Trophy Blactail Question

K

KILLBUX

Guest
Since Eastern Oregon doesn't have much in the way of trophy mule deer, I'm thinking of hunting the west side next year. Does anyone have advice for public land trophy blacktail? I grew up hunting blacktail in northern ca and now live in Southeastern Oregon. Any input on general areas (unit, county, etc.) would be helpful. I know nothing about hunting the west side.
 
Well I grew up on the southern oregon coast and didnt start seeing monster bucks killed until the fires started working over the coast.

Applegate, Evans Creek, and Rogue units have some big blacktails and what they now call Cascade blacktails east of I-5. I hunted the Trinity Alps 3 years in a row. If I was still young enough I would go back. We killed 2 book bucks in those 3 years and should have done better. P.M. if you need more specific info where are you coming from. JB
 
Trophy Blacktails are the hardest trophy to get in my opinion. My suggestion is to target areas that hold trophy bucks...so looking in the record book for entries will help you target an area. You may want to look into a muzzle loader hunt...

Believe me big blacktails are tough!



If you take your kids hunting when they
are young you wont be hunting your kids
when they get older!
 
I'm NOT an expert, Far from it on blacktail. But blacktail are deer and they all act about the same. What you know about deer in other areas is useful in the hunt for blacktail. Trophy blacktail is a game of luck. Ridge tops and bedding areas is where i find the most bucks, Feeding areas, in areas with NO hunting pressure will also have bucks. Once bucks see hunters they go deep. Look in areas where deer can watch for predators with escape routes. Make a hunt plan, For example, I think there might be bedded bucks on this bench, The wind is coming down the hill onto the deers back while he has a 270deg view down hill and to the side. I can try to sneak in from the side and hope i see him in his bed before he busts out. I can sneak above him and hope i see him in his bed before my sent blows him out. I can come at him from below, glassing every sqft of the bench as i approach hoping to determine his bed location before he blows out. Make a plan and follow it. You will make a lot of mistakes but if you hunt all day every day, in time that mature buck will blink.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------support your local guzzlers. OHA life member,lapine oregon
 
Are the season dates critical? I mean rifle vs. say the late archery hunt? What time of year do the bucks over there start to rut? Are the majority of the rifle hunts over the counter?
 
LAST EDITED ON Jan-05-12 AT 07:40PM (MST)[p]>Are the season dates critical?
>I mean rifle vs. say
>the late archery hunt?
>What time of year do
>the bucks over there start
>to rut? Are the
>majority of the rifle hunts
>over the counter?


well the general rifle end on the first week of Nov and i've yet to see a rutting buck then, seen a few nice bucks taken on the late archery hunt this year

3353bukie.jpg
 
You can catch blacktails in the rut during both the general rifle and late archery season. My family, friends, and myself have had great hunts during both seasons. Just depends on what weapon you want to hunt with.
 
Back
Top Bottom