Largest bodied black tail you’ve seen?

[eLightfoot]

I killed one we estimated to be 200 on the hoof. Had to bone it out so there was no way to get full weight. I’ve seen a whole bunch of other big blacktails killed in the same range but never any quite as big.

 

[eLightfoot]

I killed one we estimated to be 200 on the hoof. Had to bone it out so there was no way to get full weight. I’ve seen a whole bunch of other big blacktails killed in the same range but never any quite as big.

I’ll add that the buck was already gutted in this pic and I’m 6’3 250lbs for reference

 

[Quicksilver]

It is an issue of north/south in Monterey country, not east/west.

I’m referencing northwest Washington

 

[Azone]

It is an issue of north/south in Monterey country, not east/west.

It was south county, west of 101.

 

[Bubba]

Mendo Buck.. The buck was regressing down. Watcher him 2 years prior in the same place he was shot. Had a lot more mass on his horns 2 years prior.

 

[bohntr]

It was south county, west of 101.

That would be a mule deer.

 

[Banded_spooney]

There are few other mule deer black tail crosses that aren’t on this list. Down your way there is another recognized subspecies called “Coastal Mule Deer” that are very black tail dominate but blood test and have tail traits of mule deer (more shape than color).

View attachment 454257

The thing that makes this graphic most questionable is the fact that the Sacramento River corridor is marked as Deer rare or absent. The whole river is loaded with deer.

As far as the big blacktail go those, while not qualifying as blacktail, are generally huge. So are the orchard bucks surrounding the river.

I dressed a guys first buck for him that was shot in a slough between too orchards about 10 miles from the river. It appeared that it had been hit by a car. Dressed on the rack it was 113 missing an entire rear quarter that I cut off when skinning because of the injury.

 

[541hunter]

On other threads, I've seen the term, benchleg, mentioned quite a bit. A hybrid between a muley and a blacktail. Is that what these outsized bucks on this thread are...or are they pure strain blacktails?

I'll be doing my first blacktail hunt the end of Oct, near Roseburg, Or. Do I have more chance to run into purebred blacktails or hybrids in that region? Thanks.

Depends where you hunt. I live in the Roseburg area. East or South east of Roseburg you have a chance of running into a bench leg buck. West of Roseburg you will find all true costal blacktails. Also be aware in the immediate Roseburg area we have Columbia whitetails as well.

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

Didn’t mean to turn this into another debate but OP seemed to ask about coastal blacktail specifically. Lots of guys shoot mule deer and hybrid and call them black tails.

A true coastal blacktail with no mule deer crossing being 200 lbs on the hoof would be an absolute specimen.

 

[SpringM1A]

192 sounds close to the size of mine, which was an approximation. Those bigger woodland bucks are an apparition to see in the woods, they almost look like elk. Easily twice the size of the does they are chasing.

 

[ruttedup]

I killed a giant forkhorn up in Humboldt county and I could hear the ocean waves. That buck was w/o a doubt 185-190 lbs. We called him Baby Huey. By far the biggest blacktail I had ever seen. I had to use pulleys to get him in my 2wd f150 gutted.

 

[Azone]

That would be a mule deer.

Where is the border for black tail and mule deer in Monterey County in your opinion? No one has ever had a definitive answer for that question. Genuinely interested in this subject.
I’ve seen bucks that were huge rack wise dress out at 100lbs and then I’ve seen a few that were giants as far as body size that are nothing more than a 15 inch wide forked horn. People in my area generally refer to the deer around here as black tail. The mule deer debate does arise from time to time out here amongst hunters though. The tail on it definitely resembled a black tail deer. Wish I had taken pictures of its tail.

 

[Moose10]

Where is the border for black tail and mule deer in Monterey County in your opinion? No one has ever had a definitive answer for that question. Genuinely interested in this subject.
I’ve seen bucks that were huge rack wise dress out at 100lbs and then I’ve seen a few that were giants as far as body size that are nothing more than a 15 inch wide forked horn. People in my area generally refer to the deer around here as black tail. The mule deer debate does arise from time to time out here amongst hunters though. The tail on it definitely resembled a black tail deer. Wish I had taken pictures of its tail.

I am interested in this as well. I’ve killed quite a few deer near the hunter liggett area and would call them all blacktail.

The few I’ve shot along the Sacramento River I would call crosses but haven’t checked their tails.

Definitely a body size difference between the two areas mentioned. Could just be different type of habitat though.

 

[bohntr]

Where is the border for black tail and mule deer in Monterey County in your opinion? No one has ever had a definitive answer for that question. Genuinely interested in this subject.
I’ve seen bucks that were huge rack wise dress out at 100lbs and then I’ve seen a few that were giants as far as body size that are nothing more than a 15 inch wide forked horn. People in my area generally refer to the deer around here as black tail. The mule deer debate does arise from time to time out here amongst hunters though. The tail on it definitely resembled a black tail deer. Wish I had taken pictures of its tail.

The B&C / P&Y Clubs have established a boundary well within true Columbian Blacktail country to ensure that those blacktails entered for scientific data points would be that of pure strain Columbian Blacktail and not mule deer or crosses. As such, rarely is a genetically proven 'blacktail' discovered outside that boundary. P&Y has only had three deer taken just outside of the boundary (within a mile) that have tested positive as a Columbian Blacktail numerous deer were tested by DNA (two were from the same hunter). B&C has about the same ratio (less than .001%) of those tested. This illustrates that the boundary, so far, is correct in where it is drawn.

For reference, this is the official B&C/P&Y Columbian Blacktail Boundary for North America. For a map, you can view it here:

https://www.boone-crockett.org/category-boundaries-big-game-records


British Columbia — Starting at the Washington-British Columbia border, blacktail deer range runs west of the height of land between the Skagit and the Chilliwack Ranges, intersecting the Fraser River opposite the mouth of Ruby Creek, then west to and up Harrison Lake to and up Tipella Creek to the height of land in Garibaldi Park and northwesterly along this divide past Alta Lake, Mt. Dalgleish, and Mt. Waddington, thence north to Bella Coola. From Bella Coola, the boundary continues north to the head of Dean Channel, Gardner Canal, and Douglas Channel to the town of Anyox, then due west to the Alaska-British Columbia border, which is then followed south to open water. This boundary excludes the area west of the Klesilkwa River and the west side of the Lillooet River.


Washington — Beginning at the Washington-British Columbia border, the boundary line runs south along the west boundary of North Cascades National Park to the range line between R10E and R11E, Willamette Meridian, which is then followed directly south to its intersection with the township line between T18N and T17N, which is then followed westward until it connects with the north border of Mt. Rainier National Park, then along the north, west and south park boundaries until it intersects with the range line between R9E and R10E, Willamette Meridian, which is then followed directly south to the Columbia River near Cook.


Oregon — Beginning at Multnomah Falls on the Columbia River, the boundary runs south along the western boundary of the National Forest to Tiller in Douglas County, then south along Highway 227 to Highway 62 at Trail, then south following Highway 62 to Medford, from which the boundary follows the range line between R1W and R2W, Willamette Meridian, to the California border.


California — Beginning in Siskiyou County at the Oregon-California border, the boundary lies between townships R8W and R9W M.D.M., extending south to and along the Klamath River to Hamburg, then south along the road to Scott Bar, continuing south and then east on the unimproved road from Scott Bar to its intersection with the paved road to Mugginsville, then south through Mugginsville to State Highway 3, which is then followed to Douglas City in Trinity County, from which the line runs east on State Highway 299 to I-5. The line follows I-5 south to the area of Anderson, where the Sacramento River moves east of I-5, following the Sacramento River until it joins with the San Joaquin River, which is followed to the south border of Stanislaus County. The line then runs west along this border to the east border of Santa Clara County. The east and south borders of Santa Clara County are then followed to the south border of Santa Cruz County, which is then followed to the edge of Monterey Bay.

Hope it helps.

 

[Azone]

I am interested in this as well. I’ve killed quite a few deer near the hunter liggett area and would call them all blacktail.

The few I’ve shot along the Sacramento River I would call crosses but haven’t checked their tails.

Definitely a body size difference between the two areas mentioned. Could just be different type of habitat though.

I’ve killed quite a few in and around liggett as well. Most strike me as not being a mule deer. Just a hybrid area I guess. I will have to pick the biologists brain on the subject the next time I cross paths with him.

 

[fisherman983]

On other threads, I've seen the term, benchleg, mentioned quite a bit. A hybrid between a muley and a blacktail. Is that what these outsized bucks on this thread are...or are they pure strain blacktails?

I'll be doing my first blacktail hunt the end of Oct, near Roseburg, Or. Do I have more chance to run into purebred blacktails or hybrids in that region? Thanks.

Diy or guided?

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[SwiftShot]

 

[eaglemountainman]

Diy or guided?

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For my first time, I'm using a guide

 

[fisherman983]

For my first time, I'm using a guide

Who are you going with?

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[eaglemountainman]

Who are you going with?

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