Black-Tailed Beauty
Deep into the wine country of Northern California is where the Sheepdog Coalition went looking for blacktail deer. Avid outdoorsman, former Marine, and hunting guide for Sheepdog, Beau Mattioda hosted an incredible trip full of good food, great wine, and one beautiful buck.
The Sheepdog Coalition was honored to send Army veteran Dave M. to Middletown, California, about 20 minutes north of Napa Valley, to return to nature and recharge. That's precisely what the boys did, but only after being honored at Boots and Barrels at The Pope Valley Winery. Before a treacherous rain on a three-day hunt, it was nice to enjoy a perfect prime rib, fine wine, and great conversation. The Pope Valley Winery hosted a gorgeous outdoor dining experience for which we cannot thank them enough.
Rested and ready, we set our sites on finding that perfect coastal blacktail. However, we were met with a heavy downpour. The inclement weather made movement through the Northern California mountains a slow but steady climb. The rain dampened the terrain, our gear, and us, but not the hunt. In fact, quite the opposite. As the clouds began to break in the evening of day two, we moved just above a gradual draw in the valley. That following morning we got eyes on a beautiful blacktail buck at the bottom of the canyon, about 400 yards out.
The weather front may have had a helping hand, or maybe not. The debate on the rutting activity of deer is a long-running one. Either way, rutting in the brush near the base of the draw was our black-tailed beauty. It didn’t take us long to get into position, elevated at about 350 yards. With Beau spotting and Dave on the gun, we were just a wind call and a squeeze away.
There is something special about the early morning sun and the surrounding sounds that slowly amplify as it rises above the horizon. That morning was no exception. The dawn was interrupted by a single well-placed shot from a 6.5 Creedmoor. Dave made a perfect shot just behind the shoulder, downing the animal quickly and with minimal suffering. A great shot, a great spot, and a great deer. A 19.5-inch, 4-point blacktail buck was at the bottom of the canyon, and it was time to get to work.
Beau and Dave made it look easy, boning out and packing out the deer a few miles back to camp in a couple of hours. The smile on Dave's face says it all for us here at Sheepdog, and we couldn't be any happier. We want to give special thanks to The Pope Valley Winery, Beau Mattioda, and all those who host and sponsor these unforgettable hunts. The Sheepdog Coalition was honored to assist another veteran in a healthy and memorable experience that continues to help heal our community. We'll see you on the next one.
Long Live The Brotherhood!
