Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game Sitka Blacktail

After a little bit of monkeying around got me a respectable one.

I had something to do first thing this morning but I said as I left that if any of the kids wanted to hunt today to be ready when I got home. Daughter #2 was suited up and ready to go when I got home so off we went. She’s my tough as nails, unemotional daughter. Athletic for an 8 year old. My other daughter is a red head.

Spot #1 had a rig. Went to backup spot. Lots of snow. Hiked about a mile down an old logging road. Lots of deer tracks and rubs. Surprisingly no people tracks.

Started calling and rattling. Nothing. Systematically starting working muskegs. Nothing. Time to hit the timber as they were bedded.

Hiked to a steep old growth stand that I had seen before, and thought about before, but never hunted. And it was steep. I love the stuff. Once I got in it I knew a buck was going to be around. And I had seen a big track heading into it. I will say that at the base of the timber was evidence of a big fight. Complete with blood in the snow. My 8 year old tagged along, not making a noise.

Methodically worked the benches on the steep slope. My favorite way to hunt. You can get mature bucks to take a look if you call below the bench. They creep to edge and look over. On my third calling spot I recall thinking how good it looked as I was near the top and that's typically where the dominate buck will be. It had all the ingredients for a mature buck. About a minute after I called my kid goes “dad, a buck”. There he was peering down off a bench at me. He snuck in. Kinda nice he was exactly where he should have been.

One shot to the chest with a 270/145 Eldx and he was done. I have killed a lot solo and with dudes before, but it was awesome sharing that with my daughter. Definitely a few high fives. Quick bone out, a text to my buddy via my Delorme just in case I croaked on the way out he could come find my girl. Heavy for sure and slick coming down.

Pretty cool buck and will be a hard experience to top. In a few years my daughter will be pulling the trigger and I will be the packer.

Fine buck and great company…. Congrats.

Excellent!

Calvin: Good for you - congratulations.
That is a dandy Sitka Blacktail.
And how great that you shared the Hunt with the daughter.
Keep up the good work.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Congratulations on an awesome experience. Yall will both remember that forever. Thanks for sharing!

Wow, what a fantastic blacktail buck. You really took me there. Great memory for you and your daughter.

You did some excellent hunting, and tolcd it well. Extra special that it happened with your daughter.

Awesome!!

Simply wonderful... congrats!

Nicely done!

Doesn't get any better than that - awesome experience for the two of you...

Rad man.

Calvin;
Good evening to you sir, I'll assume you're all doing well after that grand hunt.

Thanks so much for sharing your special family hunt with us.

I'd opine that the photo of your daughter holding that very nice Sitka is about as fine a trophy as any father could imagine or hope for.

Hearty congratulations on the buck and having your daughter along with you.

All the best to you all and good luck on your remaining hunts.

Dwayne

Cool, thanks for taking us along!

Way to go Joel, great buck and glad you had your daughter along cherish the time together.

Beauty of a buck, always icing on the cake having kid(s) with, congrats.

Doesn’t get better than that. Congrats.

Those girls have grown up since you seen them last. Had daughter #1 on a big bear this spring. She decided at 50yds that she didn’t want to kill it. I was fine with that. They both get to come to admiralty this spring to help me kill a brown bear. Sink or swim kiddos. Grin.

That's a good one! Awesome!

Good work! Can’t wait til mine are old enough to take along.