Book Cliffs (All it's Cracked up to be!)

M

muleyslayer1

Guest
Thanks to everyone that helped me and for all of the pics. I passed up 41 4x4 bucks in three days of hunting. I have a Bighorn sheep tag here in CO as well running the same taime as the Book Cliffs hunt. I wish I would not have drawn them the same year. I wanted to shoot a mature deer something a bit bigger than the average 20-24 inch wide 140 class 4x4's. The biggest buck I passed on was a 25" wide 155 inch 5x4 at about 12 yards. I did find a couple of HUGE 4x3's with stickers that I would have gladly arrowed. However the pressure of getting back to sheep hunting began to wear on me so I decided to harvest a managemnet buck. Rather than shoot a 3 year old four point I whacked this 3x3. I stalked him and four other bucks in thier beds on day three and whacked him with a perfect 60 yard shot.

The Book Cliffs of Utah are truly a deer haven. If I die and go to the Book Cliffs... that's fine with me. What an awesoem place.

Muley

Muley
 
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LAST EDITED ON Aug-25-08 AT 01:58PM (MST)[p]Cool! Good luck with the sheep. You look familar. Have you been in Eastman's?
 
Nice shot and a quality way to use your tag. Too much of a good thing can be frustrating sometimes but at least its a wonderful problem to have! Thank you for letting those young bucks grow up and strengthening the gene pool - glad you had a great time. Good luck on the sheep hunt.
 
Thank NW,

If a guys not killed a few good 4x4's with their bow... WOW what a great place to start.

However over the past 20+ years of bowhunting I have accumilated a barn full of 3 year old 4x4's. Their is a chronic gene issue on the Book Cliffs. For every four pointer I saw, I saw two to three 3x's. If they (Utah DOW)would start a management hunt 3 points only or 3x? and limit their regular tags that place would explode in about three years. It would be the most sought after tag on the planet. Could you imagine puttinbg around in your truck looking at 180+ inch bucks everyday!!!!?


Marc
 
Marc,

Congrats on a good buck and for helping the gene pool. Your shot placement is perfect, but I would expect that from a guy shooting a Hoyt :)

I couldn't agree more with you on the gene issue out on the Book Cliffs. There are so many stinkin' deer out there, but many of them are 3x4's or 3x3's. The buck my Dad shot was one of only a handful of pure 4x4's we saw with any size during the hunt.

I watched for you the whole time we were out there, but never saw your rig. It would have been cool to meet you in person, but we will have to shoot for another time. Where did you end up hunting? PM me if you want to.

Congrats again on your buck and best of luck on your sheep hunt-send some pics when you put a ram down.

Cory
 
Looks and sounds like you had a good hunt. Thanks for sharing the picture. You can't say there aren't lots of bucks out there, but finding something wider than 26" that scores 170+ is really tough to do. There are a few out there, but it is a very hard hunt for those bigger bucks.

You can hunt a unit like the AZ strip where you might only see a handful of bucks your entire hunt, but the unit has an unreal top end. Or, you can hunt a unit like the Book Cliffs where you will see dozens of bucks every day, but the top end just doesn't compare to a place like the strip. I am sure that both are a fun hunt in their own unique ways.

Congrats on a successful hunt.

Dax
 
Cory,

Man... Congrats to your family on your great bucks... good work!

I camped at Moccassin Trail. I hunted most of McCook, I killed on Tom Patterson. I looked for you guys but I think you were probably a little lower. I hope to meet you guys too. You know how it is... you get in hunting mode and the social element goes out the window.

Again congrats and thanks.

Marc
 
Marc,

I was wondering how your hunt was going. Congrats on your buck and a great hunt.

Good luck in Colorado!!!
 
LAST EDITED ON Aug-25-08 AT 08:30PM (MST)[p]Good job Marc! Now go take care of business CO! And while you're at it, keep tabs on the bulls. I'm itching to put a slug in a big ole herd bull! Good luck on the sheep hunt.

Don P.
 
Congrats on a good buck and good luck on your other hunts


THE LORD IS MY ROCK
COLORADO,USA
NRA LIFE MEMBER
HUNTING PASS IT ON
 
it truly is all it is cracked up to be.

when going in with a clear head about the deer you will expect you will not be disappointed.

if you go in thinking every other deer will be a 180 buck you will be very disappointed.

i would be opposed to doing ANYTHING different with the management of the bookcliffs deer herds.

to see 100 bucks a day from a road is unfreaking believable.
ya there are alot of 3x4's but there are alot of 4x4's too.

i have hunted mule deer for about 20 years, and this was the funnest hunt, experience of my life. the whole thing, the trip, the camping, the habitat, scenery, and of course the deer.
the buck to doe ratio is close to perfect, the elk look good, and there are bears you can see from the road.

part of the excitement was watching my wife shoot her 1st archery buck. that was AWESOME!

and like you said " if i die and go to the book cliffs, that would be fine with me"

i could not agree more.

congrats and good luck on the sheep.

I live life one mule deer at a time.
 
Nice buck and story, good luck with the sheep.

Keep the Sun at Your Back and the Wind in Your Face
 
LAST EDITED ON Aug-26-08 AT 07:06AM (MST)[p]Marc, thanks for stopping in and posting up the pics. Great to hear of your experience here in Utah. We've been reading your Colorado stories for years.

Keep us posted on the sheep hunt!
 
Hey Henry!

I drew S12. Today is the last day of season. I am heading out of the office at 11:00. Two hour drive and a two hour climb and I should be glassing sheep by 3:30 or so. I have been on two big rams 5 different times, all I need is a little bit of luck. I have been soooooooooo close it hurts. Wish me luck fellers!

Marc
 
No dice!

Cowardly little devils were hiding out. Never saw them, I stayed on the mountain til dark looking for them. It was a long walk out, but I felt good about what I had learned over the past 26 days and I knew I had given it all I had. The sheep learning curve is behind me now, if I get the tag again I'll be ready for them.

Thanks,

Muley
 

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