Koda
Hammer Time Executive member
Maybe I should save my uphill advantage to evening hunts?
I cant recall, I think Ive read the blacktails like to bed uphill on the side of a hill just below the tops? I need to revisit my notes...
Blacktail patterns, strategy and chat
- Thread starter Koda
- Start date
I cant recall, I think Ive read the blacktails like to bed uphill on the side of a hill just below the tops? I need to revisit my notes...
MeatBuck
Hammer Time Executive member
Ive found them to be less than patternable. As well as very unpredictable. That’s why time afield is important. If an ozonics machine or a ground blind or both are needed to make it possible to stay all day, I’d try to add them to the repertoire.
Koda
Hammer Time Executive member
I struggle to pattern them here. Closest I came is in one spot I had 3 cams close together. One cam always had them moving down hill. Mostly the does that lived there. Once Oct hit, the 3 cams went dead. Then a homeless camp moved into my parking spot, then they burned an huge RV down, and now theres signs they are gonna log the area. I pulled out of that good spot, theres a 4pt back there.
I dont think I can afford an ozonics right now. Clothes are washed in unscented detergent and I have a wind layer on my GPS app. But will be working on making ground blinds from surrounding material out there and just leave it. The brush is so thick I can usually find enough to hide behind too. Most shots in dark heavy timber here will be about 50 to 75yds max.
MeatBuck
Hammer Time Executive member
The ground blinds I’m talking about are enclosed so your scent stays inside better.
If you pair one with an ozonics. You set it up to mask your scent as it pulls out an open “window”.
The blinds from ameristep are what I use for turkey and deer, they run around $100-150.
They allow for lots of movement so long as it’s quiet.
But I know the lack of funds situation too well. I do not have ozonics either. I rather spot and stalk in my rifle hunt area to scout and get my time in rather than travel further to an area that’s timbered just to sit the blind. So the blind has not been deployed for deer in a few years. But it’s there when I need it again.
les
Hammer Time Executive member
You guys have me missing blacktail hunting in southern Oregon. A trick I learned in Wisconsin is to adapt to the environment. When I hunted on Fritz's farm, I hung my hunting clothes in the barn the day before. I hunted in a flannel and blue jeans, not camo. The deer associated my clothes and smell with a "harmless" farmer. Back to blacktails. I used the same scent control. I would gather brush and branches from where I was hunting and put it in a plastic bag with my clothes overnight. I don't own ozonics, and I have hunted with one. The buzz and the smell of ozone isn't my cup of tea. I do like blind hunting. However what I miss most is the very very very slow stalk and spot through the woods for them. I mean stalk first and hopefully spot. I also used the wind. Those puffers are invaluable. If you are quiet and they don't smell you, it is amazing how close you can get. I still remember vividly my second nice blacktail buck. I was working up a draw and the wind was coming down it. I had moved about 300 yards in an hour being quiet and got thirsty and a bit hungry. I sat on an old stump and as I was digging in my pack i could see 4 deer legs about 40 yards away. The body and head were in the brush. I lifted my binos and I could see the horns. That deer had spotted me. I took my drink and acted like I didn't know he was there. I slowly moved my rifle into my lap. It took close to a half hour get the rifle up and drill that buck! Oh was that fun! When I hunted blacktails, I looked for sign and then worked my way around looking for them. I never thought you could pattern them. The older guy I hunted with told me that you can't really pattern them, but just find the area they are living in. One of the Fish and Game guys told me that Blacktails often live their whole lives in an area about 800 yards by 800 yards.
2Tone
Hammer Time Executive member
Good stuff guys! Good luck trying to pattern a mature buck that ain’t gonna happen.@Koda if you can’t do the sit and glass for a hour at a time during prime hours find a quiet old skid road or a blocked off gated road walk 5 ft glass and so on I have killed many a black tail that way sneaking down old road.I find a lot of short hunts work best for me but it may take me an hour or 2 to hunt 1/4 mile if that far in the coast range of course scent control.
Koda
Hammer Time Executive member
This is much of what I'm doing. I look for spots with a concentration of sign ...scat and beds. The scat has to be fresh all around the area. That's how I know I'm on them, usually does... but there's always a buck close by. Trail cams usually pick up any younger bucks.... but every now and then the big buck will get caught on a cam. I put the cams in a very small area around all the sign, in a triangular pattern (at least 3 cams per spot) to maximize movement in the spot.
Then I spend summer scouting at least 3 routes into the fringes of this spot where I can watch from hiding.
MeatBuck
Hammer Time Executive member
If you have areas that you think will be all to yourself then it’s worth putting in time with a machete. Work to clear a path into or through your spot and then clear shooting lanes once you pick the best location to sit.
You can work quickly with a machete and blow through a few hundred yards of trail. That should afford you a good half day of still hunting if that’s your thing.
Get a few yards off the main road before chopping so as not to show anyone else your spot. Then you can make the trail loop up to a ridge top or wherever and back down to the road so you can do loops instead of an out and back.
You can work quickly with a machete and blow through a few hundred yards of trail. That should afford you a good half day of still hunting if that’s your thing.
Get a few yards off the main road before chopping so as not to show anyone else your spot. Then you can make the trail loop up to a ridge top or wherever and back down to the road so you can do loops instead of an out and back.
Koda
Hammer Time Executive member
100% on my list.
Although it takes time and I'm a family man too so "moving in" a hunting spot isn't going to happen all in one summer. This weekend is the fair with the kid, an evening concert with the wife... I told her I'm gone on Sunday scouting, might set up a ground blind with natural materials out there.
If I dont have anything pre setup, One advantage I have is I've learned how to navigate off trail here, most don't and never get as deep in the dark timber as I do. Most... (the bow hunters are more dedicated ). Typically if I start seeing hunter sign I move on to other digs but that's only happened once. Most rifle hunters aren't that dedicated. I also use lidar data in my escout app and find old logging skid roads long grown back in but provide a natural path.... the elk usually do the work on those and there's already a game trail many times.
MeatBuck
Hammer Time Executive member
Take your kid too.
Koda
Hammer Time Executive member
I wish, but she's not expressing an interest in hunting.Take your kid too.
MeatBuck
Hammer Time Executive member
Getting outdoors and going hunting are two different things. May be that simply being out in the woods sparks that interest.
Not to overstep my bounds because I don’t know you or your situation but to me kids absolutely do not get outside/outdoors near enough these days. Too many indoor distractions and devices that take up their time nowadays.
My daughter does not like bugs or long grass and weeds. I’ve got a long way to go to get her out on a deer hunt. We tried the turkeys in the blind with mom but when the birds didn’t come she was over it. But that’s basically just at home in the orchard. 3-400yd from the house. Although she is very interested in hunting it’s the little things that we will have to work on to make it happen in the deer woods. Hopefully she will age out of the bugs and grass thing.
My son is 12 years older than her and has been hunting and following me around chasing turkeys and doves and fish just about as long. When he turned 12 he was able to finally start on deer. He’s killed at least one per year since. Anyhow, they’re completely different and I think my work is cut out on my daughter.
Getting off topic now, sorry.
Koda
Hammer Time Executive member
Agree. Took her hiking the other weekend. Beach camping trip next month. Taking the wife on a 5 day backpack trip this summer. Trying to get my daughter outdoors as much as I can, but the hunting part shes not interested in so much. My wife doesnt hunt so its pretty much solo for me, save a couple hunting partners. Absolutly agree on the electronic distractions its overwhelming.Getting outdoors and going hunting are two different things. May be that simply being out in the woods sparks that interest.
Not to overstep my bounds because I don’t know you or your situation but to me kids absolutely do not get outside/outdoors near enough these days. Too many indoor distractions and devices that take up their time nowadays.
2Tone
Hammer Time Executive member
Kids are tuff to figure out some times, don’t give up make it about them and not you! My daughter loved hunting until she was 15 then she took a hiatus from it for 5 years and is into taxidermy, Now her and her husband live and breathe it from bear deer and elk and are stupid successful! My son has hunted with me since he could legally do it as well. Raising them right is our motto!! Youngins are hard to keep motivated. As far as blackies go take the last 5 days and hunt your baskside off Halloween on early season will and can drain you!
Koda
Hammer Time Executive member
For whatever reason they moved our seasons out a week this year, so 1 week closer to the rut if not already in it.
The "problem" this year is I drew my 5 year any bull tag, the season is concurrent with the last week of deer season.
so not only do I not get to hunt the blacktail rut, my deer season is also a week shorter this year.
2Tone
Hammer Time Executive member
Ya that won’t work for you..ODFW there clueless I'm liking the the new dates but it will only last a couple seasons im thinking 
come on they took away the last five days 20 plus years ago because to many big bucks were getting taken in those last days and to top it off any visible antler now!!! They tried this with elk back in 99 having 1st season middle of October lasted I think 2 seasons before they realized too many bulls died because Rut wasn’t over..For you just keep grinding. You’re not doing it wrong.
come on they took away the last five days 20 plus years ago because to many big bucks were getting taken in those last days and to top it off any visible antler now!!! They tried this with elk back in 99 having 1st season middle of October lasted I think 2 seasons before they realized too many bulls died because Rut wasn’t over..For you just keep grinding. You’re not doing it wrong.
MeatBuck
Hammer Time Executive member
California rifle deer opener is this Saturday, you guys fired up yet?
Loads all developed.
Zeros are checked.
Dope charts are made up.
Packs loaded up and ready for food and drinks.
Just need to verify drops and nail down the final version of plan A (and maybe a couple back up plans) for opening morning.
Loads all developed.
Zeros are checked.
Dope charts are made up.
Packs loaded up and ready for food and drinks.
Just need to verify drops and nail down the final version of plan A (and maybe a couple back up plans) for opening morning.
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