Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting One Blacktail Down....

My son and I started off the deer season here on the 11th. He saw 2 bucks, one a "wall hanger type" (as he put it) and a nice 2X2. I had sent him in the direction of the "honey-hole" as I'd always been right alongside him when we'd found and shot his bucks in past years. He's 27 now and started hunting when he was 12. He has taken 12 bucks so far and I knew that he kinda/sorta wanted to do this one on his own, without sayin' so. I went off in a different direction to an older, much more overgrown clearcut.

Some might remember the 2 blacktail we got last year of which I posted pics here......my son's nice 2-pt. and my 4X5. This year we hunted that same area. The "wall-hanger" was headed azz end into the treeline by the time my son glassed it.....that game over. An hour or so later, the 2X2 was bedded behind a small earthen mound surrounded by 5-6 ft. tall fireweed when my son had first leg over this rather large fallen tree. You know the rest. These deer typically bed down within a few yards of the safety of the treeline's and one or two bounds and they're history......such was the case with both of these deer.

We hunted both Saturday and Sunday hard while seeing only a few does. He returned to work Monday and I hunted Monday, 1/2 a day Tuesday and all day Wednesday.....not one deer seen. This is unusual, very unusual as I glass alot, not many weekday hunters and I was in some prime deer areas. I headed out yesterday mornin' not as hopeful as most days, but as excited as you can be given the last several days......I expect others know the feelin'. About 10:30 I spotted a nice, averaged sized 2X2. He was in a very small opening, slightly downhill from me at 205 yards. This opening was surrounded by tall and thick fireweed, with a small and narrow loggin' road located about 40 yards above it.....not bad. I have my 2nd lower back/spinal surgery set for Dec. 9th and had never had to think about where I dump my animals prior to these last few years. Being alone this day, even a 40 yard drag slightly uphill makes one consider his options.

I had time to ponder my options while still deciding whether to take him at all. For the last 5 or 6 years, I've committed to giving my deer to a neighbor who is a disabled hunter and a recent cancer survivor. I buy the tag, transport the deer to the butcher and he then calls them, orders his cuts and picks it up.......he loves his deer. Last years buck was a big one and he wanted a deer, but not as large as last years 'cuz his freezer space was still somewhat limited, so this deer fit the bill.

I decided that if this buck left the clearing and headed up a bit closer to the road, I'd take him. My son would leave work as he has always been there for me in such situations (like last year), but being the owner, he has responsibilities too, so I hesitated to rely on that option. This 2X2 slowly fed his way out of the clearing and I lost track of him, but when he left, he left in the upper direction of the road. I located him several times only by the movement of the fireweed as he walked along....so tall and thick that it totally concealed him.

As fate would have it, I next caught a glimpse of him as he stepped out onto the road......yes! I then took a rest and ranged him at 305 yards....he had gained exactly 100 yards since first seeing him. My Sako 75 fit like a glove into a notch on top of this 'ole 2 foot high stump and my azz actually had a fairly level playin' field from which to direct traffic and turret my body around.....all is good.

He was walking up the road straight away from me at a very slow and unaware pace. My Zeiss was cranked up to 14X with the side adjust corrected for the distance when he offered me the broadside shot that I both had desired and I had required, otherwise no shot was to be made nor attempted. As is to be expected of any long time friendship or relationship, the report of my 25-06 was quickly followed by that very telling "whomp" and the above relationship and expectations were once again realized.

The 110gr. AB had opened up an unremarkable entrance wound directly behind the shoulder, mid-body, perforated both lungs while dividing one rib and then exiting just a bit lower out the far side, leaving about a 2 inch exit wound. Being a DRT result, I am pleased with the results. I posted pics of last years recovered AB and it showed advertised and expected retained weight and also resulted in a DRT deer, albeit much larger. So far so good for these 110gr. AB's.

I apologize for no pics, but my son's fanny pack contained the camera this year and I left the head with the butcher as our garbage day is Thursday's. Suffice it to say that he was a very typical 2X2 blacktail which will be much appreciated by my friend.

My son will be attending at least the first part of elk season/ camp starting the following Saturday......one of us will be carrying that camera. I just hope that there's some use for it and it's me takin' the pictures...........grin.

Good luck to all this season............

Congrats, and, nice account.

Now, more importantly, you need a kick in the jimmy for not having the camera.

Sounds like a great hunt.

We have 2 weekends left in our blacktail season.....hope to be as successful.

My "jimmy" would be black and blue year 'round if disciplined for such things...grin.

I just purchased a new phone with a camera in it, but since I've carried one without for so many years, I didn't even think about it. See, another "jimmy" incident. Even if I did remember that my phone possessed magical such powers (dates me a bit....I know), not sure if or how they would transfer over into my 'puter or if the clarity of the pics are worthwhile.

Oh well......I'll seek redemption during elk season.....hope, hope.

It was a fun hunt, more fun when the son's along, but I understand his position as well. I'm just lucky he's able to get at least a few days in elk camp this year.

I know what you mean about the weekends....only being 2 left. before I retired in '04, I definitely looked at it the same way. I fish only on the weekdays due to boat ramp traffic and the pressure and all, but for hunting as you know, for most of us, we get it in when we can. Our seasons are so short that we have less opportunity than many other states to harvest a deer. So, no matter moon phases, rain, sun, natural disasters or whatever, we don't get any "do-overs". One deer and 2+ weeks to do it in.......

Our elk season lasts only nine days and it is the one season for 30 years that I've always taken days off for. Now, I go 4 days earlier than the opener and scout longer and attempt to pattern those which have patterns. It does feel better to not be rushed each season...

Good luck to you on gettin' your blacktail..........they don't get less smart as the season progresses, but then again, neither do we. Go early, stay late.

Cool. Good for you. I hope your boy gets the big one he saw.

Thanks Bulletbutt....me too. Him getting a deer then allows us some venison for the winter as well as the more important fact of it being a confidence builder for him. If he returns from elk camp either from scoring or because of work issues, I hope he can get out a day or two to get after him. I know he'd like no more than to score one completely on his own and I'd love for him to do just that.

Now it's downstairs to do a little gun cleaning and packin' for elk camp. I leave Tuesday to set up camp with a few other buddies and my son will join me either Thursday or Friday. Lots of different stuff to pack for an almost 2 week elk hunt as opposed to leavin' the house each mornin' to hunt.......you gotta love tent campin'. Seems the larger the intended game, the more and hardier gear that becomes necessary too, ie: we'll be tradin' over the 270WSM and 25-06 for a 300WSM and 300RUM. No 110gr. AB's for these fellas......NOT that there's anything wrong with those that choose to use them on elk......covered that base..........grin.

Thanks again Bulletbutt.

Thanks.........

Hey Magnumb good luck to you guys we leave for WY on Sunday my deer season was a bust as was my elk season with the luck I am having I am worried all the antelope well have migrated over to South Dakota for the first time ever.

PS I am going to get the 270 WSM its on order.

Thanks

I doubt that a bunch. The day WY lacks antelope will be the day I vote 'Osama!

Sorry to hear about your deer/elk season, you're not alone. I've talked to several seasoned hunters having the same issue and read a report this mornin' from our F&G which described the harvests being severely down this year. Like I said earlier, outside of a few does early on and the 2 bucks my son saw, there was absolutely nothin' there for me to see. My bino's were permanently embedded in my eye sockets for days on end too......made no sense. So don't get bummed, no one's exempt from those weird years.

Congrat's on the purchase of your 270WSM......I'm sure you'll enjoy it and come to realize what it has to offer. My son and I certainly have these last few years. Let me know how it works out for you and if you have any questions on load development or whatever, I'd be glad to help. I promise not to try and blow you up.......grin.

Best of luck on your 'lope hunt......take pics or you'll regret it............grin.

Thanks magnumb I will be talking to you when I get it into my hands I will be learning to reload this winter after I get back. So I will have lots of questions. I am still waiting on the Winchester all weather rifle but I may pick up a Tika before long in a 223 to plunk with at the range. I like seeing little holes touching other little holes grin>>>

As tou our hunting we were in Central Oregon and last year we tagged out with 6 of us this year we did not get a single shot in camp. We did see a cougar on our ridge that may have had some impact and I think the deer had not started to migrate yet in the area we were hunting.

Oh well

Some impact.....you're too kind.....grin.

Scouted hard for my son's first year of deer hunting back in '92. Spotted seven deer, containing 2 bucks (bucks only here unless you put in for any area with special doe draws, of which we haven't had in 30+ years......fine by me), in a small clearing the evening before.

Creepy crawled in the next morning and nothin'. I jumped up on the side hill and started pushin' towards his direction as he watched from the loggin' road below....still nothin'. Walked on down from the landin' I finished on and we headed for the rig. As I always do, I turned around at the truck and glassed the hillside again. There, on the same landing I had just left, was the largest Tom I'd ever seen, dead or alive. He looked at the both of us with our mouths agape and slowly disappeared into the treeline.

Migration + hunting dates issue.....real possible. Cougar in the area.......definitive.

Take care, good luck and I'll wait to hear about both your hunting trip and your new WSM.

Congrats