Planning my Archery Blacktail Hunt

Joined
Aug 11, 2017
Messages
11
Location
Tombstone, Arizona
In planning my early season blacktail hunt I'm wondering how much these animals are like their Mule Deer cousins. I guess what I'm asking as I prescout digitally is am I looking for high country bowls, burns or a mix? My plan is to hunt the Trinity Alps with my wife and young son. There are a number of very recent burns I see on OnX and many Alpine Basins. Just curious with how you guys who do blacktail would approach your first blacktail hunt and really my wifes first deer hunt with a bow. The plan is to get her at on a few stalks. Thanks for your help!
 
Joined
May 22, 2014
Messages
1,226
I personally like to concentrate on burned areas, they hold more deer from my experience. I hunt a burn thats a few years old and my first bowhunt in there I saw multiple bucks a day and missed a really nice 3 point when I misjudged the yardage, that was my only shot oppritunity that trip. I'll stick with burns and try to get in on the bucks while they are feeding. My experiences with bucks in the bowls is that they are out in the open feeding for a bit in the mornings but then bed in the thick timber and its really tough to keep an eye on them once they move into the timber, if they bed right at the edge of it its ok but more often than not I find them to head deep into the timber. Its so dry that it makes for a really tough stalk in there. If you can get in the burns and spot bucks feeding and try to get in front of them on their way to bed seems to be the best bet. If you have any questions on the areas feel free to shoot me a pm and we can chat.
 

SoCalHunter

Lil-Rokslider
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Sep 30, 2014
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140
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Always heading north
I haven't hunted the Trinity Alps but I heard it's crowded so I would find the most remote location with the thickest timber up high and still hunt at about 100 meters per hour. Just like mule deer you will find them where the people are not. They do tend to like thick cover more than their larger cousins though.

This year I am going to hit the B5 zone wilderness areas. Not sure where yet but will definitely involve a backpack and a long hike in.
 

JNDEER

WKR
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May 2, 2012
Messages
1,503
For a first blacktail hunt with first time archer, unless you and your son have backpacking experience it could be a difficult.

If it was me on my first hunt, depending on actual expectations and what kind of experience you want from the trip having a plan B, C, D which may include "car camping" in any of the surrounding NF where you can cover area in your vehicle would be something to consider.

Years 2-4 I have had the best luck on a burned areas. After that the growth usually makes it harder to find the deer.
 

RosinBag

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Feb 27, 2012
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3,100
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Roseville, CA.
I have hunted the Alps the last 20+ years and i will agree with JNDEER, I wouldn't take on the Alps with a wife and son unless you all three are willing to go in pretty deep. I don't think the Alps are crowded at all during archery season, but rifle is a different story. I don't know your history or physical ability, but the Alps are very difficult to bow hunt.
 

idig4au

WKR
Joined
Jun 1, 2012
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708
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On one of the 7 continents….
I grew up hunting in the Alps, the northern side in particular, as access was literally right outside my door. I think its great that you're taking the family with you. Some of my best memories are the back pack hunting trips up into the high country with family.

Definitely need to be able to backpack in to access more remote areas. I would look for a more remote lake and make that a target base camp and then do day and evening hunts from there. Fish and relax during the day. It allows the family to be occupied while you're there.

Blacktails are quite more elusive to hunt. There is a reason they call them grey ghosts even when they are in the velvet. Burns with fresh growth is a place to start and you will not have trouble finding any as the the Forest Services has done a good job (being sarcastic) in burning out hundreds of thousands of acres of wilderness up there the past few years.
 

Beendare

WKR
Joined
May 6, 2014
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8,247
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Corripe cervisiam
Blacktails and Mulies are similar in the mtns like the Trinities. They like those high open pockets....burns are good. Blacktails will retreat to cover more even in velvet, making it a little tougher as mulies in archery season pretty much stick to openings like sage brush meadows, etc. so they don't bump their antlers.

Its all about pockets in the Trinitys....and finding those. The bucks will be in bachelor groups...I've seen as many as 16 in a group. They get a lot of backpacking pressure in there and those blacktails don't like that so its best to get up high and glass into the different pockets. If you don't see them....move. Those deer aren't equally distributed.

BTW, Typically I see as many if not more bears in the Trinities and the Marbles....as the bears will be up high that time of year too.
 
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