Columbia blacktail pictures and age gues
Contributors to this thread:Mule Deer
From: huntinelk
06-Apr-19
Last year I was fortunate to be invited by a friend to go to Oregon to hunt blacktail, we hunted diy on a large piece of private ground, during November.
This was my first time hunting or seeing a Columbia blacktail. For 2 days we tried unsuccessfully to glass clear cuts to try to find a buck to stalk. It was very warm and dry, and deer sightings were limited to a couple does.
On the second day I found a well worn trail with a couple fresh rubs on it. The trail was on a log road that had been cut out, but had grown back over from not being used. I found a large pine tree on the up hill side of the road on the very edge of the bank, standing at the base of the tree was about the same effect as being in a tree stand. I stood over the trail for a couple hours that evening, then put a camera up on the way out. I planned to go back the next day and sit on the trail all day, figuring that a well worn trail during the rut was as good place as any.
From: huntinelk
06-Apr-19
When I went back in the morning I checked the camera and was happy to see a buck picture on it. I wasn't planning on being to picky, looking for a legal buck.
From: huntinelk
06-Apr-19
From: huntinelk
06-Apr-19
I borrowed the old school chair from the cabin that we were staying in for my planned all day sit. This is the view from the trail up to where I was watching from. I covered the chair with my jacket so it didn't stand out quite as much.
From: huntinelk
06-Apr-19
Here is the view from the "stand" to the trail.
From: huntinelk
06-Apr-19
After sitting for most of the morning and seeing quail and several of the very large squirrels that live there, I heard walking in the dry leaves that sounded a bit different than squirrel sounds. I looked towards the sound and was very surprised to see a racked buck quickly moving towards me on the trail. I quickly field judged him, as "big enough". By the time I clipped my realease on the string he was getting close, I drew and mouth grunted as I hit my anchor. He stopped at 14 yards, nearly straight down from me.
From: huntinelk
06-Apr-19
As the arrow struck him , both front legs went out from under him and he made a few pushes with his back legs, the last push launched him over the edge of the road down the very steep bank on the other side. After waiting a few minutes I went and looked and could see him laying dead. I sent a text to my friend asking him for help and the spool of rope we had brought with us.
From: huntinelk
06-Apr-19
From: huntinelk
06-Apr-19
My age guess based on rack and body size was a bit off, what is your guess?
From: huntinelk
06-Apr-19
From: huntinelk
06-Apr-19
From: Scar Finga
06-Apr-19
I killed a small 2x3 that was 4.5 years old, tiny little guy! I may be way off, but I would say 5.5 - 6.0 years old. Maybe older since he is so grey??? If I am wrong, it won't be the first time today:)
From: Boreal
06-Apr-19
I'm gonna guess 7 1\2.
From: huntinelk
07-Apr-19
After I saw the teeth, I adjusted my guess, but was still off a bit.
From: Bou'bound
07-Apr-19
7
From: huntinelk
07-Apr-19
From deerage.com, 11.5 years old
From: Matt
07-Apr-19
That doesn't surprise me based on the grey in the face. My largest blacktail was 10.5 and a guy on our lease killed one aged at 12.5. I killed another I did not age but had to be 11.5-13.5 based purely on how many years we had been seeing that buck.
From: sticksender
07-Apr-19
Congrats on your buck Gene!
From: Nick Muche
07-Apr-19
Wow! Amazing they can get that old!
From: Marty
08-Apr-19
Wow! Congrats on a great buck!
From: Mossyhorn
08-Apr-19
Never would have guessed anywhere close to that! Wow!
From: Tyler
08-Apr-19
Great hunt and buck! Congrats!
From: Charlie Rehor
08-Apr-19
Aging the teeth tells a deers survival skills/luck and adds greatly to the trophy. Congrats!
From: huntinelk
08-Apr-19
Does anybody know what these slug looking things are? Saw a few of them in damp, shaded areas.
From: njbuck
08-Apr-19
Wow, ancient, I would have never guessed even close to that.
From: Boreal
08-Apr-19
WOW!! Congrats!
The slug is a leopard slug.
From: Smtn10PT
08-Apr-19
Amazing trophy! Congrats!
From: smurph
08-Apr-19
banana slug, pretty common and get bigger.
From: Kurt
09-Apr-19
Nice buck Gene and an ancient one! Congratulations!
I also was surprised when my bio-buddy aged a tooth off a nice chunky fork horn I shot on Texada Island, BC at 5-1/2. I had him at 3-1/2 based on the nice body and small rack.
From: adogg437
09-Apr-19
Congrats! Great Blacktail. I grew up in Oregon chasing those grey ghosts.
From: huntinelk
04-Dec-19
Here is the finished mount. Both ears have several notches in them that have healed over. He must have been in at least a few fights over the years.
From: Mad Trapper
04-Dec-19
Nice!
From: TrapperKayak
04-Dec-19
I would have guessed around 6 - 7, not 11.5 though. One oine has very worn teeth. I'll take some pics and post them tomorrow. I haven't had it officially aged.
From: kota-man
04-Dec-19
Very nice! Congrats on an old warrior.
From: 'Ike'
04-Dec-19
Very cool, great Buck!
From: JTreeman
04-Dec-19
Nice! Congrats.
—Jim
From: Jody Cyr
04-Dec-19
Well done! I like BT deer:)
From: Bowboy
04-Dec-19
Nice! I grew up in OR hunting them.
From: SDHNTR(home)
05-Dec-19
Wow. Great deer. Congrats.
Am I seeing two arrows in a couple of your quiver slots? That a great idea to carry a couple more. I use a Tight Spot too and am not sure how you do that.
From: huntinelk
05-Dec-19
It is a 7 arrow Tight Spot. I ran out of arrows once with a 5 arrow quiver, and didn't like it...
From: Zackman
05-Dec-19
Love me some old blacktails!
From: ki-ke
05-Dec-19
That is an OLD deer! How was the meat? Thanks for sharing a cool story! Congrats
From: IdyllwildArcher
05-Dec-19
Wow, an old blacktail in decline. Very cool. Grats.
From: Matt
06-Dec-19
Where I hunt we've killed some very impressive blacktail bucks that were 10.5 and 12.5 y/o. It is amazing how long they live and that they need to get to 5.5 or 6.5 to really show their genetics.
From: iceman
06-Dec-19
Congrats on that buck. Very cool.
From: Medicinemann
06-Dec-19
Gene, Well done!!
From: Mad Trapper
09-Dec-19
Gene I have seen you shoot. I would think that you could get by with a one arrow quiver!
