Al's first blacktail

[fisheral87]

I'll begin with the most important part of this story which is a big thank you to 7mmFan for the assist on this buck. He was generous enough to bring me along to this spot and I just happened to be in the right place at the right time. This isn't the first animal we have packed out together and I'm sure it won't be the last. Hopefully I'll be the assist on the next few because I think I still owe him a pack out or two.

Waiting in the dark drizzly morning, we stood behind the last tank trap just before the clearcut. Having smelled bucks several times as we had progressed along the trail spirits were high in anticipation of the hunt to come. The plan was pretty simple. I'll go right, you go left.

Across the tank trap we took our respective directions and I headed left. I worked slowly down the road through the upper section of the cut glassing some of the older reprod just in case the deer were hanging in the thicker cover. I crested the rise that over looked a main portion of the cut and snuck to the edge using a small fir tree as cover. I shortly spotted just the head of a buck rubbing one fir, then another before disappearing into the cut moving toward 7mmfan's general position. After a few minutes I decided to continue left along the road in the opposite direction hoping that buck would give 7mmfan an opportunity.

Another seventy-five yards brought me to a position where I could see most of my end of the cut. I settled down on a conveniently placed stump just below the road adjacent to a large slash pile. Directly behind me was a large bush that provided additional breakup. I immediately began glassing the body of the cut checking back to where I had seen the first buck disappear and looking for other movement. After about and hour on a repeat sweep of the far timberline my binoculars slid into the outline of a doe moving out of the cut and into the far timber. Her movement only noticeable for a millisecond before her gray flanks melted away into the prehistoric sized ferns. The sight of a doe boosted my confidence even more, believing she would give bucks an incentive to be in the area this time of year.

By this time the rain had broken and although the clouds prevented visual confirmation, the sun was fully up and I wondered if that doe was moving to bed along with the rest of the deer for the next couple of hours. I settled my mind again and went back to picking apart the terrain. Another hour or so passed and I peripherally caught movement to the right. Bringing my glass up just in time to see yet another deer slipping to cover where I had see the buck first thing. They are still moving around.

Not long after that I caught movement nearly straight away from me. A doe was crossing in a very open portion of the cut in front of several fallen cedar trees at a fairly good clip. I lost sight of the doe quickly as she moved off through the cut. I hoped her rush wasn't a coincidence and that there would be a buck not far behind. A few moments later I caught movement again along the doe's route in front of the cedars. I brought my glass up quickly confirming it was a buck. I repositioned to get behind the log and get a good rest with my pack set on top. The buck picked up on either my noise or movement and when I brought my gun up and set the scope on the buck he had stopped and pegged me.

The sight of him in the scope was awesome. He stood broadside against the backdrop of the fallen cedars, neck full, eyes fixed on my position. Breathtaking. Kingly. As I breathed out I began to pull the trigger, momentarily sending a single round downrange. As I watched through the scope the buck bounded once trying to gain his bearings, retreating toward the timber edge making it all of about ten yards before his legs gave way disappearing behind a lone cedar.

Thanks for reading,

Al

[gavinboone]

Nice buck! If you don't mind... what GMU?

[Timberstalker]

Stud Blackie!  Wow.

[Dan-o]

NICE!!!

That is a TERRIFIC Blacktail.

CONGRATS.

[grundy53]

Awesome!

Sent from my E6782 using Tapatalk

[BullMagnet76]

 

[Pygmy]

Well written story! Congratulations on a great buck.

[HvyHorn338]

Great blackie man and good hunt. 

[fishnfur]

TOAD!  Great story.  Congratulations on your success.

[mtn.goat]

 Dandy Buck! Step by step story was great too.

[Widgeondeke]

Thanks for sharing the story. That is a pig of a Blackie

Congrats 

[7mmfan]

Great breakdown! I'll never get tired of looking at those horns, what a gorgeous buck!

I will admit, I was a little jealous. But i'd had my own opportunity at the other big one in there and blew it, so you deserved it. You made up for it a few hours later, thanks for the help!   

[fisheral87]

Field to table. Blacktail Tenderloin on a bed of red potatoes and broccoli with a makers, horseradish and mushroom sauce.

Al

[Soundbite]

Nice work Moose! I am jelious

[blackveltbowhunter]

Missed this Buck! What a deer congratz!