Western Rookie - Blacktail: The Underrated Western Deer Hunt

Sportsmen's Empire - Western Big Game Hunting · Oct 22, 2026 · 48m

Blacktail deer might be one of North America’s most underrated big-game hunts—and Mark Boardman is here to explain why. From Washington’s rugged high-country rifle hunts to the rain-soaked timberlands of the Pacific Northwest, he shares what makes these elusive deer so challenging and rewarding to pursue.

Mark has spent nearly 18 years at Vortex Optics, but his connection to blacktails goes back to growing up hunting them in western Washington. In this conversation, he explains what makes Columbia and Sitka blacktails unique, where hunters can find them, and how a memorable high-country hunt…