Glassing Blacktails

[BlacktailTracker]

Blacktails are edge adapted species who spend alot of time transitioning from cover to feed? What are you techniques and tactics for glassing up mature blacktail bucks? I'm trying to figure out a hybrid style of hunting by using both still hunting and glassing.

 

[sbutton88]

Glassing blacktails is tough! Here in northern CA it is usually pretty warm so you have to focus on the slowly picking apart the shaded areas. I generally give up about 3-4 hours after sunrise and transition to still hunting through their bedding areas in the dark timber. Slower than slow.

 

[blacktailcentral]

I hunt blacktails in ca and truly believe in Robby Dennings mule deer strategy that deer are vampires. Meaning they hate the sun, so i focus on any shade/north facing areas after the sun is out. Also it seems that mature blacktails live in the deepest hell hole, so if you dont want to hike there thats the first place id look!

 

[BlacktailTracker]

I hunt blacktails in ca and truly believe in Robby Dennings mule deer strategy that deer are vampires. Meaning they hate the sun, so i focus on any shade/north facing areas after the sun is out. Also it seems that mature blacktails live in the deepest hell hole, so if you dont want to hike there thats the first place id look!

Good tip about glassing the shaded areas.

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

Scout your ass off. Find bedding areas. Find travel areas where they move from bedding area to bedding area.

Catch them feeding in the morning and evening. Catch movement when they stand on their back legs to reach the acorns in the low branches of trees. Or shake their heads frequently to try and shake ticks out of their ears.

They love to move in the steepest fingers/canyons, and steep hill sides with cover. We’ve passed on lots of good bucks because they were in steep poison oak infested ravines.

My experience with them is extensive but is limited to specific areas so tendencies could be different elsewhere.

 

[blacktailcentral]

Also in my experience it seems once you find the deer, they stay in a pretty close range generally less than 1 square mile! I had a mature buck that has move less than a mile even with a major fire that moved through

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

Here is a bed and a ravine that was highway at dawn and dusk. For ambush hunting or spot and stalk, set up where you can glass from above them if possible. You will likely have deer come over the ridge your on as well so keep your head on a swivel. I do like to setup in some cover on a ridgeline where I can glass 360 degrees.

 

[BlacktailTracker]

Here is a bed and a ravine that was highway at dawn and dusk. For ambush hunting or spot and stalk, set up where you can glass from above them if possible. You will likely have deer come over the ridge your on as well so keep your head on a swivel. I do like to setup in some cover on a ridgeline where I can glass 360 degrees.

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Are most of your shot close? The pictures are helpful.

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

Are most of your shot close? The pictures are helpful.

I’ve killed them at 10 yards and 1,000 plus yards. Just depends on where I’m hunting. Generally, kills would be in that 200-400 yard range.

 

[eLightfoot]

Are you hunting in the mountains at elevation or foothill deer? Big difference

 

[Kimber33]

Use cameras on the game trails. It will help narrow down where the deer are traveling and where to focus. Black tails are so good at staying hidden and tend to not move a ton in October. Cameras in just 4-5 different areas can really be helpful to catch them and give you an idea where you should be glassing.

 

[BlacktailTracker]

Scout your ass off. Find bedding areas. Find travel areas where they move from bedding area to bedding area.

Catch them feeding in the morning and evening. Catch movement when they stand on their back legs to reach the acorns in the low branches of trees. Or shake their heads frequently to try and shake ticks out of their ears.

They love to move in the steepest fingers/canyons, and steep hill sides with cover. We’ve passed on lots of good bucks because they were in steep poison oak infested ravines.

My experience with them is extensive but is limited to specific areas so tendencies could be different elsewhere.

Seems like the more poison oak the more good bucks

 

[BlacktailTracker]

Are you hunting in the mountains at elevation or foothill deer?

Western Oregon logging country. Steep and deep.