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Thread: OMG why am I cursed.

  1. #41
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    Langley
    Posts
    6,032

    Re: OMG why am I cursed.

    Here's a story for you.

    I have been hunting blacktails pretty much every weekend (2, 3, sometimes maybe 4 days/nights) in GOS for 6 or 7 years now (lost count). I am thinking and reading about BT's constantly all year long. I usually run around 5-7 trailcams and spent countless hours and calories hauling salt up the thickest, steepest places you can imagine and see bucks partying all the time until early season and then they start to change patterns. Still, the odd one shows up, so I hunt these areas from opening day until Dec 15 when the season closes, whether it is scorching hot, 2 degrees and dumping 70mm of rain or it means sleeping my car at night in -15 to -20C, or sliding down icy hills, putting the jeep in the ditch, etc.

    I learned some areas so well that I notice right away if a stick moved or snapped, or if there is a track in the moss that wasn't there before. For years, I have been trying to figure out where they go so I can increase my odds. Finally, last year while scouting for a new spring bear spot, I found an area that has more BT sign than I have seen anywhere in my life (more sign that I see in mule deer hot spots in other Regions) So, I am quite confident I found where my BT's go. However, that turned out to be ground zero for a 60ha forest fire, now burned up along with some of my cams. That on top of heavy logging in the valley bottom, the whole area is pretty much dead. We have hiked well over 100km since the season opened, looking for new area with good sign, hanging cameras, etc. The most sign we have come across predator kill sites and scat with hooves in it. The most promising spot I have come across is a patch of fairly open old growth 3km's into the timber that has quite a few tracks. The salt I left was hit a little but the camera malfunctioned. I had a spare camera to swap, but no extra batteries, so only 2/4 bars on that cam... who knows if it will film anything before it dies or not.

    The most action I had all year was a 70 yard play on a grouse that flushed at 60 yards. Owls, ravens, hawks, etc, appear to be picking them off. And for the first time in 20 years of frequenting that valley we heard wolves howling... great.

    To add to all this excitement, my knee is having some issues. I have been feeling a lot of grinding and clicking in there. After a few hours of hiking and climbing, the pain is intense and by the end of the day I'm pretty much limping.

    Am I cursed? Not the slightest chance what so ever. I love and embrace every minute of this sh*t. I'd rather be out limping around in pain getting soaked in the cold rain and getting thoroughly skunked and outsmarted by blacktails that might or might not even be there than staying home. And if I find myself face to face with a doe in the timber (especially if I spot her before she knows I'm there) that is pretty much a trip highlight. Some neat trailcam or other video footage, any sort of memorable experience, any piece of knowledge gained are all victories and make it worth while.

    It's all about perspective. Bear in mind this story isn't to further discourage. I am insanely stubborn when it comes to my goal of hunting one of the toughest animals in an area that is probably one of the more difficult places to hunt them, but I do it without feeling discouraged or cursed. If you take this mindset and put yourself in an area with lots of deer (like you mentioned) every trip will be a success at some level and you will definitely whack a buck before you know it.

  2. #42
    Join Date
    Oct 2014
    Location
    Courtenay
    Posts
    1,389

    Re: OMG why am I cursed.

    WEll I went to a old spot as been down for 8 years over workplace accident . had a great camping trip could not put the miles on . But came home with a buck and a dry doe . Let them hang for a few days shot some chickens sat by the fire AUWSUME trip

  3. #43
    Join Date
    Oct 2014
    Location
    Courtenay
    Posts
    1,389

    Re: OMG why am I cursed.

    HA HA last OCTOBER

  4. #44
    Join Date
    Jul 2011
    Location
    kamloops
    Posts
    3,851

    Re: OMG why am I cursed.

    hell once a guy harvest's a couple blacktails all other hunting is easy..
    i love those plus 1 and raining days as your entire attire is a glaze of ice by mid morning you hunker around a candle in a space tarp from your tarp laughing at your stupidity to wolf down a tea or half cooked noodles and than push on...
    then once you do harvest a blacktail normally the haul out is its own beast.
    like wild one said thicker skin required...

  5. #45
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    Aldergrove, BC
    Posts
    4,466

    Re: OMG why am I cursed.

    Quote Originally Posted by walks with deer View Post
    hell once a guy harvest's a couple blacktails all other hunting is easy..
    i love those plus 1 and raining days as your entire attire is a glaze of ice by mid morning you hunker around a candle in a space tarp from your tarp laughing at your stupidity to wolf down a tea or half cooked noodles and than push on...
    then once you do harvest a blacktail normally the haul out is its own beast.
    like wild one said thicker skin required...
    Where do you hunt your blacktails? In the tundra of NWT?

    Seriously, you're making it sound waaaaay more difficult than it really is.

  6. #46
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    In the bush near a lake
    Posts
    7,198

    Re: OMG why am I cursed.

    Quote Originally Posted by caddisguy View Post
    Here's a story for you.

    I have been hunting blacktails pretty much every weekend (2, 3, sometimes maybe 4 days/nights) in GOS for 6 or 7 years now (lost count). I am thinking and reading about BT's constantly all year long. I usually run around 5-7 trailcams and spent countless hours and calories hauling salt up the thickest, steepest places you can imagine and see bucks partying all the time until early season and then they start to change patterns. Still, the odd one shows up, so I hunt these areas from opening day until Dec 15 when the season closes, whether it is scorching hot, 2 degrees and dumping 70mm of rain or it means sleeping my car at night in -15 to -20C, or sliding down icy hills, putting the jeep in the ditch, etc.

    I learned some areas so well that I notice right away if a stick moved or snapped, or if there is a track in the moss that wasn't there before. For years, I have been trying to figure out where they go so I can increase my odds. Finally, last year while scouting for a new spring bear spot, I found an area that has more BT sign than I have seen anywhere in my life (more sign that I see in mule deer hot spots in other Regions) So, I am quite confident I found where my BT's go. However, that turned out to be ground zero for a 60ha forest fire, now burned up along with some of my cams. That on top of heavy logging in the valley bottom, the whole area is pretty much dead. We have hiked well over 100km since the season opened, looking for new area with good sign, hanging cameras, etc. The most sign we have come across predator kill sites and scat with hooves in it. The most promising spot I have come across is a patch of fairly open old growth 3km's into the timber that has quite a few tracks. The salt I left was hit a little but the camera malfunctioned. I had a spare camera to swap, but no extra batteries, so only 2/4 bars on that cam... who knows if it will film anything before it dies or not.

    The most action I had all year was a 70 yard play on a grouse that flushed at 60 yards. Owls, ravens, hawks, etc, appear to be picking them off. And for the first time in 20 years of frequenting that valley we heard wolves howling... great.

    To add to all this excitement, my knee is having some issues. I have been feeling a lot of grinding and clicking in there. After a few hours of hiking and climbing, the pain is intense and by the end of the day I'm pretty much limping.

    Am I cursed? Not the slightest chance what so ever. I love and embrace every minute of this sh*t. I'd rather be out limping around in pain getting soaked in the cold rain and getting thoroughly skunked and outsmarted by blacktails that might or might not even be there than staying home. And if I find myself face to face with a doe in the timber (especially if I spot her before she knows I'm there) that is pretty much a trip highlight. Some neat trailcam or other video footage, any sort of memorable experience, any piece of knowledge gained are all victories and make it worth while.

    It's all about perspective. Bear in mind this story isn't to further discourage. I am insanely stubborn when it comes to my goal of hunting one of the toughest animals in an area that is probably one of the more difficult places to hunt them, but I do it without feeling discouraged or cursed. If you take this mindset and put yourself in an area with lots of deer (like you mentioned) every trip will be a success at some level and you will definitely whack a buck before you know it.
    You have drive that I can respect and have faith you will figure out your own tactics

    See this kind of attitude I am always willing to help

    Was never good with mt blacktail but lowland blacktail is another story

  7. #47
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    In the bush near a lake
    Posts
    7,198

    Re: OMG why am I cursed.

    Quote Originally Posted by twoSevenO View Post
    Where do you hunt your blacktails? In the tundra of NWT?

    Seriously, you're making it sound waaaaay more difficult than it really is.
    Some hunters do think they are impossible mythical creatures like unicorns lol

  8. #48
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    Aldergrove, BC
    Posts
    4,466

    Re: OMG why am I cursed.

    Quote Originally Posted by Wild one View Post
    Some hunters do think they are impossible mythical creatures like unicorns lol
    Most hunters also rarely get off the roads ... and if they do, their idea of getting off the road is hiking 300 yards, Sitting and waiting for an hour then hiking back.

    Add to this the fact that blacktail hunting often takes place around HIGHLY populated places, where deer numbers are a lot lower, it is not surprising that many can go many seasons without even seeing one.

  9. #49
    Join Date
    Jul 2011
    Location
    kamloops
    Posts
    3,851

    Re: OMG why am I cursed.

    i hunted blacktails in november and december...

    and hike in..

    lol

    but than again i must be cursed.

  10. #50
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    In the bush near a lake
    Posts
    7,198

    Re: OMG why am I cursed.

    Quote Originally Posted by walks with deer View Post
    i hunted blacktails in november and december...

    and hike in..

    lol

    but than again i must be cursed.
    Thick lowland hell holes produced all season for me and are still producing for friends lol

    Boats, chest waders, and hike from there. Hunting the deer no one else hunted

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