Prince of Wales Blacktail

[Fl0und3rz]

 

Working on photo resize.  Please stand by.

[7mmfan]

Awesome!    Only got to hunt them once, plan on doing it again.

[Fl0und3rz]

As he lay.

[Fl0und3rz]

The bay off in the distance where we beached the boat.

First photo you can see a rub in the foreground.

Second photo, way in the background cut is where this guy was cruising for chicks.

[Fl0und3rz]

Awesome!    Only got to hunt them once, plan on doing it again.

Thank you.  I have only ever been one other time, about ten years ago.  It was an all expenses paid trip by my FiL, who has a place up there.  I helped him fire rehab a rental this summer and fall, and I think he wanted to repay my help.

It was two days of brutal, wet, cold fun.  I brought my milsurp poncho the first day, and it only rained a little.  I left it at home the second day to lighten up the pack and it poured.  Go figure.

The ILBE pack held up well, although I think I better look for a better fitting hip belt pack, since loaded up, I could not get the belt to snug up enough to keep it on my hips. 

I was in the middle of a cut, he was at the top.  I whiffed the first shot, and fortunately he stuck around.  We cut him in half and packed/dragged him out through about 400 yards of blow down, cut, and muskeg.  Rubber boots are a must, and I sunk my boot above the knee a couple times in the muskeg.

Locals say that wolves have taken their toll in this area, and there was no shortage of wolf scat.   Although, coming back on the ferry to Ketchikan, there were multiple trucks with multiples in the back. 

All in all, with all the planes, trains, automobiles, buses, ferries, it was a very good time, and I am very thankful for the opportunity. 


Forgot to mention, .270 Win. with 130 grain Winchester Super-X ammo.  Broke right front shoulder, likely clipped an artery, and it likely partially broke the left shoulder.  Bullet was in the hide on the opposite side, largely intact and slightly expanded.   Probably about 150 yards shot.

[7mmfan]

That's fantastic, sounds like a great time. You're right about the rubber boots. I frequently wear my Xtratuffs in the field down here like I did up there, and get some odd looks. Long walks on rocky roads are tough, as are steep sidehills, but otherwise, I can't think of a better hunting boot.

Did you see any other bucks, or many other deer?

[Fl0und3rz]

Saw another mature buck tending a doe as they escaped on the other side of a cut/draw that I was ascending, but they were down the other side, before I could even get my rifle up.   Another of the party got shots on two but missed in close brush.

While I was sitting on a knob in the muskeg, emptying the water out of my boot, a yearling came running in to my call and then slowly circled around to get the wind on me for about ten minutes and to within about 15 feet.  It was pretty cool to think that I may have been the first or only human that deer has seen.  It circled around and slowly made its way into the brush. 

I blew the call again later and it came busting back out across the muskeg, and then on the far side of the muskeg another mature deer ran across, but I couldn't get a good enough look to see if it was a buck.

[Fl0und3rz]

Oh and plug for this app.

US Topo Maps

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.atlogis.northamerica.free&hl=en


Free version won't let you cache maps for offline use.  But Pro was only $15, and it worked pretty well, once you get the hang of it, and you can do multiple different map layers including satellite and topo.   It was my only GPS and it worked well enough on a five year old Samsung Note 4.  Don't know if it is available on Apple. 

Going to give OnX a try on my Android tablet for 117 late MF deer.   It seems pretty slick.

[7mmfan]

Saw another mature buck tending a doe as they escaped on the other side of a cut/draw that I was ascending, but they were down the other side, before I could even get my rifle up.   Another of the party got shots on two but missed in close brush.

While I was sitting on a knob in the muskeg, emptying the water out of my boot, a yearling came running in to my call and then slowly circled around to get the wind on me for about ten minutes and to within about 15 feet.  It was pretty cool to think that I may have been the first or only human that deer has seen.  It circled around and slowly made its way into the brush. 

I blew the call again later and it came busting back out across the muskeg, and then on the far side of the muskeg another mature deer ran across, but I couldn't get a good enough look to see if it was a buck.

Was it a locally produced call you were using. Meaning, local to POW? I've always been curious if those calls would work for BT down here. They seem to work like a champ up there.

[OutHouse]

Nice buck! And, nice to see you in the deer threads. Based on your heavy presence in political topics, I wasn't  sure if you were a hunter or not! Great job

[Fl0und3rz]

Thank you.  Yes, it is the locally produced call.  My FiL told me the guys name, but I forgot.  I'll post it up if I remember to ask him about it.  FiL swears by them.  The other hunter of the party had mixed opinions.  I think you have to get the tone right.  If nothing else, it makes a good signalling device when in the woods, without radios.

I thought it was a joke - like a snipe hunt - at first.   I have tried fawn distress down here, to see if it gets them to stand up or come investigate a few times, with no success.   

[7mmfan]

I've had more than a few does come charging in down here while distress calling for bears. Never a buck though. I've also never tried it later in the season. Worth a shot sometime.

[highside74]

Man I love stud 2 points, but...

Your use of black face while hunting is distracting 

[Fl0und3rz]

Thank you.  He had a nice symmetry to him and a kind of squarish profile from the back.  No pics, though.

I am looking to become Prime Minister of Canada or Governor of Virginia.

[WapitiTalk1]

Excellent!  Congrats