Blacktail Wa?

Jason277

WKR
Joined
Aug 28, 2019
Messages
360
Location
issaquah wa
Hello all, Just curious how many Wa guys on here hunting blacktail and what weapon they use ,Muzzle , Archery , Modern firearm? I have a multi-season tag. This is my second season deer hunting ever at the age of 40 , Ha!
 

Evergreen

WKR
Joined
Mar 21, 2013
Messages
340
I'll be chasing them around all three seasons also. Never too late to start hunting, good luck!!!
 

Sundance

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jul 9, 2014
Messages
192
I'm a western WA (coastal) blacktail junkie. I buy my modern rifle tag and use archery equipment to hunt them. The OTC modern tag IMO is the best time of year to hunt blacktail in WA. You get pre rut and post rut with the general and the late rifle season. There are some great alpine opportunities in September with the archery tag and the high buck rifle hunt as well. I draw my multi-season tag almost every year but didn't buy it this year, not enough time to hunt in September for deer, just elk. The statistics aren't the best, but I believe that with enough scouting and hunting the right time a person can have a shot at a P&Y blacktail every year OTC in WA on public access lands.
 

Sundance

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jul 9, 2014
Messages
192
I will add that 90% of the orange army in October hunts weekends and either road hunts from trucks or sits on clear cuts. Whitetail tactics are the most under used blacktail strategy in WA. Tree stands, saddle stands, rattling, grunts and scent trails are proven tactics for blacktails. Another interesting tidbit is all my P&Y and B&C bucks were shot under 50 yards in thick cover like alder bottoms and big timber transition zones. I have never killed a buck in a clear cut for what it's worth.
 
OP
Jason277

Jason277

WKR
Joined
Aug 28, 2019
Messages
360
Location
issaquah wa
Awesome info, I'm definitely going the tree stand method as well using scents and rattling !! I figure why not! Im trying mostly in transition areas with archery and muzzleloader due to the fact that most of the spots do not allow modern firearm. The multi-season tag should come in handy! GMU 454
 

Sundance

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jul 9, 2014
Messages
192
Depending on where you live in 454 you might consider hunting the Olympic peninsula. There are some good bucks on the east side of 454 going into the foothills and around the watershed. Don’t overlook going to 460 as well,
 

colersu22

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Joined
Apr 10, 2016
Messages
1,017
Location
Wa
You can also have 5 gallons of bait, I see a lot of black tail killed out of a tree stand with wet cob or apples out to bring them in. The spots I hunt in 454 I mainly see doe in the early archery season but come November the bucks are around. With the multi season tag you can hunt during the modern season with your bow which will give the the best chances being close to the rut so don’t discount taking your bow out during modern season especially if you find a spot that has fire arm restrictions since you could be the only one hunting that area.
 

Sundance

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jul 9, 2014
Messages
192
I used to run 5-10 bait piles a year in WA before the reg. changes and having kids. It got to the point where I wouldn't even bother to hang cameras until October. The bait conditions the does to an area April-November and the bucks move in around the rut to scent check the does. I've never shot a buck over bait but I took a couple dandy's within 200 yards of a bait station where the does were staging or transition areas from the bedding area to the bait.
 
Joined
Dec 3, 2018
Messages
307
I have multi season this year but if I have to
Choose I’d say the archery tag is best, it’s a long season and you have a lot more time to get it done.
 

Sundance

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jul 9, 2014
Messages
192
Check out Boyd Iverson's book and Scott Haugen's book on blacktails. Tons of knowledge in there. Scott usually does a couple seminars every year at the Puyallup Sportsman's show in January, Tom Ryle does some killer seminars out of Sportco in Fife and Cabelas in Lacey.

 
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Jason277

Jason277

WKR
Joined
Aug 28, 2019
Messages
360
Location
issaquah wa
Awesome !! I plan on hunting modern with a bow in areas that don't allow centerfire. Yes, and the multi-season is great for a longer season! Thanks for the suggestions. I'm just happy to hear other people are getting after Blacktails in Wa! There are tough!
 
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Jason277

Jason277

WKR
Joined
Aug 28, 2019
Messages
360
Location
issaquah wa
Check out Boyd Iverson's book and Scott Haugen's book on blacktails. Tons of knowledge in there. Scott usually does a couple seminars every year at the Puyallup Sportsman's show in January, Tom Ryle does some killer seminars out of Sportco in Fife and Cabelas in Lacey.

Tom is an awesome guy!! I have talked to him a few times. He is very, very knowledgable about all things blacktail and a great guy!
 

Sundance

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jul 9, 2014
Messages
192
Yeah he taught me a lot over the years, he and I are meeting up for elk hunting in a week. There was a 5-part series on hunting blacktail that he wrote which was priceless. I will see if he can send me a pdf/word doc and pass it along.
 
OP
Jason277

Jason277

WKR
Joined
Aug 28, 2019
Messages
360
Location
issaquah wa
Yeah he taught me a lot over the years, he and I are meeting up for elk hunting in a week. There was a 5-part series on hunting blacktail that he wrote which was priceless. I will see if he can send me a pdf/word doc and pass it along.
That would be awesome!!
 

BigAl!

WKR
Joined
Sep 18, 2019
Messages
462
I'm a western WA (coastal) blacktail junkie. I buy my modern rifle tag and use archery equipment to hunt them. The OTC modern tag IMO is the best time of year to hunt blacktail in WA. You get pre rut and post rut with the general and the late rifle season. There are some great alpine opportunities in September with the archery tag and the high buck rifle hunt as well. I draw my multi-season tag almost every year but didn't buy it this year, not enough time to hunt in September for deer, just elk. The statistics aren't the best, but I believe that with enough scouting and hunting the right time a person can have a shot at a P&Y blacktail every year OTC in WA on public access lands.


Hey Sundance, first year bow hunting blacktail in unit 460. You mention there are some great alpine opportunities in September with this tag, where might I look? Not limited to unit 460. Feel free to PM me too. Thank you.
 

Sundance

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jul 9, 2014
Messages
192
Hey Sundance, first year bow hunting blacktail in unit 460. You mention there are some great alpine opportunities in September with this tag, where might I look? Not limited to unit 460. Feel free to PM me too. Thank you.
PM incoming
 
Joined
May 2, 2014
Messages
32
Yeah he taught me a lot over the years, he and I are meeting up for elk hunting in a week. There was a 5-part series on hunting blacktail that he wrote which was priceless. I will see if he can send me a pdf/word doc and pass it along.
Sundance did you ever get this in pdf or Word? I'd love to have a copy.
 
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