Blacktail / Rut .. OMG What a morning !!! R.I.P Big Fella !!!

[BOWHUNTER45]

O.k I have to start my own little Blacktail Blog ..So far its been tough but it is for sure picking up at this time ..So far we have seen around 15 doe and 1 bear as of yesterday ...Then today rolls around I decided we need to hit the timber to check up on a few things and just as I predicted happened ..We head out around 2:30 pm and hit the timber So once we got to where I wanted to be we instantly seen new rubs - Big rubs  So now I have shivers up my back knowing things good happen for my son Ted tonight and by god they just about did  .....just about  As we approach the area I killed my buck in last year I could see the grade was grown up so I figured before the rut really heats up I best cut down some Briers so we can approach the area quietly ..as I am doing So I tell Ted to keep your eyes open and keep watching that ridge because that's the way they always come from ..after a few minutes Ted is saying DAD DAD right there is a deer I look up as it is going threw the briers    to see an area of briers shaking as his horns were caught in the middle of them and ted says to me ,, Dad its a monster as it disappeared into the alder thicket ...Yes it was that big SOB that just keeps slipping threw my fingers ...I have seen this buck at least 4 times in the last few years but it is hard to slip up on him and get a shot ...I have hunted this deer late archery mostly but I think if we are going to kill him it has to be now or the last week of the season once he gets stupid ..anyway after all of that we head up the hill about a mile and see a few more deer and a trail cam  ALL the years I have hunted this area and killed my share of deer someone puts up a dang trailcam in MY HONEY HOLE !  That's fine because he is off course by a long shot  So here are the new rubs we found and one of these trees is his favorite tree because he has been hitting the same tree for about 4 yrs now ...but I can find rubs like this in about a 1 1/2 square mile ...its rocky and steep country so he is one hell of a smart blackie ...But his day is coming soon  I hope real soon 

[3nails]

 Came across a HUGE rub the other day. Definately an aggression rub.

[BOWHUNTER45]

If you look close you can see last years rubs on the trees around the new ones !

[BOWHUNTER45]

I am so fired up now I think Ted is going to be missing some school 

[coastie hunter]

Good luck to you guys I hope you get him. I found a few fresh rubs today myself but it will be late archery before I can hunt again, a bit to late but I might get lucky.

[BOWHUNTER45]

I will be hunting late archery too ... but that last week of October always seems to be magical 

[Clancy]

good luck catching up to him! seen 20 does sunday . only bucks i have seen are in peoples yards. 

[singleshot12]

Sneaky bastages!  Have fun trying to out wit him and hope you get him, but as I'm sure you know most monarch blacktails are just meant to live. My only advice is don't play his game but have him play yours. Like the old man says "be the spider" 

[shanevg]

Looks awesome!  I'm starting to get pumped up for these blackies!  I'm heading in to my new found honey hole tomorrow morning to find one of these studs! 

[Jonathan_S]

Looks awesome!  I'm starting to get pumped up for these blackies!  I'm heading in to my new found honey hole tomorrow morning to find one of these studs! 

I lived adjacent to 3,000 acres of timber land around McKenna, WA (by Yelm) for 14 years.  I sat in tree stands for seven years, shed hunted for five, rattled in bucks for pictures when I wasn't hunting them and only ever saw on blacktail that was bigger than this.  Here you've got two in the same frame.  I'd say it's a honey hole.

[BOWHUNTER45]

Great photo Shane ...hope you catch up with them ...@ jONATHAN  yEAH Blacktails like this are hard to come by ...sitting in areas where you can see along ways helps and just hanging out and doing lots of glassing . As the rut gets closer they get dumber and thats when most of them get shot ...and I am dieing waiting for it to  come ...which is not far off at all if the weather sticks around 

[coastie hunter]

Good time of year for blacktail I went out today and put the camera back up I sure see alot of bucks in october. Although not to many in daylight. I was driving home the other night and almost hit a real nice buck, lucky I was looking for deer our I would've hit him. I had a hard time getting him of the road he was acting pretty dumb.he was a 3x4 with eye guards and his main beam turned into a droptine very cool looking buck I was happy just to see him. Good luck guys I look forward to seeing some pic.

[shanevg]

Went out to my spot this morning.  Some b*stard stole my frick'n trail camera!   

I'm hunting timber land so I know there can be other hunters there, I've even gotten a couple on my cam.  I just don't understand why someone would feel the need to steal a trail cam.  I had it up on a dead snag bolted on with a bike lock.  They pushed over the snag and pulled the whole camera off.   

Hopefully I'll be hunting in there later this season and those guys will come in so I can give them a piece of my mind. 

No deer this morning by the way...

[X-Force]

that sucks!   

[sirmissalot]

They are definitely starting to think about the ladies now, had a buck in my yard last night (after i got home from hunting) and he was grunting, only way I even knew he was there, under an apple tree just 30 yards from the porch.

I might go out tonight in search of some mushrooms and fresh rubs if I can get off work early enough.