Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting First Buck!

I think this is my first post in this forum, so I'm happy to finally be able to contribute. I took a week off of work this last week of general western deer season hoping for the first time to outsmart a blacktail.

I hunted a walk-in only area of commercial timber land here in Oregon for three days. On the third day, after diligently following tracks and slowly creeping along overgrown skid roads all morning, I had enough, threw in the towel and headed out for the day. I was walking at a careful pace, but know thinking about dry clothes and hot coffee instead of deer. My thoughts were interrupted by a very crisp grunt from the dense brush to my left. I stopped, but honestly expected a hunter to walk out, the grunt sounded like it came from a tube... Another grunt followed, then out popped a 4 pt blacktail. Before he turned to look at me I pulled the trigger on my 30-06... dropped like a sack of potatoes.

I should have known it was going to happen like this. I did't spot him from a stand, or rattle him in from the brush, I unexpectedly happened along his path at just the right time. I guess that's how it works though.

It took about an hour to gut him out, I'd never done it before and have seen it done once years ago. I was a quarter mile from the truck, so it was an easy drag even though I was alone. Part of the trail I hoisted him on my shoulder, took about 20 steps and realized it wasn't going to happen... It was for the best though, because I found three ticks on me when I got to the truck, probably would have found a lot more if I had continued the whole way.

Here's what he looked like. My uncle pointed out I didn't have a slit his throat due to where I shot him, and usually it is slit much lower on the neck to preserve the upper neck and head for mounting... but I wasn't thinking about that, like I said, it was my first buck and I had never done it before





I wish he was a little younger though... fried some butterflied back strap last night and it was super chewy. If anyone has any cooking suggestions for tough meat, I'd love to read some.