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I recently gained access locally to a 120 acre property that has all the hallmarks of prime puget sound blacktail deer habitat. I had never stepped foot on this land until yesterday. It just so happened a muzzleloader season opened up in this area right after Thanksgiving, so I loaded up a small pack and my cva single shot 45-70 I had converted to a muzzleloader. For this hunt I used 120gr of bh209 powder topped off with full bore 300gr parker be bullet sized to .4515".
I did not know what to expect when I arrived at the property at first light. I found a place to park and commenced to wander about with my nose into the wind. In the next few hours zig zagging the property amongst mixed evergreen and deciduous forest laden with fern and devils club, I found fresh deer crap and other sign including tracks and rubs, some of which indicated a larger buck. The rut has been over in this area for well over a month and the woods were really noisy with frozen alder and maple leaves, so I did not really expect to ambush a wiley gray ghost. This area is either sex for this season and I was actually prepared to take a doe if opportunity presented itself. After about 3 hours, the wind did a 180 and I had to take another tack. At this point I figured I'd slowly work my way back to my rig and continue exploring and marking ambush points and potential tree stand locations for the future. After a couple more hours I figured I was getting close to my rig but I kept moving slowly and stopping for 5 minutes at a time and scanning for deer parts. Low and behold 60yds ahead and to the right I see a deer bedded and staring right at me. I put my binos up and see he is a small spike. I carefully scanned the area around him for more deer but he was alone. I put the optics down and slowly raised my rifle and cocked the hammer. The only shot I had was from the brisket up straight on. I aimed right under his chin and let drive. I saw nothing except smoke and the deer was gone from sight as the smoke cleared. No deer ran off, so I was pretty sure I smoked him. I hastily reloaded and worked my way to his bed. He was laying there dead with a mortal neck wound. So in one shot I had two first's for me. My first spike deer of any kind and my first muzzleloader blacktail. I was oddly satisfied and very thankful for this animal. I have killed some very nice blacktail bucks with bow and modern rifle over the years, but this one was just as meaningful for me.
Now for the rest of the story. Just as I was finishing up field dressing this deer I looked up and caught movement to my right. Two deer were ghosting through the woods and I could see horn naked eye on the front one. I quickly grabbed my binos and got a glimpse of a very nice mature 3x4 and a doe. Am I miffed? Maybe slightly, but I am now even more excited for next year as I am hoping the property owner will let me hang some game cameras and possibly a tree stand to really tap the potential of this great property! The one pic is what I believe to be a spring board cut out in a large cedar stump from when this property was logged many years ago.
I did not know what to expect when I arrived at the property at first light. I found a place to park and commenced to wander about with my nose into the wind. In the next few hours zig zagging the property amongst mixed evergreen and deciduous forest laden with fern and devils club, I found fresh deer crap and other sign including tracks and rubs, some of which indicated a larger buck. The rut has been over in this area for well over a month and the woods were really noisy with frozen alder and maple leaves, so I did not really expect to ambush a wiley gray ghost. This area is either sex for this season and I was actually prepared to take a doe if opportunity presented itself. After about 3 hours, the wind did a 180 and I had to take another tack. At this point I figured I'd slowly work my way back to my rig and continue exploring and marking ambush points and potential tree stand locations for the future. After a couple more hours I figured I was getting close to my rig but I kept moving slowly and stopping for 5 minutes at a time and scanning for deer parts. Low and behold 60yds ahead and to the right I see a deer bedded and staring right at me. I put my binos up and see he is a small spike. I carefully scanned the area around him for more deer but he was alone. I put the optics down and slowly raised my rifle and cocked the hammer. The only shot I had was from the brisket up straight on. I aimed right under his chin and let drive. I saw nothing except smoke and the deer was gone from sight as the smoke cleared. No deer ran off, so I was pretty sure I smoked him. I hastily reloaded and worked my way to his bed. He was laying there dead with a mortal neck wound. So in one shot I had two first's for me. My first spike deer of any kind and my first muzzleloader blacktail. I was oddly satisfied and very thankful for this animal. I have killed some very nice blacktail bucks with bow and modern rifle over the years, but this one was just as meaningful for me.
Now for the rest of the story. Just as I was finishing up field dressing this deer I looked up and caught movement to my right. Two deer were ghosting through the woods and I could see horn naked eye on the front one. I quickly grabbed my binos and got a glimpse of a very nice mature 3x4 and a doe. Am I miffed? Maybe slightly, but I am now even more excited for next year as I am hoping the property owner will let me hang some game cameras and possibly a tree stand to really tap the potential of this great property! The one pic is what I believe to be a spring board cut out in a large cedar stump from when this property was logged many years ago.
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