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Author Topic: Buddies nice 5x4 Blacktail  (Read 30771 times)

Offline fishnfur

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Re: Buddies nice 5x4 Blacktail
« Reply #45 on: September 28, 2015, 10:50:20 PM »
That should be good sport just watching what happens with the decoys.  That guy that runs Shelby's BT Guide Service in Bremerton area has put out a couple of videos.  I got a free copy of one at the sportsman's show in Portland, in which he has caught some footage of a buck mounting a decoy that had been sprayed down with doe in estrous urine.  Pretty fun to see. 

- I don't know about whether BTs are the most aggressive of the three, but I read a study done in CA in which the authors were trying to get precise deer counts, bucks and does in a specific region of hills.  They attempted using dogs to find the deer, but the bucks defended their territories to the point that they frequently chased the dogs out of the bush.  That's pretty darned aggressive!

More good info on the gun sights and loads.  I'll work on it.  I'm still not committed on where I'm hunting during prime time.  I bought a nice old Marlin 336 30/30 last spring that I've been looking forward to putting back in action.  Can't use that on the islands......
“When I die, I want to die like my grandfather who died peacefully in his sleep. Not screaming like all the passengers in his car.”  - Will Rogers

Offline JDHasty

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Re: Buddies nice 5x4 Blacktail
« Reply #46 on: October 10, 2015, 09:44:52 PM »
Put up stands today. 

Did a bit, not as much as we would have liked, of scouting too.  Really didn't see as much mature buck sign as we were hoping to.   :(

But what I did see was a really nice two point.  Really nice.  I first saw him this morning and then we caught him later about a quarter mile away with a herd of five does.  If I get a chance, I may go for him.  He has a lot of mass and height and width as well.  He is a classic example of a big two point blacktail. 

He isn't going to make it through the season acting like he was today.  The first time I saw him ths morning was from the road as I was towing my trailer out to my buddy's place. 

I saw that massive buck that I had seen last year again today, but only caught a glimpse of him and also saw a couple mature bucks together at about 7:40 pm as I was just heading home.  I would take any of the three of them in a heart beat. 

I cannot ever remember seeing this many nice blacktail bucks in one day.  I would have loved to hunt today in the rain and wind.  Next Saturday the weather is supposed to be mild, I wish it was forecasting rain and heavy wind. 

I am going to hunt deer next weekend, but am really getting amped up about the following weekend.

Offline fishnfur

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Re: Buddies nice 5x4 Blacktail
« Reply #47 on: October 11, 2015, 08:57:20 AM »
- I love those mature big massed fork horns - not as much as a big 4 point, but close.  You should carry a camera when you go out (if you don't already).  I do, but it is always slow in coming out, and it's a cheap point and shoot that accentuates the offhanded shots.

- I was planning on a late bow hunt yesterday, but the rain portion of the storm never really hit and high winds in the woods always freaks me out when tree tops are knocking and limbs start falling.  I took the family out to dinner instead.  I ended up not hunting at all during the muzzle loader portion of my MS tag.  Kind of the plan this year - save my energy and positive thoughts for the late pre-rut last days of October, then hunt hard.

- I'm taking my boy out on the opener to see if we can scare up a doe for him in Stella unit.  I wish he had a better mentor!
I'm going to get more serious around the following Wednesday, but like you, think that Sunday the 25th (or thereafter) may be a  really good day to be out on stand all day.

- RE your spot:  I keep thinking that perhaps a bit of brush sculpting and/or removal to create a hidden alcove type area, similar to the shape of a question mark, might be a good setup for a decoy.  Leaving a corridor of brush that the buck can travel through or next to, while allowing him to feel hidden as he moves out to investigate a decoy placed in a hidden (but with shooting lanes available) semi-circular (ish) brushy area surrounding your decoys might bring him in a bit earlier before dark.  My idea is to create a situation that looks safe with plenty of cover from his level, but that allows you to see him coming in and gives you opportunity for shots from your stand in two or three areas.  You may not need to go this extreme this year though.  Sounds like your bucks are not totally nocturnal.  The season opener may change that if your area gets a lot of pressure, and might be a reason to hunt next Saturday.   

Good luck getting a great buck.  Looking forward to positive reports.
“When I die, I want to die like my grandfather who died peacefully in his sleep. Not screaming like all the passengers in his car.”  - Will Rogers

Offline JDHasty

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Re: Buddies nice 5x4 Blacktail
« Reply #48 on: October 11, 2015, 01:19:37 PM »
Yesterday was not typical at all.  Normally I don't catch mature bucks out during the day.  Almost no moon when I got up to go shoot pheasant this morning. 

That two-point would make a fantastic mount.  I saw him a couple times last year, but on property we don't have access to.  What I did not see yesterday was any fresh rubs, but they are rubbing alder somewhere.  Their racks are just beautiful, the way that nothing but alder stains them. 

I know what you say about the winds, I was in a tree stand last year that was going a foot either way.

As of yesterday we are back on a property we lost access on about three years ago.  :) It pays to never hold it against a property owner whose situation changes and they have to deny access.  Didn't scout it much yesterday, we had a heck of a lot of work to get done, but the property owner said:  oh God yes, please shoot a bunch of them, they are totally out of control since you quit hunting here.  We lost access because a tenant objected and the property owner said he doesn't gove a hoot what they think anymore, the deer are trashing the place. 

Lotta action on that property and big bucks move through it quite a bit.  I'm really happy to have it back. 

I have a waterproof shockproof camera and have it in my pocket when hunting and I just never remember to take photos.  That big wide buck was nearly caped before I remembered to get a few shots.  I'm just bad that way. 
« Last Edit: October 11, 2015, 01:57:44 PM by JDHasty »

Offline KillerBeee

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Re: Buddies nice 5x4 Blacktail
« Reply #49 on: October 12, 2015, 05:03:44 PM »
I went out yesterday and did some access path clearing and shooting lane enhancement. It was a better day than Saturday to do chores, that's for sure.
   Looks like our zone is ready to roll and it's almost party time.

Offline JDHasty

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Re: Buddies nice 5x4 Blacktail
« Reply #50 on: October 12, 2015, 08:46:28 PM »
Best of luck to ya. 

The wife and kids took a ferry ride on Saturday while I was out setting up camp and stands.  Her best friend is looking at some serious island property on another island that I have never hunted.  I like the sound of that. 

This friend of the wife is always first in line for the beggers banquet i.e. left overs from last season's meat.  Her husband doesn't hunt too. 

I think it's going to be a great season, or at least has the potential to be.  I sure don't like the weather forecast for next weekend, but there isn't anything I can do about that.  I am going to hunt it, but my focus is really on the following weekend and the rut activity. 

By God, if I had been hunting last Saturday I would have taken any of those big bucks, but that happening again without the weather we had last Saturday is a fifty-thousand to one shot. 

Sure hope to see ya' post a picture of one like your buddy's. 

We have a fella with us who just missed a nice buck last year.  After a half hour on my hands and knees I found a dime size piece of fresh deer leather with white fluffy hair on it.  He just nicked that buck in the brisket and knocked him over, and if he had jacked another round in and kept his scope on where it went down...  But it got up and away it went.  We never found a drop if blood, he just barely ticked it.

I'm really hoping he gets a big one this year. 

« Last Edit: October 12, 2015, 09:05:18 PM by JDHasty »

Offline BOWHUNTER45

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Re: Buddies nice 5x4 Blacktail
« Reply #51 on: October 12, 2015, 08:59:08 PM »
Nice ...I am getting the fever bad ! 

Offline JDHasty

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Re: Buddies nice 5x4 Blacktail
« Reply #52 on: October 19, 2015, 05:54:26 AM »
We got one pretty nice three point blacktail.  The guy that just missed the nice one last year got it!  I will get pictures up when I get the chance. 

Another buddy bagged a big doe @ 65 yards, right in the heart, with an Excalibur Matrix 355 crossbow.

We got another smaller three point, two point w/brow tines.  Actually a quite large bodied buck, with a mediocre rack.  Nice looking rack, but not large. 

Another guy who was with us on his first hunt ever got a small three point. 

The big three point had his nose right in a a doe's hooha, and bucks were definitely cruising for does.  The rut is on early.

I had a little problem w/my Excalabur Matrix 355 and will see if I can get the parts and get it back together, if not I will probably shoot a doe next weekend w/my compound.

We asked the guy that got the big buck: Why didn't you shoot the doe too?  He was using my Ithaca Deerslayer, he had a second tag, and the doe gave him a shot, but he isn't a bird hunter and just sat there after pulling the trigger.  It isn't like he hasn't seen how its done, he was with me when I dropped a double on blacktails a couple years ago. 



« Last Edit: October 19, 2015, 03:56:27 PM by JDHasty »

Offline Watimberghost

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Re: Buddies nice 5x4 Blacktail
« Reply #53 on: October 19, 2015, 05:59:22 AM »
Nice! Sounds like some good success. Keep it up :tup:

Offline JDHasty

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Re: Buddies nice 5x4 Blacktail
« Reply #54 on: October 19, 2015, 09:03:43 AM »
This first one is a pretty decent buck, the second one isn't too shabby.  If I were in a better mood I probably would have held out for a bigger buck than the second one.  I think he is one I passed up on Saturday.  He is big in size, but doesn't have much of a rack.  I'm really  happy that the guy w/the big three point got that one.  Usually you wont catch a buck like that right out in the open, but he had sex on the brain.

He took the big one w/my Ithaca Deerslayer and Remington 3" Slugger.  I took the smaller one w/a Deerslayer II shooting Lightfield Hybrid Elite.       

I talked to Danny Miller @ Horizontal Archery @ 01:00 in the morning, Ohio time, and he only needs my crossbow for one day.  I dialed the number just to get it in my phone @ 22:00 after I got done loading the washing machine, and was pretty surprised when he picked up.     
« Last Edit: October 19, 2015, 09:39:52 AM by JDHasty »

Offline KillerBeee

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Re: Buddies nice 5x4 Blacktail
« Reply #55 on: October 19, 2015, 01:00:37 PM »
Nice ones. I'm going to try the zone later this week. I went to the big woods for nada this weekend instead.

That first one is thick and purty...Well done!

Offline JDHasty

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Re: Buddies nice 5x4 Blacktail
« Reply #56 on: October 19, 2015, 03:10:07 PM »
Beee,

That really is a pretty nice three point buck.  I saw him last Saturday w/another four point that is about the same size.  Maybe the four-point is a bit bigger, but they are close.  Last Saturday he was not that far from where my buddy got him at.

That smaller three-point I shot came in by me on Saturday, but not where I could get a shot w/my crossbow.  I really didn't want him Saturday anyway though and even if he was "right there" I would have let him walk Saturday.   

My crossbow blew up on Saturday when I was about to shoot a doe and that was the final straw for me.  From what I found looking online the Matrix 355 has had issues with limb tips, so maybe it wasn't my fault after all.  I thought I had not noticed that the arrow fell forward and had what is known as a "partial dry-fire," but others have said that they had a limb tip failure that sounds exactly like what happened to me Saturday. 

Things that transpired in the last week left me not even in the mood to hunt deer this year.  I was pretty excited about deer season until about a week or so before and then just hoping that the guy that got the big three-point would get a nice buck this year and other than that by Saturday morning I really didn't care if I went deer hunting or not. 

I should have just packed up my stuff on Friday and left the island and come back next week when my mood was better, or not even went over in the first place.  I would have done better by going out to the island by myself w/my compound next week.  I would have to wear blaze orange, but it really isn't any big deal what you are wearing so long as you stay motionless when they are looking your way.   

By Sunday morning I just wasn't in the mood to hunt and had told myself that I was going to take the first decent buck that I had a chance at.  I caught this one again on Sunday about a half-mile from where I had seen him Saturday.  He was screened when I first saw him and then he moved off behind some brush and standing timber and toward a property I don't have access to. 

I reached in my pocket and pulled out my Primos can, turned it over three times and kicked back and waited and got lined up and when he checked back in I punched his ticket.

I've still got an antlerless second deer tag and depending on my mood I may take my bow out and shoot a doe.  Don't need the meat, but I know a lot of folks who do.  The property owners want the deer thinned out a bit more too. 



     

   
« Last Edit: October 20, 2015, 08:21:06 AM by JDHasty »

Offline KillerBeee

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Re: Buddies nice 5x4 Blacktail
« Reply #57 on: October 20, 2015, 10:21:18 PM »
I gotta fool with that can too. I'm hoping some nice ones, or any deer for that matter show for me this weekend.

Again, nice work for you and your buddy. Perhaps we'll cross paths out there sometime.

Offline JDHasty

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Re: Buddies nice 5x4 Blacktail
« Reply #58 on: October 20, 2015, 11:00:39 PM »
That can is good medicine.  Get one, they are cheap and don't take up much room in your jacket pocket.   

I have never cold called in a deer with it, but it works great for turning them around and getting them coming your way if they are not where you need them to be. 

I think that a person probably cold call one in with it though.  I have just never tried to use it that way, but there is no reason for me to believe that if any buck hears it he would not come to it.  In my experience every one I already knew was right there was brought in closer and "looking" when I tipped it a couple times. 

I have my fingers crossed for you to post a picture of a real wall hanger blacktail buck this year.  I got to enjoy my buddy getting one this year now if you can get a picture of one up here too, that would be pretty special. 


Offline KillerBeee

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Re: Buddies nice 5x4 Blacktail
« Reply #59 on: October 21, 2015, 08:20:10 AM »
My buddy Jeff and I are headed out there Friday to see if we can't do it one more time. He's the guy from the start of this thread. We haven't seen anything spectacular yet on the trail cam but you know the good ones are around.
    Thanks for the encouragement. It's the opposite of hunting in the forest or mountains over there and very relaxing. Add great opportunity to that and being close to home. Voila!


 


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