Black tail deer hunting in the Pacific

Black tail deer hunting in the Pacific North West.

Black tail deer or black-tailed deer are usually found on the North West Pacific area of North America. While debate continues on whether these deer are a species or sub-species of the mule deer, the fact remains that these animals make for excellent game animals that provide a fair challenge to hunters. The Columbia black tailed deer can be found grazing in the western area of North America which stretches from Northern California up to coastal British Columbia and the Pacific Northwest. Black tail deer are normally smaller in size than mule deer, but have bigger tails that sport black hair. Another type of black tail deer is the Sitka black tail which is also found in North America. They are smaller in size than the Columbia black tail and usually weigh between 80 and 120 pounds on maturity as compared to between 100 and 200 pounds weight of the Columbia black tail depending on their location across Washington, Oregon, Vancouver Island, and central California.

 The Columbia black-tail deer prefer browsing on tree bark such as western red cedar, Douglas fir, etc., and mast rather than mere grass. Sitka black-tail deer love to munch on foam flower, blackberry, salmonberry, trailing raspberry, and other forms of green vegetation. Black tail deer are extremely intelligent and most hunters find it quite challenging to hunt them down. Hunters need to adapt to high temperatures in case they wish to hunt black tail deer in California’s A and B zone.

Both rut and weather are significant factors that can affect the outcome of a hunt. Cooler climate does offer comfortable hunts for hunters since black tail deer too become much more active during this period. Hunters can also get several chances of hunting down these deer in case it rains during hunting season. Black tail deer avoid coming out during daytime, which makes it much more difficult to hunt. They prefer to remain within the brush and are difficult to spot and hunt. On the other hand, hunters might just come across young deer that may have ventured to graze around in the open. Hunters need to ensure that they get a great vantage point to observe and ambush the black-tailed deer. These deer usually like to move around from one area to another during early morning before the weather turns hot. Most move around to find better shade and browsing locations. Crouching near waterholes is usually not fruitful since black tail deer usually do not need to drink a lot of water. Many hunters also prefer to follow up on logging trails or use the spot and stalk technique to hunt down black tail deer. Horn rattling or calling also make for good strategies although these can also attract other predators such as bears. Avid novice hunters that wish to experience the excitement of black tail deer hunting in the North West Pacific area of North America must first collect all details including hunting season, hunting zone areas, etc. In some cases you must hire experienced outfitters or guides to ensure a legal, safe, and successful hunt.