2015 Blacktail

[gundogr]

Hi guys, this is long winded because I want my Dad to read it. He is out of state, lives vicariolusly through me (laughs at me really) and can't hear real well when I call him on the phone. So bear with me. Pics at the bottom if that is all you need. Hehe

Last few days of BT season, found me at my desk unable to get out of work. Fresh back from a shortened (becuz of werk) Muley season where we had a ball but only came home with one pretty nice buck for "John J" who was really due and this out of four guys hunting. So happy for him and my friends along with my son & I saw some nice bucks but I didn't pull the trigger on one (story for another day)...

So, a HW buddy heard me lamenting my condition and said, let's go get you a blacktail. He and his friend got two nice blackies the same day (three days before close). Very respectable hunters, they leave all but the white-faced ones to grow and mature. So driving to the locale from his text messaged directions, I see he texted me overnight 4AM (Call me when you get up. Let's go get you a buck!) So now I had a bit of a guide, though he would have to cut out to take his hooter to the Taxi-shop. Cool!

Short story long, we got to glass and stalk most of the morning and he left me to roll alone at about 11. Weather was great Wetside hunting weather getting wind, fog... and RAIN. So I am stoked. I want to scout a bit to learn the area but already had a hole in mind to get back to for the evening hunt. Though I would never make it off my 'scouting trip' and back there.

Stalking and glassing the logging roads until they turn into alder patches, I came to where I was going to step into more of a clear area of road and stopped to glass the area. (I had just jumped a doe and forky horn so I was on point now!) AND, generally being a meat hunter but listening to Mossy's words... "we like to let the little ones get to be big ones" I felt pretty good about letting what would have been a fairly quick 200+yd shot go.

So before I got my glasses up, I am looking at this patch of alder on the side of the road at 75 yards between me and a big slash pile on my right. No wind at this time but looking through the alders I could see some branches getting just THRASHED around... no wind... can't really see through but I know it is probly a spike feeling his oats... rifle (not glasses) is up at this point and I am watching this go on for an interminable time (5 minutes)... but now and then I see the glint of horns and head. (Thinking if he comes to the road, I'm in, if he goes over the hill, I sneak around the slash pile!) But I'd much rather shoot him in the road (yep, I said it!) but what I really meant when I THOUGHT that is I'd rather DROP him in the road! (more later)...

So he is creeping his way to me taking forever through the thick tag alder. But then as he is coming through the alders and I am seeing the bases of his antlers, I knew this was a taker. I took what looked like a dead broadside dbl lung (and maybe heart) shot with the ottsix. Staggering and surprised, he stumbled walking right towards me to within probably 20 yards. Thinking, this guy is gonna drop in a few steps, I resisted the follow-up shot. (Did I mention, I really wanted to DROP him in the road??) I watched him walk to my side of the slash pile to go down a few steps off the road (thinking) to lay down and be done. So sinking down to kneeling, just gonna wait a bit.

So, the layout on this; down the hill is about 200yds by about 150yards of two year old re-prod forrest. Ripe with sticker vines, blackberry, and various other and sundry stick piles, log piles... anyone who has hunted the Westside, knows... and then it is all surrounded on three sides but a stand of taller timber and the road on top...

Ten minutes or so tick away - Okay, so let's go get him... hitting the trail he stumbled down, I went down, farther, and farther, didn't see a blood trail but I was mostly following fresh tracks so expecting to find him laying down under a log or in a hole somewhere... starting to rain a bit now... and I get about 120 yards down the trail and jump a doe and another buck, but not the same one... smaller this one. Now I'm thinking well, maybe these guys were already heading this way during the shooting and my buck kicked off the trail somewhere above. BACKTRACKING... now REALLY looking for blood and I found two real nice spots of it... cut a trail to the creek, thick arse blackberries, nuthin!!!

So now it is raining like a cow peeing on a flat rock and I am standing in mid-streem! Blood trail is going away - now gone. For that matter so are the fresh tracks. So, called Mossy man (buddy) he is heading to the Taxidermist and still a few hours away from getting back in to me. BUT... he on his way!

So I get back up to the road, brand new rain gear a tattered mess. Catch some breath, finish the water (except half bottle to clean my hands later)!

So heading back down the original trail, I started thinking I was veering more to the North than I had before. Standing there taking it in, in my peripheral vision (I swear!) I see what my mind tells me is a tine of an antler. (Now this is about fifteen yards away but that is what went into my mind.) So, just moving my eyes, I still can't really see anything more but as I slowly turn my head, it moved! Buck, was fifteen yards from me, laying against a stump and log, looking straight at me!

So now, I see he's alive but in clear shock. I think this stud isn't long for this earth but I want to put him out of his misery, it has been a long time for him! I can only see his head and neck and I can't really get around for the shot I want. So, wanting my brother to be out of his misery, I took aim right under his ear. As the shot rang out, up he jumped (more alive than I could even imagine) and down the hill towards the timber he went. Incredible, I couldn't believe it, could I have missed?? I knew the first shot hit home but what the...?

I saw where he was headed but not where he entered the timber. So quickly made my way down there fighting through the log piles, sitckers, well, you get it... twenty minutes later I am at the timber.

A quick, wind break, and a small grid search and I found my animal. Still alive but not able to get up, I was able to dispatch him properly this time.

So each shot, went exactly where I had aimed, but the first one, was more quartering to me versus what I thought was a perfect broadside. So one lung, clipped the liver and exit through rib cage. The second shot was about an inch low from where I aimed and (three inches below the left ear) just missed anything vital. I will take the backup shot, next time. So buddies show up a couple hours later after figuring out where I was and said, "you should have shot him in the road!". I know they really meant 'Drop him in the road' but I got it!

Great time, well met newer friends, and a hunting story, can't argue w dat!

[DRENALINJUNKIE]

Great buck!

[Old Man Yager]

Good story, beautiful buck!! Congrats

[ebusa]

Great blacktail buck and story!

Hope your dad gets to read and enjoy the hunt!

[blackveltbowhunter]

Stud buck congrats!

[JakeLand]

Well done friend making that trip up in there again was tiring but well worth it even staggering with the buck backpack through crap was fun we'll just start calling us the Deer taxi service

[Turner89]

Gundogr, I still can't figure out why you didnt KILL that buck on the road?   It actually wasnt a bad drag out.....could always be worse   great blacktail, and nice to meet you.
 Hope your dad enjoys the read

[Bucks2Ducks]

Sounds like you got a good BT spot! Nice buck!

[gundogr]

Thanks everyone for the great posts. And the rickshaw taxi service right to my timber doorstep Jakeland and Turner89. Two standup guys if I ever met  any. Ebusa - John J!

[fishnfur]

A good read.  I'm sure your dad loved it.  Great harvest!

[gundogr]

Thanks FishnFur!

[Wake1]

Awesome. No that's Blacktail hunting. Thanks for sharing.

[Mark251]

Great job!  Congratulations 

[elkboy]

Nice work!!!!  Beautiful blacktail buck, and great story.