Ok...here's the story. Last week went up to the books on Monday and stayed till Sat. Morning. Saw a ton of 18-22" deer and a ton of does. The deer were without question on the move. You'd see a line of +6 deer in a line heading north. Saw probably 3 deer that first week that were +28", but had no height to their racks at all, so I passed on them. Lots of big 2 points and 3 points. Typical 4 points like I shot with any size are not as common. I was hunting up top not too far from the towers. Met BigPig and his brother while up the first week. Good guys for sure.
Headed back out Tues morning to hunt Tues night through the close of the season on Thurs night. Hit a different area then the first week...Yes BP...near the area we talked about. Saw some deer Tues and Wed but nothing to pull the trigger on.
Thurs morning we headed out and decided to cover as much ground as possible, spotting as we go. Spotted a "shooter" buck a longs ways off on in another canyon.
Wind was blowing hard from the south and the buck was to our north. We had to go way south down into a draw and work our way up over the ridge that the buck was on to loop east and north of him to get up wind and to cut them off. We made the big counter clockwise loop and setup to cut the deer off. We hadn't sat down for 5 mins just off the top of the ridge, when three does came through. I was afraid I had missed the buck. Just then we see a another group of deer in the brush only 80yrs away. It ended up being 4 bucks. Two small and two nice. The deer were on a path that would put them under 60yrds in front of us. We did not spot these deer prior to setting up, we only knew of one decent buck that was with three does. The first deer through was a big 4x3. I almost took a shot, but knew the deer I had spotted was a 4x4. Next deer through was a small 3x3...third deer...BAM. As soon as I saw him step out I pulled the trigger. He was quartering downhill a bit the shot hit him higher in the shoulder and went in towared his spine/neck. He was dead in mid air.
Over all I'm happy with the hunt. Spent almost the whole hunt looking for something to shoot and finally found him on the last morning. It was cool that the hunt was a textbook stalk that actually worked out and I didn't shoot him from the road as I imagine most of the bucks are up there (at least a few of the ones I saw while on the hunt where). I was a little surprised not to see more deer with some size to them. Its a really fun hunt with lots of deer, but as earlier said...don't expect a lot of really big deer.
Just dropped the cape off at Paul Pennies to get mounted up. Should look good!
I haven't put a tape to him but he's right around 26" and probably 165-170 range...not that it really matters to me. It's the biggest mulie I have taken so far.
Thanks!!
