Summary of the 2007 blacktail season

We started out the year with four archery hunters at the end of August, it was hot and dry! Not prime time for nocturnal blacktail. Two of the hunters took nice 3x3's with a third opportunity where the hunter spooked the buck trying to get his video camera just right. But we do have some very nice video of another 3by, 20 yards from the tree stand. This was totally a tree stand hunt, it was so hot and dry that it was the only effective way to hunt them. We did set a new record, the biggest buck was killed on a day that made 103 degrees. Really fun guys to have in camp, and I have never had a group of hunters that could shoot a bow as well as these guys. I witnessed all the arrows going in the kill zone out to 100 yards. Sufficed to say there were no misses.

After early archery, junior guide Sam and Janet both took nice fall black bear. We brought Janet's bear out whole and had an opportunity to weigh it, it was 301 pounds with the guts out.

During fall rifle season Janet took a decent buck to fill the freezer. We had four rifle hunters and again two were successful with one client turning down a very nice tall 3x3, he had killed some blacktails in the past and had his heart set on a 4x4. He will be back next year to try again. The 3x3 that was turned down was seen by our other unsuccessful hunter 50 yards off the property where we couldn't shoot but we did get some nice video of this buck. We booked this hunt at the end of October hopeing for wet, rainy weather, we didn't get it. Too much sunshine and they went back to their nocturnal habits.

Late season November peak of the rut muzzleloader and archery seasons opened. Once again we were 100% on our muzzleloader hunters, that makes 16 of 18 years we are 100% on this hunt. The weather cooperated, when it wasn't raining it was freezing cold, with the biggest buck being taken at this time that grossed 155 6/8. It was killed on the last day after 4 1/2 days of sitting in freezing, foggy conditions. This buck was definately earned, but well worth it as you will see. Our late season archery hunter killed a very nice 4x4 also from a tree stand. He had turned down a decent 3x4 the day before. After our archery hunter killed his buck, Jay, the dude with the sun glasses, killed a 21 1/2 inch 4x4 with his bow. For an overall success rate of 71% for our clients. We have done better, years with 100% overall but we also had better weather. We are looking forward to next year, leaving at the end of December for our Mexican mule deer and Coues deer hunts. We will be back in February to update you on Mexico.

Official scoring result: The biggest buck taken last year was a 5x5 taken by Don Huffman. Officially scored 160 7/8 non-typical SCI, Don informs us this score makes it number 1 non-typical SCI.

Check out our 2007 photos below. Click on picture for more details