You gotta hunt them differently than you hunt mule deer. I think I have found one buck glassing out of 14 blacktail I've taken. My other two were mule deer.

I "still-hunt" a lot. That means walking skid trails, and game trails, through the deep timber a few steps at a time and looking at everything all along the way. I usually find them near the creek bottoms. Probably half of my deer have come that way. Also check the transition areas between timber and clear cuts. This is the second most productive way for me. I have also run into a few "gift deer".

I ride my bike in to areas that are behind locked gates. This gets me past about 95% of the other hunters out there. One time, only once, have I run into other hunters in my honey hole, and they walked in the two miles I rode in. How far ahead do you think I was of them?

We did a lot of drives when I hunted with others. This involves a number of friends pushing deer to one or two blockers. A lot of times you are bumping deer, you just don't know it. If you do this, safety is rule number one, with clear zones of fire discussed before anyone steps in the woods. Mostly now I hunt alone, but with my boys coming on line, they'll be my new partners.

I also hunt muzzle loader. The season is longer during better hunting weather allowing you to hunt more of the rut. Instead of 4 days, I get to hunt 20+ days in the rut. Another benefit is a much more liberal doe harvest during the ML season. I have lots of horns, but have never eaten them. I've shot two deer that were over 100 yards, but most of them have been 35 yards or less, so the ML isn't a handicap, except on running deer. Keeping your muzzle taped and down, plus using an inverted carry, with the rifle upside down will help you keep your powder dry. Swap ends on your sling so the pad is by the butt, not the forearm. In 8 years I have never had a misfire when deer or elk hunting.

Figure out ways to separate yourself from the other hunters and you'll have more success. This is coming from a guy with 16 deer in as many consecutive years, all in Washington. Other guys will have some good ideas as well. Hope this helps.

Andy