Blacktail bucks

[Robber]

I was curious how hard it is to draw an A or B zone in California for a nonresident? Would it be easier to apply for different states in the lower 48 to hunt blacktail deer?


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[Cahunter805]

Robber
You can draw either tag first choice 100%. The B zones have more public lands.

 

[Robber]

Thanks, was just curious. Heading to kodiak island in 2021 but never thought about hunting the west coast. Are the harvest statistics very good?


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[Rodéo]

Thanks, was just curious. Heading to kodiak island in 2021 but never thought about hunting the west coast. Are the harvest statistics very good?


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I have the harvest stats in front of me right now... not good.. but if you put in time and effort there are bucks to be found.
A zone: 25% (vast majority of that is private harvest I'm guessing)
B Zone: 17% across the board for the 6 B zones
These are archery and general season combined numbers


**Edit: Those numbers are for the previous 2018 season

 

[Robber]

I have the harvest stats in front of me right now... not good.. but if you put in time and effort there are bucks to be found.
A zone: 25% (vast majority of that is private harvest I'm guessing)
B Zone: 17% across the board for the 6 B zones
These are archery and general season combined numbers


**Edit: Those numbers are for the previous 2018 season

I might have to give it a look later. Thanks for the info though. It would definitely be different habitat then I have hunted before. You ever hunted there?


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[Rodéo]

This year will be my first for Deer hunting and I'll be in that area. I have an archery only tag which lets me hunt A,B, and D zones. I've hunted plenty of Turkey in Northern A zone (bordering B zone) and have spotted plenty of does and one buck during that time. It's gonna be crazy hot during the archery season in A zone, probably 95-105 average during the day so it'll be a very interesting hunt. Planning on getting out at first and last light mostly so I can spot some bucks.
I saw you mentioned you're going to Kodiak, that sounds awesome! Where are you used to hunting?

 

[Robber]

I live in Colorado and hunt all surrounding states but never been to California to hunt. Would be nice to draw a tule elk permit one day but we’ll see I guess. I’m pretty excited about going to kodiak since it will be my first time there, but hope for more trips in the future (maybe even a bear). Let me know how your hunt goes. I might have to make a trip out there in the near future. Those temps remind me of hunting antelope in NM!


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[Bojangles21]

Oregon blacktail!


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[Sawfish]

I was curious how hard it is to draw an A or B zone in California for a nonresident? Would it be easier to apply for different states in the lower 48 to hunt blacktail deer?

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True Columbia Blacktails only exist in portions of California, Oregon, Washington and British Columbia. The Alaska Blacktails are Sitka Blacktails, which are a different species. California A and B zones are fairly easy to draw.

 

[Sundance]

I'd love to try a CA blacktail someday. Had plenty of Coastal rainforest WA bucks and SE & Kodiak SItka blacktails. Those CA blacktail seem like a whole different beast, it would be a fun challenge and I'm interested how different/similar they are.

 

[willfrye027]

I live in Colorado and hunt all surrounding states but never been to California to hunt. Would be nice to draw a tule elk permit one day but we’ll see I guess. I’m pretty excited about going to kodiak since it will be my first time there, but hope for more trips in the future (maybe even a bear). Let me know how your hunt goes. I might have to make a trip out there in the near future. Those temps remind me of hunting antelope in NM!


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I would feel like a jerk recommending California to anybody...

Takes a few years and a lot of hard work to find bucks on public. When you see a forky, you should shoot it. Some of the bucks in this thread are the equivalent of 200” mule deer IMO! Very impressive. If you are wanting a B and C blacktail though it would be doable on a private land hunt. The difference is pretty astounding in CA based on my experiences and a small stint of guiding there myself (pigs, but on ranches with huge deer).

 

[805Bowhunter]

Very true. I was fortunate to hunt a private piece of land last year (a zone) and the difference in hunt was incredible. Blacktail are incredibly difficult to hunt already, doing it on limited public land in CA is even tougher. I have huge respect for anyone that shoots a legal buck in CA with a bow for sure.

 

[JNDEER]

Robber- of the two zones i would focus on any of the B zones. Archery season they are in velvet and opening weekend is your best bet to find them out in the "open." Later in the archery season they still may be out and about but transitioning between velvet and hard horn. Opening rifle good to find them out and about some what, then after that much harder.

you could always go guided and that would be much easier.

 

[Jsn_leonard]

High Country CA from 2016

 

[JNDEER]

Jsn- beautiful buck. You kill him in D zone?

 

[Jsn_leonard]

JNDEER— B zone. Timed it just right with the storm and caught him movin in a break during the snow

 

[JNDEER]

WOW- you must have been REAL high with that much snow by the end of the season. Nice job- that's a fantastic end of season rifle buck!

 

[Idaholewis]

Western Wa Blacktail, Early 90s, Before Cougars took over

 

[stereotruckdriver]

New to the forum, just wanted to share. Love blacktail hunting. Former mulie hunter.

 

[stereotruckdriver]

Not the biggest but I was raised a meat hunter. Any time you bag a coastal blacktail no matter the size, you earned it. I need to upload more. Sorry if some of the little ones offend anybody.