Blacktails in timber

[bricketts]

I appreciate this @roosiebull thank you very much! That could 100% be it, I didn’t even think about that I only have ever hunted this spot after October 20th in years past and killed both bucks in this spot on the last Sunday of October, that could 100% be what is going on


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[roosiebull]

I appreciate this @roosiebull thank you very much! That could 100% be it, I didn’t even think about that I only have ever hunted this spot after October 20th in years past and killed both bucks in this spot on the last Sunday of October, that could 100% be what is going on


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I bet it will change, that’s pretty common in my experience, a lot changes between late and early season for blacktail, between changing food sources and pre rut/rut behavior, and I have noticed that especially true in timber, but I can think of a lot of clear cut scenarios too (we hunted one last night that always has deer in it and we watched a bear feed around was all) all of the places that they bed were still grown up, in a couple weeks you will see obvious deer beds all over and will see deer on any given evening)

 

[bricketts]

This is invaluable experience thank you again very much! This is my second year really trying to pattern and understand blacktail rather than just still hunting areas that I know hold them, and so the absence of deer right now really threw me for a loop. I’m going to hunt the connecting nearby drainages for now and see what those produce until my favorite 5 days of the season arrive

 

[blacktail434]

"My experience has been blacktails return to the spot 2 days after getting bumped."

Thanks for this. Curious if this has been the experience of others with mature blacktail too?

I've been successful as a BT hunter, but never targeting any one specific buck. Still hunting an area that holds a lot of deer yesterday, I locked eyes with a good one and he bolted into the abyss before I could get one in him. He's clearly living in there, and I'm hoping to catch up with him again. I think I'll try to get back in there in a couple days.

 

[BigNate]

Yep, two to three days. If you step on him before he bolts it'll be three or more.

 

[Steve300xcw]

All goona depend on that deer.

Years back, I kicked up the same 5point 3 days in a row before I was able to shoot it.

 

[blacktail434]

All goona depend on that deer.

Years back, I kicked up the same 5point 3 days in a row before I was able to shoot it.

I assume you mean 3 days in a row from the same area. Care to share some specifics of that situation? I'd guess there is key takeaway in how that unfolded.

 

[Steve300xcw]

I assume you mean 3 days in a row from the same area. Care to share some specifics of that situation? I'd guess there is key takeaway in how that unfolded.

ZERO SKILL involved on that buck

Had most of the week off work and found a ridge that had active/recent logging all around it. Cut banks were tore to hell from the deer. Stumbled around the woods and midday flushed him outta the brush.

Next day hunting that same ridge I hear him slap the ground as he got up. Caught sight of him just before he GTFO.

Next day, bit after first light, foggy as hell. Hadnt got far from the truck when I spotted him right on the edge of the fog watching me. I snapped off a shot right as he was hitting the afterburners. 243 cut a groove across his back. Didnt hit a damned thing, but it took out his running gear for a moment. Gimme enough time to get another round into him.

That buck was skittish but he wasnt leaving that ridge for whatever reason. All 3 times I kicked him up, was inside of a 1/4 mile circle

We have taken a pile of deer off of that ridge since then. Though I've never put in the effort to hunt it hard or even scout it. Need to do that one of these years

 

[OregonSteeler]

It's been tough in the neck of woods I'm hunting. Been out 4 days so far. Each time I'm at a clearcut by first light without sight of a deer. Then walking around the deep timber close to these cuts hasn't shown me anything to get excited about. No deer, and not a lot of fresh sign, if any at all.

Also not liking the clear cuts that are in the area I'm hunting. Some reprod is just a bit too high and thick to hunt it successfully and some other clearcuts are being used a ton by elk, but very little deer sign. These are also very big cuts with little amount of growing trees, probably around 2-3ft high.

Have another 2-3 cuts to check out the next time I head out. along with some adjacent timber. Wondering how deep into the timber you hunt or are you just 100-200 yds into the canopy?

 

[Steve300xcw]

It's been tough in the neck of woods I'm hunting. Been out 4 days so far. Each time I'm at a clearcut by first light without sight of a deer. Then walking around the deep timber close to these cuts hasn't shown me anything to get excited about. No deer, and not a lot of fresh sign, if any at all.

Its still early and dry IMO to even bother hunting hard. That said if theres no animals or sign.. Go somewhere else. Like different mountain, total opposite side of the valley etc etc Sometimes those lil triangle slivers of timber between a couple of roads are pretty productive as well. Were it me. I'd start running roads until I found chewed up banks. Then start poking around and see whatcha find. I also seem to do shit the hardest way possible so keep that in mind

Wondering how deep into the timber you hunt or are you just 100-200 yds into the canopy?

All kinda depends. I'll pick up a fresh game trail and start going. Expecially if trying to find new ground. I dont really hunt clearcuts or around them.

 

[Steve300xcw]

Heres a very crappy pic of a doe that busted me on friday afternoon

 

[blacktail434]

ZERO SKILL involved on that buck

Had most of the week off work and found a ridge that had active/recent logging all around it. Cut banks were tore to hell from the deer. Stumbled around the woods and midday flushed him outta the brush.

Next day hunting that same ridge I hear him slap the ground as he got up. Caught sight of him just before he GTFO.

Next day, bit after first light, foggy as hell. Hadnt got far from the truck when I spotted him right on the edge of the fog watching me. I snapped off a shot right as he was hitting the afterburners. 243 cut a groove across his back. Didnt hit a damned thing, but it took out his running gear for a moment. Gimme enough time to get another round into him.

That buck was skittish but he wasnt leaving that ridge for whatever reason. All 3 times I kicked him up, was inside of a 1/4 mile circle

We have taken a pile of deer off of that ridge since then. Though I've never put in the effort to hunt it hard or even scout it. Need to do that one of these years

Thanks for the response. We've confirmed BT do unpredictable things

Was it the middle of the rut?