San Juan blacktails.

[predatorG]

I hear stories and see pic of all the monster south sound bucks and was wondering, just out of curiosity, if those northern islands reap the same rewards.

[D-Rock425]

German Sheppard monsters.

[erk444]

There are some great bucks on the San Juan Islands, but the south sound bucks seem to be much bigger usually.

[fishnfur]

I read an article in Oregon-Washington Fish and Game a couple of days ago.  I think the author said the bucks in the San Juans average 120 - 140.  Don't quote me on that.

[HankC]

I read an article in Oregon-Washington Fish and Game a couple of days ago.  I think the author said the bucks in the San Juans average 120 - 140.  Don't quote me on that.

I'm reading that article right now. It says 80-150 for island deer. Good read 

[Special T]

I think you would find that most islands the deer are smaller. a couple of them seem to have SOME bigger deer but not many... If i rember correctly Loki mentioned that he got 40lbs of meat off one of his does on Decatur... I had put in for a second deer permit but quit when it went to Doe only, not worth the hassle.

[lokidog]

I don't think we have ever gotten 40 pounds off of a doe here, maybe 35.... Our biggest yield on a buck was 54 pounds.  However, I think the deer are a bit larger on the larger islands like Lopez, San Juan, and Orcas.

I stopped putting in for the 2nd deer tags when they went to $70+ and now that they are cheaper and doe only, I still don't bother.

[JDHasty]

Real, honest Columbia blacktails are not big deer, that being said I had a buddy drop off a five-point Manchester (Kitsap Co) buck at Farmer Georges a decade ago and IIRC it went 220 w/head and hide off. 

The smaller three point I shot this year went 105 w/head an hide off.  I have been posting about a real monster buck I have been seeing the last couple years and he is a buck that would go over 200 @ the butcher shop, he looks like a Welsh Pony, but those are very few and far between.  I have seen him w/does and I have seen him w/a big mature two point or I would not make a guess at his weight.   

I didn't see it, but a big south Puget Sound island buck was killed by a car about five years ago and I was told that it went 250 @ the butcher shop. 

These monster blacktails are really out-layers though, most south Puget Sound blacktail bucks are between 100 and 145 w/head and hide off, with mature bucks favoring the upper number. 

So that is what we are hunting in the south sound, perhaps someone has some real experience w/the San Juan bucks and then we can compare the two.     

[TheSkyBuster]

Monster San Juan buck!    Got about 40 lbs off him

[fishnfur]

I checked that article again.  It says 80 to 150 pounds for an island buck in the state of Washington.   The article is not specific to the San Juan deer though. There are no studies or statistics available that I can find on the web.  There are obviously some decent bucks though.  Here's a short blurb and photo from a Scott Haugen hunt in the islands:

http://www.scotthaugen.com/san-juan-island-blacktail/

[lokidog]

Monster San Juan buck!    Got about 40 lbs off him

You got 40 lbs off of him??  That would be a monster 'nubbin' here.

[Widgeondeke]

my son's forkie on Shaw Is last year yielded 52# of meat. the previous year his doe and my button buck combined only yielded 46# 
most of the deer I have seen on Shaw, you'd be lucky to get a 100# animal on the hoof

54# is a good deer Loki

[predatorG]

JD kitsap is where I hunt. We saw a really nice 3 point while out bear hunting 2 years ago. I'll have to see if I can find the pic. Also, farmer Georges is the spot we took our elk and deer this year. Great place

[baker5150]

I have seen some nice Bucks on San Juan and Orcas. 

North East side of Orcas seams to hold a good gene pool.
Tall, dark, racks. Just not very big bodied deer is all.

[TheSkyBuster]

Monster San Juan buck!    Got about 40 lbs off him

You got 40 lbs off of him??  That would be a monster 'nubbin' here.

40 ish, I didn't weigh it. He was the biggest doe out of 3 when I shot him