BigGameHunt.net Hunting Forums

[BrewCrew]

Hey all,

Well, Hunting season is here in full swing and I continue in my embarassing streak of 4 years with no buck to bring home. I have hunted mostly the northeast Mckenzie unit, South Santiam unit, and coastal range. However, I have spent an AMAZING amount of time in the High Cascades in the area of hwy 22, 20, and 126 within 20 miles of the Hwy 22/20 junction. I usaually hunt Scar Mountain, Lava Flats, Big Meadows, Three Pyramids, Parrish Lake, Potato Hill areas. This year alone, I have 4 days in hunting time. 1 day road hunting, and 3 days serious hiking/climbing/watching clearcuts and meadows. Just yesterday I went up behind HooDoo, Potato Hill, and Three Pyramids. The snow was falling and I can't tell you how many times my heart pumped faster as I thought FOR SURE that my buck was around the next corner. I love that feeling! But in all my time this year I have seen 1 doe. AAAGGHH the frustration! Are there just no deer in this area? The hunters are Thick so I know there has to be Deer here. Blacktails are notoriously hard to hunt, but I just am not seeing any animals. I see plenty of sign and some tracks, but that's it. Please spew your advice, as I get so depressed on the drive home, I think about selling all my guns. Of course come morning I am hopeful again, but I could really use some help here from you guys out there that know your stuff. Should I be going to a completely different area or should I try sitting on a clearcut for 2 days? I have a hard time being patient enough to stay on one place more than 5-6 hours. Thanks in advance, and if anyone is going to be hunting this area, let me know and maybe well share a brew and talk of trophy bucks!!

[rezhunter]

I dont know about blacktails, never hunted dem. I do know white tails here like to move in the evenings. Their bedded down pretty much the whole day, anxious to get out and move in the evenings, usually with in a couple hours of sundown. Or early in the mornings, I go out early in the mornings, but see more action in the evening.

Scouting ahead of time, just hiking also helps, you'll find sheds. I see the same small bucks the past 2 years in this certain spot and there still there.

Normally if there are trails I usually pick a good spot to sit and just wait, I've had a few come right by me with in 15 feet. But ya, usually during the day--mid morn-afternoon you dont see much. I prefer the evenings for bucks, but do go out in the morn too. But this is white tails.

But, Blacktails, their like Mulies right? Ya, I havent saw many mulies lately, saw a couple nice bucks, chased out a few does while elk hunting--and I'm out just about every weekend since mid Aug and only saw about maybe 10 mulies altogether. But come rut, they are out in full force ALL OVER! Anyhow, good luck!

[Don Fischer]

Welcome to BGH.

I hunted that area on 22 between the pass and Detroit only once, never saw a deer. Have spent a lot of time in that country in the past, haven't seen many deer. I'd think the best place to hunt would be the burn on top. Ought to be a lot of new growth there now. Also think hunting blacktails is best done before 10am and after 3pm and from a stand. I haven't had a lot of luck with them, lack the patince I think.

[BrewCrew]

Hey thanks a lot for the info guys. I am now packing up and headed to the cascades from Bend to hunt once again. I am going to try and go deeper into the Mckenzie unit after talking to ODFW and learning that the deer in this area are generally much deeper into the woods. So We will camp near Big Lake behind Hoodoo and brush hump through the thick cover(YUCK) and see what we can drum up. I will post a summary on Monday and hopefully a pic of my Buck!! Happy Hunting to you all!

[rezhunter]

YA! I forgot, Mulie Bucks also like dem DEEEEEP canyons. So Blacktails and Mulies sound pretty similar--live in the same type of terrain. Anyhow, good luck, be looking forward hearing on Monday.

[billythekidrock]

This will be my 29th season hunting blacktails and since my late teens I have tagged out every year but one. (I bought an archery tag and only went out one morning).

The best advice I can give is to hunt in the rain. If the power is flickering, the rain is coming sideways and the trees are falling then you best be hunting.
Also plan to eat lunch in the woods. Most of my bt's have been killed between 10 am and 2 pm. Find a good vantage and glass all day. Remember, they will get up to go the bathroom, reposition, etc. after bedding for a few hours. Find some of the thickest, nastiest stuff and park your rear near a well used trail.

Some more tips.
Scout, scout, scout from spring till fall.
Know a small area intimately.
Utilize other hunters to your advantage.
Always have a back up plan.

[littlebuf]

good advice,thats just what i did this year. im a pretty busy guy but this year i dedicated a huge amount of time to scouting spring till fall, and nailed a 4x3 second day of the season