Hunting Washington Forum

Big Game Hunting => Deer Hunting => Topic started by: Russ McDonald on December 15, 2014, 06:25:30 PM

Title: Black tail deer
Post by: Russ McDonald on December 15, 2014, 06:25:30 PM: So I hit a black tail today with what seemed like a really good shot. Pass through but looks like gut on my arrow. Waited 30 minutes and stayed tracking. Thing went into thick black berry bushes. Lokidog,his son and I were on our hands and knees through that stuff. Found bright red blood. Sporatic though. Last spot searched 50 yards out no blood. Cold tonight so return on the morning. Hopefully pics to follow. Have to give a shout out to lokidog weathergirl and family to put me up and allow me to hunt on this beautiful island. Thank you very much
Title: Re: Black tail deer
Post by: mackej32 on December 15, 2014, 06:31:02 PM: What island? Buck or doe?
Hope you find the kill!
Title: Re: Black tail deer
Post by: kodiak 907 on December 15, 2014, 06:32:16 PM: Is there a list to go on a hunt with Loki? :dunno: sounds like a cool spot, good luck on finding your deer :tup:
Title: Re: Black tail deer
Post by: Russ McDonald on December 15, 2014, 08:00:33 PM: Quote from: mackej32 on December 15, 2014, 06:31:02 PM
What island? Buck or doe?
Hope you find the kill!
Decatur
Title: Re: Black tail deer
Post by: MLBowhunting on December 15, 2014, 08:10:12 PM: Hope you find him. If you dont find him in the morning I can come help look in the afternoon. :tup:
Title: Re: Black tail deer
Post by: lokidog on December 15, 2014, 09:29:34 PM: Quote from: MLBowhunting on December 15, 2014, 08:10:12 PM
Hope you find him. If you dont find him in the morning I can come help look in the afternoon. :tup:

Thanks for the offer ML, probably not worth a four hour + drive and a boat ride just to get here though. :chuckle:
Title: Re: Black tail deer
Post by: MLBowhunting on December 15, 2014, 09:47:12 PM: I have went further. :tup: not a big deal to me to be honest.
Title: Re: Black tail deer
Post by: Cap.Silver on December 15, 2014, 09:49:11 PM: You're in good hands Russ...... I haven't met son Zoltan or Weathergirl ,but I know they are great folks since Lokidog is the husband and father ... Good luck finding the deer ,because it tastes awesome .The island deer is smaller but tender and delicious .
Title: Re: Black tail deer
Post by: lokidog on December 15, 2014, 09:51:32 PM: Again, thanks for the offer. It is in a field of wild roses, it should just be a matter of time tomorrow morning before we find it.

My son sure loves to track deer, he's pretty good too. He's never been on one we didn't find though. :( So, hopefully, this won't be the first.

Thanks Cap'n.
Title: Re: Black tail deer
Post by: lokidog on December 16, 2014, 09:24:32 AM: Found an hour ago. :tup:
Title: Re: Black tail deer
Post by: kodiak 907 on December 16, 2014, 10:01:11 AM: :tup:
Title: Re: Black tail deer
Post by: h20hunter on December 16, 2014, 10:06:26 AM: Tagging with a congrats and looking forward to pics. Well done Russ and good on you Ed.
Title: Re: Black tail deer
Post by: DIYARCHERYJUNKIE on December 16, 2014, 11:07:19 AM: Nice work post pics!!!
Title: Re: Black tail deer
Post by: hollymaster on December 16, 2014, 11:23:22 AM: Sweet! :tup:
Title: Re: Black tail deer
Post by: MLBowhunting on December 16, 2014, 11:29:53 AM: Great job guys
Title: Re: Black tail deer
Post by: Skyvalhunter on December 16, 2014, 11:38:46 AM: Come on guys
Title: Re: Black tail deer
Post by: lokidog on December 16, 2014, 11:53:32 AM: Russ is on his way home and will probably post later.
Title: Re: Black tail deer
Post by: h20hunter on December 16, 2014, 12:19:48 PM: I'm sure he will....he knows better!
Title: Re: Black tail deer
Post by: jackmaster on December 16, 2014, 12:23:11 PM: congrats, way to stick with it..
Title: Re: Black tail deer
Post by: Russ McDonald on December 16, 2014, 03:28:27 PM: Just got home. Truck unloaded. Tables setup to quarter and butcher. (https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Ftapatalk.imageshack.com%2Fv2%2F14%2F12%2F16%2F7ded4ce37f222784f6f5e4c44d2be8f3.jpg&hash=f4ad11e63a37c56af59ed0deb90c8f5efb50a2b3)(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Ftapatalk.imageshack.com%2Fv2%2F14%2F12%2F16a%2C%2Fadaa2c38d3c1a7684ead3cee5830429c.jpg&hash=241748d175bf2c89b2e98b1099944c4e3924b051)
My first black tail ever. Not the biggest thing in the world but meat in the freezer. Pretty cool hunting on the island too. So here is the story. Ed put me on a doe 3pm yesterday evening. Was a spot and stock. She was on the other side of a brush pile. I was looking at 2 deer 80 yard away. Ed was telling me no 30 yards on the other side of the brush pile where we are. I poke my head up and they're she is staring right at me. Duck back down draw my bow. Stand up where she can't see me and start ealing slowly sideways. Standing perfectly broad side. Let the arrow fly. Nocturnal lighted nocks are awesome. right in the shoulder. She rings off about 100 yards and stops. She looks a little wobbly we thought she was going over. Nope she turns into these super tall wild rose bushes. I am not a small man. I was crawling on my hands and knees. Lost the blood trail and it read pretty dark. We decided that it was cold enough and waited till morning. Off we went just before 8 am. 20 minutes later with Ed's superb tracking. Dead deer. Here is the funny thing. My shot hit right where I aimed. Front shoulder a little low. I was Kentucky windage it with my single pin. I was set for 30 and thought it was closer. The broadhead clipped the should shifted it right then hit a rib. The exit was right in front of the back hip. Shame traveling arrow.
Title: Re: Black tail deer
Post by: h20hunter on December 16, 2014, 03:33:49 PM: Nice job Russ! I know your knee has had you laid up but tag notched! Good 'nuff. Might be a little island doe but its always good to see a success pic.
Title: Re: Black tail deer
Post by: lokidog on December 16, 2014, 03:50:17 PM: He even got it with a Bowtech..... :chuckle:

It was crazy how the arrow turned, almost 90 degrees. From pretty much a broadside or turning away shot, the arrow nicked the rear side of the humerus, deflecting it back, then a rib, which appeared to deflect it more rearward. It came in under the lung and turned before reaching the heart.

Could have shot this little gal that morning, but he was wanting more than three meals worth. :chuckle:
Title: Re: Black tail deer
Post by: MLBowhunting on December 16, 2014, 04:42:08 PM: Great deer guys. Love the pic. :tup:
Title: Re: Black tail deer
Post by: Russ McDonald on December 16, 2014, 05:25:37 PM: Ed, russ is busy with the deer. .he wanted me to ask you to post some of your pictures.
Title: Re: Black tail deer
Post by: Russ McDonald on December 16, 2014, 05:55:01 PM: Finished(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Ftapatalk.imageshack.com%2Fv2%2F14%2F12%2F16%2Fb96deb7c413fd742c4e2af60d5c5f530.jpg&hash=7826e63e031a0115d38bc632b55f7e073bb9baa1)Loin, steak and jerkey
Title: Re: Black tail deer
Post by: lokidog on December 16, 2014, 06:21:18 PM: Here are a couple. First is from one of the stands. Second is when he saw it down for the first time.

I've got a tracking video I will upload and post later.
Title: Re: Black tail deer
Post by: Smokepole on December 16, 2014, 06:55:35 PM: :tup: Glad you guys found your deer. Them rose bushes can be mighty thick. It must have been tough. Your doe is a hawg & you should be awfully pleased. It'll eat good. Heck my wife shot a doe on Orcas that fit in my fanny pack. We packed it out whole & ate it in just a few meals. She skinned it out & used the hide for a seat cushion. The big lesson we learned was never take a little bambi on the ferry without covering it up in the back of your truck. The tourists gave us a good butt chewing, so we stuck it back in my fanny pack. :chuckle:
Title: Re: Black tail deer
Post by: D-Rock425 on December 16, 2014, 07:21:05 PM: Quote from: lokidog on December 16, 2014, 03:50:17 PM
He even got it with a Bowtech..... :chuckle:

It was crazy how the arrow turned, almost 90 degrees. From pretty much a broadside or turning away shot, the arrow nicked the rear side of the humerus, deflecting it back, then a rib, which appeared to deflect it more rearward. It came in under the lung and turned before reaching the heart.

Could have shot this little gal that morning, but he was wanting more than three meals worth. :chuckle:
even with a bowtech haha.
Title: Re: Black tail deer
Post by: lokidog on December 16, 2014, 07:24:05 PM: I can say that because I shoot one as well. :chuckle:
Title: Re: Black tail deer
Post by: Irish_hunter93 on December 16, 2014, 07:46:56 PM: Great job!
Title: Re: Black tail deer
Post by: BOWHUNTER45 on December 16, 2014, 07:52:51 PM: Islands are a cool place to hunt if you never been there before :tup: Lucky Ed is nice enough to share his hunting grounds ...Good job ! :brew: :tup:
Title: Re: Black tail deer
Post by: Russ McDonald on December 16, 2014, 08:08:15 PM: She is all vacuumed sealed and in the freezer. Thanks everyone. Going to do up jerkey next weekend. Had a blast hunting on the island. Ed truly is very great guy. To track that deer through those rose bushes was incredible. nice way to celebrate after my b day on Friday.
Title: Re: Black tail deer
Post by: hollymaster on December 16, 2014, 08:31:16 PM: Quote from: russ_mcdonald on December 16, 2014, 08:08:15 PM
She is all vacuumed sealed and in the freezer. Thanks everyone. Going to do up jerkey next weekend. Had a blast hunting on the island. Ed truly is very great guy. To track that deer through those rose bushes was incredible. nice way to celebrate after my b day on Friday.

When your done with that jerry I'll come over and be the guinea pig. :chuckle:
Title: Re: Black tail deer
Post by: Russ McDonald on December 16, 2014, 08:33:23 PM: Come on over. I love making venison jerkey. It always turns or great.
Title: Re: Black tail deer
Post by: Cap.Silver on December 16, 2014, 09:19:27 PM: Congrats Russ and great job Ed . Russ ,there is more gray hair on your beard than the last time I saw you and Michelle . I'm coming over for the jerky on sunday - is it gonna be ready ???? :chuckle: I like your war face camo paint too . I had the greatest time at Ed's house ...we did go retrieve the crab posts before I left .but only found one legal crab in there ...... Island living has its ups and downs I guess ,you have to be wired for that . :tup:
Title: Re: Black tail deer
Post by: Russ McDonald on December 17, 2014, 07:06:17 AM: Quote from: Cap.Silver on December 16, 2014, 09:19:27 PM
Congrats Russ and great job Ed . Russ ,there is more gray hair on your beard than the last time I saw you and Michelle . I'm coming over for the jerky on sunday - is it gonna be ready ???? :chuckle: I like your war face camo paint too . I had the greatest time at Ed's house ...we did go retrieve the crab posts before I left .but only found one legal crab in there ...... Island living has its ups and downs I guess ,you have to be wired for that . :tup:
Next weekend the jerkey will be ready. I got to many honey dews now that hunting season is over :chuckle:
Title: Re: Black tail deer
Post by: lokidog on December 17, 2014, 09:39:01 AM: Here are the tracking videos, not super high quality though.

Russ' Deer Tracking 1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=At5EMLHmpOw#ws)

Russ' Deer Tracking 2 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4iIBS9N5QY8#ws)

Russ' Deer Tracking 3 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZfTPjQG5HI#ws)
Title: Re: Black tail deer
Post by: DIYARCHERYJUNKIE on December 17, 2014, 10:11:00 AM: I love tracking game. Good vid.
Title: Re: Black tail deer
Post by: Cap.Silver on December 17, 2014, 10:12:26 AM: Zoltan is good tracker ,wish I could have been there too
Title: Re: Black tail deer
Post by: irishevox on December 17, 2014, 10:30:52 AM: awesome great job ya'll
Title: Re: Black tail deer
Post by: lokidog on December 17, 2014, 10:34:38 AM: I wish I had taken some video while we were burrowing through the thick stuff. She circled about thirty yards through the crap and came out about thirty feet from where we went into it, figures. :chuckle: That was where we lost blood and had to come back to in the morning.
Title: Re: Black tail deer
Post by: irishevox on December 17, 2014, 10:36:14 AM: those darn crafty blacktail :chuckle:
Title: Re: Black tail deer
Post by: Russ McDonald on December 17, 2014, 11:16:33 AM: Glad you didn't. I didn't want to relive that thick stuff. Some of you know me a I am not small gun. 6'1" and 300 pounds. In some place in those bushes there was enough room for Zolton to crawl through. Down the rabbit hole.
Title: Re: Black tail deer
Post by: HUNTINCOUPLE on December 17, 2014, 11:49:58 AM: Congrats on the first blacktail! :tup:
Title: Re: Black tail deer
Post by: Widgeondeke on December 17, 2014, 01:08:18 PM: Congrats Russ.
Yeah it can be difficult to judge size in the field on those island deer, until you get s normal size one to compare. 2 deer last year only got 35# meat. This year my son's Shaw buck gave us 57# before making hamburger. Yum :drool:
Time to thaw some steaks :drool:
My friend on the island always says they are the size of a Doberman.
Title: Re: Black tail deer
Post by: erk444 on December 17, 2014, 07:14:46 PM: Awesome! Those deer from the San Juans may not be big, but they are delicious :tup: What broadhead were you using?
Title: Re: Black tail deer
Post by: Russ McDonald on December 18, 2014, 06:47:27 AM: Muzzy 4 blade 100 gr. broad head Gold tip XT Hunter 7595's total weight on arrow 410.5 gr. The bow is a Bowtech Destroyer 340 with Rock Creek custom string. I am thinking I might go to 125 gr. broad heads but I am waiting to see if WDFW makes mechanicals legal before I buy anything. These are the same broad heads I have had the last 3 seasons and just realized I have killed a deer every year with them. First one was a white tail in Minnesota, muley last year on the eastside and this blacktail.
Title: Re: Black tail deer
Post by: pianoman9701 on December 18, 2014, 06:54:51 AM: Congratulations on a beautiful deer, Russ.
Title: Re: Black tail deer
Post by: irishevox on December 18, 2014, 07:21:46 AM: russ I am hoping they do legalize mechanical
Title: Re: Black tail deer
Post by: Russ McDonald on December 18, 2014, 07:27:36 AM: Thanks for all the great comment :tup: but like I said I wouldn't have gotten any chance at a deer if it weren't for Lokidog. All thanks goes to him. It is the first time though for getting a deer for me that I didn't cook some up that night but I just might this weekend. Some backstrap would be yummy.
Title: Re: Black tail deer
Post by: Russ McDonald on December 25, 2014, 08:42:20 PM: (https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Ftapatalk.imageshack.com%2Fv2%2F14%2F12%2F25%2F78c419f586075d806ad7fc0dcc1606b6.jpg&hash=6e4057a8cc9e8d21b5bdab9b39c0ed5a7f4c4021)batch of jerkey