High Country Blacktail

by **bowhunterty** » 05 30, 2012 • [Post 1]

Any thoughts if hunting high country Blacktails would be like hunting high country Muleys. Have a good area that I hunted years ago wanting to try it again the first three days of Sept. Any ideas would be helpful.

by **ElkNut1** » 05 31, 2012 • [Post 2]

Well, I've not personally hunted what I'd call high country blacktails, but have hunted blacktails for many years in the past in varied terrains! My main objective would be to get out there before season if I only had 3 days to hunt them & get on vantage points & glass, glass, glass!!!!!! Locate & stalk without a doubt. Good 10X42 optic & a decent spotter would top my list!

ElkNut1

by **JohnFitzgerald** » 05 31, 2012 • [Post 3]

Bowhunterty - what type of high country are you hunting? (ie sage, desert, pine)

by **bowhunterty** » 05 31, 2012 • [Post 4]

Alpine meadows, avalanche slides, huckleberries, some timber. Last time I sat and glassed, spot and stalk. They seemed to act different thrn lowland blacktails. Im around 4000 to 6000 ft.

by **JohnFitzgerald** » 06 06, 2012 • [Post 5]

by **bowhunterty** » 06 10, 2012 • [Post 6]

Little confused John. Bump?

by **iRem** » 06 11, 2012 • [Post 7]

bowhunterty wrote:Little confused John. Bump?

'Bump' is usually when a thread has been looked over and is moving down the page and you want the thread to move back to the top to get more info/feed on it from others!

by **JohnFitzgerald** » 06 11, 2012 • [Post 8]

Sorry, I posted the "bump" in the wrong forum. Didn't see it until now.

by **JohnFitzgerald** » 06 11, 2012 • [Post 9]

I hunt high desert mulies and would second ElkNut's advice. Bow or rifle?

by **bowhunterty** » 06 12, 2012 • [Post 10]

Archery. I planned on glassingand spot and stalking.

by **elkmtngear** » 06 12, 2012 • [Post 11]

bowhunterty,

I live in blacktail country, and have hunted them at those elevations, with limited success. Blacktails are just so "random", they may only frequent a certain area once a week or less, they just "meander". High country mulies are much easier to locate and pattern IMHO.

Getting into prime country with a high number of bucks per acre is the key; if water is scarce or spread out, small springs can produce some great bucks. Getting to a vantage at first light has probably shown me the most mature bucks over the years, and I have been able to successfully stalk several of them after they bedded.

The only other thing I have noticed over the years, is bucks in velvet tend to avoid thick cover in general, and will often cruise the edges of timber or brush patches. If the wind cooperates, this behavior can sometimes make an ambush situation possible.

Taking a mature blacktail in country like you are describing is an awesome accomplishment; I hope you are able to put it all together this Season!

by **bowhunterty** » 06 12, 2012 • [Post 12]

Thanks for the info. The area holds a good number of bucks usually. Going to give it a try again. Love those high country areas and on a mission put one down.