Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting My 2011 California Blacktail Season

Well, it was certainly a different kind of year for me.
My #1 hunting and fishing buddy turned 18 this year and was completely occupied with his new job and girlfriend.
We really didn't get to hunt or fish together much this year and as such, we just didn't get to take as many pics as we usually do, sorry guys...
I didn't even get a photo of him holding his buck as our time tables were just completely wrong this year.

2011 was certainly one bust ass year for me though, I hunted nearly every day for about six weeks.

We had leads on two giant bucks that my son Thomas had spotted while they were in velvet during the archery season and we hunted our tails off in an effort to find them, but only a fleeting glimpse of one of those toads were we able to see.
We really didn't focus on bowhunting too much this year, instead we went all out for rifle season.
We spent a lot of time looking into this country and saw numerous good bucks in it.



The magic of first light.
Though it ain't the Continental Divide, this country really kicks my ass due to the fact that there is just damn little flat ground.



One of the glassing slopes we often use.



Thomas scored first this year, taking this fine 3x3 at over 500 yards with his 7mm-08.
He managed to drag it half way down the mountain, then ran out of time as he had to work that day.
Soooooo he calls me and gives me the buck's location and I ran up the mountain to finish the pack out.
Thanks Kiddo...



The buck fell into this incredibly tight ravine with sheer cliffs on both sides.
I was feeling my age packing this one out.
Again, thanks Kid.





Though I never lose sight of the task at hand, I still often take time to smell the roses.
Sometimes just admiring the beauty in nature makes for a successful outing...



[img]http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d63/HunterHarry/031.jpg[/img]

Throughout the season, hot weather prevailed with temps between 85 & 100 degrees.
Still, through gruelling hikes and diligent glassing, I was able to locate numerous bucks on the steep slopes that they call home.
On the very first cool overcast morning, this fine 4x4 made a mistake and I capitalized on it at 410 yards.
My .257 weatherby pierced the morning silence, resulting in one of my best blacktails ever.
It was the 24th buck encounter of the season for me.

[img]http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d63/HunterHarry/025-3.jpg[/img]

[img]http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d63/HunterHarry/036.jpg[/img]

I had one more tag to fill and I continued hunting with all my might for one of the two giants we knew were in the country.

I made a long hunt on the final day of the season, looked at a number of bucks...

As I made my way back to my truck I picked up movement on the steep slope below me.
In the rapidly fading light I see a decent buck and know it is better than average with at least three points per side.
With less than ten minutes of daylight left I know this is going to be the last buck I see in our 2011 season.
I try to settle my breathing and as the crosshairs settle on the vitals, the .257 barks and at the report, the buck leaps into the air and bolts down the mountain.
I have one more small window to shoot as I see him stumbling down the grade about one hundred yards out and quickly touch off another round, this time I hear a sharp "crack" as the 120 grain Nosler Partition makes contact.
I sit down for a moment and collect my thoughts and listen for further movement.
All is silent, so I move towards the crease in the mountain where I think the buck went.
Sure enough he is there piled up with a shot through the lungs......


And a missing antler.



That second shot was a tad erratic.



I had to get the buck out in the dark and was about a half mile from the truck, so I didn't spend any time looking for the broken antler, so I drug him down hill and tried my best to keep him from rolling right over the top of me.
I put up a flagging tape and I'll look for the missing antler on my next day off.
Overall it was a pretty decent buck, I'm not real sure what the other side of his rack looks like as it was getting real dark and I didn't have much time to look at him, but it appears to be the better side with a big eyeguard.
I'll let you know when I find it.

[img]http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d63/HunterHarry/037.jpg[/img]

I got to look at a lot of bucks this year with 42 buck encounters including two dandies that I probably should have thought twice about passing.
My son hunted hard when he could and though he saw numerous bucks, he ended up eating his second deer tag.
I was still very proud of him, I just wish we could have spent more time with him this season.

So there it is, our 2011 California deer season.

Best of luck to all of you guys as your fall hunting seasons approach.

Right on. That first one is a toad for sure. is it a standard 4x4 or is there a lil cheater on that forward fork?



While I dont hunt with my dad or any family. I did the same thing on my last buck, called him and told him how to get to where I was at as I needed help gettin the buck out. Yea after that day, he told me if "I ever shot another deer in that canyon I better bring a fork cuz he's not goona show up"

oddly enough thats the same deer that made me decide that unless its within 100yrds of the road (not likely) only meat an head is comin out. Not goona pack bones an skin just to throw them out later on..

If you need a new huntin partner I could find my way up north.


Looks like a good time. My zone just started. Hope I can fill my tag this year.

Nice. Where in CA are you hunting. The terrain looks a lot like my old home turf.

Thanks for the great story and pics. I always look forward to your posts. Great stuff.

X2! I feel like I know you and your son and am thankful that you share all of your hunting trips with us

You guys get some great blacktails!! Great pictures and really nice bucks - thanks for those.

Great job. I was just about to start bugging you with a "did you kill one yet" on your last archery thread.

Always enjoy (in an envious way) your tales.

Wow, that was a great read. Congrats on your memorable season.

very good !

Great story, and great pics! That's pretty country.

Congrats on those deer Salmonella,

I have yet to shoot a rack off and really I hope I never do... .....I am worried one day I will on a really nice one, actually I have nightmares of it.

Too bad you didnt get either of those big boys so maybe next year?

Good stuff Salmonella!!!

Well done ! I'm green with envy ! E

I hunted A Zone for many years when we lived near Vacaville. But rarely observed deer larger than gnarly forked horn bucks. The photo shows a lucky morning for me in 1992. My best blacktail buck (4 X 4) was taken in Trinity County back in 1991. Long and hot hike into the back country but it was worth it!

Which county did you take your trophy? Reminds me of a wild portion of Colusa County.

Thanks for sharing.

Sherwood

Thanks Sherwood.
You had it right the first time, I live near Lake Berryessa in north eastern Napa County.
I'm fortunate to have access to several very large parcels of private ground, even then it ain't easy finding big blacktail bucks.
Four pointers (10 point eastern) are exceedingly rare.
I hunted nearly every day of the six week rifle season and passed up dozens of bucks trying to find the biggest I could, even then the two I was focusing on gave me the slip in the rough country and heavy cover.

That Trinity county is my favorite for big Blacktails, it has superb feed & genetics and rough enough country to allow them to survive to maturity.
It hurts me every time I hunt there, but it's a good kind of hurt.






Thanks JGR!
You are one of the good guys.





Thanks Drummond, I feel the same way about you.


Thanks to the rest of you guys too, I hope to see your successes here later this fall.

Good on ya Salmonella. Thanks for taking time to share the hunt with us.

Joseph

Great story and pics. Thanks

Salmonella:

I know the Lake Berryessa area well. Still have friends in Winters. Remember the long drought about 20 years ago? An old bridge was exposed by the receding water. Islands became peninsulas.

We used to enjoy cold beers at Turtle Rock Saloon.

Now we live in SE Pennsylvania but I hunt deer in northern Maryland. Plenty of whitetail deer and long season, too. In 2010, I took one buck and three does.

Sherwood