My name is Mike Lee, I am passionate about pursuing blacktail deer and making your next hunt one to remember. For some avid deer hunters it is an opportunity to take a different species of deer. These rainy forest wraiths are cousins of mule deer, but nothing except their forked antlers resemble their open-country kin. There are many reasons to consider coming to Alaska to hunt Sitka Blacktail Deer. You have come to the right place. The gun should fire just as dependably whether it is dry as a bone or gets soaked in a downpour. Blacktail deer are considered a subspecies of mule deer, which are common throughout much of the West. In areas where glassing long distances is out of the question due to thick vegetation, still hunting for blacktail deer is often the most productive strategy. Suitable for all red meat applications. Often, a call will do little more than cause nearby deer to stand up at attention but even this limited response gives the hunter a huge advantage in the typically thick cover of blacktail country, where it’s possible to pass within yards of a deer without seeing it. You will stay nights aboard our luxurious 70 foot yacht, and during the day we will use multiple methods to hunt. And their rutting starts end of October-beginning of November. I had been sitting just below the crest of the low ridge with my back against a tree for more than 2 1/2 hours, and the close of the day’s legal shooting hours was approaching. The first couple hours of the day and the last couple hours are the best. Sitka Blacktail Deer Hunting on Kodiak Island Although not indigenous to the Kodiak Island Archipelago, the Sitka Blacktail Deer seem to be perfectly suited to this beautiful mountainous terrain. Rather than charging directly toward a deer you’ve located, it’s smart to head to a secondary vantage point that lies downwind of the deer’s general location and within rifle range. Bar Room Banter One of the largest black tail bucks ever harvested in British Columbia Canada. A black-tailed deer hunt starts with about $3,000, and may go up to $8,000 for boat-based hunt in Alaska. Scientific Name The animal will be waiting and watching for a telltale noise or smell that says “human.” If you’re careful and a bit lucky, the deer will not get this verification until it’s too late. Sitka Blacktail Deer hunts. During cold weather, the deer will stick to slopes that get sun; during hot weather, they’ll use shaded slopes. They are there, within the blink of an eye they have vanished, never to show their whereabouts again. Look for does in regions with lower elevation where you’ve previously found does during your scouting expeditions pre-season. Spot and stalk situations in California are a bit different, as you’re not always hunting alpine zones. The best trails are those connecting bedding areas and feeding areas. ... Best black-tail deer hunting ranch. I knew why, but we all hunt for different reasons. A cautious, alert hunter will sometimes hear a deer before the deer hears him. For one thing, Columbia blacktail deer achieve larger sizes than Sitka blacktail deer; a big Columbia blacktail buck can weigh well over 150 pounds, while a Sitka blacktail buck will seldom achieve this stature. Basically, a hunter will make a few calls from a likely position and then wait for a response. The big, chocolate-colored boar was exactly the type of bear I’d dreamed of for years. Because blacktail deer travel relatively short distances between their bedding and feeding areas, ideal ambush sites are quite close to bedding areas – sometimes just a hundred or so yards away. To hunt the elusive blacktail deer buck is typically a battle of wits, with the buck often coming out the reigning champion. Hunters will be Hunting the mountainous terrain of Kodiak Island, Hiking into bowls glassing for deer and finding points of interest over the week long hunt. At other times, the response from a deer can be dramatic and sudden. For others it is the opportunity to just hunt in Alaska! Ambush hunting is not associated with blacktail deer in the minds of many hunters, but some of the best blacktail hunters in the country swear by it. With time, patience, the right weapon, and a targeted strategy, you can use the vulnerable rut period to your advantage and could very well set your own personal record by snagging a trophy blacktail buck. Sitka Black-tailed bucks come into rut and begin chasing doe’s late October, with the peak rut being mid-late November. Antlers — A Sitka blacktail has shorter antlers that are noticeably smaller and denser than those of a mule deer. Rubs and scrapes are clear indicators that a mature, dominant blacktail buck is very close by. A mature Sitka black-tailed buck weighs 150 to 200 pounds when field dressed and can sport an impressive set of antlers. Combo Hunting /Fishing Packages Look carefully and listen carefully. Maximum 4 people. By doing so, they stake their claim on certain territory letting other bucks and potential mates aware of their existence. Glassing The singular anomaly to this nocturnal pattern is during rut, which occurs from late September and lasts until the middle of October, depending on what weather conditions are at play. If you intend to hunt pre-rut, you must look for a region with a high populace of does. Sitka blacktail bucks have antler growth that is more similar to whitetail bucks, with unforked tines extending from a main beam. But blacktail deer are not without vulnerability. Kodiak has world-class Sitka Blacktail hunting, most all of the record book bucks come off Kodiak Island. We have access to roughly 60,000 acres of private land in San Luis Obispo and Monterey County as well as 150,000 continuous acres near the Bay Area out of Hollister, CA. It is not uncommon to harvest bucks pushing the 200lb mark. The Silver Salmon fishing in July is outstanding. J3 - Tehama Wildlife Area Apprentice Buck Hunt. Don’t necessarily worry about placing your stand where you can see the maximum amount of surrounding country. The smart ones emerge from hiding only in the last moments of shooting light and return to their haunts within minutes of daybreak. Hunt into the wind, or perpendicular to it. Columbia blacktail deer are my favorite big game animal to hunt in North America. And remember, you’re not necessarily looking for a whole deer. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. A fine record book class black tail successfully stillhunted. Sitka blacktails have a strong physical resemblance to whitetail deer, while Columbia blacktails have an appearance that seems more aligned with mule deer. A.K.A. And if you’re skillful and lucky enough to kill him, you’ll be thankful to have a freezer full of steaks and roasts to serve as vivid reminders. There’s almost certainly a correlation between malnourishment and predation, as starving animals are easier for predators to catch. Blacktail deer have a presence of that only rivaled by a ghost. Pictured is the Bear Abode in Whale Pass on the north end of Prince of Wales Island. A Guide to Hunting Blacktail Deer Steven Rinella Sep 12, 2018 Blacktail deer have a presence of that only rivaled by a ghost. During rut, the blacktail deer faces raging hormones and go out during the daytime seeking out does. Thanks to the reddish color of the deer’s hair at this time of year, the animals can be ridiculously easy to locate when feeding out in the open against a backdrop of knee-high, vibrant green vegetation. Black-tailed deer make phantoms seem positively obvious. Buck Hunt - Trophy hunt - Premier Ranches: limited-call for pricing What to Bring: Current hunting license Current A Zone deer tag .243 or bigger Lead free ammo; What It Includes: Up to two days of hunting by foot or truck/off road vehicle, field dressing of game and complimentary delivery to local butcher. When passing through areas where noise is unavoidable, do so quickly and then hunker down to wait and watch before you begin moving again. While it might seem like an obvious tactic to hunt for Sitka blacktail deer, looking for does works like a charm. For most hunters, pursuing the blacktail deer can feel like searching for the Holy Grail. The rack on a Sitka blacktail tends to be a dark brownish or chocolate color. Excellent and mild, one of the best big game species. Unless there are newer clearcuts for the deer to migrate to, the animals face an increased risk of malnourishment and predation. (photo by Mike Burchett) Black Tailed Deer are beautiful creatures, lean and strong yet incredibly evasive. Habitat To glimpse one of these bucks at close range as he navigates his dark world of ferns, moss, and giant timber is a privilege you will want to remember. We have Columbian black-tailed deer here in WA. Direct your travel so that you pass through likely feeding areas such as forest openings, small meadows, and, in the north, muskegs. Your email address will not be published. Blacktail deer can live up to ten years in the wild but seldom make it past six years of age. A blacktail’s metatarsal glands are also situated much further down on the inside of their legs. During the rut, bucks sometimes come in aggressively to the calls, stomping and circling and providing multiple shot opportunities. 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