Started my day off working as we all do. Headed home around 330 to start cleaning the house for my daughters 8th birthday party tonight. Called my old lady on the way and asked if she minded that I go drive out waddell creek in capital forest for a quick gander. I head out and there is a sign that states no shooting for the next 5 miles. So I reset my trip and just drive looking around here and there. I drive and turn out the c-7000. Heading towards rock candy mountain. Start driving and see a nice looking spur road. It's about 445 now rain fog and wind. Beautiful deer weather!
The road stops and turns to just a trail, with two big saddles from where the dug it after logging. Walking out there it was super quiet, wind in my face small aldershot everywhere, but not a single rub. No sign or anything. All I'm thinking is this might not be the greatest spot to pick for my one hunt after work
the skid road ends and turns to a slough brush trail side Hilling on a ridge. I walk out a little ways and end up to my mid thighs in the thick stuff. No longer able to keep quiet I decide to bag it and just drive a little and road hunt. So I turn up the Ridge and just think I will walk up it and loop back to the skid road. I'm about a mile from my Tahoe. I take about 25 steps loudly up hill hoping to just jump something and get a shot with my Browning .300WSM. I stop to catch my breath and start thinking nothing will be around me with how loud I am. I look up the hill and about 50 yards broadside is a blacktail just frozen! Right behind the deer is one of those magical western washington trees that makes it look like a 98 point buck. So I pull my scope up on it and sure enough I spot antlers. So I quickly drop it to the front shoulder and take my breath and shoot. It takes a hop and starts bolting forward. I rack another round and take a step forward to possibly shoot again and fall flat on my back with my rifle in the air held high. I run up to where I thought it was and see no sign anywhere. It's now 530 and getting dark in the timber. So I take my hat and mark the tree next to where I shot. I cut part of my orange shirt and mark where I thought the deer was running. I run to my Tahoe and get my headlamp from work. Make a few calls to see if anyone can help me track and hopefully drag. But they are busy with their own deer! So I make it back to where I put my hat and look around and start my circles. The I look past where I thought I hit it up the hill a little ways and see another one of the trees that could have been right behind him. I walk up to it and sure enough BLOOD AND TRACKS. Just 50 yards further down the blood trail and he was laying there. Double lung shot. 3 hours of dragging later he is now hanging in the chiller and being taken to a taxedermist if I can find one! Let me know what yall think of my biggest buck ever!
