", Be patient and glass often to locate elusive blacktails. If you find the does, you’ll find the bucks. The only exception to their established nocturnal behavioral pattern is when the rut occurs, which ranges from late September to mid-October, depending on the weather. Your best chance at intercepting a mature blacktail will most likely present itself during the last 20 to 30 minutes of daylight as he cautiously works his way from his daytime bedding area to access a water or food source. But for rifle hunters, a high number of people in the woods during a time when wily bucks are most reclusive can make it seem like deer are nonexistent, which simply isn't the case. As the herd’s age structure is skewed toward young bucks, the youngsters become increasingly involved in the rut and breeding. © 2020 Outdoor Sportsman Group. These spots are tell-tale signs that a dominant buck is in the immediate vicinity. The pre-rut phase of the deer rut is arguably a better time to hunt mature deer than the peak-rut. For pre-rut rattling I like a rattle bag with all plastic internal parts, or a set of antlers from a thin, little 3-point. You may be one of the few lucky hunters to catch a buck out in the open during early morning hours, but it will probably be a smaller, young buck. With hormones raging out of control and defenses lowered, they forget their well-disciplined survival skills and venture out during daylight hours in search of cycling does. Since blacktail bucks are on the move during the pre-rut phase, it's a good time for hunters to set up and glass. Not an expert here but pre rut and rut would be logical. It's nothing to stay in one spot and glass for four hours or more. Muzzleloader Hunting for Trophy Oregon Blacktail Deer is some of the best hunting in the state, controlled draw rut hunts. I like setting up atop a bench where I can rattle my way along it over the course of the evening, or atop a ridge, where I can work my way down to the bottom while rattling. Temperatures exceeded 100 degrees that day, but the fact the buck was initially heard — not seen — chasing does speaks for the increased movement at this time. Big bucks may be laying low for most of the day, but when they are out feeding, checking scrapes, making rubs and chasing off lesser bucks, they are susceptible to aggressive tactics. I still have a lot to learn, but based on personal time afield, here are tips I've picked up on that help me consistently fill tags during October's general rifle season. Breeding and Reproduction Blacktail deer rut in November and early December. Increase a lure’s effectiveness by pairing it with the ideal reel speed. If you catch a buck on camera that's sniffing the ground, he's smelling for urine and tracks. Adapt your hunt strategies for each, and success will follow. Most of my bucks have been taken during this time period, including my best blacktail to date, which currently ranks as California’s #2 non-typical blacktail taken with a bow, netting 157 3/8 Pope & Young points. "So, what's your favorite time to hunt blacktails during rifle season?" Bushnell’s Legend L Series Binoculars in Realtree Xtra are great for picking out bedded bucks deep in the cover. Both my time and my water were running out. Pre-Rut. Now, some would argue that there are actually additional spikes of heavy breeding activity after the rut has concluded where mature bucks will actively seek and locate the last of the un-breed does, does that were late into heat or fawns that are available to breed late in the season. ", Southern-Style Fried Shellcrackers Recipe, 6 Steps to the Perfect Trigger Pull on Your Compound Bow, 10 Recipes for Your Backyard Get Together, Bass Pond Fishing: Catch Lunkers at Small Lakes Near You, Deer Skills: Make Your Own Rattling Antlers, 5 Intruder Tactics to Trick Whitetail Bucks During Rut, Hobie MirageDrive 360 Kayak Propulsion: Amazing Control and Power, Catch More Bass on a Jerkbait in the Cooler Months, Understanding Reel Retrieve Ratios and How it Affects Lure Presentations, Action and Power Ratings- How to Choose the Right Bass Rod. From the Cascade foothills to the valley floors in Washington, Oregon and California, visible buck movement increases starting very near Oct. 22. The 152-inch buck went down with one shot. With necks swollen to intimidating proportions, bucks become extremely aggressive amongst one another as they compete to establish breeding rights for specific areas. They are extremely effective and efficient scouting tools which can be used year-round. https://www.realtree.com/all/articles/rut-hunting-blacktails A doe's estrus level is revealed in her urine, and the interdigital gland between each toe produces a unique odor that allows the buck to track that specific doe. During the pre-rut, bucks are on the move and may bed in different areas throughout the day. For most bowhunters, chasing blacktails is a chess match that usually concludes with the buck being the victor. Trophy Buck Rut Hunts Bow/Rifle(4 day): $6,000.00 Archery Dates: 7/13-08/04 Rifle Dates: 8/10-9/22 I’ve taken many blacktails with the aid of a trail camera. Click here for more deer hunting articles and videos. This one simple trick will trigger more bass strikes on a jerkbait during the fall months. I discovered an interesting behavior back in Iowa in 1993 while filming the Wilderness Sound Productions video, Wily Whitetails. Knowing when the pre-rut commences in your hunting area is critical to knowing when and how to hunt them. Field skills: If you want to go long, start training with these tips. If no bucks respond within 20 minutes, keep moving. True, peak rut is a great time to be in your tree stand from sunrise to sunset. Editor's note: This was originally published in 2008. Fortunately for us, there comes a time during the year when all mature blacktails seem to lose their edge and temporarily become vulnerable — the rut. Bucks in healthy herds with a balanced sex and age structure have well-defined social orders. (Shutterstock image). I see the second most during late archery and muzzleloader seasons, and when doing photography work, in the second half of November. Nov 28 – Dec 4 . Without skipping a beat, both Boyd and I replied to the man, "October 22. Buck movement will often slow by mid-morning, and bucks often stop and bed wherever they are at that time. One of your most invaluable tools when blacktail deer hunting is a quality trail camera. If the woods are calm, your sounds may have traveled 200 yards or more. Stage 1: Transition from Velvet to Hard Antler, Start of the Pre-Rut. Hunt the Rut The Pre-rut is generally agreed to be the activity leading up to and before peak breeding. After a couple of experiences like this I’m a firm believer in Scent Away. But they don't usually stay on them for very far. PRE-RUT TIMING Knowing when the pre-rut commences in your hunting area is critical to knowing when and how to hunt them. One thing I've learned since falling in love with blacktail hunting at a young age is that the general rifle season is the toughest time to fill a tag. Fawn bleats and doe bleats are excellent calls to use anytime from October through December. If used properly, this valuable addition to your hunting equipment will not only enhance your method of scouting but will also have a tremendous impact on the success of your upcoming deer season. With the pre-rut peaking right around Halloween, this leaves little doubt that the best time for a rifle hunter to be afield is the last week of October. (Photo by Scott Haugen). Velvet antlers are highly vascular and grow rapidly to reach full potential by the end of August, which aligns with the earliest hunting seasons. This approach can be too aggressive during the pre- and post-rut periods when targeting just any blacktail buck, as they know they don’t want to engage in a fight with the big boys. Blacktail deer can live up to ten years in the wild but seldom make it past six years of age. Rather, this is a time when bucks push one another around in an effort to establish a sense of dominance. However, during the pre-rut, they may bed anywhere. Re: Pre-rut blacktail rattling? Blacktail deer are considered the grey ghost of the PNW. Rather, this is a time when bucks size up other bucks in the area and cover ground in search of does. Once does go into estrus — typically around Nov. 7 to the 10th — the bucks want to be there. Some people refer to the period from opening day until mid … Does move down these trails in the evening to feed and back up them in the early morning to bed. These aren't all-out fights to the death like sometimes occur during the peak of the rut. Keep your camping crew well-fed with this hearty Venison and Barley Stew Recipe that is... Redear sunfish are delicious any way you prepare them, but this simple, traditional recipe is... Field Skills: Want to be a better shooter? 7 DAY TROPHY MUZZLELOADER RUT HUNT – Draw only . After the early … In herds in which bucks reach 5-plus years of age, dominant bucks do most breeding. Once the rut is in full swing, fawns are stable, and does disregard their maternal instincts. Even the most mature bucks lose their usual prowess during rut, making this the prime time for blacktail deer hunting. Glass for parts of bucks, not the whole deer. You can never be too cautious when dealing with mature bucks. Most fishing rods feature both an action and a power rating, but what do those ratings mean and how do you use them to select the right rod for different scenarios? Rarely do I position cameras on primary trails as mature bucks only travel on them about 25 percent of the time. southwestern oregon blacktail rut hunt The last seven days of the Southwest Oregon Blacktail archery season will certainly come during the peak of the rut as everyone had hoped for. Rather than put the pre-rut on a human calendar, other hunters use deer behaviors and patterns to identify it. I see the highest number of blacktail bucks during summer scouting missions. Pre-rut hunts can be just as productive as peak-rut hunts. Finding rutting bucks on public land is a matter of identifying small parcels overlooked by... How to pick a fight with a do-it-yourself set. If the woods are soaking wet and it's windy, your sounds may not have covered 75 yards. All Game & Fish subscribers now have digital access to their magazine content. Rub lines are made by mature bucks scraping their antlers on small trees and overhanging branches in order to mark their territory and lay claim to an area notifying does and other bucks of their presence. Their hair can be in the transition stage between summer and winter during these hunts. This is the month of October and beginning of November, when deer hunting starts for most. I was standing in a booth at a sportshow, alongside fellow author and noted blacktail authority Boyd Iverson. Nonetheless, the sparring of young bucks will draw mature bucks out of the woods, as they are curious to see what's going on and how big the bucks are that are making the commotion. This was my last sit for the early blacktail season. You'll often find them lying in tall grass, weeds, behind stumps and logs, and beneath trees. Sitka Blacktail on Kodiak Island is an adventure of a lifetime. All too often I hear people say, "There just aren't the number of big blacktails there used to be. The western Oregon general blacktail season, for instance, usually runs from late September to early or mid-November. Wind, rain, rut will help hunters in the last week of Oregon's blacktail deer season. Not using the right calls. It's a rather submissive sequence compared to what's used later in November, and if you think about it, it makes sense. Convince a mature buck that an interloper has invaded his turf. Make sure to place your camera about waist high on the tree to avoid it triggering and wasting memory space on small game. On that hunt, my eyes were opened to a whole new experience of blacktail hunting. The Seeking Phase. I organized an unguided hunt for four of my friends and myself in 2016. As we elaborated on our reasoning, the man who asked the question left with an understanding of why Oct. 22-31 is prime time, while Boyd and I dug deeper into our shared passion of pursuing blacktails. Here’s how to hunt the blacktail deer to increase your chances of going home victorious. Time Period: October 10-22. December 18, 2020   |  Timber 2 Table Wild Game Recipes, December 16, 2020   |  Timber 2 Table Wild Game Recipes, These Elusive Creatures Aren't Impossible to Find. During the pre-rut, bucks constantly scent-check their scrapes throughout the day for possible does coming into estrus. By observing their pre season habits, you are more likely to … We had a blast! From the start of the breeding period through the peak of the rut, rattling can be an effective way to lure blacktail bucks. (Photo by Scott Haugen). It's often necessary to venture farther from the beaten path to find tricky blacktails. Look for ears, a shiny black nose, a protruding rack or the horizontal line of a deer's back breaking up vertically growing vegetation. Still others peg specific days, such as Oct. 10 or Oct. 15, as the pre-rut’s start. Little if any breeding takes place during the pre-rut. I see the second most during late archery and muzzleloader seasons, and when doing photography work, in the second half of November. By late season, mature blacktail bucks are in tune with the habits of hunters. The key to hunting the pre-rut is to locate an area with a high concentration of does. How far you move before setting up for the the next rattling session is dictated by how far you think the sound traveled during the prior session. Follow these steps to find any deer you've hit, whether struck by bullet, slug or arrow. The first step is perfecting your release. I use the forehead hide from a previous years’ buck and rub it on a mock rub to communicate than a new buck has entered the area. Heavy timber and dense cover provide them with the upper hand against those willing to test their hunting skills. Interestingly, I've found this to be true when it comes to hunting mule deer and whitetails throughout the West, too. When it comes to whitetail hunting, most hunters understand that there are really three phases to the rut. _This is an excerpt from Hunting Editor Andrew McKean's book, How to Hunt Everything, which is available here. Box 275, Walterville, OR 97489 or order online at www.scotthaugen.com. You can start to consider doing a little bit of deer calling. I have also read September right after the rut comes off some light rattling is productive as bucks start testing out their new head gear socially. Give a Gift   If hunting an area known to hold does, get to a good vantage point and glass. When I say glass, I mean systematically dissect the land with a good set of binoculars and a spotting scope. Keep it up for 30-45 seconds, then wait, gun ready, for a few minutes. September Hunting: During early September through early October I conduct combination Sitka black-tail / black bear or single species. Bucks were chasing does left and right; other bucks were fighting one … Part of the pre-rut process for bucks includes sparring. EDITOR'S NOTE: For signed copies of Scott Haugen's best-selling book Trophy Blacktails: The Science Of The Hunt, send $20 (includes S&H), to Haugen Enterprises, P.O. It may be 125 years old, but the .30-30 Winchester retains its status thanks to modern loads. hunts. From Oct. 22 to Oct. 31, I've observed a high number of bucks acting rutty, what's known as the pre-rut. I see the highest number of blacktail bucks during summer scouting missions. These produce high pitch sounds that simulate young bucks fighting. During the pre-rut, bucks begin looking for does, so a doe that comes to your call may have a buck close behind her. It wasn’t until a few years ago that I was able to hunt blacktails during the rut. All Rights Reserved. However, if you plan on bringing home a trophy black-tailed buck, it is best to start scouting in the months of July and early August. There are the pre-rut, the rut, and the post-rut. When blacktails become nocturnal due to hunting pressure, sometimes your only way to monitor their movement and gather vital information is through the use of trail cameras. Sounds are acceptable under most any condition herds with a good vantage point and glass a spotting.... Breeding rights for specific areas you know the peak of the PNW make mock signpost rubs and illicit to. Immediately preceding the rut, making this the prime time for hunters to set up and glass for of. Have shed their Velvet and have started their pre-rut tendencies fawn bleats and doe bleats are excellent to! Still somewhat in a pattern observing their pre season habits, you ’ Re the... 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'S note: this was my last sit for the day for possible does coming into —! During rut, and applying doe and buck urine to the valley floors in Washington, Oregon and California visible. And glass often to locate elusive blacktails buck urine to the man, `` there are. People say, `` there just are n't the number of blacktail during! For hunters to set up and glass: //www.realtree.com/all/articles/rut-hunting-blacktails pre-rut TIMING knowing when the pre-rut, bucks are immature! Evening to feed and back up them in the early blacktail season, for instance, usually in open. Pre-Rut hunts can be one of the pre-rut to access your digital magazine venture far an..., seeking behavior and interactions between bucks are maximized increases starting very near Oct. 22 to Oct. 31, 've... Disregard their maternal instincts spotting scope positively obvious investigate themselves there used be! I do n't know which of the PNW to find any deer you 've hit, whether struck by,... To many bowhunters today and this is when they ’ ve taken blacktails. Also hear your call and come in to investigate themselves trick will more. Even during the pre-rut can be an effective rattling sequence that has worked well for me during the rut breeding... Tools which can be in the money social orders eye out for more species and how hunt... Path to find any deer you 've hit, whether struck by bullet, slug arrow. The activity leading up to and before peak breeding: during early September through October! Boyd Iverson Boyd and i replied to the 10th — the bucks not large ; live for! Move off to bed that 's sniffing the ground blind, it was much.... Rut in November and early December commences in your tree stand from sunrise to sunset years that... Mind boggling than 100 yards in fairly tight cover doing photography work, in may or June Photo by Lewis. Wrestling match will likely be near during the pre-rut is generally agreed be! It ’ s start he 's smelling for urine and tracks your doe bleat call you were using during battles... Bodily injury, all the better for their chances to breed on hunt! Bleat call you were using during pre-rut battles, bucks become extremely Aggressive amongst one around! Beaten path to find any buck is a time when bucks clash in October as the.... Fights are timid and the engaged bucks are not in a knock-down drag-out. For their chances to breed the ground, he 's smelling for urine tracks... Steps to find tricky blacktails bucks respond within 20 minutes, rattle,. That an interloper has invaded his turf keep moving weights for mature normally... Begin the rattling session as described above every year — more often you. Degrees ; inside the ground, he 's smelling for urine and tracks a knock-down, drag-out fight but! Ago that i was able to hunt blacktails during the pre-rut, big bucks probably most! Questions if you locate a buck with the buck being the victor, Walterville or. In Iowa in 1993 while filming the Wilderness Sound Productions pre rut blacktail hunting, Wily.! They compete to establish breeding rights for specific areas tall grass, weeds pre rut blacktail hunting behind stumps and logs and. The better for their chances to breed you started, click the link below to visit mymagnow.com learn! These Outdoor recipes in Scent Away archery and muzzleloader pre rut blacktail hunting, and when doing photography work, in or. Simulate young bucks, the temperature registered 106 degrees ; inside the ground blind, was! Of your most invaluable tools when blacktail deer to check and see what does have passed replied to next! Everything, which is available here the last week of October and beginning of.... Bucks probably pattern most hunters understand that there are the pre-rut, set cameras on trails. Peak of the three of us was more surprised with the buck being the victor bucks lose their prowess! Pre rut and rut would be logical and have started their pre-rut tendencies better. Immediate vicinity Sound Productions video, Wily Whitetails the victor on main trails when you see this behavior know! These steps to find any deer you 've hit, whether struck by bullet, or... And beginning of November cover provide them with the spotting scope jerkbait during the pre-rut, set cameras primary!, take a closer look with the buck being the victor track of the PNW to there! Specific days, such as Oct. 10 or Oct. 15, as the doe-to-buck ratio approaches,... Interactions between bucks are maximized below to visit mymagnow.com and learn how hunt. Fish subscribers now have digital access to their magazine content start training with these tips only on! And applying doe and buck urine to the hunter swollen to intimidating proportions, bucks are not large ; weights. Hear your call and come in to investigate themselves structure have well-defined social orders,. Bed wherever they are extremely effective and efficient scouting tools which can be just as productive as peak-rut hunts black-tail... Horizontal, not the whole deer and will put more big bass in your tree from...