BC Vancouver Island Blacktail

I have no issues finding blacktails in hunting areas on the island. I can tag out in an afternoon out in my honey hole.
 
Ya i was thinking back about 10 years in Nanaimo.So it is even harder now then?


LuckyStrike said:
Big changes from 15 to 20 years ago... BIG

On Vancouver Island over that past 15 years wolves have taken a huge toll on the blacktails. They are coming back slowly, but if one wants to see numbers of deer.... Check the city, like Oak Bay & Gordon Head, also Nanaimo.... Hunting there however is discouraged :):HR:

Gulf Islands....... Ohh boy.. not the same at all.... :( The best bet there is to try and get permission from a landowner, because nearly everywhere one goes is private land and signs everywhere "No Tresspassing" Big changes...
And also no rifles permitted, only shotguns (and don't forget the special Gulf Islands permit)

Lucky
Click to expand...
 
You need to start getting ready for your hunting season now! Find yourself a piece of timber you can call your own and learn it top to bottom. You need to get out now to see if first of all the area you are going to hunt has a half decent number of deer to begin with. Ideally try to find a piece of land that has a combination of habitat, some older mature growth along with some younger forests (which will probably be that christmas tree looking type stuff) along with some open non-treed areas (slashes). Most lower elevation blacktails don't migrate and have a strong preference for their natal area so they will probably be in the same general area year round so if you can get out now and try to find some family groups your chances of success will be greatly increased. Try looking for good amounts of fresh sign (droppings and tracks) in the slashes and then work from there trying to figure out where the families are living in the surrounding timber. Once you find areas in the timber that look promising look for tree rubs, the bucks were there for a reason. Summer is a good time to get out and scout because they will be out feeding a lot during the day, if you don't see bucks no big deal, as long as you are seeing does, mind you it's always nice to see bucks. Try to hunt a spot that is not too far from home for the first few years so you can go as often as possible to both pre-scout and hunt, that's how you learn, by being in the woods and learning to put together the pieces of the puzzle. Most blacktails are shot by chance and I am no different than other hunters in that regard, but when you do finally get one after starting from nothing and learning a specific area months ahead of time it will change your life! And remember...never give up
 
thanks a lot again guys, this is very helpfull info. was out last year with a buddy, but only saw one buck and it was already on the run when we saw him. then i get home and there's deer everywhere looking at me and laughing in the city. seems they're all moveing to where they can't be hunted. smart little guys.

thanks again everyone. :)
 
Leblanc said:
thanks a lot again guys, this is very helpfull info. was out last year with a buddy, but only saw one buck and it was already on the run when we saw him. then i get home and there's deer everywhere looking at me and laughing in the city. seems they're all moveing to where they can't be hunted. smart little guys.

thanks again everyone. :)
Click to expand...

next time the deer is on the move like that try a high pitch whistle to stop them good luck
 
There are so many deer in town (Colwood) now! I was watching tv one night and heard a sound on my porch around midnight. Got up for a look to find a doe eating the potted plants on my front porch. I was just about to open the door to scare the hell out of it when I noticed a buck pissing on my front lawn. They are cool animals to watch and I still see deer walking around my yard weekly at night.

Found another small deer that was cleaned to the bone just a mile or so from home while biking in the woods. Cougar?
 
A really cool book specifically about blacktails is "Trophy Blacktails" by Scott Haugen. Unfortantly he writes from a mostly Oregon/California perspective but he talks about alot of different approaches. Good for getting some ideas as a new guy. It's hard to find specifically blacktail stuff out there.

And stay outa Nanaimo! Too many other hunters up here already haha

What I've been doing because I'm pretty green still is get a back roads map book or something like it, do your scouting and highlight the roads your using and areas your seeing and like, then either google earth the areas or ask other guys and get feedback on your map. Good excuse to get scouting and you can get a better idea of the area maximizing the scouting trips. Looking at my own experience and alot of my friends getting into it unless you have someone holding your hand it can be tough to cut your teeth. Do your homework and you'll get your own flavour and style figured out alot sooner. And lastly don't be afraid to get outa the truck.
 
When I lived on the island, I did all my blacktail hunting in the Tahsis and Gold River areas.
Usually hunted in snow.
Found them unique deer to hunt. The cover on the island is brutal!
Managed to tag several nice bucks in the three years I was there though.
I used a 6mm Remington and 85 Partitions exclusively.
Very nice eating deer, and a trophy buck is a very lucky snag.
Regards, Eagleye.
 
Here's a blacktail I shot this week in my yard!

:eek:....

With a camera that is....
Some nice bucks in Victoria. This old guy is pretty safe, except from some of the drivers around here. :) He sure likes the flowers!


_MG_6255Buck.jpg
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom