That deer will haunt me forever...

[steeliedrew]

I was doing some scouting yesterday afternoon behind some gates on the mountain bike. On the way back to the truck around 6:30pm I was bombing down hill and as I rounded a corner there he was...just an absolute MASHER blacktail buck standing there with a doe. it all happened too fast and I wasn't able to count points or anything but his rack was tall and wide! Looked like it had good mass too but he was still in velvet.

The Doe bounded off immediately but the buck just kind of trotted away real slow like a boss. That buck left me shaking. I've never seen such a big bodied blacktail buck in person.

what are the odds he'll be anywhere near where I saw him? He came out of a hell hole and disappeared into another hell hole on the other side of the road. is it worth checking out the trails they used yesterday and putting my cam on one of them?

I know understand what it means to find a good buck. ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE FEELING TO BE CLOSE TO THAT BEAST.

[Eli346]

 After his antlers harden up he'll probably be even deeper into those hell-holes. Try to find a nice intersecting trail and set up a ground blind or tree stand and wait him out. You might try throwing out some bait of some sort and a trail cam if you've got one to see if you can get some pics. Love to see him!
 If you can't get him during the regular season wait til late buck and find the does. It will probably be after the rut as it usually is for blacktail but you might catch him trying to get to a doe that didn't get bred in the rut; the secondary rut as they say.

[AKBowman]

I get the largest bucks that I see on my cams first two weeks of November than never see them during late archery. Blacktails are the worst, and the best!

It is crazy how big bodied they do get and after looking at does and small bucks when you see a big bodied blacktail its very impressive like you described.

[trophyhunt]

He should be in that area during the regular season, he will probably move around a bit during the rut. Those big bucks are a bitch to find after the velvet gets rubbed off, I hope you kill him! Good luck!

[gruntybuck]

You should go on the computer (google earth), and find the darkest hole in about a 1 mile radius, and hit it up during season.  The other thing to do would be focus on finding does in that area, and keep an eye on them in the pre-rut to the rut. 

[steeliedrew]

ill probably move my camera from where it is now to the area I saw that buck. I just checked pics yesterday after a 10 day soak and only got pics of me leaving and coming back. I have a molasses and corn deer block out as well as a trace mineral block. I left a pile of apples last night for one last try at that spot. I even stomped a couple into the ground and cut a couple in half that I stuck on tree branches to get the scent out there.

I figured I'd have more action there cause it's close to a creek and is in a pretty thick, dark, mixed timber stand. It stays a bit cooler in there and provides great shelter. I have the cam situated on a trail. I found more sign there while scouting in the winter after late season but it seemed like it would be good for early season due to the close proximity to a water source.

this is my first try with trail cameras so I guess I can't be too hard on myself. I'll start looking at maps of the area I found the buck in. Maybe I can use a toppo and find a bench in the timber that I could go sit on during the early hunt.

[BOWHUNTER45]

yeah I have a couple blacktail that will haunt me forever too !!!  if I would have only loaded my gun as soon as I stepped out of the rig to head up the hill  Now I load my gun everytime before taking one step anywhere ...Long story short I got off work one evening and was running late to get to my spot and I jumped out of my truck basically running and trying to get my fanny pack on and when I looked up there he was in the middle of the grade ,,,broadside  He was an absolute pig of a blacktail ...I hunted that deer for the rest of the season and never seen him again 

[Bean Counter]

what are the odds he'll be anywhere near where I saw him? .

I know a way to find out. I'm guessing a trip to the trail camera aisle is in your future... 

[The Big Game Hunter]

That deer is going to haunt me, and I didn't even see him myself.
Best of luck going after him this year!

[steeliedrew]

what are the odds he'll be anywhere near where I saw him? .

I know a way to find out. I'm guessing a trip to the trail camera aisle is in your future... 

I have one already set up. just gotta move it.