in the open during shooting light. Bucks that would be up feeding until 9am disappear after Sept 1-2. I'll be hunting in Oregon during the same general timeframe as the High Buck hunt and I won't be focusing too much on the open basins.

Summer is a good time to find bucks, but don't necessarily expect them to be doing the same thing during mid-Sept. that they were in late July.

I'll be looking for revenge on this guy or one of his close relatives this year.

How much pressure do the high country bucks experience in your area?

 

[Hoodie]

During archery season, very little.

I hunted for a week that season and ran into one other hunter. He killed a bigger buck than the one in that photo on opening morning in the same basin. He was surprised to see anyone else hunting deer up there.

This year will be my first year doing the early rifle season. I would imagine our High Cascade tag here in Oregon is pretty similar pressure wise to the High Buck hunt (which I've heard gets pretty crowded).

I'm doing rifle exclusively because of the problems I had bowhunting that year. Not once did I see a buck bed in a spot conducive to a stalk. That pretty much left stalking them while they're up feeding or still-hunting the timber, neither of which are high odds tactics with a bow. At least during the early season.