This hunting season has been amazing so far, I’m kinda liking 2020! Started with my dad killing his first bull, then we went off to the watershed and killed a good blacktail. So yesterday I was off on my own to hunt the high country for blacktail, I took my e bike and trailer for the first time out hunting w this set up. The bike died after 4 miles in, pretty steep and the trailer was loaded w my pack and rifle. Had to push the bike about 1/2 mile up, that sucked! I ditched the bike, walk the trailer up about 1/4 mile further and ditched that. Yesterday was beautiful up on top, super quiet! I worked my up a steep ridge that looks over a nice area, taking time and stopping to look constantly. Saw a doe about 1,000 yards away but looked alone. Right as I reached the top I look over the ridge and see a doe looking right at me at 20 yards away! So we have a starring contest, my back was killing me so I had to move first! She didn’t spook at all, so after about 10 minutes I move down the ridge 20 yards to look below her. It’s straight down a steep canyon with a patch of trees as cover for the deer. As I get a better look, I see a another big beautiful doe and she doesn’t want to stick around as long as the other one. She takes off so I run over to a rock out cropping that gives me a birds eye view, and all I see is a running buck. No time to asses size, just knew he was at least a 3 point. I pull up my rifle and shoot, he drops and starts a 200 yard tumble down the mountain, hitting rocks and sparse trees. All I could do was watch to see if when his antlers were going to bust off. He finally stopped rolling, but then he moved a little and tumbled another 100 yards. No way did I think he would not break his antlers off.
I work my way ever so slowly down the cliff and finally get to him, only a broken tip of one beam, I couldn’t believe it. Now the work, gut on the rocks, walk my pack and rifle out to the road, no way could I drag this guy without getting rid of my pack and gun first. This deer has the biggest body I’ve ever seen on a blacktail, dragging him the 400 yards down through thick trees and bushes was a work out, my whole body is sore today. Eventually got the cart and loaded up the deer, walked it down to the bike and off we went! One good thing on the bike, the breaks!! Not a big rack, but it was one of my best hunts, love the high country!
