california Blacktail Hunt

[pamike]

any one ever do this?  looking at arrow5 outfitters.  sounds awesome but curious what others have done.

thanks
mike

[slivrslingr]

I haven't done a hunt for blacktails here, but from what I have read, it will be hot and dry.  Expect daytime temps to near 100.  You'll likely be hunting over water.  If you go, have a great time!

[Roadkill]

Our NV & CA ARCHERY SEASONS are hot!

Blacktails are really beautiful animals and even small bucks make unique mounts.  Luck to you

I had one I got in SE Alaska mounted, but it fell and broke off antlers. I just may have to go get another

[Roadkill]

Our NV & CA ARCHERY SEASONS are hot!

Blacktails are really beautiful animals and even small bucks make unique mounts.  Luck to you

I had one I got in SE Alaska mounted, but it fell and broke off antlers. I just may have to go get another

[Lonehowl]

I hunt em here and yep...it's HOT. July/August being the season.
Always heard good about arrow5.

Mark

[Firstlight]

I lived in Ca. for 23 yrs and yes I hunted them.

I see you are in PA.  Personally I'd rather hunt white tail there.

I really can't help much as I hunted public lands in N. Ca.  Hot Hunting for sure!

We are all different but if I was "heading west" for a hunt in Ca I'd be going for pigs.

At any rate, watch out for rattle snakes in the tall grass. I had more than one close call, especially near sunset.

Very loud for stalking to, in the areas I hunted.  I sometimes wore moccasins (sp) with a very large pair of wool socks over them so I could walk quietly.

I was a spot and stalk guy so noise mattered.  

Good luck.

[Firstlight]

OOPS, sorry for the double post...

I lived in Ca. for 23 yrs and yes I hunted them.

I see you are in PA.  Personally I'd rather hunt white tail there.

I really can't help much as I hunted public lands in N. Ca.  Hot Hunting for sure!

We are all different but if I was "heading west" for a hunt in Ca I'd be going for pigs.

At any rate, watch out for rattle snakes in the tall grass. I had more than one close call, especially near sunset.

Very loud for stalking to, in the areas I hunted.  I sometimes wore moccasins (sp) with a very large pair of wool socks over them so I could walk quietly.

I was a spot and stalk guy so noise mattered.  

Good luck.

[pamike]

Arrow 5 is near eureka and I am told not that hot. But after during antelope in 100+ heat I think I am ready for anything!!!

So far I have not hear anything bad about them either - thanks.

Snakes are BAD - I hate snakes......Oy!

Any more info?

[Lonehowl]

110 here yesterday..but yeah, Eureka/norcal nowhere near as hot as where I'm at.
Mark

[pamike]

110.....need to look at map

[coaster500]

I have a ranch in lake county lived and hunted their for 26 years. If you go with an outfit that's one thing but on public land I'd look at the border of Lake and Mendocino county, it is the a-zone and b-zone border and there is a ton of public land. An AO tag (ARCHERY ONLY7)allows you to hunt both zones with archery equipment. There are some very, very nice Blacktail Bucks taken every year there. Look for bucks very early (sunrise)and watch for the midday shifts deer make to re-bed and avoid the blazing July/August sun. Blacktails will move during the morning and midday if you can catch them bedding up try to make a sneak,,, tough little dudes to hunt but doable.

[Paul_R]

Pffft! On the VERY rare occasion it gets up to 80 degrees in Eureka people think it's the end of the world. If you hunt close to Eureka you don't need to worry about heat, in fact bring a jacket. Seriously. You don't have to go further than about 20 or 30 miles inland before you're in a completely different climate though. Not unusual at all for inland temps to be 100+ and coast (Eureka) temps to be mid 60's and foggy and misty.

[Firstlight]

Coaster 500 has some good advice.  I hunted the areas he referred to, public land and also out towards the coast (Fort Bragg).  Saw more in the Mendicino area where Coaster referred to thou.  

These were all DIY hunts with friends who knew the area.

During the day the deer I saw seemed to be about 2/3 of the way up any hills, bedded, catching the afternoon breeze.

I found having mosquito head netting to be helpful for when sitting.

I don't know anything about guide services.

Eureka is a nice area.  I bet you a dollar that you run into (or at least smell) one Pot crop, if you go on public land.

The few times I hunted up in NorCal we ran into grow op's each time.

It' pretty nice up in there and those black tail are skittish.

[Bivyhunter]

Paul_R  LMAO! I live about 20 miles south of Eureka, along the coast also. A little nicer weather here, by maybe 5 degrees or so on the average, but we do start whining when it gets north of 75 degrees! If you go even 15 miles inland, it is another story, like you said, 100 degree days are not at all uncommon.
Arrow 5 has been hunting their grounds hard, too hard for years. They used to produce giant bucks consistently, but those days seem to be past. I'm sure you could turn up a decent representation of the species, but not much more.
I've hunted most of the wilderness areas in NorCal that have blacktail. Cam Hanes wrote a book on bowhunting blacktails, I wrote the CA section for him. I think you can still pick it up off of his website. There is a lot of info in there. I'd focus on the Trinity Alps or Yolla Bolly if you are interested in a DIY backpack hunt.