First Oregon blacktailed deer! He was a young guy, but I only had two Saturdays to hunt during Oregon's fairly generous any-weapons season. Also, I was carry an open-sights muzzleloader, as my good deer rifle is back with a gunsmith friend in eastern Washington.
I had hiked slowly into a timber company tree farm of ~1000 acres close to our new home. I set up with rattling and grunting in several locations, with no result (this was November 2nd). I then turned around and worked slowly into the wind back towards the truck, glassing and listening. Just about last light, in a thinned stand of Douglas-fir, I had found a wide deer trail, and was following it slowly when I heard the sound of twigs snapping. A young buck appeared in the evening mist, coming up over the ridge from dense brush and timber below. He came broadside at 35 yards and likely caught my movement as I dropped to a kneeling position. He swapped ends, and stood looking, broadside the other direction. I pulled the trigger- blacktails don't offer too many opportunities!
I hit him a little high, and he did not leave a good blood trail. The night turned dark quickly as I reloaded the muzzy. Fortunately I spotted his "eye shine" with my headlamp fairly quickly- he had only gone 50 yards. I had forgotten the pack frame at home, so after field dressing, I drove home to get the dogs and the pack frame for an evening hike. I was able to carry his dressed carcass out. No fat on this buck, but the flavor of the venison is good!
