On our fourth day, we finally found the buck that had eluded us on Day 1 of the hunt. This time, however, we could approach him. He was alone, bedded tight to a patch of poison oak.

The best part was that we had the high-ground advantage, and the wind was in our favor.

Many hunters claim that blacktail hunting isn't what it used to be. But the truth is, monster bucks are being killed every year.

There was no question he was a shooter buck. Seen through the spotting scope, his symmetrical 4x4 rack clearly spanned more than 20 inches, and his white muzzle told of his age.

It would take more than an hour to creep within shooting range. But Dad was up to the task.

Getting the wind just right, we slowly, steadily closed the distance. Our first approach found us within 50 yards of the buck, but the brush was too tall to thread a bullet through.

We had to back out, come in from above him and hope to glimpse more of the buck's body.

At 80 yards, the buck busted us and took off. He sprinted through the tall stand of poison oak, then slowed at its edge and started to duck into a creek bottom. Dad has taken many fine blacktails in his more than 50 years of hunting, and he knew what to do. When a big buck like this gives you a window, however small, you take it.

In one reflexive action, Dad shouldered the rifle, placed the apex of the Trijicon scope on the spot and pulled the trigger. At 200 yards, the resonating sound of the bullet finding its mark was sweet music to our ears.

Seconds later, the buck crumpled. We watched and then hugged as the stunning blacktail lay dead. Later scoring just shy of 150 inches, it was Dad's third-largest blacktail.

A DIFFERENT ANIMAL
For many Northwest hunters, hunting blacktail deer is a deep passion. For me, this majestic deer is at the top my list of the most exciting and challenging big-game animals in North America. After all, our family's been hunting them since the 1800s.

Given all the blacktail hunting I've done over the past 32 years, I've concluded that though they're all genetically the same deer, their behaviors can vary based on terrain, time of year, hunting pressure and even local deer densities.

From sea level to 5,000 feet, there are many differences, in both the deer and the land.

For instance, high-mountain bucks are different to hunt than those living in the foothills of the Cascades. At the same time, bucks living in the dense Coast Range feature other characteristics unique to their lifestyle that makes hunting them a great challenge. Then there are the open-country bucks that dwell from southern Oregon down through California. These herds are a mix of resident and migratory animals, each of which lends its own type of challenge.

VALLEY BUCKS
The deer that make valley floors their home are no pushover, either. These bucks could be the smartest of the lot. They're mostly resident animals that know every inch of their home turf. These bucks are living in ideal blacktail habitat from California to Washington.

Immediately after shedding their velvet, they turn nocturnal and may be born and die within one square mile without hunters ever knowing of their presence. These are the bucks -- those living near or below the 500-foot elevation mark -- that we'll take a close look at now.

Start High
September could be the toughest time to fill a blacktail tag. The bucks have shed their velvet, and shortly after doing so, move primarily at night. This means your best hunting times are going to be the opening and closing minutes of daylight, when bucks may be moving. But don't completely rule out the middle of the day, especially when it's hot.