my 2018 season ended early this week with an old heavy regress buck. It’s been a tough hunt this year with all the weird weather and full moon at night. I passed on a few bucks early in the season and was looking patiently for a good mature buck. Noisy ground and stagnant weather had deer skittish and left some of my spots un-huntable. I was planning on packing in and staying for the duration with anticipated weather about to move in and the biological clock of mature bucks ticking. Left the truck bright and early and made the long hike in the dark, dropped camp and started hunting. Had no deer moving all morning so I targeted some timbered bedding areas around midday right at my window of opportunity when the thermal shifted. This old boy waited about 15 minutes too long to re-bed. He was passed out laying on his side antlers resting on the ground. My first thought is he already dead? It took a minute to get his attention so he would look up and give me a better look, he finally did and when I saw the heavy antlers and Roman nose that was enough for me. Bang! Head went right back down. No easy chore getting him and camp out when you are over 4-hour hike from the truck. I got back to the truck with the first load 18 hours after i left it that morning, went home slept and came back for the rest of deer and camp the next day. Biggest bodied blacktail I’ve seen.
