I started hunting in 2014, got my first deer a small 1x2 blacktail with a friend who helped with the hunt. He dressed it and into the truck. After that I struck out for two years and my time has been limited by a busy career, a new child, and working on a masters. Total days out hunting for 2016/17 was about 7 including being very sick on a spring bear hunt.
Last winter I decided to start taking a more controlled approach than random drives and walks, I wanted a blacktail.
Late 2017 I bumped a old mature bt while driving, and despite best efforts couldn't track him. However the road provided good access to the top of the mountain he was on.
I made a few runs up September but sign was very sparse confirming my suspicion that this area mostly gets migratory blacktails from the alpine and higher valleys.
October didnt yield time to hunt , but had a few days this week. Once I got there bam a nice slide blocked my road right near the bottom, an ATV could do it but not my Subaru.
Start climbing through timber when I find sign going up thr road! Finally sign of a buck! Remembering to check the wind as I went I walked mostly road to keep the trail. It cut into a large section of timber with steep below and a large cut block and the end of the road, top of the mini mountain. Its pouring rain and there are no water pools in them here. I sneak up above as dictated by wind, and sit to glass.
Instantly he's there about 225 yards, took about 40 seconds to confirm he was a buck as my binos were soaked and his head was down feeding. I shift to move to a stump and his head pops up. He's not the spiker I thought he was, he had to me, a decent set of antlers.
Cue buck fever big time, I had seen one bigger buck at 45 yards two years prior, shaking too hard and couldn't get him before he bolted. With so much work into this guy I wasn't going to let that happen. Cranked the zoom, thanked god I bought a bipod, and once he was broadside aimed just behined the shoulder.... well it must have hit the top of the opposing shoulder as his leg shot up and he limped for a second. Broadside again I took another shot to finish him, one of them ended up clipping the heart, likely that second, and he dropped on the spot.
Soaking wet after a grueling rainy windy day I started climbing down.
Now I've never gutted a deer myself and i am about 3 hours hike with a full pack from the truck, its near sunset.
I try my best but too many missing knowledge points. I remember gutless videos and cut the quarters, backstraps, neck, and as much undamaged rib meat and paunch as I can. Times ticking backpack too heavy and not fitting well.
Panicking I hang the shot up front and one rear away from the carcass in shade, and hang the carcass as best as I can to salvage any leftover scraps later.
It's dark back at the car but my first solo blacktail is down and I'm proud it's a hard earned one.
I hope for the best as I'll have to go back in the morning to get the two quarters. I butcher what I have and freeze it to wet age hefore cooking.
Morning comes and I sleep in crap its sunny and warm too, drop my daughter off and drive to the spot, as soon as I see the first track I see cougar tracks alongside where I hiked out. Heading towards the kill I'm worried its been claimed.
I get there and the carcass has crows on it, but my two quarters are okay. Sun had hit them and a bit had turned. Chop it off and hike out. Considering the cougar tracks and stories of left nest being scavenged I'm grateful it's there.
I doubt I'll butcher again anytime soon but I'm grateful for that experience. The meatloss on the shoulder was significant, and the part I had to cut off the hind was moderate. Additionally, the shot that hit the shoulder exited through the spine, ruining a good chunk of backstrap.
Doh wait for the better shot when you have time, more practice and maybe less buck fever will yield better results.
Shot with an old savage 110 in 270win. Federal trophy bonded tip 130g.
Lessons learned. Better butchering should be learned if I try again, lost a couple pounds of meat to bad technique I'll use a cutter for now.
Be more patient on shots, im uncomfortable with meat loss due to shoulder hit. And subsequent bullet breaking.
If I'm hunting an area I know is deactivated road a game cart could be worthwhile, would have saved meatloss and time and my back. I need a better backpack.
Sticking to a plan yielded results.
Gonna try out the food processor grind later this week with the grind pile, and some venison parmigiano
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