Rain + Blacktail deer = Success!!!

bigamefisher2 · 10-16-2006, 08:22 PM

I took a personal day off from work today and decided that I needed to get out in the wet weather and get a buck. My hunting partner and I left my house at around 5:45 this morning, and headed towards Scio. We have a spot out there that we usually see deer in and thought that would be the place to go. When we arrived at our destination, there were log trucks getting ready to go in, so we headed elsewhere. Hunting new areas are fun.....the first one we hit, we saw 14 deer.......unfortunately no horns. So, after getting soaked, we headed out toward Lacomb. We saw deer just about everywhere. We did see a BIG spike that I tried like heck to grow a fork on, but alas, it didn't work. The last spot we stopped at, the weather had changed enough, that we'd atleast not get rained on. We parked at the gate and headed in. Up to that point we'd seen 31 deer for the morning. After splitting up and hunting the cut, we met back up at the top. I told my partner that I'd stay on this ridge we were sitting on and he could walk the road below it. The plan was for me to follow the timberline down to the road. Well the blackberry bushes were too thick on the edge, so I slipped into the timber further in. I made my way down the hill through the timber and as I crested a small knob I was on, I jumped a deer. As soon as we made eye contact, it bolted. I saw horns and brought the gun up. I then noticed it had a fork, so I swung the gun out to the front of the buck, and got ready for the shot. As he headed down, he had to cross an open area below me. As soon as he hit it, I hit him. He went about 25 yards and piled up. He was a 2 x 2, and thus my season was over. From sighting him, and shooting him, it was probably 15 to 20 seconds tops. All that walking for such a short rush. I'll take that everytime. We were about 2 miles in by road. About a mile as the crow flies. As soon as I can get the pics developed, I'll share mt "trophy".

Half fast Toyn · 10-16-2006, 08:38 PM

congrats! I too hunted today. I seen 4 deer this morning. Remember..TIMBER when it rains. Never fails.

gottafish · 10-16-2006, 08:38 PM

Good job Bro way to get out and get-r-done!!

bigamefisher2 · 10-16-2006, 08:41 PM

Except for my buck, all the deer that we saw were either in new, or fairly young cuts, or in the road, or feilds on farms. Mine was the only one that I saw in the timber. Half-fast...where were you hunting? We couldn't seem to not see then.

Half fast Toyn · 10-16-2006, 08:55 PM

I guess deer are where you find them. I hunted the timber.... seen the the 4 does in the clearcuts. Its a theory man.... a theory that got me a 4x4 last year... a 3x2 year before.. 2x2 year before that. Ill probably be dry this year...my lucks gotta run out.

bigamefisher2 · 10-16-2006, 09:24 PM

Nice 4x....your theory is sound. I got my buck today in the timber....all the does and that spike were out in the open. It looks like the big boys are hangin tough and stayin under cover.....at least until the does start leaving their "perfume" around, and make em stupid.

Maddie'sDaddy · 10-17-2006, 05:51 AM

Yep all though I got my buck in the open during the hard rain sunday I think the rain is still getting them much more active, Been seeing alot of young does gathering up, maybe the moms are kicking them out and getting ready for papa,

Good job on your buck, although the rack on mine might be a little bigger,
They will eat the same

MD

Applegate · 10-17-2006, 06:13 AM

Good job!
The drier it is the deeper the deer will burrow in the thick stuff. A little rain will bring them to the edges of the thick. Alot of rain will bring them into open timber.A monsoon with high winds will put them in the open every time.

Hunt'nFish · 10-17-2006, 12:54 PM

Way to go! Nice shot. Never have been good on moving game...I envy those who can.
Hunt'nFish

bullslayer · 10-17-2006, 08:27 PM

I shot a really nice forky on Saturday myself. Great solo hunt and easy pack. Fat farm buck. I ate some backstrap tonight and it sure was great. Good job, Kris.

Grantspastor · 10-17-2006, 09:10 PM

Applegate has it right. The perfect conditions for hunting Blacktail are rain combined with wind. I went out by myself Sunday afternoon in those conditions and saw 18 deer. Didn't see anything I wanted to shoot. Since living in Alaska where I used to bring home Moose, my wife thinks deer are "too small". I don't even get interested in Blacktail hunting until the weather turns and the later in the season the better, because you're more likely to find a bigger buck getting careless in the rut. Personally I think that a big Blacktail buck is the most difficult trophy to bag of all the deer. They're around, but you seldom see them. Weather and the rut help shift the advantage to the hunter.