132-7/8" WA Alpine blacktail

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shanevg

New Member
Oct 18, 2011
19
0
Lynden, WA
I saw this buck my first day bear hunting this year standing right off the trail right at daylight. I got video and photos of him and knew he was the buck I wanted to get this season.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jN6Mkn7h48&list=UUiFvJdOdra3tmcbYA7VPV5w

I thought I knew where the buck would hang out based off prior years hunting the unit and put a trail cam out a week later hoping to catch him. With over 400 pictures, I only caught 2 spikes, a bunch of does, and a rabbit.



I hunted the area 5 more times including the archery opener and never saw my deer. ON the last day of muzzle loader season I played a hunch and decided to check out a spot about a mile away from where I originally saw the buck and ended up spooking a deer that I never even saw. I decided I would try to approach that spot for the rifle opener from the sidehill and hopefully have the wind more in my favor.

The fall colors have really started to pop since last weekend.

 
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shanevg

New Member
Oct 18, 2011
19
0
Lynden, WA




I side hilled VERY slowly through the timber - usually taking three steps and glassing the entire way. I found a few relatively fresh sets of "buck looking" tracks. As I approached a small pocket meadow, I was getting excited as it was just starting to rain and the wind was blowing right at me. Not only was the wind perfect but I had rain to cover any noise I made.

Pocket meadow:



 
S

shanevg

New Member
Oct 18, 2011
19
0
Lynden, WA


I VERY slowly side hilled through the pocket meadow. After about 45 minutes of sidehilling (125 yards or so) I caught the ears of a doe feeding 37 yards away from me. I was able to stand and watch her (and eventually her fawn) feed right out below me. I kept watching hoping the rut was on and there was a buck with them but no luck. After about 40 minutes of watching them they caught me moving and decided it was time to head down into the timber.

I knew there was a big avalanche shut about 200 yards to the east and the rain with the rain really coming down hard now I decided I could move a bit quicker so could glass down into that chute and see if the doe and the fawn pushed any deer out of the timber.

Right as I come around a clump of trees and can see into the avalanche chute for the first time I could see a deer standing about 180 yards below me through a gap in the trees. I assumed it was the doe from earlier but when I glassed it with my binoculars I could see good sized antlers sticking up. The buck turned his head like he was going to walk out of site of me so I quickly pulled up my rifle and put them on my shooting sticks (which luckily I already had out) settled in and took a shot. All I saw through my scope after I shot was his legs flip up into the air as he rolled down the chute!!! :IBCOOL: :IBCOOL:

I knew he was a nice buck but had no idea how big he was. After he died I couldn't see him as the brush was too tall. It took me 20+ minutes to get down to him as the ground/brush was soaked and it was about a 45-50 degree slope working my way down there. Luckily I took my packable crampons as I don't know if I would have been able to make it back up that hill without them!


When I walked up on the buck, I couldn't believe that it was the exact same buck I had videoed during bear season and he was much bigger than I expected!





 
S

shanevg

New Member
Oct 18, 2011
19
0
Lynden, WA


He was a non-typical 4x4 with eye guards with a very strange 4th point on his left side. He had some great mass! A lot more than I expected after seeing him in velvet. His body was HUGE, I was not looking forward to packing him out solo. Especially after he died more than 1500 feet below the trail!



It took me two trips to get the deer the 1500 feet back to the ridge and then two trips to pack the deer from the ridge the 3+ mile back to the truck. Altogether I hiked 15+ miles and climbed 7400 feet. I am still in shock that after not laying eyes on this buck since early August, he is the one I actually harvested.



Praise God not only for the opportunity to hunt in awesome terrain like this, but also for the meat that will feed my family this winter!
 
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JNDEER

Active Member
Mar 11, 2011
337
0
Awesome job, great blacktail....that is awesome you know that area soo well to go and find him a mile away!
 
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