This is probably the reason why more developers have been coming up with such games over the years. You can either enjoy a fantastic gaming session or try your luck at winning a jackpot. Whatever you choose, these hunting-themed online slots would surely give you loads of fun and excitement. So, here are some of the popular ones among them:

1. Da Vinci’s Treasure

Did you make a guess that this is about a treasure hunt? Well, you’re absolutely right. There are 5 reels and 25 paylines in this online slot game. Da Vinci’s Treasure also has free spins and a Mapquest bonus game in store for its players. You can win up to 60 free spins with a 5x multiplier with these features.

Players of this online slot would also be rewarded with three random objects with its ‘Find a Prize’ feature. The game has a splendid interface with high-resolution graphics. You’ll find both high-value and low-value symbols on the reels in Da Vinci’s Treasure. Upon landing three or five matching icons, you’ll be awarded the winnings.

A high-paying icon would fetch you a large payout. Besides, you’ll also get the chance to win a jackpot of up to 48,000x of your bet. No wonder that the game is among the most popular hunting-themed online slot games out there.

2. Wolf Hunters

You’ll be delighted by the fact that this online slot is available on more than 60 online casinos. Released in 2018, this game comes from the developer, Yggdrasil Gaming. It features a theme that’s dark, medieval, and romantic. The game also showcases 3 free spin modes, a scatter icon, and an auto-play mode.

Wild symbols in Wolf Hunters are represented by the images of wolves. You’ll have 20 paylines in this game and the Hunter and Huntress as the main characters. The wolf symbols are the ones that will give you the highest payouts. Upon winning, you’ll get to earn more coins and rage points.

3. Razortooth

Although this appears to be a simple online slot game, it gives you 243 ways to win. Razortooth has 3 rows and 5 reels. However, you’ll have the opportunity to enjoy big wins with its random Wild symbols. The low-paying symbols in this online slot are the wild animals and gems. Among the most common symbols in this game is the tiger, but it also pays the most.

The wilds can substitute for other symbols and the large winnings compensate for the small number of free spins. The only condition here is that there’s no guarantee that they’ll occur frequently. If you love wilds in online slots, Razortooth would be an excellent choice. This game is extremely useful for new players as it offers 243 ways of winning. It comes from Quickspin, which is one of the leading game developers.

This gives you another good reason to choose Razortooth. Among the major benefits of this online slot game are the winning combinations that the wilds create. It’s quite easy to play, has excellent graphics, and also offers a free bonus for players.

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You’ll find them close to the edges of the woods during these times. There are certain places and seasons that are ideal for spotting and hunting these fascinating animals. Here we’ve listed some of the best among them:

1. Mendocino County, California

This is the top spot for hunting blacktail deer. Lake Mendocino and Clear Lake can be excellent starting points. The bow season begins in mid-July and the rifle season towards the end of the first week of August. If you want to hunt blacktail deer in California, you must apply for specific zones and units.

The deadline for submitting big-game applications is the 2nd of July. The odds are greater in the A-Zone, and this is followed by areas in the B-Zone. In the open areas, the blacktail bucks would be the hardest to approach. Plenty of time is needed to locate and establish the deer’s presence.

2. Oregon

The Santiam and McKenzie zones in Oregon are the top units for trophy blacktail deer hunting. Regionally, the south-western part of the state is ideal for this purpose. The calling and rattling methods can be productive during the period of late-fall. You can also choose any of the other areas like the western foothills of the Cascades. In this region, hunting along the edges of logged forest units can be quite useful.

3. Lewis County, Washington

Located in western Washington, Lewis County is the state’s top spot for hunting blacktails. The best rifle season here is the last few days of October. You can also choose the late rifle season, which usually begins around the 18th of November. It continues for four days and gives you ample opportunities to stalk and hunt the deer.

Bigger bucks are usually spotted in the timbered area between Interstate 5 and Mount Rainier. It is in November when the bucks come out of tight cover. The cold and rainy days during this period would be perfect for hunting. The high countryside is usually abundant with the blacktail bucks when they seek some respite from the heat.

The soaring temperatures force them to move to the higher areas of the mountains. During these times, it would be difficult for you to stalk them in areas of open terrain. You can hide your approach using certain features like boulder fields and ridgelines.

In the regions where there’s heavy timber, you must be extremely cautious. Moving just 200 yards one fine morning can produce better results than tromping through large forest tracts. Another great blacktail deer hotspot can be a patch of young timber with logged units surrounding it.

It is important that you hunt from cover in such areas. The best strategy is to move through the timber slowly at sunrise. You can thus intercept the deer while they move to bedding areas.

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Once you’ve identified the exact spots of a blacktail buck, hunting it would be very much possible. This is easier said than done, as the task involves plenty of skill and patience. Successful blacktail hunters of coastal Alaska and northern California use the spot and stalk method to hunt these animals. This method is especially employed in Alaska for hunting blacktail deer during late-August and September.

This is when these animals come together in large numbers to feed in the alpine and sub-alpine regions. These areas are located at an altitude of above 2,000 feet. Physically fit hunters can reach these spots in a matter of hours beginning at the sea level.

Finding a good vantage point

During late-August and September, the fur of these animals take on a reddish color. This makes the blacktail deer quite easy to locate when they’re feeding in the open areas. While hunting under these conditions, you must watch for fresh tracks and trails when you enter the alpine areas.

This will be the key to improve your chances of success. After you’ve established the presence of blacktail deer in the area, find the right vantage point. You must ideally explore the regions of mixed timber and alpine muskeg. The peaks and slopes with grassy basins that surround such areas must also be considered.

Once you spot the deer you’re looking for, take some time to mark their location. Make a note of the navigational references with the help of the surrounding features.

The use of a secondary vantage point

It would be a good idea to move to a secondary vantage point instead of charging directly towards the deer. This vantage point must be within the rifle’s range, downwind of the blacktail deer’s general location. Upon arriving at the spot, you must ensure that you’re able to locate the hangout of the deer.

It’s also essential to make sure that it’s within a reasonable shooting distance. There are two possibilities if you’ve got a good vantage point. Either you’ll spot the deer and fire your shot or you won’t spot the deer and keep waiting. If you’re experiencing the latter, don’t be in a hurry.

If there’s no one to disturb them, the blacktail deer usually stay around a certain spot for days. So, it would be the best strategy to try again the following day. If you use archery for hunting, you can utilize the secondary vantage point for planning your final stalk.

Conditions prevalent in California

You’ll not always look at alpine zones while in California. The situations for spot and stalk method would be a bit different in this part of the world. Here, you’ll be looking at open grasslands, farming areas, and slopes abundant in timber. Nevertheless, you’d be applying the same principles.

You’d go scouting for the deer and verify their presence. Once this is done, the best strategy would be to step back and watch for these animals from afar. It would really be a bad idea to violate their sanctuaries and disturb them.

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It’s a fascinating animal that thrives mostly in the North American regions. According to the Canadian biologist Dr. Valerius Geist, the first blacktail deer originated around 2 million years ago. Their habitat was first discovered during ‘The Lewis and Clark Expedition’ in the early 19th century. Blacktail is considered as the least studied among all the North American deer species.

For hunters, a grown blacktail buck is a prestigious trophy as it’s difficult to hunt them down. Owing to their stealth and secretive behavior, blacktail deer can easily evade most of the hunters and predators. Now, let’s go through some of the basic facts about this fascinating deer species:

1. Classification

The name ‘blacktail’ comes from the characteristic black tail that this deer species possesses. It can be mentioned as either ‘black-tailed deer’ or ‘blacktail deer’. The blacktail deer is a sub-species of Odocoileus hemionus or the mule deer. The Columbian blacktail deer and Sitka blacktail deer are its two sub-species.

2. Lifespan

The blacktail deer has a natural lifespan of 9 to 10 years. However, if they’re kept in protective surroundings and provided excellent care, they can live up to 20 years.

3. Habitat

You can find the Columbian blacktail deer in regions spanning California to British Columbia. The habitat of Sitka blacktail deer exists in areas spanning British Columbia to Southeast Alaska. They live mostly in the forests in and around the Pacific coast.

You’ll also find them on the mountains and the foothills nearby. Blacktail deer prefer mild climatic conditions characterized by ample rainfall and cool temperatures. They don’t migrate, but those living on the mountainous areas can descend to safer places during winters.

4. Predators

The most common predators of blacktail deer are bears, coyotes, wolves, cougars, and golden eagles.

5. Physical features

The weight of a blacktail doe is around 58 kilograms. Blacktail bucks can weigh up to 90 kilograms. Owing to the smaller size of Sitka blacktail deer, their weight is usually between 36 and 54 kilograms. The height varies from 27 to 45 inches. Usually, this deer species possess a stocky body with long and sturdy legs. Blacktail deer change the color of their coat according to the prevailing season.

During winters, the color of their coat is brownish-gray. In summers, they change the color to reddish-brown. The color of their tail is either completely black or dark brown. They have an undersurface with a white shade. Blacktail deer have large ears that can make independent movements. Blacktail bucks usually have antlers, but female blacktail deer may also have antlers in rare cases.

The development of antlers in blacktail deer begins when they’re 6 to 8 months of age. The term ‘antler buttons’ describes the antlers that begin to appear during their initial stages of growth. The antlers develop under a skin layer, which is known as ‘velvet’. Once fully developed, the dried velvet peels off and the antlers start showing.

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Meat of a game animal is considered one of the healthiest and delicious kinds of meat. Deer feast on foods that are high in nutritional value. This is why they like to live in regions with freshly changed landscapes. Sometimes, there can be a change in their habitat owing to conditions like logging or forest fire.

Under such circumstances, they move to another region that’s ideal for their survival. However, there’s always a possibility of them coming back to the place they had abandoned. This happens when there’s a growth of fresh and nutritious vegetation in those areas.

The difference between whitetail, mule, and blacktail deer

There are close relatives of the caribou, moose, and elk on the other side of the Pacific. It’s almost impossible to distinguish between the East Siberian moose and the Alaska moose. They can be considered the same sub-species. Although close enough, there’s still a little bit of difference between the North American elk and Siberian wapiti. The Caribou can be found across the whole of Arctic.

The whitetail and mule deer don’t have their close relatives in the European or Asian countries. They’re more American. The relationship between these deer species is rather complicated. According to the regular classification, whitetail and mule deer are considered separate species. A blacktail deer is mule deer’s sub-species, but the genetic tests present a more complicated picture.

Some historical facts about these species

The mitochondrial DNA is a piece of genome. An organism inherits it from its mother. From the analysis of the mitochondrial DNA of these deer species, certain historical facts have come to light. The whitetail deer evolved about 3.5 million years ago, which makes it the oldest among the deer species. Later, a part of its population evolved into blacktail deer on the Pacific coast.

Then the blacktail deer started colonizing the continent. When they met the whitetail deer, it led to hybridization. As a result, the hybrids evolved into the mule deer. So, the fact that one should consider mule deer as a sub-species of blacktail is true to a great extent. Of course, this is more of a speculation. The reason is that it’s based on a study of one piece of gene.

This is not often sufficient to explain everything. It’s a known fact that blacktail deer and mule mate readily. One doesn’t always come across instances of whitetail and mule deer hybrids mating in the wild. Further studies done in this regard might tell a different story. Until then, the mule, blacktail, and whitetail remain the three main deer species in North America.

Physical features of these deer species

Hunters might encounter the whitetail and mule deer, but can legally hunt only one of them. So, it becomes necessary for them to know the difference between them. These two deer species inhabit most parts of Mexico, the United States, and Canada. One good thing about them is that it’s relatively easy to identify them. You can identify these deer on the basis of their physical features.

The biggest difference that’s apparent is the color of the tail. A deer raises its tail while escaping. So, the bright white fur color acts as a signal to the other deer. Mule deer have more beige or creamy color on the underside of their tails. A mule deer’s tail is narrower and longer than a whitetail deer’s tail and has a black tip.

Parts of the head and face

One can recognize the mule deer from its large ears. It’s these ears that gave them their name, as they resembled those of a mule. The face of a mule deer has more of the white color than its whitetail counterpart. Both these types of deer also have a difference in their antlers.

There’s one main beam in the antlers of whitetail deer. It resembles a hair comb in the formation of a typical antler. In mule deer, the antlers have each beam divided into two points of equal size. Each of these points branches again.

Behavior

Whitetail deer prefer to move around in the forest, while mule deer enjoy more open spaces. A certain section of their population might display a different behavior. They mostly don’t like to inter-breed in the wild. One of the distinguishing factors in these species is the ‘slot’ in mule deer.

This is its particular way of walking that gives the observer the impression that it’s jumping. While in the slot, a mule deer uses all its four legs at the same time. On the other hand, blacktail deer are smaller. You’ll find them mostly on the Pacific coast, but their behavior is quite similar to that of the mule deer.

Inter-breeding is common among them in the wild. The only differentiating factor that’s readily visible in them is their tail. A mule deer’s tail has a black tip, while a blacktail deer has a completely black tail.

The family’s other members

It can be said that the whitetail, blacktail, and mule deer are the species commonly found in North America. Of course, there are others who are a part of the family. Among them are the moose and the caribou. In Mexico, there are a few other species, such as brocket deer. It is small in size and the males have antlers that are short and without branches.

Together with the mule and whitetail deer, they come under the subfamily called ‘Capreolinae’. The only exception here would be the elk. It has a close association with the red deer of Europe. The elk belongs to the sub-family Cervinae together with the sambar, barasingha, and sika deer. It is believed to have crossed the continental divide between Canada, the United States, and Alaska.

This happened about 10,000 years ago. Despite this ‘immigrant’ status, it’s listed as an American deer. So, we can say that there are six kinds of deer in North America. Many consider mule and blacktail deer as one species. The rest are whitetail deer, brocket, elk, caribou, and moose.

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However, most of the experienced deer hunters would agree that this is not an easy task. It needs some thoughtful preparation, so that you’re ready for the challenges that may come your way. So, let’s take a look at some of the essential items that you’d need for your deer hunting trip:

1. Hunting Day Pack

This is not like your regular backpack. A hunting day pack is made from a camo-colored fabric that keeps you from alerting the deer. In a way, a reliable hunting day pack would make your deer-hunting trip hassle-free. All the other essentials that you need for the trip can be transported in it safely. As it has a lightweight body, your trek through any terrain will be much easier.

2. Binoculars

This is among the most essential items for deer hunting. Binoculars help in amplifying your vision and is thus an effective tool during such trips. You can plan your next move with the help of the enhanced vision that binoculars provide. You can get much stronger visuals with this tool, whether you’re close or far from your game.

3. Hunting Knife

A hunting knife can be useful for simple as well as tough tasks. Some of them are removing a deer hide and cutting a rope. Having an appropriate hunting knife is absolutely necessary when you’re going out on a hunt. Make sure that the knife you’re carrying has an excellent grip. This ensures the safety of your hands even under the most extreme conditions.

4. Rifle Scope

It’s extremely difficult to identify your target at a distance when using your rifle. A rifle scope increases the shooting accuracy by magnifying your view. Choose a weatherproof rifle scope to mount on your rifle, as it would sustain you through the toughest conditions. A scope with a red laser and adjustable brightness would be even more powerful.

5. Scent Killer

There are certain scents that linger on our bodies and the deer can sense your presence with them. If you’re using a scentless deodorant for your body odor while hunting in the woods, it won’t be enough. What you really need in such conditions is a scent killer. It improves your chances of success by keeping you odorless.

6. Trail Camera

This camera helps you to spot the deer irrespective of the prevailing conditions. It is, in a way, the second set of eyes that you can have. You can actively identify and track the deer with the help of a trail camera. One can use it both as a camera and an effective gadget for shooting HD videos.

This camera is compact and quite easy to set up, which makes it a great addition to your hunting pack. You can also use a waterproof trail camera with night vision for the best results.

7. LED Flashlight

When moving around quietly after dark in the forest areas, you’ll certainly need a reliable source of light. An LED flashlight keeps you on your path and aids your vision. It can assist you in several tasks even when you’re not on a hunting expedition. Make sure that you buy an LED flashlight that’s water-resistant and durable.

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The protagonist or lead characters embark on a mission to take down an animal that’s causing trouble. Some films show the main character or characters who are professional hunters. The lead character or characters are put in situations where they must track and hunt an animal. Here are some of the best movies on hunting that you must not miss watching:

1. The Ghost and the Darkness

In this historical adventure film, Sir Robert Beaumont is the main financier of a rail project in Kenya. He chooses John Henry Patterson to get the project completed within the set deadline. Everything seems to be going well until the mutilated corpse of the foreman of the project is found.

He is believed to have been killed by a lion. More attacks on the people involved in the project follow. A famous hunter, Charles Remington, comes in to put an end to this trouble. Bruce Stambler had won the Academy Award for this film for Best Sound Editing.

2. The Grey

This film from director Joe Carnahan is a survival film starring Liam Neeson as John Ottway. He is a sharpshooter, who is flying home for a vacation. The plane crashes in the freezing wilderness after great struggle in the middle of a brutal storm. Only eight men survive the crash, including Ottway.

This group of eight make their way towards the south in search of safety and civilization. On the way, they encounter mortal injuries, extremely cold climate, and a pack of wolves.

3. Escanaba in da Moonlight

A 2001 release starring Jeff Daniels, Escanaba in da Moonlight is a comedy showcasing hunting and hunting traditions. The filming of this movie took place in the port city of Escanaba. This city is in the Delta county of Michigan. In the movie, the protagonist takes up the task of shooting a buck.

If he fails, people in the community would end up believing that he’s a curse for them. You’ll get to hear a lot of the Upper Peninsula slang in this film. It is the movie adaptation of a play of the same name.

4. The Tiger: An Old Hunter’s Tale

Released in 2015, this is a period action drama film from the South Korean director, Park Hoon-jung. The film is about a hunter on a mission to kill the last tiger of the kingdom of Joseon. The story is from 1925, a time when Korea was under Japan’s occupation. He lives near Mount Jirisan in a hut with Seok, who is his teenage son.

The hunter, Chun Man-duk had the chance to save a one-eyed cub when it was in danger. This cub grows up to become a ferocious tiger with the nickname ‘The Mountain Lord’. James Mudge, a film critic, was all praise for this film. According to Mudge, this film was the best among all film releases of the year.

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They might also seem like observations at times that the expert hunters have made during their hunting expeditions. Many of these facts have been put together in some of the intriguing books on deer hunting. You’ll find such books useful, whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned hunter. So, here we present the best three among them:

1. Blacktail Trophy Tactics

Author Boyd Iverson covers everything from ethics of hunters to the best hunting calibers in this book. It has been written specifically about the blacktail deer. The book also contains a section dedicated to still hunting, which is something that many hunters need to improve on.

Boyd inspires you to leave your usual fast-paced life behind and enter the slow-paced life of the forests. He also suggests that blacktail deer hunters must follow the natural pattern of movement that the animal makes. You also get to learn that the hunter must never move faster than an undisturbed deer’s pace.

Blacktail Trophy Tactics also contains valuable tracking tips, stand hunting strategies, and the choice of weapons. The author also gives excellent information on optic choice and how climatic conditions affect your chances of success.

2. Mapping Trophy Bucks

This is one book that’ll completely change the way you perceive deer hunting. Author Brad Herndon describes how to use topographic maps and aerial photos in this book. These are the tools that would improve your chances of success while hunting deer. You’ll be completely in awe upon learning how powerful maps can be.

There are things in this book you’ll never be able to figure out even after years of deer hunting. This book helps new hunters in understanding how to read topographic maps. It goes on to provide details on several aspects such as when and how to hunt deer. If you truly wish to improve your chances of success in the woods, you must definitely get this book.

3. Field and Stream The Total Deer Hunter Manual

Upon reading this book, you’ll get plenty of tips on hunting deer. Authors Dave Hurteau and Scott Bestul provide an excellent overview on hunting deer and how to become a better hunter. The subtitle of this book reads ‘301 essential skills’. All these skills have been explained wonderfully in the pages of this book.

You don’t need to have a significant level of hunting experience in order to understand the book’s content. In fact, every hunter will find something to learn from Field and Stream The Total Deer Hunter Manual. Some of the topics that this book cover include scouting, field dressing, food plots, behavioral studies, and scrapes.

This book is probably one of the most well-rounded books on hunting deer you might’ve ever read. It will be a fantastic guide to those individuals who don’t have an expert hunting mentor. Beginners will find answers to many of their questions in this book that they’re embarrassed to ask.

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Some of the blacktail deer hunting failures happen either due to bad timing or bad luck. On the other hand, there are failures that happen owing to mistakes that could’ve been avoided. So, here are some of these mistakes that you need to avoid while hunting blacktail deer:

1. Ignoring the wind

The wind can be your best friend or a bitter enemy when you’re stalking or hunting blacktail deer. It is, therefore, absolutely necessary to learn the direction of wind in the area where you’re hunting. This will give you a better understanding of where your right spot would be. Some believe that the wind acts as warnings for these animals. It tells them that they’re being followed.

This can be true to a great extent. So, going by this fact, you wouldn’t want the wind to be at your back when the deer is approaching. Make sure that you’re wearing hunting clothes that are free from any fragrance. The wind can carry the scents to the deer, warning it of your presence.

2. Not scouting around for the deer

Today, you have some excellent gadgets such as modern mapping and trail cameras. Such gadgets make scouting much more efficient and effective. This gives you enough reason to make some serious efforts. You can look for the deer in low-lying areas as they’re the preferred haunts of resident deer. During winter, the deer arrive in these low-lying areas, making it easier for you to track them.

While blacktails in some areas might migrate to safer places, most of them are homebodies. They don’t readily leave the spots that are abundant in nutritious food. You can learn more about the exact spots of the deer from the local wildlife experts. Most of them are biologists who have a good study of the migration patterns of the region’s animals.

3. Making an approach instead of waiting

You might believe that you can hunt the blacktail deer only by slowly walking up to its spot. There’s one thing about this deer you must not forget. It’s the fact that a blacktail deer is extremely good at sensing your presence. Sometimes, you’ll be tempted to make the first move, but waiting is the key. You must let the deer offer you the perfect shot.

It’s always a good strategy to keep a watch on the deer from a suitable distance. The blacktail deer move slowly, scanning a certain area with its sharp senses. When it is assured that there’s no one around, it will start feeding. This is when you make your careful approach and go for the kill.

4. Losing patience and quitting

Blacktail deer don’t leave their key spots that easily. This must be some sort of an inspiration for you to keep trying. These animals test your patience beyond limits at times. This is why there are many unsuccessful blacktail deer hunters around. Patience and persistence is the key here.

Not repeating the mistakes you’ve made earlier also helps to a great extent. You’ll have much confidence once you’ve carefully scouted the deer and you know about its exact spot.

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