What did the biggest blacktail score??

[RoyBoy]

drool over this harold 

[RadSav]

Population density probably is another factor to consider.  In 1950 the state population was 2,386,000 and the population of Seattle was about 468,000.  In 2011 the census put us at 6,830,000 state (103 per square mile) and 620,788 Seattle.  That's a lot of farm land, winter feed and prime horn growth territory gone.

RoyBoy - I drool over that picture at least once a year.  I can't imagine the difficulty in putting a pin or crosshair on that guy if it was in my sights.  Unless pure luck I think I'd probably miss

[deerslyr]

Thanks for that RadSav, I was wondering if there was some sort of event that occurred like a massive fire that caused amazing horn growth. Im sure they also logged national forest, burned slash piles in clear cuts, and didnt spray herbicides in  logging units. That all would add up to better horn growth it seems

[bobcat]

Yep, good feed and age is what is needed to grow big antlers. I'm sure the genetics haven't changed, but habitat and hunting pressure has.

Seems the biggest blacktails nowadays are living in cities or housing subdivisions where hunting is not allowed.

[erk444]

The game dept. did some transplanting of mule deer into SW WA in at least two of the counties listed, in the early fifties.  My hunting partners' uncle helped with transport and release.  One of his buddies killed at least one in the top 10 WA blacktails, that he had scored at least.

Hey mtn.goat, where did you get this info? I'd like to read about this or learn a little more.

[PolarBear]

The game dept. did some transplanting of mule deer into SW WA in at least two of the counties listed, in the early fifties.  My hunting partners' uncle helped with transport and release.  One of his buddies killed at least one in the top 10 WA blacktails, that he had scored at least.

I heard from an old logger from Forks that they planted some mule deer in the Olympics back in the 30's or 40's but they all died of pneumonia. 

[link]

The game dept. did some transplanting of mule deer into SW WA in at least two of the counties listed, in the early fifties.  My hunting partners' uncle helped with transport and release.  One of his buddies killed at least one in the top 10 WA blacktails, that he had scored at least.

I heard from an old logger from Forks that they planted some mule deer in the Olympics back in the 30's or 40's but they all died of pneumonia. 

Your hunting partners, uncles, buddy? An old logger from Forks?! I don't know, sounds like some pretty reliable sources right there. Just sounds funny, could have happened, I don't know either way.

[PolarBear]

Yeah, I guess those pictures that he showed us with mule deer standing next to 6' across old growth stumps were photo shopped as well.  Except, this was in the mid 80's and there was no such thing as photoshop, especially in Forks and this guy had never been off of the Olympic Peninsula his whole life. 

[deerslyr]

I wouldnt doubt it, but it would be nice to see some proof or written documentation, kind of like they have of the elk being transplanted in ashford around the same time period. 

[grundy53]

I heard they transplanted mulies into the Willapa Hills back then too. Always figured it was an old wives tale... but who knows. 

[deleted BGS]

Biggest Typical Columbian Blacktails of all time-
1. 184 2/8 shot in 1935 Cowlitz County WA
2. 183 5/8 shot in 1954 Clark County WA
3. 182 2/8 shot in 1953 Lewis County WA

Makes yuh wonder what happened to the big blacky genetics of SW WA.

the states management! and people shooting spikes, small 2pts and does!

[grundy53]

I'm sure those old timers didn't shoot spikes or two points...

[RadSav]

I'm sure those old timers didn't shoot spikes or two points...

Wasn't until 1950 that the Boone & Crockett club settled on a scoring system for the development of trophy status.  I'd be willing to bet with few exceptions that prior to that meat was meat and you took what you could get without concern for the status of headgear inches.  Just look at Alaska now.  Few subsistence hunters shoot high scoring animals.  It's the big city out-of-staters that tend to worry about such things.

The culling of does and poor genes within the restaints of food and wintering areas is good sound management.  If all hunters and the entire state was to go 4 point or better I bet there would be far fewer big bucks than we have now.  Just look at Canada's 6X6 minimum for elk.  The first few years it was amazing the animals it produced.  Now the huge 5X5 bulls with poor genes that will never be bigger are doing the vast majority of the breeding.  And there are fewer and fewer good bulls to be found.  That tends to be an argument of the elitist's and not an argument of  sound wildlife management.

[BOWHUNTER45]

Do you guys realize you can put Mule Deer horns on a Blacktail form 

[bankwalker]

Do you guys realize you can put Mule Deer horns on a Blacktail form 

I can put mule deer antlers on a bunny rabbit form too