My island second deer hunt

[Mulie87]

The wife and I drew second deer tags for Whidbey Island. The season is Aug 1-Dec 31 for antlerless only. We arrived at our friend’s property yesterday and saw two does at 8:30pm. We got lucky with the weather because it was supposed to cool to 73° for the opener instead of the 80°s they had all week. I was hoping the deer would be back today when the season started. We got up at 4:30 and were on the blind by 0500. We didn’t see hide nor hair until we heard rustling in the brush about 60yds in front of us. The wife saw them first…two coyotes playing. I leveled the Savage 20ga bolt gun and let one of them have it. The other didn’t know which way to run but eventually made a wise decision and took off into the woods. I had no problem interrupting my deer hunt to smoke yote…now the deer might come in.

Two hours later the wife again spots something. Off to our left, about 30yds was a single doe that had just came out of the woods where I have my game camera. I leveled the 20ga and hit her on the shoulder as sge was facing left to right. I touched off the Remington Accutip slug and hit the bullseye. She went about 20yds and down she went. The interesting thing is that she was standing  in the exact same spot as the doe I shot last year.

I’ve never shot a coyote and to double up in two hours on opening morning of a five month season was a thrilling experience. Now to help my wife fill her tag. 2022 is off to a great start.

[GASoline71]

Thanks for taking another coyote off of the Island.  We heard coyotes at our place last night all evening.  Which is almost an every 3 day event as there are a couple of cow farms nearby.

Congrats on the doe as well!

My stepson and I try to get as many coyotes as we can each year here on Whidbey.  They breed like rabbits around these parts.

Gary

[elkboy]

Congratulations! Way to get things rolling! Looks like a great hunt,  with a good-looking deer and a good-looking coyote.

[Mulie87]

Thanks guys. Yes, I’m hoping to get a crack at the second yote to help the island out.

[h2ofowlr]

Nice work.  My friends family usually takes 4-5 deer off there property on Whidbey each season.  Always a fair amount of deer on it.

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

So grateful this wasn't another " I drew the tag, but have nowhere to hunt" thread...
 
Congratulations on an exciting opening day opportunity.
.
Keep it up!

[Mulie87]

 

[O. Nerka]

Has Whidbey gotten hit with the same AHD outbreak as the San Juans? I haven't been the the SJs this summer yet but there were markedly fewer deer last summer. Nice work on the yote and the deer!

[Mulie87]

Thanks. Not that I have heard or seen. May be a resident that is on here can attest to that.

[Mulie87]

The wife saw this albino buck down the road this morning here on Whidbey Island. Cool looking buck, I’ve never seen one before.

[GASoline71]

Lots of deer inbreeding here on the island.  Quite a few albino and piebald deer running around.  They sure are cool to see.

Gary

[JakeLand]

Good looking doe ! I’m debating going early in the season or late for my vashon 2nd tag but these pics are getting me anxious!

[trophyhunt]

First of all congrats, and I hate to even ask because I don't want to start a crap show, but seeing a fawn with spots this morning and seeing this thread yesterday, do abandoned fawns get to milk off other does in the area if they lose their mom? 

[Mulie87]

First of all congrats, and I hate to even ask because I don't want to start a crap show, but seeing a fawn with spots this morning and seeing this thread yesterday, do abandoned fawns get to milk off other does in the area if they lose their mom?

No problem, good question. I had trail can pics of this doe with another doe that was not this years fawn. If anything she was a one and a half-year-old yearling and able to fend for herself.

[trophyhunt]

Awesome, good eats!!