First Blacktail hunt

[d-bone20917]

Looks like a great hunt. Congrats.

 

[fishing4sanity]

Love the color on those antlers and that buck with no neck. Not sure if it's the way he's laying or not, but what a brute of a neck. Congrats.

 

[elkrchr]

That is some fine eating right there! Looks like you two got all the rain we didn't get while hunting Kodiak earlier this fall. Way to get it done in SE Alaska. I've been to Kodiak Island deer hunting three times and to POW Island three times to fish, but maybe it's time I try my hand at those POW Island Sitka Blacktails. Again, congrats!

 

[putm2sleep]

Great hunt Bambi, excellence on display - getting it done in those elements.

 

[----]

Looks wet! and fun?

How do they eat? What would you guess the liveweight on the bucks were?

 

[1_pointer]

Very nice! Quite a bit different country that where I hunted them on Kodiak.

Let me know what you think of them as table fare? The one I brought home was A++ in that department. Way ahead of whitetail and even elk for me.

 

[ihuntelk]

Looks like a soggy good time. What made you choose a Nov rut hunt versus Aug/Sept timberline hunt? I'm trying to figure out how to make that hunt happen and I'm not sure what dates I'd rather go....................
Congrats again.
-Cade

 

[LCH]

Short list hunt for me, looks like a ton of fun. Like others have said, don't know if I'd rather do early season or rut.

Thanks for sharing..

 

[Trigger50]

Congrats !

 

[Dinkshooter]

Can you set up a tent like a blind to avoid that freaking rain?

Great bucks! looks like you had some seriously funny company.

 

[Bambistew]

How do they eat? What would you guess the live weight on the bucks were?

Good so far. The big buck was pretty stinky, I've not had any of him yet. I've heard the big ones can be a bit off tasting. His neck was coated in piss, and stunk pretty bad, luckily the cape is in my freezer.

Live weight? The small ones, maybe 100lbs, the bigger one, maybe 120-130lbs? They're not very big. The bigger buck was pretty old. After a quick hack job at the hotel, we ended up checking 180lbs of boneless meat/coolers, so subtract the coolers.. about 40lbs of meat each?

It wasn't tough to pack out a whole deer... I think a guy could pack out two if he was tough.

 

[Bambistew]

What made you choose a Nov rut hunt versus Aug/Sept timberline hunt?

Really no reason. We planned the hunt about 4 weeks before we went.

I think the odd of killing a big buck is better early, but I think you'll see way more during the rut. I think the odds of me hunting sheep are much greater than hunting deer in August/Sept... Not sure I'll be hunting deer early until I get tired of killing sheep, or find more time.

 

[mdhunter61]

Really no reason. We planned the hunt about 4 weeks before we went.

I think the odd of killing a big buck is better early, but I think you'll see way more during the rut. I think the odds of me hunting sheep are much greater than hunting deer in August/Sept... Not sure I'll be hunting deer early until I get tired of killing sheep, or find more time.

Ivan, about the time you get tired of shooting sheep, your little guy is gonna be ready to start hunting them, so no early season deer hunts in your future.

 

[rjlefty3]

That looks like fun, no doubt on my bucket list too. I'd say you did well!

Beautiful animals. I love the double throat patch and dark antlers.

 

[VAspeedgoat]

Bambistew, I've got a forest service map of the Tongass n.f. ( assuming you were there ) but it shows virtually no roads. What maps did you use? Also you said that you camped out of the back of the truck, looking back was that practical? Would it be better to hike in and camp, or only if you had prior knowledge of blacktails in the area? I am looking at this in a few years possibly for my family to do and I'm not sure if they are up for a backpack hunt and I'm not sure if we can hunt effectivly from a truck/dayhunt type setup.

 

[mixedbag]

To those looking to go and cant decide a season,early season is up in the alpine which is VERY difficult to access.The late rut hunt you can drive roads and get out at gated roads and glass the clearcuts or call into them.Plus you will see plenty of deer driving the roads.The woods are EXTREMELY thick.I found one area where it isn't going to kill me to access but its still not easy getting to alpine.I could truck camp the spot and walk up the couple miles each day.It rains there ALOT,so camping wouldn't be a very comfortable way to hunt imo
Anyone interested in going this August to hunt the alpine and need a partner can contact me.I will go solo if need be.They are INCREDIBLE eating,and taste more like elk then deer.I got 40lbs boned out meat from my tiny buck according to airline
Fishing there is out of this world as well.I never saw anything like it

 

[BrentAK]

Where did you do your fishing from?

 

[big28hunter]

Congrats on those nice trophies in tough conditions.

 

[Southern Elk]

Congrats!