Halloween Blacktail (Archery, Pic Heavy)

[lilswab]

I can now say that I have heard a blacktail buck or any buck for that matter grunt…It all happened on Halloween afternoon around 3pm. 

19 inches wide, 15 inches tall, Gross scores around 93 inches, Aged to approx 7.5 years old

I was sitting in my treestand eating a poptart trying to quiet my hunger and growling stomach.  Then I heard a distinctive grunt/growl from a buck.  Distinctive, because I knew that bucks grunt from all the thousands of hours I spent watching hunting shows …Yes, hunting videos do make you a better hunter (another topic for my next post).  After hearing the grunt I stuffed the remaining blueberry poptart in my mouth to grab my LimbSaver Proton!  I could see antlers about 30yards away and was trying to guess where he would pop out from behind my apple tree. 
My nerves began to get the best of me.  I was starting to shake, my heart was about to take off, and all I could do was to tell myself to do was to calm down…Luckily, the buck stayed behind my apple tree at about 25yards.  I could see his tail flipping and his head moving back and forth just browsing on some brush.  He must have hung at that distance for 5mins or so just enough time for my nerves to calm.  As I began to regain my wits I was expecting him to walk out from under the tree and then he would be at only 20 yards! 
He read my mind and slowly started to show himself by walking out from under the apple tree.  I gradually drew my 67lbs bow that felt like 167lbs caused by an acute case of buck fever.  I kept saying…hit your anchor points…hold, hold, don’t aim yet, hold, hold.  I was hoping he would turn and give me the always preferred broadside shot, but my mind and nerves made the decision that a frontal shot on a deer from a stand was the good shot.  So I aimed for his neck and I took the shot…the carbon missile hit my mark! He bounded quickly to my left twice…slowed down to a snails pace then began to stagger and fell over dead, just 20 yards from where he was introduced to my Beman ICS Hunter dressed with a NAP 100grain Crossfire broadhead.
If you didn’t read this and already looked at my pictures you can see that I have been on to this deer since the spring.  I have a lot of pictures and I have to admit he was one of the two big bucks I wanted to kill.  I was lucky to draw the multiseason deer permit as well as a second deer/doe tag.  I took my doe with my bow on the rifle opener and this guy on the last day of rifle.  I hope you enjoy my pictures.  Let me know what you think.  Thanks for all the help from my friends.  You know who you are.
Thanks to Charlie for caping out his head so I can pack my antlers around. I am having a shoulder mount done at Charlie’s Taxidermy (bucklucky). He does great work and I know he will look amazing.  Go check out his shop on Skookumchuck road.  He has some great mounts and it is well worth the drive for the quality work.

This is my biggest blacktail to date. 

His right side is impressive.

This is to show the penetration. My arrow went in 20inches; I severed the jugular, and penetrated his left lung.  Frontal on a deer was not my plan.  I think being in a stand and shooting down, and from only 20 yards were key to have such a fast kill.  Personally, I would never take this shot on an elk.

Just a picture to so his size.

A really pretty buck with gnarly bases.
 
A big bodied deer.  I didn’t put him on a scale… I would say 200 to 250 on the hoof.

I tried to save this tree. I was a week too late.  I know I saved a few more…see guys hunters protect trees by killing  the deer. 

I know this buck…

The pack out!
Early trail cam photos…look at that ear!


End of may…check out the growth compared to the above pictures. BTW this is a picture form the super cheap wildview. 

Look at that ear again.

So big compared to that other buck

[archery288]

That's awesome!!!   Especially with a bow - congrats!!!

Nice work on all the pictures btw as well! Nice to see when people take time to take good pictures!

[lewy]

Nice work, gotta love it when you kill an old mature buck

[shedcrazy]

Good job, way to put in the time!!

[ser300wsm]

WOW,congrats to ya on a very fine blktail buck.  

[robescc]

Beatiful buck.  Congrats.

[highside74]

Nice buck. Are you Steve P's boy? He told me yesterday his son shot a dandy 2 point with his bow and seeing that your shooting a limbsaver bow I'm guessing so.

[lilswab]

Nice buck. Are you Steve P's boy? He told me yesterday his son shot a dandy 2 point with his bow and seeing that your shooting a limbsaver bow I'm guessing so.

Sure am 

[Blsum]

Congrats on a dandy buck Corey. Glad to see your plans came together. How big do you think that other deer will get by next year. By other deer I mean the big 4 you got on your trail camera. Hopefully you can put a tag on him next year.

[h2ofowlr]

Dandy buck.  You have to love the rut.

[Superhunter333]

too bad you dont look happy in the pics  great buck

[carpsniperg2]

congrats to you! a very nice buck cool 2 have the pics of him as well

[GooNiEs]

congrats.... looks like a fun time thanks for the story as well...   

[elkslayer069]

i have one word and its masher! what a dandy congrats on a great buck

[scout88]

congrats to you! awesome buck!

[wildmanoutdoors]

Wow what a porker! Lots of Biggies getting the air let out of em this year!

[lilswab]

Congrats on a dandy buck Corey. Glad to see your plans came together. How big do you think that other deer will get by next year. By other deer I mean the big 4 you got on your trail camera. Hopefully you can put a tag on him next year.

Good question Ben, I think he will be damn big.  You know I will have my trail cameras out in force.

[dreamingbig]

A lot of leg work put into harvesting him.  Congratulations.  You did your homework very well.

[dirty24d]

that the biggest 2 x 2  i've ever seen. well done.

[bearhunter99]

Nice heavy buck there, congratulations.  Looks like an older buck in regression to me, nice heavy bases.  If so imagine what he looked like a couple years ago!

[Dmanmastertracker]

 Nice buck, great job.

[bucklucky]

Nice write up and pictures Cory! Oh and thanks for the plug too , I appreciate it  You worked hard for the buck and it all came together man, nice job!!

[elkslare]

Great looking  blacky,   Masher , Great job thanks for sharing.

[BackStrappin]

LiLSwab you are proving to be very deadly with that bow you have, you are almost ninja like .

As for that big ole buck,, Lord it looks like a big ole mule deer   

You can now tell big swab that setting up trail cam's does work 

That is going to make a nice wall mounter .  Can't wait to see how it comes out.

[BENCHLEG]

verry nice buck and great job. that is awesome.

[DeerThug]

Excellent blacktail.  I really like the color of the horns and the character.  And it shows that you worked for it.  That is the most  rewarding part of any hunt.  Work should = success.