I’m often asked what the hardest animal is I’ve ever hunted for. Mountain goat and Himalayan tahr are the toughest hunts I’ve been on, physically speaking. Mentally, the toughest hunts have been the man-eaters I’ve chased in different parts of the world, namely big cats and crocs’, with some marauding bears thrown in.
But when it comes to consistently filling a big game tag in North America, I rank taking a trophy class Columbia blacktail as the most challenging. Take a wily whitetail, toss him into the thickest and some of the most rugged terrain in the country, and there you have it; blacktail deer.
The fact these deer inhabit such diverse terrain, from sandy beaches to the highest peaks in the Cascade Range, makes hunting them a big challenge. Since writing the book, Trophy Blacktails: Science Of The Hunt, I’ve continued learning about these deer. As an author, one of the biggest questions I ask myself is, “When do I know enough to write a book?” The answer is, never. That’s because I’m always learning. But at some point you have to start punching the keyboard, otherwise the knowledge will never be shared.
Since the release of the book I’ve learned a great deal more about rattling, nonmigratory deer behavior, shed hunting and more. But one of the most humbling findings that never ceases to amaze me is how many blacktail bucks truly are out there, and this is verified through trail came use and scouting missions during the summer.
As usual, I’ve had multiple trail cameras out since early July. They’ve ranged from 300-1,300 feet in elevation; from the valley floor to the foothi
lls of the Cascades. Not only have the trail cameras been capturing lots of bucks, but some big ones. One area we hunt was hit hard by Deer Hair Loss Syndrome for multiple years, and today, is once again flourishing.
Now, about 80% of the bucks in the parts of Oregon I’ve been scouting still have velvet. The biggest bucks have shed their velvet.
One buck I’ve caught on trail camera for three years in a row, from July through December. I have over 1,200 pictures of him, and not one in daylight, not even during the summer. New bucks have popped up in areas where resident deer have been living, and some bucks I’ve seen only one time. Over the past week, mature bucks have becoming less routine in the trails they travel, while does a
nd immature bucks are still sticking tight to their summer routes.
I’ve been thrilled with a giant buck we ran across, one of the best blacktails I’ve ever seen. It’s a good feeling, knowing bucks of this caliber are out there.
Despite the drought, I’m seeing some of the best blacktail antler growth, ever. Whether you’re an archer, bowhunter, or late-season smokepole hunter, look for good things to come. I think this season has the potential of being one of the best ever for hunters looking for big bucks. Good luck out there!
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