Blacktail hunters, anyone tagged one yet?

[Camp Cook]

I'm waiting for a fresh dump of snow then locate some tracks and follow them I've been fairly successful over the years doing this.

[TheObserver]

Anyone seeing anything lately? Since the snow it seems like they have ditched the new logged out areas. I have found some fresh track in 5-7 year old reprod sections that are surrounded by timber. What's the trick to finding them in the late season? Anyway, good luck to all for what's left of the 2022 season!

I saw three today, 80 yards and had the bow so wouldn't have tried but they just froze and I watched them for some time, Does anyways but good to see. Saw them at 8:30am on a somewhat open (for region 2) south slope. I spotted them while glassing. (One may have been a repeat as I went back hours later and it was close but did not see the other so not sure)

Going out with the Rifle tomorrow. I haven't had anything come into rattling since the 15th and I have stepped it down for post rut, going to switch over to just raking now if I do anything maybe a bit of grunting. But I hear rattling can still be good right now for smaller insubordinate Bucks.

[last light]

CampCook, tomorrow may be your day for tracking in some fresh snow. Forecast says some is coming overnight. Good luck, hopefully you can track one down.

Observer, nice to hear that you're still spotting something. Gives us hope that one will be a buck next time. I have had zero luck rattling. Minimal luck with the can call, and minimal also with the grunt tube.

[TheObserver]

CampCook, tomorrow may be your day for tracking in some fresh snow. Forecast says some is coming overnight. Good luck, hopefully you can track one down.

Observer, nice to hear that you're still spotting something. Gives us hope that one will be a buck next time. I have had zero luck rattling. Minimal luck with the can call, and minimal also with the grunt tube.

Yeah like CampCook said tracking in fresh snow is huge, last year after season closed I visited my spots and hiked extensively learning more about trail networks and it helped me immensely for this year, and last year during season I followed a fresh set in snow and for the first time actually caught up to the Deer it was a Doe, had it been a Buck though I could have cut a tag was cool. I was following tracks today.

Look up Scott Haugen and his rattling sequence he has videos on his site, I bought his Blacktail book and would highly recommend it! Best hunting book I have read.

I break sticks and beat the sh*t out of the ground and thrash stuff and add a couple long grunts at the end when aggressive pre rut and peak rut are on and it worked twice this year (one time was a big 4 point), I believe that carries through the forest floor and they really hear that and makes it realistic, but start slow I don't do that until third sequence, try it next year, now I would be more timid with the rattling as things are not as intense anymore.

Yeah the can for me has never done anything, I have been looking at trying an aktis blacktail call. I have heard the can is actually more of a distress call I just blow air through it and keep it short now. But still nothing yet.

I actually held my binos on one of the Does and did a grunt then did a full tip can call, boy you should have seen her ears and her perk up forward when I grunted, the can call next to nothing.

[last light]

Thanks for sharing all this great info Observer. There is always new things to learn when hunting bt. I'll have to try rattling next year during peak rut for sure.

BTW the can call also worked on bucks only during peak rut. One gave me the slip, and the second one came home with me. This was a couple years ago though. This year seems to be much different.

[Camp Cook]

CampCook, tomorrow may be your day for tracking in some fresh snow. Forecast says some is coming overnight. Good luck, hopefully you can track one down.

Observer, nice to hear that you're still spotting something. Gives us hope that one will be a buck next time. I have had zero luck rattling. Minimal luck with the can call, and minimal also with the grunt tube.

I do snow plowing so if it dumps tonight my son and I will be up all night working won't get out until Sunday morning now...

[TheObserver]

Thanks for sharing all this great info Observer. There is always new things to learn when hunting bt. I'll have to try rattling next year during peak rut for sure.

BTW the can call also worked on bucks only during peak rut. One gave me the slip, and the second one came home with me. This was a couple years ago though. This year seems to be much different.

Yeah the learning never ends that is for sure. Check out his rattling sequences, he has a pre/post rut and peak rut, worked for me the first time I tried it! Also if your hunting resident Deer I wait for 1-2 hours in one set up with a steady wind, where as bigger country places higher i'll do the 20-25 min thing and move on into the wind. I'm really throwing everything i've got at BT's next year I want to get a mature Buck, after Elk it will be almost strictly BT for me until end of season (unless I get a Moose draw... but I won't lol)

Did you tip the can and let the call go all the way to the end when those Bucks reacted? Or did you cut it short? I've tried both but will keep trying nothing yet

[last light]

Two consecutive full can calls, then wait. Bucks need to be close though in order to react. In my case, I think one was within 50 yards. The second one was 75 yards out.
There was very fresh sign at the time.
Another thing to remember is to get hidden and ready to shoot BEFORE calling sequence. Don't ask me how I know

[Camp Cook]

This the guy?

https://www.scotthaugen.com/rattling-blacktail-deer/

[TheObserver]

Two consecutive full can calls, then wait. Bucks need to be close though in order to react. In my case, I think one was within 50 yards. The second one was 75 yards out.
There was very fresh sign at the time.
Another thing to remember is to get hidden and ready to shoot BEFORE calling sequence. Don't ask me how I know

Okay, yeah I have learnt a lot this year so will be going about it in a much more efficient manner using it from here on out, last year wasn't using it very wisely I don't think.

Hahaha yep!! Learnt that lesson with calling this year with Elk, almost got ran over by a good Bull hooves sticking in the ground at 8 yards lol

Hope ya get out and get one buddy! I'll be out every time I can until the 15th