Deer Hunt 2023

The blacktail deer season was quite a ride of crazy weather and illusive ungulates. The first week of hunting was warm and a mix of wet and dry. These conditions left the deer nocturnal and tucked away during the day. I saw very few deer during my daily scour across the landscape. In places that had a lot of sign and key features like cover, food, and water were not enough to entice the deer out and about. Mushrooms were present though, and I still took home food each day I was in the field, which made up for the vanished blacktail I was so desperate to find.

I did notice the Snoqualmie Tree Farm, where I usually hunt each fall, was spraying a lot of their clear cuts, something they usually wait to do after hunting so deer are not off put by the chemicals, and the brows is still present to lure them out into the open. It might also be the quantity of Seattle treated sewage now being spread within the forests and young plantings. So much smelly mess, heavy metals, and prescription drugs are now sprayed in concentrate on the forest floor- the deer have to be reacting to the grossness and moving away. These are theories, and I’m a “young” hunter- having only been in observation and direct connection with our local blacktail populations for about 10 years. It was noticeable that no deer were out during the day. My hunting mentor, who grew up in the area perusing the same deer populations, has seen fluctuations, but never so few deer by the end of the season.

There were a few wet days where I thought surly I’d at least see a few does wandering by- my tag was for a buck, but seeing the does early on can bring in the bucks as the rut comes on later in the season. Still, there were no deer to be seen in the forest, but my sits were rejuvenating and rewarding none the less. By Friday of the first week out, I did a 6 hour sit on a stump in the fluctuating mists of an incoming cold front, which dropped temperatures during the second week of hunting into the 20s each night. The cold did seem to stir up a bit more movement in the deer, but sudden temperature swings usually give me seasonal ills, and I had to take a few days of rest to hunt hard during the final few days of the season. I did have a very close encounter with one young buck in a neighbor’s yard, but it was an off limits place to harvest, so I sat on the wet ground of my driveway hoping he might wander over, instead, he bedded down as it got dark and I headed back to the house to dry out.

It was a little disappointing, but a great affirmation that my ethics and continence remain upright and true. Even though I knew the neighbor was not home, and could have shot that buck and got him over the fence with ease, it was not legal or ethical. This is the mature mark of any good hunter. I enjoyed sitting so near the buck, and hope he has a chance to grow up so I can have a chance to harvest him legally, ethically, and safely in a future encounter. I always count moments like this as good karma earners. I make the right decision and let the moment go, allowing more better chances down the road. This payoff rang true a few days later, when, on an early Sunday afternoon, another more supportive neighbor called me to say there was a nice 2 point buck in her yard with a herd of does just basking in the afternoon sun.

On this lucky day, I headed over quickly, but calmly, and had my partner come with as backup, asking him to stay in the truck while I was in the field to avoid any mishaps. Deer are wild, and might wander any direction- making sure everyone not in the hunt is in a sheltered place is important to prevent any injuries or spooking of the blacktail. While my partner waited in the truck, I walked quietly down to the field where the buck was last sighted and found him grazing lazily on the same slope. Then a minivan drove by and nearly drove me into a state of worry, but the friendly neighbor drove on by and waved. The buck stayed in the field, oblivious to the passing car. I was so thankful and encouraged. Stepping closer, I set up my shooting sticks and loaded my long gun. The buck remained passive, so I risked getting a little bit closer for a better shot. It was a clear, consice moment. The buck turned full broadside and continued grazing as I peered down the iron sights and honed in on the heart and lungs, just behind the shoulder. Taking careful aim, I took a few slow, deep breaths, and on the final exhale, I squeezed the trigger.

No matter how many times I’ve fired a gun, the initial impact is always jolting. My eye has to stay trained in on the deer I’ve just shot. The buck jumped straight up several feet in the air, then bolted up the hillside and out of sight above. It’s not a good idea to chase after your quarry, as you risk driving it further away in panic. I calmly walked to the spot I believed the bullet had made contact with the blacktail and began planning my trailing path to where I thought the buck might have traveled. My fear was a bad shot that might have crippled the deer but not killed it. There was no initial blood trail, as it takes time for the blood to pool and begin leaking out in visible traces. The right thing to have done in that moment would have been a spiral walking pattern out from the deer till I picked up the trail, but I went on a larger loop around the property fence checking for sign as I circled back down and around to where my partner was eagerly waiting with the truck. A few moments later my partner and I were back up the hill looking for the blood trail together. Fresh eyes always help.

As we searched, the herd of does were still in the field, and the largest doe, matriarch of the group, went up the hill and banked right, then came back down the hill a few feet from us, signaling the transition to another field down below. I thought she might have gone up to check on the buck, so we went up and right to seek him in some thick cover in a stand of red cedars. The neighbor had heard my shot and come around from the barn to check in. She offered to help find the blood trail and went left up the hill. A moment later she called us to her, she had found the blood trail. We followed her as she followed it out- moving a few more yards into another stand of trees blazed with blood from the deer bracing along each trunk before tumbling into the recently cut bows of a fir tree. It was wonderful to watch my neighbor in her learning journey, and having her find the deer. We sat down together with the deceased animal and shared gratitude and marveled at the health of the deer.

After some time reflecting and giving thanks for a good hunt, we carried the buck to the truck and loaded him up for the ride home where we would process him. Our deer season falls around Halloween, and I’m always a little sensitive to the real gore involved in hunting- especially large animals. The shot was clean, a double lung puncture, which is the best and most humane shot for bringing down a large mammal with the least amount of suffering. That blacktail buck went less than 20 yards from where I shot him, and was dead within seconds. The muscles were relaxed, the animal did not linger or suffer beyond the initial shock of impact. It it imperative to succeed with one shot one kill when hunting. Only ever take shots you can make- and know your range by taking time at the range to both sight in your rifle each season and check your accuracy. These actions will help to ensure your successful hunt and gauge your abilities. But the real work begins after you’ve harvested the animal and brought it home.

The buck did look so good- clean healthy coat, glossy hoofs, strong muscles, and great fat store for the winter. As I began processing, I marveled at how much meat this buck offered for our larder and continued in thanksgiving for such a precious gift from the land. My neighbor had requested the hide, which I took more time removing to preserve quality. Then I broke the carcass down into manageable parts to hang in the walk in cooler. The meat would hang for a few days to age a bit before being butchered and wrapped. Read more about why I choose to age my venison here. In a nut shell, you want to give the natural enzymes in the meat a chance to begin breaking down the protein of the muscle to improve overall tenderness and flavor.

From field to freezer, this year’s journey to harvest a blacktail buck was long and full of good learning. The reward of harvesting wild food- specifically a deer from my neighborhood who most likely fed on my land at least a few times in his life is wonderful. His life feeds us, as we feed his future generations and become the grass ourselves in a beautiful lifecycle that continues in sacred relationship. The connection to place, the plants and animals within in, and the affirmation that hunting the deer is an important covenant I share with this place fulfills a deeply sacred place in my soul. This is why I hunt, to learn, remain connected, and weaving a rich tapestry of life and death to sustain abundance and belonging. This meat will be shared too- with neighbors, friends, and at our own table through the coming dark and cold times. This is the gift from The Deer Nation to The People who take on the mantel of hunting. Even when we do not harvest successfully, our time in the filed with our senses reaching out with such intention is so profoundly nurturing. This time outside brings me closer to my place in the world and relationship with myself and the wilds all around. Eyes in the wilds also see what mankind has done or not done in good stewardship with place, and keeps an alerted vision of what’s happening in our greater backyard and how it impacts everything.

A week after my sit with the spike I did not harvest, my partner and I spotted him on the driveway coming home the other day and were deeply distressed. Though he was moving fine, and grazing, we could see one of his spikes was askew and he had a festering welt on the right side of his stomach. We could not get a closer look, as he moved on without too much delay, but we knew he was hurting. My partner guessed he’d been shot but only maimed and not killed cleanly. I thought because of the bent antler, that he might have been hit by a car. Either way, this deer was not given a clean death, and like many misused wild creatures, suffers inhumane abuse. We hope he makes it through the winter and heals. The fact that he was moving well and eating is encouragement, but wild animals are very good at hiding weakness when being watched by potential predators. He strut his stuff and moved on through the brush, ghosting away to more larders nearby. It is always so painful to see human induced suffering on wildlife like this. That’s why hunting is such a privilege and should never be taken for granted or abused. Only take clean shots you can make, and follow through by trailing your intended harvest to make sure that animal is properly dispatched.

If you hit a deer with your car and it’s not dead yet, call fish and wildlife or 911 to get the word out for law enforcement to come end the animals suffering. Countless more deer are killed by vehicles than hunters each year, and a good book to read right now for more learning is Crossings by Ben Goldfarb. It’s about roads bisecting wildlife habitat and the unimaginable losses in wildlife because people don’t slow down. There is profound research and potential solutions offered to help us better understand our impact and ability to help wildlife adapt to our non-negotiable “necessities” for convenience. Spoiler- nothing short of removing roads will work, but well constructed bridges and underpass wildlife crossings do help mitigate some losses. The best thing you can do right now is maintain speed limits, drive slower at dawn and dusk when wildlife is more active, but harder to see, and heed wildlife crossing signs. I almost hit a young two point buck driving in the dark morning predawn on the first day of hunting season. I did manage to slow down in time, and he stood there looking at me as if to say, “slow down or you’ll miss the hunt”.