2025 Blacktail Bucks

[Rogue Bay]

I shot this buck with an arrow opening morning 3 years ago on the farm and my buddy just blasted him with a rifle this weekend. I shot at him frontal but he whirled and the arrow cut across the front of his chest nearly broadside and buried in the far side shoulder blade. I kept chasing him the whole season, almost finishing him off a couple times. He was running around chasing does without much trouble that season, just a small limp. I shot another arrow at him on the evening of the last day but he turned to run away right as I was releasing and I only shaved some hair off his side.

I figured he continued to survive but I never was sure if I saw him again after that season. He was 202.6 lbs (whole). If I remember right he was a decent 3 point in 2022, so I imagine he's at least 6.5 years old now.

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That’s a corker and so cool to able to finish that story! If your buddy gets him aged please let us know.

 

[TripleJ]

After frustratingly little deer movement while trying to help my wife find a buck yesterday, I took my other daughter hunting this morning. This is her first season and she’s been doing great but hasn’t had any opportunities yet. We met up with a good friend of mine who sacrificed a day of hunting with his daughters to help.

Right away this morning we get on a small, goofy 2x1 and play cat and mouse for a good 10-15 minutes. We were within 30 yards for quite a while but the lighting was poor and he was mostly screened by slash. Eventually he tired of the game and left us standing in the rain. I could tell she was disheartened so I told her things happen for a reason. I was saying it as much to reassure myself.

We caught a glimpse of a nicer buck but he was jumpy and didn’t hang around. A short while later we see a dandy buck with a doe but he knew the game and moved off before my daughter could get set up.

We checked a few other areas and found quite a few does, but no bucks. We eventually ended up on the edge of a sizable opening in the timber. It was fairly flat and it appeared to be empty. As we made our way across a great buck materialized about 60 yards in front of us. The only explanation I can come up with is he was bedded in a little swale and stood as we approached. I threw out the tripod and helped my daughter get set up. The buck was quartered sharply away so I instructed her on shot placement and crossed my fingers. When the rifle cracked he buckled and dropped in his tracks. She made a great shot on what appeared to be a nice 3 point. After hugs and hollers and high fives we made our way up to it what turned out to be a great 4 point! This is her first critter of any kind and the level of excitement was like nothing I’ve ever seen!

This has been the best season I’ve ever had! Both of my girls got their first bucks. I’m so proud of both of them.

Heck yeah, what an awesome experience for both of you!

 

[roosiebull]

I shot this buck with an arrow opening morning 3 years ago on the farm and my buddy just blasted him with a rifle this weekend. I shot at him frontal but he whirled and the arrow cut across the front of his chest nearly broadside and buried in the far side shoulder blade. I kept chasing him the whole season, almost finishing him off a couple times. He was running around chasing does without much trouble that season, just a small limp. I shot another arrow at him on the evening of the last day but he turned to run away right as I was releasing and I only shaved some hair off his side.

I figured he continued to survive but I never was sure if I saw him again after that season. He was 202.6 lbs (whole). If I remember right he was a decent 3 point in 2022, so I imagine he's at least 6.5 years old now.

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Beauty! Pretty cool closure too, that’s a cool story

 

[Quicksilver]

Sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good. Had this guy come cruising for does this evening and stopped broadside between 2 trees. Couldn’t have been setup better. 6.5 saum is 2/2 on its first season in the wild. First a bear now a buck, earning it’s keep!

 

[Rogue Bay]

This is my favorite time of year because I get to see all these beautiful blacktail bucks. I wait impatiently all year for this! Congrats to all the successful hunters and good luck to those that are still on the search.

 

[blacktail434]

This is my favorite time of year because I get to see all these beautiful blacktail bucks. I wait impatiently all year for this! Congrats to all the successful hunters and good luck to those that are still on the search.

I have to agree! I haven't found one yet that gets me excited to pull the trigger, but love seeing the success on blacktail and always look forward to this time of year just for that!

 

[ridgefire]

My Western WA buck that I shot on Sunday. It was a downpour and I thought it was a 4x4 and it ended up being a 4x2.

 

[Steve300xcw]

That happens. While back, I tipped over a lil 4x4 that turned into a forky by the time I got up to him

 

[riversidejeep]

Go

That happens. While back, I tipped over a lil 4x4 that turned into a forky by the time I got up to him

Gotta turn that scope down!

 

[Steve300xcw]

Go

Gotta turn that scope down!

It always is.

Mighta been a lil quick on the trigger though..

 

[roosiebull]

That happens. While back, I tipped over a lil 4x4 that turned into a forky by the time I got up to him

Been there once

 

[roosiebull]

It always is.

Mighta been a lil quick on the trigger though..

Mine was on a nasty day, he was bedded, and he was clearly a big bodied older buck, but through the rain and fog I couldn’t see his antlers perfectly, just the bases and he had some branches behind him and I thought he was big, as I glass him, my binos are filling with rain, so it’s getting worse, and decide what I see is a bunch of antler rather than branches, so I put a bullet in his neck and walk over there excited and I was so bummed when I got over there, I literally couldn’t believe it

He ended up being a 5.5yr old but his antlers looked about half that, haha. That’s one of 2 times I experienced true ground shrinkage (the other was a bear) never again!

 

[Steve300xcw]

Been there once

I've had it happen twice. The one was a ways out in the bottom of the canyon. Feet up on a cut bank stretched out grabbing stuff off the limbs hanging down above him. I didnt study him all that much, but I had to of seen both sides and figured it was a 4x4.

The other turned out to be a okish but nothin special 3x. Dark rainy day in the dark timber he pops outta the brush and starts walking in on the trail I was walking on. I could tell it was a decent bodied buck, but no clue what it was. I missed him..at under 25yards Didnt even chamber another round, as he hunched up and I knew was goona fall over any time now. He straightened back out and started walking my way again. I hit it that time and he stacked it up, right about where I was standing. Wasnt disappointed, but I did think he was a bit bigger than he was.

 

[hibernation]

That’s one of 2 times I experienced true ground shrinkage (the other was a bear) never again!

Bears are really tough, something about how that dark fur soaks up light, the way they move, and how they always seem to be in such thick cover that I never get a full look at them. At least, the couple that I've gotten so far.

 

[Steve300xcw]

Bears are really tough, something about how that dark fur soaks up light, the way they move, and how they always seem to be in such thick cover that I never get a full look at them. At least, the couple that I've gotten so far.

I took a few pics of a bear I glassed up on a hillside a few months back. Guys on here were goin "damn thats a nice bear" next pic.."well maybe not" next pic.."fawk if know"

 

[Rogue Bay]

My Western WA buck that I shot on Sunday. It was a downpour and I thought it was a 4x4 and it ended up being a 4x2.

I like the character! I’ve always been a fan of the unusual critters. He looks like a good mature deer and I’d happily fill my tag with a buck like that.

 

[roosiebull]

I like the character! I’ve always been a fan of the unusual critters. He looks like a good mature deer and I’d happily fill my tag with a buck like that.

Yeah, he’s certainly an older mature buck, I wouldn’t be upset about that one at all, he’s a cool pretty buck

Funny enough, my dream buck currently is a big framed heavy horned forky, I really want to kill one some day, I have killed at least 3 5+yr old forkies, but still looking for that really big framed heavy antlered fork, have seen a couple but haven’t with a tag in my pocket.

Killing a mature buck is just as hard regardless of what they have on their head, a 60” 6yr old buck is no easier to kill than a 150” 6yr old.

The only reason I care at all is because I like having a tag, I love chasing blacktail, it has nothing to do with thinking I deserve a big set of antlers. I never know what my current standard is until I’m looking at one that I like enough to give up my tag

One of my favorite tags I’ve filled was this pitiful busted up 5.5yr old fork (with a broken tine he was technically a spork) terrible genetics, but I killed him still hunting the timber in the last 90 minutes of the season in a downpour, I knew I was going to eat that tag but pulled it off in the last inning, I was so stoked, and he was a huge tracked old buck, with tiny antlers (relatively)

 

[Steve300xcw]

The only reason I care at all is because I like having a tag, I love chasing blacktail, it has nothing to do with thinking I deserve a big set of antlers. I never know what my current standard is until I’m looking at one that I like enough to give up my tag

Well said.

I took next week off work. Not much in the way of a plan, but I bet I see some cool country at the very least

 

[hibernation]

I took a few pics of a bear I glassed up on a hillside a few months back. Guys on here were goin "damn thats a nice bear" next pic.."well maybe not" next pic.."fawk if know"

I've halfway given up on judging bears beyond: is it alone? Do I have a good shot? Send it!

 

[Steve300xcw]

I've halfway given up on judging bears beyond: is it alone? Do I have a good shot? Send it!

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