Roseburg OR, What do I need to know?

[rootacres]

Alright all, I will be going after some blacktail in the Roseburg area this fall. More specifically the last week of October, this will be on private with a rifle. Im not a stranger to western hunting but this will be my first blacktail trip. What do I need to know? What challenges does hunting this topography/climate bring that maybe other western states don't? School me please. Thanks

 

[DakotaBPNW]

Depends on where you’re at down there but it may be very thick vegetation wise compared to what you’re used to.

 

[Gwchem]

Take an extra day and go to the rogue brewery.

 

[Sam Colt]

It’ll be thick unless it’s newly cut. There will be a lot of vertical. Wear light boots and get in a lot of hill work before you go.

Roseburg is a nice town. Have fun.

 

[teamvit]

As noted it can be very thick and prepare for rain / wet weather. You will want the rain, keeps them moving

 

[Thebigbaby]

As noted it can be very thick and prepare for rain / wet weather. You will want the rain, keeps them moving

Is the rain/movement specific to blacktail? I’ve always been told the rain keeps deer/elk hunkered down.

Legit question. Not trolling.

 

[actionshooter]

Is the rain/movement specific to blacktail? I’ve always been told the rain keeps deer/elk hunkered down.

Legit question. Not trolling.

The weather doesn't slow them down, I have probably killed more in the rain than not.... hunt as late as you can in October and the 1st week of November, pre-rut and rut...
If you see doe.... glass ALL around them, if you hunt in clear cuts, look for 7-15 year growth (if you can see) and glass, glass, glass.... they are hard to see.
The bigger bucks are super nocturnal until the rut gets going...

Good luck... they are IMO, the hardest deer to kill a true trophy!

 

[teamvit]

It is a Blacktail thing in Oregon. I can’t speak to everywhere else. If they hunkered down in the rain they wouldn’t move all winter

 

[Bull_n_heat]

The weather doesn't slow them down, I have probably killed more in the rain than not.... hunt as late as you can in October and the 1st week of November, pre-rut and rut...
If you see doe.... glass ALL around them, if you hunt in clear cuts, look for 7-15 year growth (if you can see) and glass, glass, glass.... they are hard to see.
The bigger bucks are super nocturnal until the rut gets going...

Good luck... they are IMO, the hardest deer to kill a true trophy!

Agreed here. I think they are possibly the hardest ungulate to spot, or at least they are the Coes deer of the rainforest. I've literally stared at a clearcut for 3 hours and spotted a blacktail in the middle of it 250 yards from me that was there the entire time. I would glass on a tripod almost exclusively.

I'd say hands-down they are the prettiest deer too.

 

[RadDad]

It is a Blacktail thing in Oregon. I can’t speak to everywhere else. If they hunkered down in the rain they wouldn’t move all winter

Exactly what I was going to say. It won’t bother them one bit. They’re used to it.

 

[RadDad]

I’ll just echo what everyone else is saying. The vegetation is thick and often made of berry brambles with sharp branches, thorns, etc. You’re going to want the thicker rain gear and not the lightweight packable stuff. If you’re a fisherman, you should spend some time on the Umpqua for half-pounders!

 

[Tmac]

A few suggestions. Don’t shoot a whitetail unless you have that specific tag. There are Columbian WT in that area.

If the private land has a good buck to doe ratio and is not hunted much, may want to try rattling. Some bucks could be in to pre-rut at the end of Oct. Would not be my lead move, but something to try maybe later in the hunt. If they are pressured deer or low numbers, bag it.

As mentioned above, rain is good. Most pictures of mature BT I see are of very wet deer. Dress for it and hunt in it. If it is blowing hard and stormy, I stay out of the woods, deer hunker down then too. But once that storm breaks (the wind), be out there regardless of time of day. I always hope for the wind to stop and moderate to light rain to keep going, near ideal conditions.

Tree stands work very well if you have deer movement scouted out.

They are a difficult quarry, but rewarding. Most mature bucks are fully nocturnal if pressured at all, and sometimes even if not pressured. I have hunted Coues, MD and whitetails plenty. A mature BT is the toughest one of all. The only exception is if you hunt them in the semi open parts N Cal or SW OR, the oak savanna looking stuff, then they are #2 on my toughest list to Coues. I've not hunted the Columbian WT sub species, but hear they are tough too.

Good luck!

 

[TripleJ]

Lots of good advice above. Also, depending on how close to Roseburg you're hunting, you may be hunting in a ton of poison oak. The lower elevation ground around Roseburg is covered in it, and the blacktails hang in the big patches of it sometimes. If you're sensitive to it, plan accordingly. If you're up higher in elevation in the timberlands, there will be less of it. Within an hour of Roseburg, you can be in some highly variable environments, from oak savanna river bottoms to high country cascade bluffs to coast range timber co clearcuts and reprod, it all depends on which way you head. The country you're in will usually dictate the best style of hunting.

 

[NikTheHick]

As mentioned above, a tree stand can be your best friend. Depending on the terrain of the private you are hunting. A fawn in distress call can sometimes bring them in to investigate. Not a guarantee but a good option to have in your back pocket.

 

[Hackleback]

Plenty of poison oak, especially down low.

 

[Rogue Bay]

It’s been mentioned several times, but I don’t think it can be overstated how difficult they can be to spot. You can spend a lot of time glassing a cut or a burn and swear it’s devoid of life and a blacktail will suddenly move right in front of you. So be patient and when you’re sure you’ve seen everything, look again!

I’m sure you’ll have a great time. Blacktails are humbling but addictive. Please give us a report after your hunt.

 

[Pdzoller]

There’s no deer near Roseburg. Wolves, cats and grizzly killed everything.

 

[SwiftShot]

If they are not in the rut, blacktail bucks have an uber small area. We are talking super small.

 

[welkin]

They will sometimes let you get super, super close (like ten yards) before they bust if they're bedded down.

 

[Oregonhntfsh]

I live here. PM me specific questions you have and I can point you in the right direction.