It poured rain all day Saturday, then turned to snow Sunday morning. This morning I got up to the area I wanted to hunt and found about 10 inches of snow on the ground.

I cruised a couple roads until I found numerous deer tracks. Several sets of tracks went down along the edge of some big timber and reprod. I followed the tracks for about 300 yds and set up and rattled several times. Nothing showed up so I looped back up thru the reprod and when I was maybe 100 yds below the road I cut some very fresh tracks. I followed the tracks for about 10 minutes and the tracks led to a clump of willows a buck had just thrashed, so I knew he was close!

I snooped around a few minutes and found a decent clearing with some shooting lanes. I rattled and waited maybe 4 minutes, I rattled a second sequence and had just set the antlers down and picked up my bow when I caught movement to my left. The deer stopped behind a fir tree for a short while and began walking quartering toward me in the small trees. He went behind a bushy fir and came out quartering away at less then 15 yards.

I drew back my arrow and the buck stopped to look. As soon as he looked I released. The buck bounded out of sight, but only went a short distance. When I went to where he was standing when I shot I could see the buck standing with his head drooping down. I quickly nocked and released a second arrow which I'm certain was unneeded. The buck was dead on his feet.


The buck rolled down into some thick brush where it was impossible to get any photos, so I gutted him and dragged him toward the road and found a better spot for the pics.

I used my Blacktail Elite VL and homemade Douglas Fir arrows tipped with Wensel Woodsman heads.

Ron

sounds like an awesome hunt, I've always wanted to do a spot and stalk in the snow.....just not much snow on the bayou. Congrats !

Nice buck! I would love to get a chance to hunt Blacktails someday! I guess I should master the whitetail thing first.      
Congrats! Mike

That is a nice buck! Congrats!

Sure a pretty buck Ron, congrats.    

I think I know what that arrow looks like, got it's mate on my wall  :D  

You got more snow than us. Thanks for posting your hunt. RS

Great Job  
That's a really nice buck! You did good!

Congrats on a great hunt and a nice buck.

Tree Killer--you take some SUPER deer.  Love looking at your Blacktails!

A beautiful Blacktail!

Congrats!

SWEEEET! Congrats.    

Pretty neat deer those blacktails.

Very nice!! Those blacktails are sure a pretty deer. Congrats!  

Well done sir! Thanks for the tale of the hunt.

Very nice.  That is a great blacktail.  Brock

Congradulations - good job!

Great buck, Ron!  Happy for you.  You continue to be an inspiration for a newbie horn clanker.  Take care,

Stan

Congrats. Great story!

I really like those blacktails. Such a neat looking deer, and from what I'm told, lots of fun to hunt.

Great buck! Is hunting in that much snow as fun as it looks? Congrats.

Mark

Nice buck! Good job!

nice deer,congrats!

Outstanding Ron...congratulations  

That's a great hunt right there....them Blacktails are just beautiful!

Happy for ya bud