Black Tails compared to White Tails

[hunter4life]

I have been a Black Tail hunter for as long as I remember, this will be my first season hunting white tails. I'm wondering if anyone who has any experience hunting both, could throw some tips at me as to the drastic changes in techniques from one species to another. And I'm not talking about Mulies I'm talking about Columbian Black Tails. Thanks for the help.

[heybert]

WT's are easier to hunt here in Alberta. I hunted Balcktails in VI and the upper Fraser Valley. Totally different terrain, but I still think even in heavy cover, Blacktails are still harder to locate and a lot spookier.

[hunter4life]

yeah black tails are the hardest of all deer to hunt, I am really looking forward to begining a life time of hunting white tails though. Any difference in the techniques you used you could share?

[heybert]

Not really. Usually hunt 1st and last light. WT's generally are more willing to step out into open areas. I remember slogging through dense forest outside of Port Hardy. Looked in every cut-block or natural opening and not seeing anything. Finally connected on a decent BT buck in a very thick stand. Wouldn't have noticed him if it weren't for his hoofprints in the moss. Kept scanning the stand until I saw his ear twitch. He still didn't notice that I was around, thanks again to the moss. Nice thing here in Alberta, WT's plentiful and they like to feed out in the open.

[Albertadiver]

I'm no expert, but I've noticed that WT's like to be close to bush. They'll feed in the open, but they like to have a shelterbelt or some other cover close by.

I got mine in a narrow 100yd strip of bush on a steep hill. open fields top and bottom. Inside the bush, it was like a deer superhighway. Sign and rubs everywhere. Even found a small spring where they were getting water in a nice sheltered area. I just walked the perimeter a few times and boom, got my first buck. It was a spiker, but hey, I can work my way up now can't I?

[ex811]

For BT hunting on VI I would locate a fresh slash/field with good fed, pick a spot close to game trails/tracks and wait/glass, first/last light. Pretty basic and productive.
The WT hunting I've done in AB, Ont, Sask and NB are basically the same, but substitute field/cut line for slash.
Glassing the areas could mean a long stalk/shot for both, but I've had BT's come within extremely close range, not so much for the WT.
During the rut finding fresh scapes/rub's naturally is a bonus.
For both species I find that scouting is important and time saving, oh yeah, that 'permission' thing cannot be overlooked.
Never had much luck rattling BT's, WT's respond well if methods/conditions are right.
I used long range flat shooting calibres for both, I'm not much of a 'bush' calibre/shooter/hunter though.
Both are equally exciting and rewarding.
Hope you enjoy your WT experience

[hunter4life]

Thanks for all the tips guys, cant wait to get out scouting.

[blackpheasant]

WT's in Southern Ab. many time's they will lay low in stuble field's in the low area's of the field, or slough bottom's, even grassy area's, not much for bush down there and the bush that is there can be hunted hard, the biggest buck I have ever taken was in a slough bottom in the middle of a stubble field that couldn't be seen from any road's or trail's. WT's don't need much if any cover to conceal themselve's down that way. I have watched them bedded down with there head's horizontal in the stuble you wouldn't even know they were there unless you spotted some horn or something....would like to go after the Black Tail someday