Newbie question, located in Fraser Valley

[srashti]

Hi, I’m a new to hunting and had a quick question. Could someone let me know if Norrish Creek FSR in are 2-8 is a good place or even legal place to hunt for blacktail? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[emerson]

Download the IHunter app to answer a lot of those questions.

[Wentrot]

Bruh......

[srashti]

Download the IHunter app to answer a lot of those questions.

Thank you. That was awesome advice. I just downloaded it and figured it all out.

[PrecariousPhoto]

Yeah, it’s a fine place to hunt for blacktail if you like to walk. There is a gate on the road a ways up. Not sure of the status of that.

You’ll find there’s a certain culture that some hunters subscribe to where you’re not ever suppose to ask questions about places or animals. You must do everything yourself, preferably in secret, and only talk about it in general terms after the fact. I wouldn’t pay them too much attention. I suspect they’re mostly the sort that read with a finger on the page.

Good luck if you make it out hunting up there.

[IslandWanderer]

Yeah, it’s a fine place to hunt for blacktail if you like to walk. There is a gate on the road a ways up. Not sure of the status of that.

You’ll find there’s a certain culture that some hunters subscribe to where you’re not ever suppose to ask questions about places or animals. You must do everything yourself, preferably in secret, and only talk about it in general terms after the fact. I wouldn’t pay them too much attention. I suspect they’re mostly the sort that read with a finger on the page.

Good luck if you make it out hunting up there.

Great points.

I'll add my own observations for a new blacktail hunter:

I slowly walk old roads and look in sideways. That is to say, not on an angle from the road, but at 90 degrees. I see a lot more deer this way.

I still hunt walking through bushes and timber, but really don't see as many deer. The ones I do see in the timber are usually running away from me. The ones I spot from old roads seem to feel more secure and they just stand there.

I also use my binos on hillsides and clearcuts, but again, I just don't see as many deer as walking old roads.

Have fun, and good luck!

[Downwindtracker2]

Good luck. I've never hunted Blacktail, just muleys, and blundered into whitetail. But someone here with obvious much more experience than me, said " Blacktail are tough. they are smart like muleys and hide like whitetail. " Not only that, they live in a rainforest.

[srashti]

Yeah, it’s a fine place to hunt for blacktail if you like to walk. There is a gate on the road a ways up. Not sure of the status of that.

You’ll find there’s a certain culture that some hunters subscribe to where you’re not ever suppose to ask questions about places or animals. You must do everything yourself, preferably in secret, and only talk about it in general terms after the fact. I wouldn’t pay them too much attention. I suspect they’re mostly the sort that read with a finger on the page.

Good luck if you make it out hunting up there.

thank you for the advice. It was very helpful. I also appreciate that you realize not all of us have family or friends that can guide them. Thanks again.

[srashti]

Great points.

I'll add my own observations for a new blacktail hunter:

I slowly walk old roads and look in sideways. That is to say, not on an angle from the road, but at 90 degrees. I see a lot more deer this way.

I still hunt walking through bushes and timber, but really don't see as many deer. The ones I do see in the timber are usually running away from me. The ones I spot from old roads seem to feel more secure and they just stand there.

I also use my binos on hillsides and clearcuts, but again, I just don't see as many deer as walking old roads.

Have fun, and good luck!

thank you for the helpful tips

[srashti]

Good luck. I've never hunted Blacktail, just muleys, and blundered into whitetail. But someone here with obvious much more experience than me, said " Blacktail are tough. they are smart like muleys and hide like whitetail. " Not only that, they live in a rainforest.

good point, thank you

[Dour]

Norish is a good place I’ve never hunted it but I have seen many deer 4x4Ing past the gate. And the gate is very easy to get the code. Through local 4x4 clubs. Or you can go trough the back way on chahalis if the road still connects. Last August we spooked a few walking up norish creek past the water plant and The swimming holes. Lots of tracks of bear and deer. And lots of porcini mushrooms lol.

[Rieber]

I think that area might be in the closed area now - last couple season.

[Rieber]

I think that area might be in the closed area now - last couple season - be sure.

[dmaxtech]

I think that area might be in the closed area now - last couple season - be sure.

Closed for target shooting within 400M of the road. Not closed for hunting.

[Hoffer]

Do yourself a favour and download the iHunter app, as someone already mentioned above. It's a great tool that will show you boundary lines regarding crown land, private property, designated parks and also recreation areas. Its a couple bucks for the BC layers but worth every penny in my opinion. Good luck out there pal!

[Ghilliesuit]

Good luck. I've never hunted Blacktail, just muleys, and blundered into whitetail. But someone here with obvious much more experience than me, said " Blacktail are tough. they are smart like muleys and hide like whitetail. " Not only that, they live in a rainforest.

In BC, what is the difference between Mulies and Blacktail?

[caddisguy]

In BC, what is the difference between Mulies and Blacktail?

Same as Washington, Oregon and California :)

Mulies have big white bums with a bit of black on the end of the tail, sometimes a skinny stripe going up the tail and the tail is kind of "ropey". They are larger than blacktail on average. Antlers are more open. They prefer more open high country further inland, most often migratory, when startled they bounce like some exaggerated springboard.

Blacktails have a more stubby tail, black or gray, cagey antlers often pointing more inward, no big white rump. They like thick, steep coastal rain forests (think mossy terrain with ferns all over) and unless migrating out of necessity or cruising for babes on average they stick to a fairly small home range. They don't bounce like muleys when spooked, but can to a degree, or a quick trot, or just run like a race horse... often they won't flee at all. They are masters of hide and seek game in the best terrain to play it. They can almost seemingly disappear before your own eyes in the timber. Like, what? He just walked behind that one tree and that he was gone? Like there was a magic portal behind the tree? What the heck?!

BT's for the most part are found within 200km inland in the west coast of North America as well as the coastal islands. To confuse the matter there are Sitka Blacktail and Columbian Blacktail. And where Mule Deer and Blacktail range overlap, any ratio of hybridization is possible. I believe this may also be happening in places blacktail and whitetail increasingly overlap, but that is a whole other thing. The of prevalence of hybridization between blacktail and mule deer is the reason they both fall under the same tag as running a DNA test before the shot isn't too feasible. In their pure forms, blacktail and mule and two very different creatures with much different behaviour and physical appearance.

I hope I got that all right or mostly right. All I know is that I think blacktails are the coolest critters on the planet. I would guess both these bucks below have some level of hybrid in them, but by appearance one is clearly blacktail dominant while the other is mule dominant. Worth noting they were both taken within about 50 yards of each other.

https://i.imgur.com/OSHiaX6.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/gM6ipqh.jpg

[Ghilliesuit]

Same as Washington, Oregon and California :)

Mulies have big white bums with a bit of black on the end of the tail, sometimes a skinny stripe going up the tail and the tail is kind of "ropey". They are larger than blacktail on average. Antlers are more open. They prefer more open high country further inland, most often migratory, when startled they bounce like some exaggerated springboard.

Blacktails have a more stubby tail, black or gray, cagey antlers often pointing more inward, no big white rump. They like thick, steep coastal rain forests (think mossy terrain with ferns all over) and unless migrating out of necessity or cruising for babes on average they stick to a fairly small home range. They don't bounce like muleys when spooked, but can to a degree, or a quick trot, or just run like a race horse... often they won't flee at all. They are masters of hide and seek game in the best terrain to play it. They can almost seemingly disappear before your own eyes in the timber. Like, what? He just walked behind that one tree and that he was gone? Like there was a magic portal behind the tree? What the heck?!

BT's for the most part are found within 200km inland in the west coast of North America as well as the coastal islands. To confuse the matter there are Sitka Blacktail and Columbian Blacktail. And where Mule Deer and Blacktail range overlap, any ratio of hybridization is possible. I believe this may also be happening in places blacktail and whitetail increasingly overlap, but that is a whole other thing. The of prevalence of hybridization between blacktail and mule deer is the reason they both fall under the same tag as running a DNA test before the shot isn't too feasible. In their pure forms, blacktail and mule and two very different creatures with much different behaviour and physical appearance.

I hope I got that all right or mostly right. All I know is that I think blacktails are the coolest critters on the planet. I would guess both these bucks below have some level of hybrid in them, but by appearance one is clearly blacktail dominant while the other is mule dominant. Worth noting they were both taken within about 50 yards of each other.

https://i.imgur.com/OSHiaX6.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/gM6ipqh.jpg

Thank-you for the detailed reply.

With your explanation I asked my friend, Google, for migration patterns of Blacktail, this some of what I found;

https://www.for.gov.bc.ca/hfd/pubs/Docs/Srs/Srs05/Srs05_Chapter2.pdf

[ccrcc]

bt and mulies both bounce, or stot, the same i have found.
totally agree, bts are the coolest and my most preferred hunt. also, if you are walijng down a road or overgrown trail. at times, duck off and hide where you can see if anythings following you. they will often follow you.

[caddisguy]

bt and mulies both bounce, or stot, the same i have found.
totally agree, bts are the coolest and my most preferred hunt. also, if you are walijng down a road or overgrown trail. at times, duck off and hide where you can see if anythings following you. they will often follow you.

They can be curious critters for sure and will often sneak up to investigate. If they think they sre undetected they are known to hide and then slip out the back door.

When they do actually bounce / run, they have the same flaw as muleys and will either stop briefly to check their back trail or even pause longer to try to figure out what's after them.

I recall reading a story about a hunter going in for a stalk while another hunter watched from a vantage point. The hunter watching observed the deer repeatedly give the stalker the slip, then double back and follow.