Oregon Blacktail advice

[MeatBuck]

If you want to up your odds, ditch the archery equipment.

 

[Dustin the wind]

^^^ I would second the rifle season idea. You could blow a lot of rifle opportunities before getting a change at fling an arrow, and that's after the really harder part of glassing a buck in the first place.

 

[Chugaglug]

hunted sixes and tioga, love blacktail. many of the smaller timber companies allow you to walk in for some great hunting, sounds like you are prepared for that though. for rifle hunt the end of season. focus on logged units 1-3 years old. they will certainly be in older units but damn hard to see them with how fast things grow down there. Season doesn't go very late this year but next year is going to be killer with the way the dates line out. hunt hard all day on those rainy days. bucks will just be sitting out in clear cuts soaking in the rain. glass HARD, those bucks will tuck in near the bases of stumps, logs, brush, edges of units. if you have a partner have them push through units to get deer moving, after glassing the crap out of it. had deer sit tight until you practically step on them. bring a rattle bag and fawn call.

 

[Kimbersig]

hunted sixes and tioga, love blacktail. many of the smaller timber companies allow you to walk in for some great hunting, sounds like you are prepared for that though. for rifle hunt the end of season. focus on logged units 1-3 years old. they will certainly be in older units but damn hard to see them with how fast things grow down there. Season doesn't go very late this year but next year is going to be killer with the way the dates line out. hunt hard all day on those rainy days. bucks will just be sitting out in clear cuts soaking in the rain. glass HARD, those bucks will tuck in near the bases of stumps, logs, brush, edges of units. if you have a partner have them push through units to get deer moving, after glassing the crap out of it. had deer sit tight until you practically step on them. bring a rattle bag and fawn call.

Thanks for the advice! we won't be able to hunt the last week of the season and have decided to hunt the 2nd to the last week. might just be a country learning expedition and hopefully kill at least 1 decent buck between the 2 of us and go back next year with better dates. we both have fat bikes with load hauling racks. would biking on timber company land be good to get in deeper and faster? or would it be a hassle?

 

[Chugaglug]

Thanks for the advice! we won't be able to hunt the last week of the season and have decided to hunt the 2nd to the last week. might just be a country learning expedition and hopefully kill at least 1 decent buck between the 2 of us and go back next year with better dates. we both have fat bikes with load hauling racks. would biking on timber company land be good to get in deeper and faster? or would it be a hassle?

Bikes are great unless it’s a road that’s been decommissioned with giant water bars

 

[JDM57]

Find an area thats steep and deep where you can glass. it's amazing how many hunters I hear say they ain't even gonna look off there cause they don't want to have to go down there to get it if they shot it. Find these spots and then glass, glass, and glass some more.

 

[JDM57]

I have hunted Western Oregon for many years. Used to tromp thru the woods and rarely saw anything. Now a big believer in sitting and glassing the many cut's that can be found. Get the Oregon chip for OnX and scout from your home. Good glass and patience to tear apart a cut. Long distance shooting capability is very helpful.

 

[Hun10-freak]

Here is a monster I saw the other day but it was on private land. S. Oregon

 

[Decupparo]

Here is a monster I saw the other day but it was on private land. S. Oregon

Holy droptine!

 

[Sawfish]

Here is a monster I saw the other day but it was on private land. S. Oregon

Is that his car?

 

[Utmostpoet]

Everything everyone has posted seems to by spot on from my limited experience. The only thing I would add which has lead to my last two coastal Black tails, is when you've found fresh sign around a cut that you're glassing, walk the brush and timber on the fringes of the cut before you move on. Especially if its still morning, or approaching dusk as they will sometimes be hanging out on the fringes having just moved out of the cut or preparing to move out at dusk. last year I was fortunate enough to take a Piebald buck at about 7:50AM in the thinned timber on the edge of a cut I had been glassing since first light. Good luck on the hunt!

 

[Krell]

Good luck fellas.

 

[roosiebull]

Hey all, Since I haven't draw jack this year except for doe antelope in Wyoming, I'm thinking going to Oregon to try my hand at blacktails is the best option. I have killed mule deer, whitetails, coues, and Sitka blacktail so all I have left is a Columbia blacktail. "insert not after anyones honey hole line" I'm really just looking for a fun hunt with a chance at a decent buck. I'm looking more at SW Oregon but my mind could always be changed. I haven't picked a unit yet but I have narrowed it down to a few. If anyone knows SW Oregon and would be willing to chat about the different units in general terms I'd appreciate it! I've been to Portland but that is my extent of visits to Oregon but being in Idaho now I can and plan on going over to do a little scouting before season or may just go earlier in the season and hunt more days. Any advice from anyone on tactics and how hunting Columbia blacktails would be different from any of the above species that I've been successful in hunting? I'm a strong back pack hunter so I plan on taking that gear but I was also thinking of taking a nice base camp with wood stove to dry out gear. Most likely I'll be doing this solo this year.

I can provide advice and help folks with info on my experience with the above species as well as lots of experience with hunting all species in NM and some in Idaho.

thanks!

will you be coming over for rifle season or late archery?

edit: just read that answer in the replies, i will add some suggestions this evening when i get out of the woods

 

[roosiebull]

do your homework on what timber companies allow access, and then find an area with lots of huntable ground around. avoid really popular areas, those areas are generally popular because they do hold deer, but lots of places do, so there is no reason to have that factor at play

my MO was always start at some spot at daylight (be mindful of wind when figuring out your approach to a glassing point, if you find a spot with sign you want to hunt, you should be careful or you will make any decent buck pretty tough to kill (if he sticks around)

I usually do 2-4 miles of walking in the dark, even if there is lots of country you walk by, some people have no concept of courtesy, and will walk in on you, so I like giving myself some time before other potential hunters walk in on you.

like mentioned above, spend lots of time behind your glass, good glass is very beneficial hunting blacktails. I like glassing cuts with some cover, but don't write off newer cuts that look too open. glass from several different positions, it's amazing how little you can see from a stationary position. I like sticking to a stationary spot until sun starts hitting where i'm glassing, because sun gets deer out of their beds, and they are a lot easier to spot when they are up and moving.

when i'm content that I have seen everything i'm gonna see, I will start getting different angles, and focus on shady spots, bucks often will stay in cuts late into the morning, in that perfect little spot that stays in the shade until noon, and they are tough to spot in those places.... that's why they are there.

if I have nothing really going, or early season I like covering ground, and after my first spot I glass, I will start walking stuff out and looking for sign... when I find sign I like, I will focus on that spot the following morning.

about Oct 20th, things get increasingly interesting, there is a small period around the 20th that big bucks will be moving, and hitting the willows hard, and I see some really good bucks late morning/mid day during that time... it's a good little window to be in the woods.

after the 20th, it will be increasingly more common to see younger bucks hanging out with does, and the rest of the season just gets better, and bigger bucks will start being around.

the nastier weather the better for blacktail, they don't like hard wind, but if you find some canyon out of the wind during a good storm, it can be really good.... it's a problem for glassing, but big bucks will be in the open more readily.

my favorite days are frosty mornings... we don't get enough of them on the coast, but it is awesome when we do, they will stay in the open a little longer waiting for the sun to hit them, and then they stand up and appear out of nowhere.

don't give up too early in the day! the last 2 years I killed a good buck late in the morning, warm and sunny... one I shot at 11:20AM, last year 11:45AM, 60+degrees outside. last years was a really good buck, in the middle of a young cut in the wide open feeding with a doe. I had covered a ton of ground that morning already, and had only seen 3 does, almost didn't lift my binos for that wide open cut in direct sunlight, but I was glad I did!

that takes us to the next point..... don't get discouraged, especially early season... it can be tough to glass up bucks early season, especially if you are new to blacktail hunting, so keep a good attitude and keep trying. if you have limited time, save your time for rainy weather early on, and then any time after the 20th of Oct.

I love blacktail hunting, it's a fun time of year for me.... i'm archery hunting them this year, but will be going with friends and family (getting my wife on one is my main goal this season) but I love going... nothing like scanning with your binos when a white snout appears.... then as you focus on it, those dark antlers.... never gets old! late season Blacktail bucks are beautiful animals, and even more so when you have an encounter with a mature buck.

my best advice is put on a air of boots that aren't afraid of doing a little walking, and wear out your binos (tripod helps a lot) it's fun and addicting, and when you start putting together all of the little details, it's not hard to glass up a few nice bucks during a season.

if you aren't seeing deer or sign, then move your operation somewhere else, there are pockets of good deer concentrations, go find them.

make sure you buy a lion tag, we are getting too many of those darn things on the coast, and it's getting more common to see them glassing for blacktail.... it's cheap to buy, and when that lion walks by, you'll be happy you bought one.

there are also pockets of high bear concentrations, so if you care to shoot a bear, buy a tag, because they can be pretty common to glass up in many areas.

I have killed some bucks still hunting mature timber too, that can be a good way to go on a rainy day too, and fun.

 

[Kimbersig]

Thanks Roosiebull! that's a lot of great info. we both have good glass, good backpacking gear and definitely aren't afraid of wearing out some boot tread. Good luck on your archery hunt. we are getting excited to get over there. and we for sure will be buying bear and lion tags!

 

[bbell]

I was gonna post some info but Roosiebull pretty much nailed it. I love rifle hunting Blacktail! It can be miserable in the rain but is the best time to be out. Good luck!

 

[Kimbersig]

I was gonna post some info but Roosiebull pretty much nailed it. I love rifle hunting Blacktail! It can be miserable in the rain but is the best time to be out. Good luck!

that's what good rain gear is for right!?

 

[bbell]

. I’ve worn hip boots before

 

[rickerb24]

Never hunted the coastal area may have to give it a try

 

[Kimbersig]

This may cause some debate but is it worth a NR getting a timber company permit? Seems like $350 is the going rate for a drive in permit.