WORLD CLASS COLUMBIAN BLACKTAIL DEER

by CLIFF SKAGGS 

Most hunters dream of taking a buck with antlers of near mythical proportions, but the fact is that not every region where blacktails range are home to bucks with big racks.  Even if you are an experienced hunter and spend a lot of time in the field, you must have a great producing area, and be able to hunt the rut.

The blacktail deer has been the hardest species of deer I have ever encountered to hunt.  The problem is the big bucks do not show themselves; hence, given the name "Grey Ghost".  They tend to move only in darkness and during the rut.  So, the odds of ever arrowing a trophy blacktail are slim to none.

In May of 1996, I met Will Danielson, of Will Danileson Guide Service, Medford, Oregon, at the Safari Club International Fund Raising Banquet in Jacksonville, Florida.  We became friends almost immediately and I booked a blacktail deer hunt for the following year.  In 1997, I was successful in taking a small blacktail deer with Will.  It was at this time that I first realized the difficulty of not only seeing a trophy blacktail but to harvest one as well. 

On the 9th of November, 2007, I was at the Jacksonville International airport by 4:00 am.  I arrived in Medford, Oregon at 2:15 p.m.  Will was waiting at the airport to pick me.  We arrived at Will's ranch and I spent the next few days  preparing for the Monday morning hunt.  Will advised me to schedule this hunt during the rut.  I've been hunting with Will and have been successfull one hundred percent.  But, this time I wanted a blacktail deer that would go in to the archery record book.  Will just laughed and said, "In your dreams".  He said a trophy book blacktail are one in a million.  I knew if anyone could guide me for a trophy blacktail, it would only be one person, Will Danielson.  My most difficult problem ahead of me was being able to pull the string on my PSE Bow.  Because I was involved in a vehicle/pedestrian accident seven years ago, the injury to my back disabled me from archery hunting. 

The first day of the hunt, we hiked in three miles to a high rocky point.  Conditions were cold and rainy.  A few small bucks and does moved through our viewing but no takers.   The rain increased harder as it became first light, Will said, "We're done".  If there were going to be any big bucks here, we would have seen them by now.  So we began our hike out and I was really ready for some dry clothes anyway.

The second day, at first light, we spotted a nice 5 x 5 buck with two does.  The buck was about 150 yards away and I needed to close the gap.  I just couldn't get close enough for the 30 yard shot.  The buck was out in the wide open, chasing the does around, and I was stuck with no cover to stalk. 

So for the next two days I had Will drop me off near where we had seen the nice buck.  This was what I was looking for - a trophy blacktail.  Will field judged the buck to score around 140's Pope and Young.  Either there was not enough light to shoot or that buck stayed out in the open where I had no cover to stalk in.  I was becoming frustrated and disapointed at this time.  My dream was so close, yet so far. 

It's Friday morning around 3:30 a.m.  Will suggested that we go back to the first place we began hunting.  I agreed that I had wasted enough time on that buck and my hunting time was nearing to an end.  I had Friday and Saturday morning, only, to take a blacktail.  So here we go for another six mile in, and the rain begins to fall softly.  A few small bucks were spotted on the trail in but still no trophy.  The rain is much harder now, but I don't seem to notice how soaked I am due to my strict concentration to find that once in a life time buck.

My dream of a lifetime was beginning to be just that, a dream.  We had been at the top glassing with our Swarovski 10x42 binoculars and the rain begins to pour.  I insisted on staying a little longer to see if the rain might let up some.  Finally, the rain quits and the fog begins to cover the top of the mountain.  What else could happen now to ruin my chances?  We were forced to begin our hike back down to the trail head before we were fogged in.  Just after I had climed down from a rocky face, I saw what I thought were three does.  I whispered to Will to glass down for the possibility of a buck.  I used my Bushnell Range Finder to check the distance.  The deer was approximately 125 yards from us.  Will tapped me on the shoulder and told me to go after the rear deer, he says, "It's a trophy!".  The stalk was on.  I paralled myself with the deer, not even paying attention to the size of the buck.  I trusted Will's field judgement in classifying it as a trophy buck.  Now, I am just ahead of the deer and believed to be in a good position to take the shot.  Hopefully, the does will continue to bring the buck within 30 yards of my position.  I checked the distance again with my range finder, the shot would be a 30 yard shot.