Mature blacktail down, ‘the broke nose droptine’

[skagitsteel]

My season ended pretty quickly this year, lasted about 5 minutes of actual deer hunting.  More to come I’ll start with this.

[X-Force]

Looks like another toad.

Amazing how you find these animals

[skagitsteel]

Typically September for me is scouting, I don’t bow hunt much and a lot of my best areas don’t open for rifle until the main October season.  I went to an area I know well, the plan to still hunt some bedding spots, see if gramps was snoozin again😂, check some tracks and see what the area was holding.  I left the truck at about 2 Am for the long hike in.  Full moon and bright skies confirmed the plan to approach bedding spots.   Bright skies after a storm the deer would likely be bedded by daylight. I got my gear ready, out one in the pipe and dropped parallel to the first bedding spot.  I just reached the first spot and noticed two funny looking things sticking up through some grass right behind a tree.  I knew all to well what it was before even putting binoculars up.  Binoculars confirmed a mature buck bedded.  I  carefully put the pack out for a good rest and watched the buck for a bit.  He was bedded contently watching me, wind was good so I took my time.  I looked for a bit then put the rifle down thinking I was going to pass.  After about 10 minutes he stood up.  I noticed how big the body was and the cool droptine, at that point I put the rifle back on him and zoomed in a little.  I was having a hard time deciding and right as he was about to disappear into the trees I dumped him. 

[trophyhunt]

Love the bases! 

[fishngamereaper]

 

[skagitsteel]

The buck went a short ways and I found him below the cliffs in heavy Timber.  I attempted to drag him a few feet to small opening for pictures and butchering.  At first I was a little panicked and was second guessing my decision to end the season so early, as it usually takes weeks of grinding it out searching to find one mature blacktail, I truly enjoy that part of it.  This buck had character and age which for me are the top two things I look for.

[skagitsteel]

 The 'broke nose' was noticed by the taxidermist right away.  His nose looked funny and unique, the 'pit bull nose' was from taking an antler up the nose at some point during his life. A bunch of scar tissue was around the area and one nostril was twice the size of the other. He also had a hole in the ear and a tear in another ear.  He definitely took a beating a few years ago and I like to imagine what an old timer buck could have looked like to deliver such a beating. 

[fowl smacker]

Nice old revert buck right there.  I would have liked to see him last year or the year before.

[trophyhunt]

Very nice!!  I would bet that that buck is old and was regressing!  Congrats

[fishngamereaper]

Character for days ..old, mature... that's all that matters..nice buck..

[grundy53]

Nice buck!

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[meatwhack]

That’s a cool looking buck congratulations.

[Turner89]

Right on  you got another stud buck. 

[coachcw]

Thats a cool buck

[Jpmiller]

Amazing buck. Thanks so much for sharing, what a big body on him.