Got a decent mule deer buck...

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toasty
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Joined: April 19th, 2012, 11:00 am

Got a decent mule deer buck...

Post by toasty »

Well, I tried hunting a new area this year. I have seen a few decent bucks in the area during the rut when driving through and thought I would take a chance. Pretty steep learning curve. Spent the first several days only seeing a few does and small bucks. Finally towards the end of the week found a couple good bucks. Had a nice 4x4 in the crosshairs as 235 yards, but only had either a head shot or a texas heart shot and decided to wait for a better shot and that buck gave us the slip without being able to fire a shot. I returned to the same area by myself later in the week and found this guy way up high with the first does we had seen in the canyon. I ran up the ridge to get a shot before the sun pushed the deer into the thick nasty stuff.

Sitting on the edge of a cliff, as I was trying to stand up for a shot, this buck took off as soon as he saw me from the other side of the ridge. I took my first shot from a cliff face at a moving buck and missed. Not falling off the cliff was a win for that shot. He stopped at 320 yards and gave me a good broadside look and I was able to make a good shot on him. Saw him go into a thicket and didn't come out for 15 minutes, so I started my hike across the canyon in which I lost a visual with the thicket. When I got to the thicket he was gone. Long story condensed down, I followed the blood trail loosing it a couple times for another 2 hours and was finally able to bump him again and was able to finally put him down nearly 2 miles from the truck. The packout was brutal but a good friend and hunting buddy was able to meet me for the final pack out. I am feeling pretty good about this buck for a new hunting unit. BTW, I did you a favor hiding my ugly mug. Fall turkeys starts in 2 days, can't wait to get after turkeys again.



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guesswho
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Re: Got a decent mule deer buck...

Post by guesswho »

Nice. Congrats!
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hookedspur
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Re: Got a decent mule deer buck...

Post by hookedspur »

Congrats !!!! Good looking buck..
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Re: Got a decent mule deer buck...

Post by MAK »

dandy - rewarded effort there for sure.
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Hoobilly
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Re: Got a decent mule deer buck...

Post by Hoobilly »

toasty wrote:Well, I tried hunting a new area this year. I have seen a few decent bucks in the area during the rut when driving through and thought I would take a chance. Pretty steep learning curve. Spent the first several days only seeing a few does and small bucks. Finally towards the end of the week found a couple good bucks. Had a nice 4x4 in the crosshairs as 235 yards, but only had either a head shot or a texas heart shot and decided to wait for a better shot and that buck gave us the slip without being able to fire a shot. I returned to the same area by myself later in the week and found this guy way up high with the first does we had seen in the canyon. I ran up the ridge to get a shot before the sun pushed the deer into the thick nasty stuff.

Sitting on the edge of a cliff, as I was trying to stand up for a shot, this buck took off as soon as he saw me from the other side of the ridge. I took my first shot from a cliff face at a moving buck and missed. Not falling off the cliff was a win for that shot. He stopped at 320 yards and gave me a good broadside look and I was able to make a good shot on him. Saw him go into a thicket and didn't come out for 15 minutes, so I started my hike across the canyon in which I lost a visual with the thicket. When I got to the thicket he was gone. Long story condensed down, I followed the blood trail loosing it a couple times for another 2 hours and was finally able to bump him again and was able to finally put him down nearly 2 miles from the truck. The packout was brutal but a good friend and hunting buddy was able to meet me for the final pack out. I am feeling pretty good about this buck for a new hunting unit. BTW, I did you a favor hiding my ugly mug. Fall turkeys starts in 2 days, can't wait to get after turkeys again.



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That’s a dandy!
2 miles out is no fun packing all that weight


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soiltester
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Re: Got a decent mule deer buck...

Post by soiltester »

Great recovery on a nice buck, that could've not been :thumbup:

Ya' didn't have to block yer' face out, jest' cause you weren't smilin' !! :banghead:
ever wonder where the white goes when the snow melts??
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