Cous vs Blacktail

BGnight · Jun 27, 2023

Most western hunters prefer muleys over whitetails. However, the same hunter's get all giddy over cous deer (just a smaller whitetail lol) and totally ignore blacktail (just a smaller muley)...I don't get it.
Is there something I'm missing?

johnnycake · Jun 27, 2023

The obvious answer is racism

idahomuleyhunter · Jun 27, 2023

Hunting style. Hunting Cous deer is more like hunting Mule deer. Open country spot and stalk and sitting behind glass. Whitetail tend towards thicker denser cover. I've never hunted blacktail, but the only place I've seen them is the rainforests of the Cascades; which seems more like whitetail country.

X7ahunter · Jun 27, 2023

Easier to glass a cous deer than it is a blacktail I suppose

LIK2HNT · Jun 27, 2023

Harder to get a B&C blacktail than any of the others. Big whitetails are easily grown in a lot of places and not that appealing to some. Now those VERY Heavy massed big Saskatchewan bruisers would be fun to hunt. Big true blacktails are A LOT of work.

idahomuleyhunter · Jun 27, 2023

LIK2HNT said:
Harder to get a B&C blacktail than any of the others. Big whitetails are easily grown in a lot of places and not that appealing to some. Now those VERY Heavy massed big Saskatchewan bruisers would be fun to hunt. Big true blacktails are A LOT of work.

Puget sound. WA let's you bait. I recommend a back yard corn spreader in Tacoma.

Stillwater165 · Jun 27, 2023

BGnight said:
Most western hunters prefer muleys over whitetails. However, the same hunter's get all giddy over cous deer (just a smaller whitetail lol) and totally ignore blacktail (just a smaller muley)...I don't get it.
Is there something I'm missing?

I guess I’m kinda the opposite of most……. I have zero desire to hunt cous and would absolutely love to hunt Blacktail some day ! I’m guessing as others have stated it’s the style of hunting, glassing and stalking.

Moe · Jun 27, 2023

I use to hunt BT in high alpine, glass for miles type country. Yes, true blue Columbian blacktails, not bench legs. Lots of N Comifornia wilderness with over the counter tags.

littlebighorn · Jun 27, 2023

As a Western hunter I would love to pursue both (I've not hunted either).
If I had to choose it would first be cous. (like my rhyme?) I am not a fan of California or the coast. Maybe an Alaskan island sitka.
It just doesn't seem natural to wander into blue states to hunt.
Just sayin.

LIK2HNT · Jun 27, 2023

littlebighorn said:
As a Western hunter I would love to pursue both (I've not hunted either).
If I had to choose it would first be cous. (like my rhyme?) I am not a fan of California or the coast. Maybe an Alaskan island sitka.
It just doesn't seem natural to wander into blue states to hunt.
Just sayin.

You are missing a lot of good hunting. ?

Blank · Jun 27, 2023

I love hunting them all, and think any free range buck is a trophy. I have B&C Coues and Oregon Blacktail, but still trying for big WT and MD. Those are some lofty goals. Haven't had an opportunity for Alaska Sitka blacktail yet either

yotebuster17 · Jun 27, 2023

I’m going on a blacktail hunt in central CA this year. Super excited. Just got my tags in the mail. Coues are incredible. I think it’s the fact that they rut like mad men and it’s 70 degrees and sunny where they live in the middle of January when they’re rutting.

LIK2HNT · Jun 27, 2023

Blank said:
I love hunting them all, and think any free range buck is a trophy. I have B&C Coues and Oregon Blacktail, but still trying for big WT and MD. Those are some lofty goals. Haven't had an opportunity for Alaska Sitka blacktail yet either

Alaska would be really fun to hunt from a boat. Glass and fish then hike up after them. Here’s a few blacktails.

Blank · Jun 27, 2023

True 4x4 Columbia Black tails are tough to get. Very nice trophies!!

Cahunter805 · Jun 27, 2023

yotebuster17 said:
I’m going on a blacktail hunt in central CA this year. Super excited. Just got my tags in the mail. Coues are incredible. I think it’s the fact that they rut like mad men and it’s 70 degrees and sunny where they live in the middle of January when they’re rutting.

DIY or guided? A zone or B? Either way you will have a great time!

Bwht4x4 · Jun 28, 2023

I live in blacktail country but if given the choice I would hunt Coues all day long.

Tikka · Jun 28, 2023

I’ve hunted Kodiak twice, an incredible experience… Coues I’ve hunted 3 times this year year will be 4, drew a late AZ tag…

I really want to hunt columbian blacktails someday, then a midwestern whitetail…

Coues are my favorite, I don’t know what it is about them, but they get my blood pumping.,,

CHWino_1 · Jun 28, 2023

I've not hunted Cous but grew up hunting blacktail. Even on decent private property they are not a slam dunk. The B zone blacktail are a different subspecies IMHO much bigger bodied and headgear. I've killed a truckload of 18" 3x3's and only 3 or 4 true 4x4's. Not being able to hunt blacktail in the rut is the one disadvantage. Every time I hunt whitetail in South Dakota, I'm stunned how spooky they are. You pop over a hill and see them at 500 yards, and they are instantly on the go!

LIK2HNT · Jun 28, 2023

Guess you all have convinced me to hunt cous next year. Think it will be a fun late season hunt.

yoteduster · Jun 28, 2023

I've hunted blacktail once and coues deer twice and all I can say I'll take a coues deer and the habitat they live in any time I can...

buckmster28 · Jun 28, 2023

Hunt Blacktails every year cause they are closest and easiest tag I can get. Much tougher than mule deer but we hunt them the same way(glass a lot). Never hunted Cous but I could see the attraction they live in pretty cool looking country!

huntandfish · Jun 28, 2023

I have Hunted coues deer a handful of times. Twice with a rifle three times with a bow and have a any legal weapon tag this year. I really want to get one with my bow spent about 10 days solo hunting in January going on 2 to 4 stocks a day and couldn’t seal the deal! Each time I hunt them I like them more and more. They don’t call them the grey ghost for nothing. They literally can vanish before your eyes.

Rie bread · Jun 29, 2023

Grew up hunting Blacktails, i feel sorry for those poor out of star hunter who choose a B-zone haha. Can be some rugged terrain in there

I think the geography/ topography is what is appealing for a cous hunt.

yotebuster17 · Jun 29, 2023

Cahunter805 said:
DIY or guided? A zone or B? Either way you will have a great time!

DIY but I got an access permit to the UC Davis extension ranch. It’s A Zone. Just figured it would be a bit of a leg up to public without having to deal with a outfitter

highsierra · Jun 29, 2023

Have hunted them all ...Muleys, Whitetails, Coues, Sitka Blacktails, Columbian Blacktails and, most recently, Columbian Whitetails. All offer their own unique challenges. Can't say I prefer any one species over another. However, I can say that the most challenging of them to find and harvest for me have been mature Coues bucks.

Maybe that's the appeal?

Largebull · Jul 15, 2023

Most Guys would be hooked on Coues Deer if they ever get the chance. Very frustrating at first till you learn where and how to glass. Most Newbies don't have a Clue. Go with someone that know's how to hunt them . A big Coues is the toughest challenge of all deer Species............................BULL!

lostinOregon · Jul 15, 2023

I’ve been a muley nut my whole life. I hunt them every year. Also hunt whitetails and have taken them in Oregon, Montana, Alberta. My new crush is true blacktails in Oregon. Folks can call me crazy, but killing a 135 inch blacktail in the Pacific Northwest is about it is as tough as it comes. The mature bucks are nocturnal, except for a few days in the rut. I’m hoping to show you all a giant blacky this year. It’s very addicting for sure.

Rie bread · Jul 16, 2023

Blacktail hunting- sure don’t miss the poison oak

Cous hunting- cactus butt?

Largebull · Jul 16, 2023

lostinOregon said:
I’ve been a muley nut my whole life. I hunt them every year. Also hunt whitetails and have taken them in Oregon, Montana, Alberta. My new crush is true blacktails in Oregon. Folks can call me crazy, but killing a 135 inch blacktail in the Pacific Northwest is about it is as tough as it comes. The mature bucks are nocturnal, except for a few days in the rut. I’m hoping to show you all a giant blacky this year. It’s very addicting for sure.

Come hunt Coues and You will get Your asz Handed too You . Promise.....................BULL!

dvolmer · Jul 16, 2023

Both of them do neither for me. I live in Washington and still not into black tail hunting. All muley’s and Whitetail for me. But to each their own.

BuzzH · Jul 16, 2023

Never have hunted a deer species that I didn't like to hunt. I've shot lots of mountain whitetails, lots of mule deer, have my 6th late coues tag this year in AZ, and hunted blacktails on Kodiak.

Most enjoyable hunt was for the blacktails on Kodiak, hands down. Did a boat based hunt, caught a bunch of fish, shot seaducks, and killed 2 nice bucks.

I really enjoy hunting coues deer. They live in awesome country and it's a great time to be down south and out of the cold up north.

I've spent the most time hunting whitetails in NW Montana on public land. Way more difficult than coues deer or sitka blacktails for sure. They live in elk country and I've shot 25 or so elk while hunting whitetails.

I intend to hunt Columbia blacktails someday.

lostinOregon · Jul 17, 2023

You won’t regret hunting the Columbia blacktails. They are addicting

Moe · Jul 17, 2023

Why choose? Hunted em all, a bunch. Can't pick a favorite. I plan on hunting them all till I die. This year, I have a Co tag for Muleys, Blacktail tag in Comifornia., Whitetail tags in two states. Helping on a late Coues tag, in a unit that I know well. Will definitely go back to POW or Kodiak and chase deer there again, the plane rides are awesome!

Rie bread · Jul 17, 2023

Moe said:
Why choose? Hunted em all, a bunch. Can't pick a favorite. I plan on hunting them all till I die. This year, I have a Co tag for Muleys, Blacktail tag in Comifornia., Whitetail tags in two states. Helping on a late Coues tag, in a unit that I know well. Will definitely go back to POW or Kodiak and chase deer there again, the plane rides are awesome!

A or B zone?

Blank · Jul 17, 2023

Smaller versions of both mule deer and whitetails. Both are more dainty and beautiful, in their own way. These are my two best, Oregon and Arizona.

CouesFanatic · Jul 17, 2023

I've hunted both quite a bit. The blacktail is much harder. Once you figure out the glassing thing the coues hunting gets easy. blacktails are in some thick nasty country that you can't see 50 yards in. It's tough to get a good strategy to consistently kill one. Add the fact that the land is constantly being cut for timber, and it's a constant battle. New clear cuts, some clear cuts getting taller pines and harder to see, some wooded sections are so thick you can't hardly walk, let alone the thorny vines that catch your feet and the constant rain soaking through your clothes. Both are a lot of fun, pretty much the opposite. Close rainy game seems like for blacktail and long distance dry glassing for coues.

Rie bread · Jul 17, 2023

Some of those big black tails are extremely used to the noise and racket from the weekenders and constant noise of logging. It’s pretty handy to have another person to flush them out of their hiding spots.

Bwht4x4 · Jul 17, 2023

IMO I don't think there's much comparison between the two as I think hunting and killing a 125 blacktail is way harder than killing a 100 inch Coues. I like hunting them both, but prefer to hunt Coues. Plus blacktails in CA live in a jungle of poison oak a lot of times!

Cahunter805 · Jul 18, 2023

Coues is definitely on the list of hunts I want to accomplish.
Blacktail hunting is a challenge unlike any other also. Such a fun hunt.

eelgrass · Jul 18, 2023

I've never hunted Coues but it sounds like a lot of glassing and spotting involved. Blacktail can be that in certain locations but mostly you sneak into their house and hope he's home and you get lucky and spot him before he spots you. There may not be a deer within a mile of you or he might be 50 ft. from you at any given moment. You will hear more leaving than you will see. Busted again.

bullskin · Jul 19, 2023

LIK2HNT said:
You are missing a lot of good hunting. ?

Not to mention fishing. Between the two, my family and I have killed or caught bear, elk, mule deer, blacktail deer, pronghorn, pigs, predators, turkey, blue and ruffed grouse, pheasant, valley, mountain and gambel's quail, chukar, dove, band-tailed pigeon, ducks and geese of almost every species, squirrels, rabbits, sturgeon, coho and king salmon, steelhead, cutthroat, rainbows, brooks, browns, goldens, largemouth, smallmouth, spots, stripers, catfish, panfish, lingcod, halibut and rock fish of every description. Still have not gone after sheep, however. I am sure that I have missed others, but your point about missed opportunities is well-taken.

While I can find better fishing and hunting for any one of these species in other states, I cannot think of many states that offer so many different hunting and fishing opportunities. That said, the fewer who come here, the better my hunting, so perhaps it is best that those who see only "blue" when they look our way just stay home!

2lumpy · Jul 19, 2023

bullskin said:
Not to mention fishing. Between the two, my family and I have killed or caught bear, elk, mule deer, blacktail deer, pronghorn, pigs, predators, turkey, blue and ruffed grouse, pheasant, valley, mountain and gambel's quail, chukar, dove, band-tailed pigeon, ducks and geese of almost every species, squirrels, rabbits, sturgeon, coho and king salmon, steelhead, cutthroat, rainbows, brooks, browns, goldens, largemouth, smallmouth, spots, stripers, catfish, panfish, lingcod, halibut and rock fish of every description.

You must be closely related to the Hank Williams family.

bullskin · Jul 19, 2023

Maybe so.

I can skin a trout,
and I can run a clothes line...

As Junior says, not everyone can do that, you know.

And I see your point. I wish I had written "Where else can anyone kill or catch..." I am not trying to brag--I am sure I do all of these things poorly, after all. I am simply pointing out that California sportsmen have a lot going for them. Just last night I fished topwater for spots and smallmouth up to four pounds--and I never saw a single crackhead or homeless camp. In fact, I never saw anyone at all, so I can't complain.

Redbluff77 · Jul 19, 2023

I would definitely prefer to hunt Blacktail deer over Coues deer. The simple answer is, I just can't handle the heat where Coues deer live and it's 115 degrees out.

BuzzH · Jul 20, 2023

Redbluff77 said:
I would definitely prefer to hunt Blacktail deer over Coues deer. The simple answer is, I just can't handle the heat where Coues deer live and it's 115 degrees out.

Never seen it close to even 100 in December in extreme Southern AZ. I have seen it snow a couple times however.

Redbluff77 · Jul 20, 2023

BuzzH said:
Never seen it close to even 100 in December in extreme Southern AZ. I have seen it snow a couple times however.

Well if that's the case I can do a December Coues deer hunt. I still prefer Blacktail hunting though.

couesmagnet · Jul 21, 2023

Older/110 type coues bucks are usually super paranoid and super aware of their surroundings. They will stand there looking around for 30 mins at time, just for the heck of it. Outside of the rut a big coues buck is in my opinion the most aware animal of its surroundings there is.
I’ve never hunted black tails but if they are similar to mule deer, they just aren’t as smart or nearly aware of their surroundings as coues deer.
Almost all guys that have even just a couple of big coues bucks are from Mexico ranches where the determinant of how well you do is finding the most unhunted, tamest deer on a big private ranch, and not hunting skill. You’ll find very few guys that have killed even a small handful of big coues bucks on state land outside of Mexico.
What’s nice about coues deer is that there are so many diff units to hunt and all have some big coues deer. You don’t have to search for a private game preserve in Mexico to do well. It just takes lots of time scouting.
Would like to kill a big blacktail someday but unless they are smarter and more aware of their surroundings than a mule deer the coues is much more crafty.

Largebull · Jul 21, 2023

Years ago , Chuck Adams said the Coues was the Hardest big game animal to hunt in North America. For what it's worth. I agree !................BULL!

Moe · Jul 21, 2023

Rie bread, I actually have a C zone 2nd choice rifle tag. I know, not true blue BT, but pretty dang close. I use to hunt the B zones, Wilderness areas. Was hung up on the B&C boundaries. Most think it's interstate 5. It's not, much more West at most NF lines. All I wanted was a true Booner. Best was a gross 131 4x3, 23 inches from the Yollys. Now....I don't care about such things. Just love to deer hunt, coast to coast. Once again, all of em are unique.

Rie bread · Jul 22, 2023

Moe said:
Rie bread, I actually have a C zone 2nd choice rifle tag. I know, not true blue BT, but pretty dang close. I use to hunt the B zones, Wilderness areas. Was hung up on the B&C boundaries. Most think it's interstate 5. It's not, much more West at most NF lines. All I wanted was a true Booner. Best was a gross 131 4x3, 23 inches from the Yollys. Now....I don't care about such things. Just love to deer hunt, coast to coast. Once again, all of em are unique.

Yeah we always used the coastal range crest as the boundary for true blacktails, much further west than I5. The deer are notably smaller the further west you are in the range. I look forward to some day going on a cous hunt to compare, to me they seem very similar in being cautious and skidish