Originally Posted by NMpistolero
How about a net B&C buck of any species on public land? Gotta be pretty tough!
Is it the habitat or the habits of blacktail that make them so tough? Is there an actual skill to killing mature blacktail bucks? Or just tenacity and being in the right place at the right time? I’m truly curious. I’ve never hunted them before. I’m really intrigued and admire the big woods whitetail guys who consistently track big bucks and make the shot to seal the deal.
I'm with you. Public land bucks that have made through a season or 2 are tough. I've killed a ton of blacktail but it was all on private land-no comparison to public land bucks. The deal with blacktail is as soon as their horns are hard, they go find the gnarliest, thickest patch around and never come out. I've seen them do this on private land with zero hunting pressure. You see a big buck as his antlers are growing but as soon as they are hard he disappears until the rut.


I am continually astounded at how quickly people make up their minds on little evidence or none at all.
Jack O'Connor