Late Modern Buck Archery BT

[AKBowman]

Not the biggest buck in the world but I wanted to share a quick write up.

This is a spot that I had originally found scouting maps. The spot looked good even before DNR decided to clear cut a couple of hillsides adjacent to this maple, thicket filled bench. The initial camera inspection of 2014 found this spot blowing up with mature bucks. I counted at least 14 different bucks in a 3 week period making their way to check ye ol' rubbing post on the edge of the swamp.

'15 was the first year that I really hunted this spot. I hiked a stand down and placed it early October. In '14 the clear cuts adjacent to this spot were about 3 years old, prime time for BT habitat. The spot that I refer to as Big Cedar or as my hunting buddy and I refer to it as The Swamp is located on a giant hillside that is fairly heavily hunted off the main road at least at some times of the year. The stand is around 30 minutes hike down from the main road so it gets VERY little pressure. The two clear cuts are around 20-30 minutes hike to get to the stand location which is nestled somewhere in between on the steep hillside.

Fast forward and '15 was an amazing year with at least 4 P&Y bucks and one B&C buck making regular visits in front of my camera. The pre-rut buck march started the 23rd of October. I remember b/c I have a pic of the bigger buck in front of my stand on the 23rd for the first time than pretty much every day after. Fast forward that year and I had a huge mature 3 point with eye guards at full draw 3 times and decided not to shoot due to a small cedar limb in my way. Probably would have been fine to shoot him but I decided not to shoot and (mostly) don't regret the decision. I had hunted the stand at least 6 times in '14 and had bucks in front of my stand on camera almost every time I WASNT in my stand. I started to think maybe I was blowing them out on my way down the hill to my stand.

2016 I decided it would make sense to cut a path through one of the clear cuts now turned reprod in order to have a shorter path down to the stand. I figured my long hike down throught the timber was blowing most of the bucks out before I entered my stand. I went down in July/August to cut my stand path to my stand and after 4 hours or so of cutting I had my path to my stand. I hunted down there a few times  in 2016 but it seemed the buck parade started almost before the modern season started. I hunted Big cedar / Swamp Stand a few times in '16 but ended up arrowing a buck in another stand only to lose him after making a marginal shot and hours of searching. I hunted a couple of days in the Big Cedar/Swamp stand late archery season only to find that a hellacious wind storm had come in and created blow down central between my cut in trail and my stand. What was 20 minutes now took me at least 30 with all the blow down.

Spring of '17 I retrieved my camera and moved my stand about 20 yards down the hill into a cedar I had been eye balling for the last two years. The tree I had the stand in was good but was a exposed if the deer came from behind the ridge where I entered my stand. I made the move and felt really good about the new tree.

Opening day of '17 modern found me 3 hours before light with my bow in hand heading to Big Cedar/ Swamp stand. For the first time in 3 years I had no camera posted down there pre-season. Honestly I hadn't even been to the path I had cut into to the stand for a year. Nature took over and trail was totally grown over with berry brush ripping at me the whole way through. I still made it to stand 30 minutes before light and managed to almost get a shot at a coyote coming up through the drainage. Somehow he got through unscathed but I felt good he didn't see of scent me.

October 24th I was in stand and had an awesome experience with a mature buck. He was in front of my stand absolutely tearing up brush and grunting like mad. He made his way through the swamp (after a 15 minute display) and hit the trail to my right. If he went right he would be in my lap but he went left, down the hill into the abyss and out of my life. I got a sneak peak at his head gear and it looked like the same buck I came to full draw on in '14. Just a horse of a body.

Modern Season came and went and even though I LIVE for hunting BT's in October I was pulled in many directions and October left without me killing a buck. Luckily I had a trip to Kodiak scheduled which ended up with 7 deer and 1 goat killed between 4 of us. Back for late buck I knew I was pressing the issue with the family to get out for late buck. My wife is awesome so she didn't give me too much grief when I told her I was going hunting on Saturday after being gone for the last 8 days.

After taking the kiddos in the AM and letting my wife sleep in I made it to the stand about 11:30am. Better late than never. It was nice to be in stand. I had done HEAVY estrus scent drags on the way in to the stand thinking "what the heck" this was likely my last chance in stand during prime time. I pulled my camera, poured some doe P around and got into stand. I had done a couple of rattling/grunting/bleat sequences in stand at around 1.

Right at 2PM I hear the unmistakable sound of ferns swishing behind me and to my left. I do the slow look around over my left shoulder and instantly see white face antlers...oh yes! If I would have been in my old stand 20 yards up hill I would surely have been busted. The new cedar tree I was in afforded me more cover and better wind. I reached to my right (being left handed) and grabbed my bow off the hook. I figured by the time I turned around the buck would have vanished but it all happened so quickly it was just auto mode. Grabbed my bow with my right hand and started the SLOW turn / foot shuffle over my left shoulder. After a SLOW head turn I saw the buck taking a noticeable interest in my doe estrus scent drag line. He hit the line about the time I turned with my bow. His nose was in the dirt. He did the look right (towards me) then look left maneuver. He decided to go left where I came from. I knew he was going to make the hill and be out of sight soon so I made the decision to draw. My first attempt got me hung up in my tree strap which had spun up when I made may maneuver to get on the buck. Second attempt to draw was an awkward success and a gave the buck a "merrrp" lined up and released.

Arrow hit back of my mark but with the buck quartering hard away the shot smoked the liver and one lung. He went about 200 yards which was enough to get him into a hell hole making the pack out SUCK CITY. I ended up having to stash about 55# and come back to get it the next day. I ended up with around 65# of boned out meat off this buck. Cleaning him on a 3' perch sucked too but I was SOOO happy I couldn't have cared less. I was singing and talking to myself the whole time.

Its not worth it unless they make you earn it! There are lots of better bucks than this guy in the Cedar Swamp but I will gladly take him. He got his eye poked out earlier in the year, it was all sunken into his head. It was the eye that was facing me when I was doing all the turning in the tree so probably the reason why I got him! ha!

[TVHunts]

That’s a dandy!   Nice work

[Skyvalhunter]

Congrats on a fine animal. now. Time to go brush that trail.

[MADMAX]

Nice job

[greenhead_killer]

Solid buck. Nice job.

[Stalkin Prey]

Nice buck congrats.


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[lokidog]

 

[Blacktail Sniper]

 

[wt]

Great work AK, I like the the pics. Maybe I'll try the bow some day.....maybe. You know how to pick a good spot and work it! I owe you a harness.

[pd]

You do consistently well.  Congratulations.

[Muleyslyr]

Great Blacktail!

[JakeLand]

Nice buck!! Big congrats

[blackveltbowhunter]

Awesome buck man! Big congratz!

[pope]

Thanks for posting all of the details of your hunt. I enjoyed reading the account.

[riverrun]

Enjoyed reading your post! Thats a trophy blacktail in my books! Archery as well!