On the following day, things changed.  For the first time, does milled about throughout the day, and lesser bucks began chasing them.  That evening a lone doe worked her way up a draw, soon attracting a love-stricken buck.  The rack stood out in stark contrast against the lush timber from where he'd emerged.  It was a nontypical Columbia blacktail, the kind of buck you dream of.

            He pushed hard, turning her off the trail that would have seen them both cross beneath my stand.  When I saw the magnitude of the buck, changing my strategy to spot-and-stalk was an easy decision.

            Hustling up the backside of a ridge, I worked my way a couple hundred yards ahead of the deer.  Within minutes the doe appeared and the rangefinder registered 25 yards.  Coming to full-draw, I waited for the trailing buck to show.  His head was first to be framed in my white-rimmed, Spot-Hogg sights as he broke through a line of young cedars.  Fixated on his rack, it was tough letting my sight pin slip behind his shoulder.

            At the shot, the 130-class buck didn't twitch a muscle and the 100 grain Rocky Mountain Razor Lite sliced through his vitals.  Soon I stood in admiration of a gorgeous 6x6 with nubby eye guards.

            Having spent a lifetime pursuing these awesome forest dwellers of the Pacific Northwest, I was elated to have just scored on my largest Columbia blacktail ever.  Had I not sacrificed one strategy for another, I may not have filled my tag that day.

            Late season blacktail deer hunts offer perhaps the best opportunity for archers to score on a truly magnificent buck.  I’ve been blessed to hunt big game in many parts of the world and throughout North America, and can honestly say that consistently attaining a trophy class Columbia blacktail is among the most challenging of all.  These hunts overlap with the primary rut, and often a second rut, meaning bucks are active during the day.  In addition, hill country occupied by high-ranging deer can often be hunted with surprising success along migration routes.  But the first step to success lies in knowing how these secretive deer behave late in the year, then planning your approach to fit the situation.

Understanding Behavior

            It's imperative to understand the ways of the blacktail deer before hunting them.  These are secretive, highly nocturnal deer, and this especially holds true for mature bucks.  Given a high percentage of Columbia blacktail bucks typically live and die within one square mile of real estate, it's a wonder they're not seen more frequently.  After all, there are a surprising number of big bucks around.

            Finding sign of these bucks is usually not a problem; finding the actual deer is.  Rub lines, trails and feeding areas are all fairly easy to locate.  But because wise bucks move under cover of darkness, few people ever see them.  Their bedding areas are typically in places so dense in foliage, getting close to them is all but impossible.  Instead, hunters find all the sign they can, then put the pieces of the puzzle together in hopes of catching a buck in the open during legal shooting hours.

            The rut is obviously the best time to catch these wiley old bucks out and about.  At this time, does are in heat and bucks sacrifice food and sleep to service all the females they can.  Big bucks will run themselves ragged during the course of the breeding season, which can last three weeks or more.  Dominant bucks can cover a great deal of land, every bit of a square mile at least once a day.

            Late one season, about 10:00 a.m., I observed a good 5x5 chasing does amid young fir trees.  Six hours later I saw him over a mile away, chasing a single doe in heat.  It goes to show how far these bucks will travel in broad daylight during the rut.

            In their lower elevation ranges, bucks will emerge from thick cover to seek does in heat.  A high number of bucks move horizontally along ridges in their search, while a few good trophies will migrate down to the valley floor and heavily wooded river bottoms.

            If targeting big bucks on the fringes of the Cascade Range of Washington, Oregon or northern California, seasonal migration is another factor late season archers can use to their advantage.  These movements are driven primarily by bad weather and deep snows and routinely coincide with the rut, meaning good numbers of bucks can be seen dropping in elevation and chasing does.

            Knowing when, where and why bucks begin moving late in the year, hunters can employ three techniques that will swing the odds of success in their favor.  Used commonly in the whitetail world, these strategies can be equally effective on blacktails.

Take A Stand

            A primary reason hunters are hesitant to hang tree stands for blacktails is because they don't know where to start.  Given the dense habitat these deer live in, it can be overwhelming when looking for the perfect setup tree.

            If you've discovered a new section of hunting land, spend time during the summer months looking for bucks in velvet as well as old sign.  Last season's rub lines, areas that have been browsed and primary trails are all indicators bucks are using an area.  At the same time, bucks in velvet can often be seen in the open during the summer, foraging for food and avoiding the thick brush because of their sensitive antlers.

            Ideally, if you can find a place where several trails merge at the end of a ridge or in a draw, setting up a stand within range of the junction may be all it takes.  Search for strips of standing timber or heavy brush that link food sources to bedding areas, and even big patches of timber with one another.  Bucks like sticking to these covered pathways for the protection they offer.

            Search for funnels, tree lines connecting timber and areas in which deer will congregate.  Draws, saddles and even fence lines can also force deer into a small area.  Look for downed fences or places where deer cross beneath fences, for trails often converge at such sites, making them primary places of interest for tree stand hunters.

            When you do hang that stand 15-30 up in a tree, do so with confidence and give it a chance to work.  If more than one area appeals to you, it's better to hang multiple stands than cause disruption by moving a single stand from place to place.  It may take several days for a stand to produce, then again, it can happen quickly.

 

Author used a BowTech Rattle Bag.

Rattling Blacktails

            The first time I tried rattling in blacktails, a nice buck sprinted from heavy cover and my partner whacked him at 10 yards.  Later that afternoon, another massive buck was rattled in, but never offered me a shot.  That was more than 20 years ago, and rattling in wiley blacktails is still a favorite approach of mine.

            Last season I relied on my BowTech Rattle Bag to help fill my tag.  The deer in the area I hunted were skittish, but responsive and plentiful.  I knew persistence would pay off and after rattling in seven bucks over the course of a six days, a dandy buck finally gave me a shot.  He wasn’t the monster I’d brought in a few days prior, but nonetheless, he was a good buck, and I knew I couldn’t pass him up.

            Not always do blacktails respond to the first challenge call or tick of antlers.  In fact, it can take several minutes to convince a buck he needs to check out what's going on.  When I first began rattling, often I gave up too soon.  Now, when I set up to call and rattle -- especially if I know deer are in the area -- I give them at least an hour to respond.

            If the wind is questionable and I don't want to risk giving myself away by moving, I'll stay put up to two hours, trying to pull that deer to me.  If it's windy and rainy, I'll move with more ease knowing my scent and sounds are masked.

            In the course of my sequence, rattling dominates more than calling, for blacktails aren't overly vocal creatures.  The occasional tending grunt teamed with a snort and wheeze and doe bleats are all good calls.  Rattling can be very aggressive and drawn out.  Tearing up surrounding brush, leaves and pounding the ground is essential.

            I like situating myself near a blowdown, or at least several dead limbs, where they can be snapped and cracked to draw attention.  At the same time, I prefer having a thick stick with which to strike the ground, simulating a deer's pounding feet during a fight.  This sound is a deep, resonating thud that carries a great distance in the woods.

            Calling blacktails is an active approach.  Because approaching bucks can dial in on the action, it's wise to have one person as a designated caller/rattler and one as the shooter.  Expect deer to respond, and always be on the lookout.  Sometimes bucks sneak in so quietly, they are within range before you even see them.

Spot-and-stalk brought this one in.

Spot-N-Stalk

            Though rattling in a big blacktail is a rush, it's stalking to within range that really gets my blood pumping.  Putting the sneak on these cagey deer in their forested domain is the ultimate in blacktail accomplishments.

            In no other tactical approach are the odds stacked so heavily against the hunter as in spot-and-stalk hunting, but the payoffs can be huge.  One season I sat two full days in a stand without seeing a deer.  I'd seen some bucks from the stand earlier in the season, but no shooters.  Then, even the does disappeared.

            On the evening of the third day, I decided to seek out the does, figuring they'd found food elsewhere.  Not only did I find the does, but in the course of 30 minutes, saw three bucks, two of which were easy book qualifiers.  Though I was within range of two of the three bucks, no shots were presented.  It wasn't until the following day that I'd finally get the shot I wanted, thanks to spot-and-stalk.

            When locating and stealthing to within range of blacktails, cover ground slowly.  Because you're often hunting in brushy confines, looking for parts of deer rather than the entire animal is essential.  An ear, leg, body patch or even an antler tine is what you're looking for.

            The key, as with any spot-and-stalk hunting, is to locate the animal before it sees you.  Because blacktail cover is so thick, often times the deer are in range the first time they are seen, meaning hunters need be ready for anything at any given moment.

            During the rut, as bucks aren't feeding or spending much time snoozing, hunters will want to target does.  Given they come into estrus only one time approximately every 28 days, and that their time in heat lasts about 24 hours, the window in which a doe can be bred is small.

            If bucks aren't actively pursuing does, move on.  Late in the season, does will typically congregate in one area.  This is why finding multiple pockets of does is a good decision.  The more does you can find, the better your chances of connecting on a buck when the does do come into estrus.  You can even have good luck intercepting bucks as they move between groups of does.

            No matter where you find yourself on a late season blacktail hunt, consider trying new approaches, or variations thereof.  Be aggressive, yet secretive, just like the prey you're after.  Only by putting into practice a well designed game plan will the success of outwitting one of our country’s most elusive deer be realized.

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