Rutting and Grunting Blacktail Goes Down With A Bow!!!!!!!!

[stickbuck]

Well, I finally made it happen today. I have been longing for that one mystical blacktail that I could place on the wall. Over the years since I started bowhunting in 1997, I have tagged out on awesome whitetails every year except for 2008 when I ate my tag. It all started when I drew a multi season deer tag. I have drawn multi season deer every year since it came out and always manage to blow the tag by shooting a whitetail early in September with my bow. I have an unbelievable buddy in Colville that has been so gracious to share his whitetail wonderland with me. I don't think there is enough thank you's in the world to show him just how appreciative I have been for his generosity. This year however, I was dead set on finally notching my tag on a stud blacktail and drawing the multi season tag would hopefully allow me to track one down during the beginning of the blacktail rut. It all started this morning when I left the house just after 6:30am. After making a pit stop along the way, I made my final adjustments to my pack, put on the rest of my camo, and made sure I had the hunter orange vest. Hunter orange is often at the bottom of my camo box due to the fact that I only hunt with a bow and never seem to have to venture into the woods during a rifle season. Now that I was fully dressed and my pack ready, I made the final drive to my hunting area. The area I would be hunting is a 500 acre piece of state land that butts up to a huge housing development.

As I exited the vehicle around 7:15am, I opted to take my bow instead of the gun. For some odd reason, I wanted to shoot my wall hanger blacktail with my BowTech. The brush leading up the road was extremely thick telling me that no one had ventured into this area at all this year. As I kept climbing up the grade, I found it hard to slow my pace as I was greatly anticipating getting to my spot. Although my spot is only a half mile from the truck, it is straight uphill. Despite being bitten by blackberry bushes every other step, I managed to make it to my destination around 7:45am. After breaking a slight sweat, I felt it necessary to change my undershirt so that I was dry and comfortable. Once I was changed, I broke out two scent wicks and the Moccasin Joe's Blacktail Estrus. I placed one scent wick on the skid road and proceeded about 20 yards on the uphill side of the skid road to where I would sit for the day. I then placed a second wick soaked with the doe estrus about five feet in front of me. After setting the table, it was time to sit back and let nature take it's course. At about 8:15am, a little squirrel spooked at the sight of me at the base of his tree. It wasn't until 9:15am that he decided I was no longer a threat and moved on to hassling his next victim. It was perfect, I could no hear what was going on around me. As I sat there waiting for a buck to show himself, I grabbed my Primos doe estrus bleat can out of my pack and decided a calling sequence was needed. Instead of tipping the can over, I softly blew through the bottom thumb hole resulting in the perfect soft tone doe bleat. I called for a few minutes and waited but nothing showed itself. I waited another 20 minutes and did another brief calling sequence. Still nothing sauntered into view. Just as I finished the calling sequence, I could hear the unmistakeable sound of rain drops. It was just prior to 10:00am and the rain seemed as if it was going to damper the hunt, but I decided I would continue to stay in my spot. As the morning ticked on, I felt the need for a little motivation and pulled out my phone and jumped on the forum. After viewing a little horn porn, my mind was energized again and ready to see a buck.

The rain finally died off about 10:50am and the sun was trying hard to show it's face. I knew that this could be the time that a bedded buck may just decide to get up and start his search for the ladies. It was just after 11:00am that I decided to reach into my pocket and grab my bottle of Moccasin Joe's. After the rain, I felt that it was important to refresh the scent wick that was just five feet away so I leaned forward and started spraying. After about five or six sprays, I heard the soft sound of what sounded like a doe bleat off in the distance about 100 yards away. I only heard it twice and it appeared to be faint. Before putting the bottle back into my coat pocket, I sprayed the top of my hat liberally to help mask and cover my scent since my wind was headed right in the direction of the bleats. As I sat down, I knocked an arrow and sat back looking for my Primos can call. Again, I blew several bleats in hopes of luring the deer towards my position. This instantly grew attention from the deer in the distance and again heard several more bleats. Little did I know, those bleats were soft grunts of a blacktail buck heading in my direction. With every passing second, the grunts became louder and closer. I scanned the second growth timber and noticed a few branches and ferns moving about 40 yards away. Just seconds later, I could see horns coming my direction through the brush and he was on track towards the skid road. Every two seconds, this buck grunted in search of the doe that he could smell. It seemed like an eternity, but I am sure it was merely seconds and he was on the skid road only 15 yards away. It was now that I could tell he was an awesome 3x4 plus matching eyeguards. He even had a bladed G-2 on his left side. He stood there with brush perfectly blocking all of his body slightly quartering to me. It was at this moment that I felt the breeze pick up and blow at my back heading in the direction of the buck. The buck continued to stand behind the brush grunting and throwing his nose up in the air. I just had a horrible feeling that the buck was gonna spook and that I should have brought my gun. He would already be dead, but there was no way I was going to send my muzzy tipped Beman through that tangle of brush. After grunting for almost two minutes attempting to coax out the doe that he thought was near my position he started to move to my left down the road. Oh No!!!! The buck turned slightly as if he is going to walk directly up through the ferns directly at me. At the last minute, he decided to stay on the road and kept walking towards my first scent wick. As he proceeded to my left, he came into clear view at only 12 yards. I slowly drew my bow and attempted to settle my 20 yard pin on the bottom of his belly just behind the shoulder. When that pin was right where it needed to be, I released that arrow and watched it hammer home. The buck jumped and I knew he was hit hard. He crashed straight down the hill sounding like a freight train going through the ferns. It was only five seconds later and the woods were completely silent. It sounded as if he had gone a great distance and I was attempting to determine what route he had taken. I waited a few minutes, but just couldn't seem to wait the full 30 minutes before venturing to where he was standing when I shot. Upon inspection of the area, I found one small puddle of blood and my arrow laying on the ground covered with blood. This did not look good. I expected to see much more blood than what I was finding so I decided to stop and not push it. I decided that my best option was to proceed 15 yards in the direction he went to a point where I could overlook the stand of second growth. Two minutes later, I looked down the hill and noticed my buck laying stone dead. I was overwhelmed and could hardly figure out what I had just done. Had I just shot a blacktail that may exceed the 90" magical number?!? As I approached him, my assumptions pointed to "YES"!! I phoned my Dad and he willingly dropped what he was doing so he could help me drag my buck out. After nearly a 45 minute drag, my buck was finally loaded up into my truck. Sorry for the long winded version, I just can't believe that I finally filled my tag on a wall hanger ghost of the westside. Now all I need to do is get the tape out and see if I can find a number exceeding that 90" mark.

[deerslyr]

wow hes a freaking stud!!

[Forrestrover]

Ya,,, great looking blacktail!

[Ellensburg]

Thats a whopper blacktail. Grats

[kglacken]

  Awesome! im speechless!

[bucklucky]

Great Buck, congrats!

[sebek556]

 

[bucknbullhunter]

Congrats buddy!!! Thanks for all the nice comments we love having you over every year. Great friendships are made up of great hunting memories and we sure do have some.  Does this mean your not coming over late season. Well congrats on the whopper of a blacktail can't wait to get my hands on that rack.

[big wood]

nice story. congrats with the bow kill in rifle season, what an accomplishment. you can still enter in pope and young, i'm guessing about 115. you only need 90.good job

[steeleywhopper]

That buck deserves a great home above the fireplace. Good job on a great buck!

[Mudball]

That is a great buck, I don't know any body that would pass him up.  nice work!

[Bob Williams]

Love the chocolate colored horns!!

Congrats

[blackveltbowhunter]

Great Buck! Congrats!!

[ELKBURGER]

congratulations on an awesome Blacktail. I admire your dedication to pursue your buck with archery equipment! Way to get it done!!! BTW...I'm sure you got your P&Y Blacktail!

[Martinhunter]

Holy crap!! That is a STUD of a blackie. Awsome job and way to call him right in to you. It's my dream to one day call in a blackie like that. Congrats,