Columbia blacktail deer are considered one of the most difficult species of deer to hunt .
Right , WHJ Editor Travis Moncrief with a mature rutted buck from Oregon .
PURSUING THE TOUGHEST
TROPHY travis moncrief photo chuck and grace bartlett photo
To consistently harvest mature blacktail bucks , learn their behavior , know where they live , and find one in the light of day . By Travis Moncrief , WHJ EDITOR
I
FLOPPED THE TAILGATE DOWN on my truck and slid out beneath the heavy pack as the rain continued its torrid downpour . It didn ’ t matter that I was soaked and couldn ’ t get any wetter . I sat there in the dark of night with the wind howling , my head down not able to tell if the water dripping off my nose was sweat or rainwater . It was now just a brackish mess . I shivered as my core began to cool . I could feel my legs starting to cramp from the sudden inactivity but all of this with a huge grin on my face . You know you ’ re happy when you can feel yourself smiling . Because lying in the back of the truck was mature Columbia blacktail .
Under complete darkness I spent the last four hours packing over 10 miles in the worst weather the Pacific Northwest could offer up . Everything loaded up , I checked the tag one more time to make sure it was good and secure . With that I put the truck in gear and headed towards home . I checked my cell phone for reception and stopped when I had a signal . I dialed up my dad . “ I own him ,” I said . Not a lot more needed to be said . He knew what that meant and with a slight chuckle and a congratulation he told me to be careful and we ’ d catch up in the morning .
I ’ d been at it for several days and that particular day like all the others started at 4:30 in the morning and didn ’ t end until the late evening . The buck laying in the bed of my pickup wasn ’ t the biggest blacktail I ’ ve taken but it was a heavy mature buck , respectable by every measure . One thing was for sure , I earned every inch of horn . There ’ s a feeling that comes over a person when you work your tail off for something and achieve it and at that moment , well … you would have had to skin the smile off my face .
Hunting blacktails is a lot like steelhead fishing . It gets into your blood and it never leaves . I have spent most of my life hunting blacktail deer , and every year I look forward to the season with the enthusiasm of a child on Christmas morning . In so many ways , it is what defines me as a hunter . It requires a willingness to
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