Scouting for Black tail.

[NorCal]

For those of us whow didn't get the X-Zone draw in California we have togo for the Black Tail. I've been scouting alittle bit and I'm wondering what everyone else is seeing. I went scouting near Klamath and found a place with Elk and lots of deer sign. No bucks that morning but I didn't beat the brush in search of any. Has anyone had seen sone healthy herds this year.

[spike]

What tag do you have?

[NorCal]

None yet. I have my little piece of paper from the Fish Cops that told me I was a looser in the drawing. Gonna get a B tag so just in case this place i scouted is over hunted or I don't see any deer when i go scout again I can always fall back on Trinity near Hayfork. Lots of deer there. Not very big but something is better that nothing.

[Dick Koch]

I will be hunting up in the Sequoia National Forest for 2 weeks beginning 9/25 in zone D8. 1st time up there. Was wondering if anyone has any advice or tips on what areas may be best? Also, with the area being so large, are there any special scouting techniques ?
Thanks
---- Koch

[NorCal]

Scouting techniques depends on your style. I look at topo maps and look for areas that look huntable. Then I drive there, get an overview of the area and then start glassing. I don't like to go out in the brush and scout in the area I'm hunting. I have been burned before by scaring off the big bucks that were still hanging around. If I were you I would find the place with the highest elevation. on 9/25 its still going to be warm here and the deer won't move until real late in the evening and very early morning. Unfortunately i live 8 hours from where I'm gonna be hunting and can't just run up and take a look.

[Dick Koch]

Scouting techniques depends on your style. I look at topo maps and look for areas that look huntable. Then I drive there, get an overview of the area and then start glassing. I don't like to go out in the brush and scout in the area I'm hunting. I have been burned before by scaring off the big bucks that were still hanging around. If I were you I would find the place with the highest elevation. on 9/25 its still going to be warm here and the deer won't move until real late in the evening and very early morning. Unfortunately i live 8 hours from where I'm gonna be hunting and can't just run up and take a look.

NorCal: Thanks for the come back. Sounds like good advice, will let you know how we make out when we get back 2nd week of October. "Good Hunting" ---- Koch

[Dick Koch]

To NorCal: Hunted up out of Kennedy Medows in the Bonita Medows area just south west of Blackrock Station. Hunted for 2 weeks. Saw some doe but no bucks. Usually still hunting the bike trails. First night in camp, temperature dropped to 17 above with a light snow, but then it warmed up later in the week. Camp next to us took 3 nice mulie bucks, but of course would not say where. Oh well, there's always next year. Hope you made out better.
---- Koch

[NorCal]

Well bummer ----! My success was the same as yours. I understand why they didn't tell you because when you find those honey holes you don't want everyone else going in there. There is a guy I have been talking to on the X3B topic who didn't see anything. I could have told him exactly where to go but that would mean him and his 2 hunting buddies and who ever else he took in there with him would know about that spot.

ANyway. Did you find the highest most remote area that you could glass from a distance and find the deer moving? Thats a good way to see deer moving.

I hunted one day west of Yreka and was confident in the signs and deer that i saw. I probably saw 12-15 does through out the day and scared up two bucks that had crossed the trail I walked up when i took a lunch break. The two bucks had very large tracks and each left a steamy pile of poop that had no flys on it yet. We put One guy on the road down below (150 yards) one guy up high (100 yards above me) and me through the middle. I followed their trail through a pine plantation and lost it in thick dead falls. They were kicking up tracks in the sun that were still moist. At one point I heard them (I think) going out in fron of me. Not thumping down the trail but sneaking if you know what i mean. My buddy on the road had 6 deer come down and cross the road in front of him but those bucks snuck out or looped around me. Probably the classic buttonhook that blacktail are famous for. Anyway we got nothing. I shot a grouse but thats it. Right before dark. Those things are tasty.

In Hayfork I saw 5 bucks and could have killed the first one. A very small fork. The problem was, it was almost dark we had about 20 minutes left and there was a bad storm coming in. I could see small horns on the deer but it was in the brush and couldn't make out the fork. When it turned it;s head to walk off, I saw the fork and then it was gone. Oh well.

The I had two small bucks run across the road on my way back for lunch. I stopped (4 wheeler) but they were running fast. So I hauled arse and while accellerating the biggest buck I have ever seen in this area came across the road. If I had stayed put. I would have dumped him. Too late, too slow. No luck. The other buck i saw was haulling arse off a ridge into a plantation. It was big bodied and small horned.
There is always next year.

My dad is in Colorado and missed a 5x5 that was 35" wide by 1/2 second. He was pretty bummed.