Took my first buck

On Friday, I took my first buck, a fat healthy blacktail in southwestern Oregon.

http://i.imgur.com/IgdKC.jpg

I used a borrowed 270 Winchester using 130 gr remington core-lokt, but given where I shot him (through the shoulder into the spine) and distance (<80 yards) I could have used just about anything.

After skinning, gutting, and hanging, he yielded a little under 60 pounds of meat. I'm throwing a celebratory dinner for my friends as soon as I return.

Funny, I've been posting here for 8 years, and this is my first hunting trip. Goes to show that you're never to old to take up hunting.

atek3

Congrats on the fine buck!

Nice thick bodied deer a very fine looking animal. His neck is swollen are they already starting to come into rut? Congrats on your first deer very nice.

Well Done!

Congratulations........!

Very nice buck looks almost like one i got last year on the washington coast, but only 60lbs of meat he looks bigger than that, but for blacktail thats a dandy.

Congrats, that first buck is always special. That's a pretty big smile you're wearing in that picture. Be careful, hunting may turn into a life-long thing!

fantastic, I know how hard fought every blacktail can be. That's great!

Sweet, Congrat's I love good hunting picks. I hope others on here post them like crazy in the coming months.

Sweet pic, congratulations!

Very nice buck! I remember my first and so will you, one of those memories that you'll always look back on fondly. Thanks for sharing!

Congrats! Nice buck!

Congratulations man, he's a nice looking buck. I'm hoping to join the ranks with my first deer during AZ's December archery season. :) Congrats again.

Good job!!

Thanks for all the words of encouragement, I am very very happy with how things turned out. Now to see if I can take up hunting in NY. It's much harder here.

atek3

PS (There could have been more meat had I processed it myself, but due to time and travel constraints it was done by a locker, meaning that they probably aren't concerned with getting every ounce)

Congrats to you and a job well done. Many more hunts for you and things will only get better.

Great job.Nice buck too.My first was a one inch,one antlered spike.I bet I was just as happy. As for NY hunting,I hunted up there some years ago.It was shotguns only in most of the state,rifles in the northern part.Most of the hunters stayed on the ground,not many tree stand guys,Lots of deer,and hunters,but buy a tag and give it a try.

good job! Much better than my first buck. My first, when I was 13, was about 60-70lbs total and had only one small antler with two little points.

I had it mounted, of course.

Nice buck. I'm still looking forward to my first buck. Only does to date.

Thanks for all the words of encouragement, I am very very happy with how things turned out. Now to see if I can take up hunting in NY. It's much harder here.

atek3

PS (There could have been more meat had I processed it myself, but due to time and travel constraints it was done by a locker, meaning that they probably aren't concerned with getting every ounce)
Where in NY are you? The deer hunting is highly variable here depending on the managment unit. Here is a link that shows the number of doe permits per square mile for each unit. The higher the number the easier it will be to get a deer.

Http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/30409.html

I hunt 8H and 9P. 8H lists nearly 45 DMPs per square mile and you are almost tripping over the deer in that unit. They are targeting fewer than 6 DMPs in 9P and it is much harder to find a deer there.

Btw, they recently expanded the counties that allow rifles. The northern zone, all the counties bordering PA and some others allow rifle now. Poke around on the DEC site and you will find it.

I'm in new york city, so i'm looking at the suffolk, orange, and dutchess county WMU's mainly.

Nice man!

You never forget your first! Congrats!

You look pretty happy in the picture. I'll bet you're hooked for life. Good job!

Sweet! Congratulations!

I'm happy for you. Years ago, I was with USAF in northern California. Used to love hunting coastal blacktails in the morning and spending the afternoon water skiing.

TR

Congrats. :cool: I've never harvested a deer. I missed the good "deer hunting years" with my older brothers and dad.