I promised lots of you photos of my first blacktailed deer, if I was fortunate to harvest one. Well, I guess I got lucky yesterday which means I better keep up with my promise.
Dave Fowler (remember Dave from my spring bear hunt?), who is a true blacktail enthusiast, assured me this tag was worthwhile. It wasn't an arm twister. hunting with Dave Fowler is always a treat. It is an Oregon muzzleloader tag that allowed me to hunt a big chunk of land on the west slopes of the lush Cascade Mtns. The majority of the land is managed by timber companies which plants various conifer species only to harvest them 30-50 yrs later. These cut-areas thrive with succulent browse and grasses and is where you'll find the elusive blacktail, roosevelt elk, and black bears. Blacktails are much smaller than mule deer and carry a much smaller rack that the mule deer. The antlers branch much like a mule deer, but doesn't always branch into a "typical" 4-point. A mature buck carries mass, and possibly some width or height. Most blacktail enthusiasts are mainly looking for mass, not antler points.
Dave Fowler (remember Dave from my spring bear hunt?), who is a true blacktail enthusiast, assured me this tag was worthwhile. It wasn't an arm twister. hunting with Dave Fowler is always a treat. It is an Oregon muzzleloader tag that allowed me to hunt a big chunk of land on the west slopes of the lush Cascade Mtns. The majority of the land is managed by timber companies which plants various conifer species only to harvest them 30-50 yrs later. These cut-areas thrive with succulent browse and grasses and is where you'll find the elusive blacktail, roosevelt elk, and black bears. Blacktails are much smaller than mule deer and carry a much smaller rack that the mule deer. The antlers branch much like a mule deer, but doesn't always branch into a "typical" 4-point. A mature buck carries mass, and possibly some width or height. Most blacktail enthusiasts are mainly looking for mass, not antler points.
The blacktailed deer isn't any smarter than the mule deer or the whitetail, but it is much tougher to hunt. They inhabit the densest, wettest, impenetrable habitat of all deer species and don't seem to mind. In fact, Dave gets excited when it begin to really start pouring cats and dogs. He says "ohhh!! this is blacktail weather! Blacktails love when it really starts coming down."...that explains why they love living in the northwest.
Dave was right. The night before the hunt began, we had just enough time to drive up on the hill above Dave's house and it was raining, and the deer loved it. We saw three different bucks walking along the roads in search for any sign of does in estrus. You see, the rut is just beginning to peak and those bucks looked more like birddogs with their noses to the ground looking for a hot scent.
Dave was right. The night before the hunt began, we had just enough time to drive up on the hill above Dave's house and it was raining, and the deer loved it. We saw three different bucks walking along the roads in search for any sign of does in estrus. You see, the rut is just beginning to peak and those bucks looked more like birddogs with their noses to the ground looking for a hot scent.
As we pulled back into Dave's driveway, the headlights scanned the apple trees. A heavy-horned buck stood guard over his harem of does, which were eating the fallen apples. I thought I might wake up early and just shoot my buck from my bedroom window while eating some sausage and eggs. Dave assured me that the big buck was strictly nocturnal and impossible to hunt. Once again, Dave was right. That buck was back in the impenetrable timber by the time we would leave to hunt at 5:00 AM. We tried different tactics on the hunt which included treestands, deer drives, and spotting clear cuts.
Dave located some great trails and hung the treestands in the preseason. Dave assured me the stands were twenty feet high, but I still think they were closer to 40 ft. high. I love the view from the the stands, but I hate climbing the tree and pulling myself into the stand. Sloth-like, I reach for every step with slow, sturdy, movements. "Don't look down, Dont look down", I whisper. The first morning, a doe, fawn, and a young three point buck, which looked more like a bulldog with its swollen neck and bow-legged gait, walked right under my stand. It was hard to pass the buck since it would be my first, but I didn't shoot. I see how long this story is going to be if I dont speed it up. Fast Forward.................
After a day and a half of hunting the blacktail I had already developed a new respect for the species. Snow, rain, and high winds kept the afternoon interesting as we glassed different clear-cuts. The evening light was fading fast and I believe I just got done telling Dave that I had never wanted to see a good blacktail buck so bad than at that moment. We just went around a bend on the road when I saw some deer above the road. One was noticeably bigger and I could seem it was a nice buck with antlers out past it's ears. I looked nothing like a sloth, more like a roadrunner I was priming my muzzleloader and closing the distance quickly. Pouring cats and dogs, the crack of my muzzleloader echoed through the surrounding timber and behind the burst of smoke laid a dead blacktail buck.
He's a great buck. A mature 2x3 with a great big body. Once again, Dave was right. This hunt was worthwhile.
1 comment:
Awesome man. I like it, I like it a lot.
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