question about blacktails

[crazybushcreature]

How far do they usualy venture. Will they stay somwhat in the same area or venture off kms away?

[markomoose]

I,m speaking from my own experiences.Blacktails are on the move lots.If they find a good food source they-ll hang around,but like most deer they-re cruising.About the least movement is when they-re in there wintering grounds but I feel thats the best time to hunt B.T.Late in the season in the steep mature timber.

[west250]

Here's a study on it: http://www.for.gov.bc.ca/hfd/pubs/docs/bro/bro41.pdf

[Shooter]

Food sleep and sex, That is all they think about. If they can find those things without traveling too much they wont travel. During the rut the are thinking only about sex. If there are a lot of does in the area they wont go too far, if the does are scarce they will go looking.

[Camp Cook]

Many blacktail spend there entire lives within a 2 mile radius.

Others are example high mtn blacktail range to the top of the alpine and back down to their wintering grounds = many miles.

[brian]

How far do they usualy venture. Will they stay somwhat in the same area or venture off kms away?




Blacktails are unlike mule deer in that they are very dedicated to their home range and their core home range tend to be small. They will respond to excessive hunting pressure by becoming more nocturnal and/or moving to nastier gnarlier harder to get through parts of their home range. So no you generally won't see them venture kilometers away unless it part of an annual migration.

[Sleep Robber]

Blacktails are unlike mule deer in that they are very dedicated to their home range and their core home range tend to be small. They will respond to excessive hunting pressure by becoming more nocturnal and/or moving to nastier gnarlier harder to get through parts of their home range. So no you generally won't see them venture kilometers away unless it part of an annual migration.

Glad you mentioned the migration part as I know a specific area where the BT deer move entirely off the mountain that is their usual home and into a Basin for the wintering months, my journals says this usually happens around the middle of October, sometimes even sooner. Some stay on the next hill over, but for the most part the "herd" goes to the lower Basin area where I imagine the food is more plentiful and easier to come by, mind you, that's just my opinion.

[hunter1947]

I have found out over my years hunting BT deer on the island is that there behavior are like WT bucks they don't venture to far from there territory even during the rut season.

I have shot many BT Vancouver island bucks that I had scouted out eary season that where in the same area come the rut season ,,the few things that will move them is hunting pressure ,,snow depths and habitat..

[crazybushcreature]

Thank you for the info

[Chopper]

Ya BT's will generally only migrate if they have too ... " snow and food " even during the rut if there is no snow they will continue to breed resident does.


What I think you are asking is " if I seen a BT yesterday and I put some pressure on him will he still be there ? " answer is yes if you didn't shoot and he may or may not be there if you did.


Try to figure out the area you seen him in and if you can come in down wind through the thick cover he would normally run in to hide you will likely get him ... good luck and move slow !

[Chopper]

Here's a study on it: http://www.for.gov.bc.ca/hfd/pubs/docs/bro/bro41.pdf

Have not gotten through the whole article but is very good ... thanks for sharing

[west250]

Have not gotten through the whole article but is very good ... thanks for sharing

Here's a longer winded study for post hunting season reading: https://circle.ubc.ca/handle/2429/22159

[crazybushcreature]

Went out today in an area that I have been seeing good sign. Anywhere from 2-6 inches of snow and not a single track anywhere. I hiked all over. Steep timber.cut blocks. All over haha. But I guess there just bunked down somewhere outa the snowy weather

[Camp Cook]

Exact same thing happened to me this morning.

I found my does in the heavy rain just before dark last night not a sign of them today.

[Salty]

x3 I was stoked when I saw a bit of fresh snow.. finally.. was only able to get out for a bit late in the day but two spots where rubs have been tended all last week plus checking several over other travel routes and the driving there and back showed zero tracks. Nothing, couldn't believe it. They were hunkered down some where but where I do not know.

[crazybushcreature]

Well I just got my deer bck from the butcher and my freezer is full now. I think I will leave the buck ive been chasing for next year. I definetly want to get a game cam or 2 next year to see whats hanging out in my spot. Just afraid of them getting wrecked or stolen.

[Camp Cook]

Got mine back today as well my freezer is no where near full need another buck...

[Chopper]

Exact same thing happened to me this morning.

I found my does in the heavy rain just before dark last night not a sign of them today.


x3 I was stoked when I saw a bit of fresh snow.. finally.. was only able to get out for a bit late in the day but two spots where rubs have been tended all last week plus checking several over other travel routes and the driving there and back showed zero tracks. Nothing, couldn't believe it. They were hunkered down some where but where I do not know.


They likely have moved just below the snow or in my case they went back to the top of the mountain. Snow every where accept right on top of a plateau, took me 2.5 hours to get up there and they were there. Ran out of day light so ill head back in earlier tomorrow. Now that I know where they are I know exactly what drainage they will use if it snows more.

Mountain BT's that live in very rugged country I find will migrate down nasty drainages or down ridges that lead to drainages then down the drainages

Hard work but I still think I will be rewarded with a good buck this year

[west250]

One more weekend to get it done. Hopefully I can get back up under their summer range. If it snows too much they'll have to wait until next year!