Blacktail Bowhunters - how you doing?

[bow4elk]

Just curious how the bowhunters are doing.  I jumped a great buck yesterday while hiking with my girls, then walked up on two forkies (25 yards) today while scouting for next fall.  It always happens when you're not even trying, doesn't it?!  I thought back to so many late December hunts when I couldn't even find a doe.  Just wondering how you tag holders are doing out there?  I've killed three on 12/31 so don't give up!!

[PolarBear]

Passed on a decent 2 point and an goofy 3 that I should have taken just to get out of the gene pool. I f I see that 3 again I'll stick him.  All of the bigger bucks are holed up.

[merlo105]

Ok the gene pool for the blackies aint as big of a deal as the nutrition,,, our deer on the west side are weak due to poor food... anyways Im still holding my tag in the back pocket... Seen bucks everday sence aug, have yet to see any thats worth pulling the bow back on... and yeah your right its tuff to find does some days... Been working on one deer and one deer only I dont get that buck Ill try for a doe,, no other bucks going down... Good luck to everyone,,

[Hunterman]

The hunting has been GREAT   Lots of nice little strolls in the forest Time spent with new hunting partners

The killing has sure sucked

Hunterman(Tony)

[BLKBEARKLR]

Nothing yet for me or the wife, we have been able to get out a little, but with her deploying soon it is hard. We have not even seen a doe when we went out. And that is what she wanted to take with the bow. She wanted to mount it with one of the bucks we have

[jwroberts]

No luck for me or my dad so far.  Last year I got mine on Christmas Eve morning so I am still keeping my fingers crossed.  Good thing I got meat in the freezer from my first elk this year.  Anyone want to point me in the direction of some deer?

[blackveltbowhunter]

Its been slow, I did get permission on a piece of great private land and know there are good bucks on this and/or adjacent properties. It is overrunn with does and smaller bucks, so if it gets down to it I will take a doe to let the little bucks grow. The landowner will be tickled and I will have great eating. Vail has completley sucked have put miles on the mtn bike and boot leather both and seen 3 spikes 1 two pt and a handful of does. Also a camo ford and late model dodge with bows strapped to the truck box on separate occasions Nuthin obvious about that!. I guess that dialing a number that is plastered on the sign next to a road is two difficult for these guys.  LMAO

[PolarBear]

Did you see those rigs in Vail?  There is a camo Ford that punched in a new road around the gate just down the road from me.  Weyco came out and put up concrete blocks to keep them out.  What color was the Dodge?

[RUTNBULL1]

It was great, Arrowed mine the day after Thanksgiving, 2x4 with 2" eyeguards about 17" wide inside spread. Tried to post pics already, downsized them the whole nine yards to post, still won't post up. Went out for two hours this afternoon to take pictures after work, spotted 11 bucks, three real nice blackies, good to see some still out roaming around.

[blackveltbowhunter]

  Ya Polar, Vail area the camo ford was above the Thompson crk gate and the Dodge was off the NF side about three miles back. Maroon color late 90s early 2000s with a louda$$ pipe on a cummins. Elk plates with ATV Search and Rescue on the liscense plate holder.

[Alan K]

I tagged a two point in the early season, but in the past I've typically done well in the late season.  Particularly in December after everything has calmed down from the rifle hunters.

I too have killed a buck on 12/31. . . A small, but heavy three point.

Good luck to all that still have tags!

[bucklucky]

Ive seen a ton of deer, on monday I went out for an evening hunt and saw 25 and only 1 was a small buck. Couldnt get myself to stick a doe yet. I did see 5 bucks another day but couldnt make a good stock on any of them. I found a big roman nosed buck but he already shed his antlers. His body was 3 times the size of the 6 inch spike that was following him around  Ive seen probably 100 deer this december in about 5 - 6 days hunting. Been trying new areas that I normally do not hunt.

[Holg3107]

Nothing yet, I am heading back out either tomorrow, or Sunday and hopefully a day or two next week. I'm going to new places, (first year in WA) so its more of a scouting mission than anything but I wont learn about any new places sitting at home. I am looking for a mature buck or a doe, and all i have found on my few trips out have been 2 small forkys. Hopefully have something more exciting to post next week.

[haus]

Ive seen a ton of deer, on monday I went out for an evening hunt and saw 25 and only 1 was a small buck. Couldnt get myself to stick a doe yet. I did see 5 bucks another day but couldnt make a good stock on any of them. I found a big roman nosed buck but he already shed his antlers. His body was 3 times the size of the 6 inch spike that was following him around  Ive seen probably 100 deer this december in about 5 - 6 days hunting. Been trying new areas that I normally do not hunt.

ya and i saw bigfoot twice...... 

[deerslyr]

I got a late start on sat. due to car trouble so i took my moms mini van out hunting instead  got to the gate at about 11 hiked around and did some still hunting to no avail. At about 2:30 i decided to hit the cuts and started seeing deer. Blew a stalk on a couple does, so I tryed to cut them off and ended kicking up another group of does  I sat down on a stump to re-evaluate my situation glassed across the hill side and i immediatley saw a goup of 3 monster bucks at 220 yards. I tryed to plan a stalk on them but they were movin towards the reprod to quick for me to cut them off  gotta love bow huntin haha so i got back on the road and walked another couple hundred yards and I saw 3 more does feeding in the cut. I dropped off the pack and took 2 arrows with me to begin my stalk. I got with in 55 yards and missed all 3 times    So I went back to where i left the pack and grabbed the rest of my arrows and went back to where I shot and they were still standing there ! I snuck up to 36 yards and buried one right behind the shoulder  she went about 50 yards and piled up. It was my first archery harvest and I did it solo I was pretty dam excited to say the least even though it was only a doe  one hell of a pack out by myself and my mom was a little angry that I put a bloody deer in her mini van any ways hope you guys enjoyed the story it was my first year archery hunting and I dont think ill ever go back to rifle