sshhh
FNG
- Joined
- Aug 24, 2025
- Messages
- 17
The start of this goes back to last year when I scouted a new area. When I set foot here I knew right away it was some good habitat and not only that but pretty condusive for actually hunting the terrain and some good set ups. So I decided to put a cam up and see what we find through the spring and summer. I only put one camera up but when I started hunting there in November I seen a good buck, and ended up taking a different buck. Now I wanted to carpet bomb the place with cams and see what all kinds of bucks turn up next year (2025).
So through this winter/spring/summer I placed cams all over at pinch points and heavy trails and was pretty excited to see how many bucks and the quality that would come through come pre rut, I knew thered be a lot.
The spring and summer yielded some decent photos of bucks and does. When I was done with hunting Elk and started coming around my Blacktail spots in late October I noticed one Buck in particular that was on cam in summer in velvet, and all through autumn and fall. He wasn't nothing crazy or a giant but I thought he was a good Blacktail and figured I would make him my target Buck for that area.
With 3 weeks off and 3 target bucks for 3 different areas I had my hands full (and still do lol). I had passed up small and average young bucks and was really holdin out for a target buck or the right buck. Being soaked often and sometimes not seeing anything for days, frustration was a common occurence, but I know it can happen at a moments notice and you have to be out there as much as you can, fierce persistence.
My buddy had work off for Rememberance Day and we made plans to do a hunt. So he picked me up at 2am, and the drive and hike in in the dark began. I was going to stay an extra day if we got nothing and hunt the next day so I packed in my tent and food and some beer, he had to work the following day.
First light came and it was good weather and cold, ground was wet so it was pretty quiet as well. Still hunted extremely slow glassing the big timber through the morning and we didn't see anything. So we had lunch and both decided to take a nap, I only had about a half hour of sleep so I was tired, him picking me up at 2am im sure he was the same. So there was a perfect place right there nap through the timber on an open rock bluff the sun was shining and the ground there dry. I wanted to get up for 2 and hunt the last 3 hours of light. I usually hunt all day during the rut but I was exhausted.
So 2 comes around and we wake up. Made a game plan for the prime last hours of light, there was a nice set up with forced pinch points right above us so I said we should rattle here for an hour, then we can either move into wind and still hunt or do that to another set up location and rattle there for last light. So we climbed up the cliffs and got set up, him watching one way me watching the other. Settled in and staying hidden, I began to tickle the tines. Do that for a minute and listen, the forest quiet, no rain drops, no heavy wind. 1 minute went by I didnt even make it to my louder second rattling sequence when I see something move down below, and then sticks breaking, I look over at my buddy and pointed down to where the sticks broke, there is something coming.
He glasses and confirms there is a Deer, I see it through the big timber, his vitals showing, but of course his head right behind a tree lol. My buddy confirms hes a Buck, and says looks like a 4 a good one. I had to move to be able to make sure were looking at the same deer, at the same time the buck moved and not closer. I clack the antlers more with minimal movement them laying on the ground. Now hes coming closer and looking directly where the noise is coming from, at us. I rest the rifle on my knee and get the scope on him, right away I knew it looked like the Buck on my cams I wanted to target. Him facing me and slightly quartered I aimed for through the neck and into the lungs. I seen him drop instantly.
Me and my buddy couldnt believe it! How it all happened so fast. I knew he was hit good and down so we shaked hands smilin and were pretty excited. We figure he musta been snoozin right below us where we were lol talk about made to happen, either that or he happened to be cruising looking for a doe or a fight and he heard us and wanted to kick some a$s. I think the former. So we scaled down the cliffs and headed to where he was hit. He was not there so I figured he must have fell, got back up, and ran a bit. Tough buck! Well thats exactly what happened we found him 50 yards down the slope bunched up wrapped around a tree. Made for a pretty good as they lay pic. The wind was coming up and I could smell his so strongly, stinkiest Buck ive ever smelt, took the tarsal glands going to see if I cant bring another buck in with this outsiders scent. With all these trail cam pics of him and my buddy actually pulling his phone out and filming right before I took the shot got some pretty good before and after photos as well.
I have been workin real hard to start killing mature blacktails and all the time invested is paying off, I want em consistently. Got another tag and some really big ones at my other areas, with deep forks, this guys forks aint deep but im super happy with him and think hes an awesome tough buck!
We took a bunch of pictures, celebrated, then got to workin. We had him cut up and our packs loaded pretty well right as the timber began to darken. We had a pretty decently sh!tty pack out ahead of us. Most very very steep. Some up, thankfully most down. There was a fall or 2 and a hanfull of swear words but we got to the truck about 9:30. We stopped and packed up my camp and packed that out too making the job heavier, but I didnt want to hunt that area anymore this season as I already took one Buck out of there.
Hope you guys enjoyed it, good luck out there!
So through this winter/spring/summer I placed cams all over at pinch points and heavy trails and was pretty excited to see how many bucks and the quality that would come through come pre rut, I knew thered be a lot.
The spring and summer yielded some decent photos of bucks and does. When I was done with hunting Elk and started coming around my Blacktail spots in late October I noticed one Buck in particular that was on cam in summer in velvet, and all through autumn and fall. He wasn't nothing crazy or a giant but I thought he was a good Blacktail and figured I would make him my target Buck for that area.
With 3 weeks off and 3 target bucks for 3 different areas I had my hands full (and still do lol). I had passed up small and average young bucks and was really holdin out for a target buck or the right buck. Being soaked often and sometimes not seeing anything for days, frustration was a common occurence, but I know it can happen at a moments notice and you have to be out there as much as you can, fierce persistence.
My buddy had work off for Rememberance Day and we made plans to do a hunt. So he picked me up at 2am, and the drive and hike in in the dark began. I was going to stay an extra day if we got nothing and hunt the next day so I packed in my tent and food and some beer, he had to work the following day.
First light came and it was good weather and cold, ground was wet so it was pretty quiet as well. Still hunted extremely slow glassing the big timber through the morning and we didn't see anything. So we had lunch and both decided to take a nap, I only had about a half hour of sleep so I was tired, him picking me up at 2am im sure he was the same. So there was a perfect place right there nap through the timber on an open rock bluff the sun was shining and the ground there dry. I wanted to get up for 2 and hunt the last 3 hours of light. I usually hunt all day during the rut but I was exhausted.
So 2 comes around and we wake up. Made a game plan for the prime last hours of light, there was a nice set up with forced pinch points right above us so I said we should rattle here for an hour, then we can either move into wind and still hunt or do that to another set up location and rattle there for last light. So we climbed up the cliffs and got set up, him watching one way me watching the other. Settled in and staying hidden, I began to tickle the tines. Do that for a minute and listen, the forest quiet, no rain drops, no heavy wind. 1 minute went by I didnt even make it to my louder second rattling sequence when I see something move down below, and then sticks breaking, I look over at my buddy and pointed down to where the sticks broke, there is something coming.
He glasses and confirms there is a Deer, I see it through the big timber, his vitals showing, but of course his head right behind a tree lol. My buddy confirms hes a Buck, and says looks like a 4 a good one. I had to move to be able to make sure were looking at the same deer, at the same time the buck moved and not closer. I clack the antlers more with minimal movement them laying on the ground. Now hes coming closer and looking directly where the noise is coming from, at us. I rest the rifle on my knee and get the scope on him, right away I knew it looked like the Buck on my cams I wanted to target. Him facing me and slightly quartered I aimed for through the neck and into the lungs. I seen him drop instantly.
Me and my buddy couldnt believe it! How it all happened so fast. I knew he was hit good and down so we shaked hands smilin and were pretty excited. We figure he musta been snoozin right below us where we were lol talk about made to happen, either that or he happened to be cruising looking for a doe or a fight and he heard us and wanted to kick some a$s. I think the former. So we scaled down the cliffs and headed to where he was hit. He was not there so I figured he must have fell, got back up, and ran a bit. Tough buck! Well thats exactly what happened we found him 50 yards down the slope bunched up wrapped around a tree. Made for a pretty good as they lay pic. The wind was coming up and I could smell his so strongly, stinkiest Buck ive ever smelt, took the tarsal glands going to see if I cant bring another buck in with this outsiders scent. With all these trail cam pics of him and my buddy actually pulling his phone out and filming right before I took the shot got some pretty good before and after photos as well.
I have been workin real hard to start killing mature blacktails and all the time invested is paying off, I want em consistently. Got another tag and some really big ones at my other areas, with deep forks, this guys forks aint deep but im super happy with him and think hes an awesome tough buck!
We took a bunch of pictures, celebrated, then got to workin. We had him cut up and our packs loaded pretty well right as the timber began to darken. We had a pretty decently sh!tty pack out ahead of us. Most very very steep. Some up, thankfully most down. There was a fall or 2 and a hanfull of swear words but we got to the truck about 9:30. We stopped and packed up my camp and packed that out too making the job heavier, but I didnt want to hunt that area anymore this season as I already took one Buck out of there.
Hope you guys enjoyed it, good luck out there!
