Scouting Blacktail in Mendocino NF - fears of latest Heat Wave

hnguy061

FNG
Joined
Jun 27, 2022
Messages
9
Hey All,

I am headed out tomorrow for a final scouting trip for blacktail bucks out in B3 section on Mendocino NF. It has been pretty hot around here with the many recent heat waves (3 in the past month, and Record heat this past weekend), so I'm a bit worried about the area we have been scouting, which contains a small creek running at the base of the main drainage.

This valley I have been scouting contains a rugged peak with a main drainage at the base of the mountain, which contains many finger ridges and smaller valleys branching out from the main creek. This area is very dry, but there is a lot of tree cover in the valleys and along north facing slopes of mixed pine and acorn bearing oaks among old burns from the 2018 fires (which seem to be growing back well). That means this area generally marks the boxes for food, water, shelter.

What are your experiences with blacktail and how far they will generally bed from water, and how long or far they tend to relocate if water becomes more scarce? I'm worried that if this creek slows down to a tiny trickle, it would reduce the water quality enough that they would venture off to find other sources of water and other locations to bed, leading to a population shift in this ideal place I've been scouting for most of the summer.
 

Rob5589

WKR
Joined
Sep 6, 2014
Messages
6,243
Location
N CA
If you see any, it'll be a very first and last light. They'll be moving mostly at night especially with the full moon this weekend. I'm headed to D this weekend and plan to still hunt through the canyon bottoms near creeks and shade. I don't expect much action to be honest but I can't kill em from the couch. Good luck!
 
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hnguy061

FNG
Joined
Jun 27, 2022
Messages
9
Thanks. It will be the end of the heat wave, with a 15-20 degree drop and cloudy weather between friday to saturday. I'm hoping this pattern of cooler weather will allow them to be more active at dusk/dawn. And maybe during midday.

I plan to be exploring and still hunting the brush and valley bottoms in the thicker brush during the mid day hours.

It should be much cooler in October during the general season as well.
 

JNDEER

WKR
Joined
May 2, 2012
Messages
1,503
I have killed a few blacktail... and in my experience water is the last thing to look for. I wouldn't worry if the water dries up, they will be where they want to be. Sometimes its 1/2 mile from any water source and sometimes its 1 mile. Usually they will stick to that 1/2 mile general area in low low elevation. For the upper elevation hunting, I wouldn't be concerned with water.
 
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hnguy061

FNG
Joined
Jun 27, 2022
Messages
9
I just got back yesterday from scouting the Mendocino NF.

I ended up having to change locations from where I escouted, since a large downed tree and a locked gate blocked the only 2 paths into the area. I ended up driving to another area I had chosen previously about an hour and a half north of where I was, and camped at the summit of a ridge at about 6000 feet.

Lots of fresh burn from 2020 complex fire. Lots of fresh deer sign around in the new growth and surviving forest.

Stayed the night for what was the transition from the final day of this record setting heat wave we were having, hoping that the change to cooler mornings would stir up the blacktail activity in the area.
Woke up to temperatures of about 55 degrees for first light.

Made my way up the summit again to glass the adjacent valleys and forest. Tree cover in this part of the Mendocino NF is so dense, so hard trouble finding deer in the small pockets that were visible.

Eventually was about to locate quite a few groups of does. No bucks, but certainly a good sign that the area was able to accommodate a healthy population of deer.

Some pictures of the landscape and some does for you guys.
 

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Rob5589

WKR
Joined
Sep 6, 2014
Messages
6,243
Location
N CA
Good stuff. Not much luck here either; bumped a deer from some thick stuff but never saw what it was. Just heard it bound off and blow at me. Did come across a small forky but no shot opportunity. That was only deer I laid eyes on. No bear sign which was unusual for the area. Normally see lots of sign and a few bears. There had been a lot of fire below where I was. It had been two years since I was up there. It was hot, super dry, but worse than that was smoke drifting in from the south made it tough to deal with.
 
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hnguy061

FNG
Joined
Jun 27, 2022
Messages
9
That still sounds like a good time. No bucks sighted for me.

There was something walking around near our camp in the middle of the night, but I didn't go out to see what it was. Small, light footprints, so I was thinking a deer, not bear, since we did see some deer sign only a 100 yards or so from our summit camp.

Surprisingly, I was right about the cooler mornings, and during our drive out of the area, we did see quite a few does leaping across the road and we noticed a lot more deer activity near the roads as we drove by. Didn't stop at too many of the groups to get a good look as we were in a hurry to get home, but I may do a little road hunting on the drive up if we do see these groups again. Hopefully there isn't too much hunting pressure in this area to drive them all nocturnal again.

I'm pretty pumped for getting back up here when general season starts.
 
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hnguy061

FNG
Joined
Jun 27, 2022
Messages
9
I haven't been back up since last weekend's scout.
The rains will definitely keep things moist and flowing until I am able to get up there for my rifle hunt.
 

2-Stix

WKR
Joined
Oct 7, 2020
Messages
441
That still sounds like a good time. No bucks sighted for me.

There was something walking around near our camp in the middle of the night, but I didn't go out to see what it was. Small, light footprints, so I was thinking a deer, not bear, since we did see some deer sign only a 100 yards or so from our summit camp.

Surprisingly, I was right about the cooler mornings, and during our drive out of the area, we did see quite a few does leaping across the road and we noticed a lot more deer activity near the roads as we drove by. Didn't stop at too many of the groups to get a good look as we were in a hurry to get home, but I may do a little road hunting on the drive up if we do see these groups again. Hopefully there isn't too much hunting pressure in this area to drive them all nocturnal again.

I'm pretty pumped for getting back up here when general season starts.
Road hunting will get you covering the most ground and you see the most animals. I have killed half my bucks before 8 and half in the last 15 mins of light. Blacktail have a mile radius. And when you see a doe...sit and watch...often the buck is right there behind them. If they are rutting, the pressure doesn't matter much in my experience.
 
Joined
Oct 1, 2013
Messages
714
Location
Northern California
The best time to scout is late july. The bucks have some good bone on there head by then and the archery/road hunt/scouters aren’t super thick yet. Bucks have specific areas where they tend to be. Find one of those spots away from roads and other traffic and they should still be there come season. I wouldn’t spend any time worrying about water. Bucks will stay in areas that don’t get disturbed by people.
 
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