Dakota's 2010, Cascade Blacktail, Washington buck. It is a 5 x 7 that rough scores 155 3/8" gross. It was shot in a unit that the Washington record books consider it a mule deer when they score it because of the boundries. Every deer we saw in the unit was a blacktail. To make the books for a cascade blacktail, the minimum score is 125, so it is a very nice buck, just can't be entered into the books. Regardless, it is a very nice deer. This is his 3rd buck he has shot, 1st Washington buck, and 1st blacktail.
The hunt started the Saturday before at a farm across the river that a buddy of mine took us to. We saw a lot of deer and plenty of bucks. Dakota ended up missing 7 times at a few bucks, but the shots were very difficult. The first couple bucks we saw I wouldn't let him shoot at because they were all running away from us and wouldn't stop. That's how they all were, so I let him shoot at a few with no luck. The day ended with the 7 misses and the season ending on Friday. We would be lucky to get back out before the season ended because we had to work and my friend was going elk hunting here in Oregon, which started on Wednesday.
I talked with another friend that has hunted Washington, and he had a place that he has been hunting for over 20 years further west. Lots of private land over there. He said there are a lot of deer and plenty of bucks, but we wouldn't see anything real big because they are "benchlegs". (crosses between a blacktail and a mule deer.) Washington has a 3 point minimum on their bucks, which means they have to have a least 3 points on one side to be legal to shoot. My buddy says that we can go Friday, the last day, with him if we would like. I told him, we're in!
So we take off at 5:00am Friday morning. It took a little over an hour to get there. When we arrived there, it was very foggy. We got out of the truck, and started across an opening staying close to a fence so we wouldn't lose our way. We walked about a mile going through oaks and trees. We were just coming into an opening when my buddy sees a buck up ahead of us working down the fenceline. It was a nice three point, a little wider than his ears, and a little thin horned. He would walk up to the fence, sniff around, then move away from us down the fence. He was looking for does and not paying any attention to us. That was a good sign.
I got the shooting sticks ready for Dakota, he put the gun on the buck, and nothing. I was waiting for him to shoot, but still nothing. The buck is only 100 yards away and I'm thinking this was a great opportunity. He finally says that the gun won't shoot. I look over, and the bolt is up on the gun which will not let it fire. He had got it caught on his orange vest (Washington requires you to wear one) and it made the bolt come up. I reached over and pushed it down, looked back at the buck, and it was gone in the fog. We grabbed our stuff and started running down the fenceline. The buck just dissappeared in the fog. We saw where he had finally jumped the fence and went into a canyon. My buddy said that was a nice buck for this area. Could have been about the 4th or 5th biggest buck they've seen there. He was nice, but not the big mulies I was used to. I guess we are shooting the first, now second, legal buck we see.
So we start heading down a deep canyon. I glass the opposite side and see a group of 8 does with a small forked horn and to the right of them, is another group of 4 does but no buck. We continue up the other side of the canyon heading towards the deer we just saw. We get to an opening, and the group of 4 does run across in front of us 75 yards away. We start heading further up the canyon.
We walk about 10 yards and I happen to look to my right. Standing there about 175 yards away, I think I see a face. I put my binos up, and there is a buck standing there, facing us. He looks heavy, that's all I see. All I can say is big buck! Compared to the one that just got away, this one looked big. I get the shooting sticks set up for Dakota, and he gets ready. I tell my buddy that there is a big buck over here, and he heads over to us. Dakota asks, "Can I shoot?" I said, "YES!" He fires, and it goes over the top of him. The buck then takes a couple more steps towards us! I tell Dakota to hold right in the middle of his chest. My buddy is scrambling around looking for a rest so he can shoot also. Then, Dakota shoots again. Down he goes!
We have no idea how big the buck is, and the scary part, I don't know how many points it has. Remember, Washington is a three point minimum. All I know is the buck was wide and heavy. So I turn the recorder on and this is how it goes........
My buddy said that that was the biggest buck they've seen up there in all his years of hunting there. Love the little comment by him at the end of that video, "Holy S@#*!" We knew he was big, but wow! He had 5 points on his right antler, including eye guards, and 7 on his left. It was fun picking up his antlers, cause the left side was in the dirt, and seeing double eye guards and a 4 inch cheater coming off the base of his horns. We were all speachless.......
We had a great time as you can see. With not getting anything archery hunting this year, him or I, it was nice that the kid came through to put a little meat in the freezer since his old man couldn't. It's going to look great on his wall. Just have to find a good taxidermist......... will keep you posted.
Justin
