Mule Deer Hunt

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I hunted another part of the state for a week from 11/11 to 11/18.  My boys were with me the first 3 1/2 days then it was just Finn and I.

The first few days were really foggy so the first couple hours of daylight were good for nothing but sitting in the truck.  Boyd missed a young 4 point on 11/11 and Isaac killed a similar buck on 11/13.  On 11/14 I slept in and got them on the road and then took Finn out that evening for a couple roosters.

I hunted the rest of the week for deer but could not find a buck on accessible land that I was willing to shoot. I was good with the cold but wasn't good with the wind. Damn!!! I don't like the wind.

As far as game animals go; I saw sharptails, huns, sage grouse, coyotes, pheasants, whitetails, mule deer and wintering herds of antelope.  I don't think I saw nearly enough of them for the ground that I covered, especially mule deer.

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Isaac killed this buck 2 miles from the truck.  We'd normally get a jet sled and drag the quarters out in that, but the back and forth for the sled didn't appeal to us.  We loaded the quarters in our packs and carried them out the hard way but it saved us a lot of trudging through the snow.

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I was on my own the next afternoon.

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I could find bucks like this but I've no desire to kill this size buck.  I'd have maybe lowered my standards for a whitetail because I prefer them for the table but I'm not a meat hunter when it comes to mule deer. I probably don't have Colorado standards here but I'm still looking for something mature.

This is through the spotter.

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Typical road conditions.

Turkeys in an undisclosed location.

Last sunrise of the trip.

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I typically walk into this location a couple times on each trip and sit and glass. It's a short and easy walk. I've seen people drive it but not had them bother me if I had my truck by the gate already. I'm sure some folks wouldn't be as polite. However, someone had driven in multiple times during the week in what looked like the same rig by the tracks.  After about 100 yards of the wind pummeling me and cutting through my layers, I said the heck with it and did the same.  I didn't see a deer.

I made it home safe on Friday evening and would turn around and head back if I had enough comp time or vacation time built up, and if my wife wouldn't kill me. . Maybe I'll get out locally and look for an elk since I've yet to do that with a rifle in hand.

[soiltester]

I'll bet ya' had a grand time with your boy as I'm sure they did also!!
Great pics and thanks for sharing and reminding me why I hate the cold n' snow

I'm stickin' to turkey huntin' and headed to Mexico in January and again in April
Hopefully it'll be nice and warm by Michigan time in May!!!

[Hobbes_mobile]

I'll bet ya' had a grand time with your boy as I'm sure they did also!!
Great pics and thanks for sharing and reminding me why I hate the cold n' snow

I'm stickin' to turkey huntin' and headed to Mexico in January and again in April
Hopefully it'll be nice and warm by Michigan time in May!!!

I wanted it to be cold. Maybe not -9 but single digits and teens are okay. I did not want the wind. The deer bury in those coulees when it's windy and the wind cuts through everything you wear. It's miserable.

[spider316]

Great story as always, thank you Sir !

[Hognutz]

Looks like you had a good time despite the cold weather, Shane. The cold can be manageable but the wind takes things to another level. It affects the animals and takes them out of their routine. The birds are certainly a bonus. Pheasant hunting is/was one of my favorite things. Having a good dog makes it so much fun.
Great pics, as always.

[Samm4770]

Great hunt

[soiltester]

I'll bet ya' had a grand time with your boy as I'm sure they did also!!
Great pics and thanks for sharing and reminding me why I hate the cold n' snow

I'm stickin' to turkey huntin' and headed to Mexico in January and again in April
Hopefully it'll be nice and warm by Michigan time in May!!!

I wanted it to be cold. Maybe not -9 but single digits and teens are okay. I did not want the wind. The deer bury in those coulees when it's windy and the wind cuts through everything you wear. It's miserable.

I foret's to say, in Michigan, I wanted it to be cold also and would go coyote huntin' with buddies from the county north and would hunt N/E of St. Helen quite a bit
Last time I went, it was -20 and only us 2 showed up No wind and lots & lots of snow and Phil had an extra set of snow shoes and in I went with the dogs with my hand held communication strapped around my neck.
I had my cooler w/no ice, with a few beers in the back of my pick-up, fer' the 2 hr. ride back home.
I came out 2 hrs later, after the dogs left me and I think they cheated and found travel areas like the coyotes did, where there was the least amount of snow.
Buddy Phil met me at my pick-up on the way out and snapped a pic, which I never saw, of my full beard covered in thick ice from breathin' and not frosty,, which I believe musta' been more than yer' picture, just sayin'

[Hoobilly]

Give your son a GN high 5!
Beautiful pictures as always

Hope you get on a mulie or a elk. Would love to see more in the snow grip n grins