Sports
B1
Appeal Tribune, www.silvertonappeal.com
Wednesday, September 21, 2016
PHOTOS COURTESY OF DOMINIC AIELLO
Blacktail dear are difficult to hunt in Oregon, but they can be had.
Up your chances of snagging
a quite elusive blacktail deer
Safety for hunters and hikers
DOMINIC AIELLO
STATESMAN JOURNAL
Here are some tips from the Lincoln County
Sheriff’s Office:
Arguably one of the most difficult
deer to hunt in North America, blacktail
deer are reclusive and often nocturnal
during the hunting season. With the aver-
age success rate of Western Oregon rifle
deer hunts hovering around 20 percent
and the season less than a month away,
here are a few tips to help you make the
most of your time afield this fall.
Hunters
» Check weather reports before visiting the
forest. Dress properly.
» Tell someone where you will be hunting and
when you will return. Leave a written plan at
home and in your vehicle.
» Be familiar with the area you want to hunt.
Pre-season scouting
No matter how you intend to hunt,
pre-season scouting is the best way to in-
crease your odds of success.
If you don’t know where the deer are,
then you’re automatically giving the ad-
vantage to an already difficult prey.
Scouting gives you the basic information
of where to and where not to go and is
worth spending time on during the lim-
ited season.
Try to scout the area you intend to
hunt at least two or three times during
dawn or dusk to get an idea of the deer
activity. You might be wondering about
trail cameras. Without question, they are
another effective method of scouting,
but with such a short time before the sea-
son starts, it might be best to save that
for next year.
» Avoid wearing white or tan during hunting
seasons. Wearing hunter orange, viewable
from all directions is recommended. Research
reveals that orange and reds appear as darker
subdued colors to deer and elk.
» If accompanied by a dog, the dog should
also wear hunter orange or a very visible color
on a vest, leash, coat or bandana.
» Check hunting equipment before and after
each outing and maintain it properly.
Familiarize yourself with its operation before
using it in the field.
Blacktail deer are reclusive and often nocturnal during the hunting season.
tagged her first blacktail buck, she
asked, “How do you hike all the time, so
slow and cautious, without seeing deer
and not get frustrated?”
I responded with, “I just do. That
doesn’t mean I don’t get frustrated at
times, but you can’t focus on it. You take
a break — hydrate, have a snack, let it
pass and get back after it.”
Practice and confidence
Don’t tell the story of the one that got
away; tell a story over a venison dinner
while gazing at the one on the wall! The
story of the one that got away happens to
us all at some point — we all eventually
miss. However, you can minimize the
chance.
Whether you’re hunting with a bow,
muzzleloader, shotgun or rifle, you need
to make sure you’ve practiced and feel
confident with your weapon or you could
fail to capitalize on your opportunity.
Hunting strategies
Dress appropriately
There’s not much worse than spend-
ing time scouting and practicing with
your weapon only to have to head back to
camp early because you’re cold or too
wet.
Plan your clothing around the expect-
ed weather. If it’s going to be freezing
temperatures, know what you’ll need to
stay warm. If it’s going to be pouring
rain, know what gear will keep you dry,
or at least still keep you warm and then
dry quickly when you take it off.
Other important clothing factors to
consider are fit, durability and quality —
don’t sacrifice these features for sav-
Pre-season scouting is the best way to
increase your odds of success.
ings.
Mental endurance
At some point, you’ll likely second-
guess yourself or want to give up; you’ll
get cold or wet and want to go home, but
don’t.
On Day 8 of the hunt when my wife
REACH US: Cliff Kirkpatrick, ckirkpatr@Salem.gannett.com
When rifle hunting blacktails, there
are two common methods: using your
binoculars to search clear cuts for bed-
ded or feeding deer and slowly hiking
along animal trails in the timber.
While I use both methods, my pre-
ferred tactic is stalking game trails.
If you’re going to glass clear cuts, be
sure to invest in quality optics. Not only
will you be able to spot more animals, but
your eyes will thank you after a long day.
Also, don’t be in a hurry to move onto an-
other area; look and look again. Missing a
bedded deer can be easy.
When planning to stalk game trails,
focus on the most comfortable footwear.
I’m known for saying, “You can only go
as far as your feet will take you.” After
hiking several miles, your feet are bound
to get tired, but good boots will give you
the comfort and support to keep going.
See BLACKTAIL, Page 3B
» Carry a spare set of dry clothing. Use
layering techniques to prevent moisture while
retaining body warmth. Always bring rain
gear.
» Carry a first aid kit and know how to use its
contents.
» Clearly identify your target before shooting.
Prevent unfortunate accidents or fatalities.
» Be alert when hunting near developed areas
and trails. Other recreationists are in the
forest as well.
Hikers
» Wear bright clothing. Make yourself more
visible. Choose colors that stand out, like red,
orange or green, and avoid white, blacks,
browns, earth-toned greens and
animal-colored clothing. Orange vests and
hats are advisable.
» Don’t forget to protect Fido. Get an orange
vest for your dog if he/she accompanies you.
» Be courteous. Once a hunter is aware of
your presence, don’t make unnecessary noise
to disturb wildlife. Avoid confrontations.
» Make yourself known. If you do hear
shooting, raise your voice and let hunters
know that you are in the vicinity.
» Know when hunting seasons are occurring.
If you choose to hike during a hunting season,
learn about where and when hunting is
taking place.
» Know your own comfort level. If hunting
makes you uneasy, choose a hiking location
where hunting is not allowed, such as a
national or state park.