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Founder Since 1999
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I first saw this buck on December 22nd. He had me excited, because he's a darn big buck. Not many like this one running around. I was hopeful that he'd remain in the same area, but I expected lots of competition when it came to finding his antlers, as he was within sight of a road.
I only made one more trip looking for him during the winter and didn't see him, so I was unsure what to think on whether he was still in that area when he dropped or not, but my gut and experience told me that he wintered right there close.
On day 1 of the antler hunt, we began our searching in the general area, but it wasn't until 10:00am that we decided to go right to the exact spot where I saw the buck. Surprise!!!! Right there, within 100 yards of where I caught the photo of him bedded below, was the first antler. We were all so excited.
No one else was even in the area that morning, surprisingly, but just as we found that antler, I spotted dudes driving the road, and glassing. Soon they parked and began looking up a canyon about a 1/2 mile off.
I told Penny and Anden that the other side had to be really close, so we began searching hard. All day we spent looking, gradually expanding the search area. No luck.
Day 2 we went back to the same area and kept after it, still no luck.
I was thinking "maybe" he had moved more than I thought he might have.
We came home on day 2 because the wife had to work the next day and Anden had to go to school, but I went back up on day 4 and got back after it. I began in the same area, triple checking much area, then worked out again. After 10 miles of hiking I stood on a ridge about a mile from where that buck was in December and where we found that first antler and all I could tell myself was that the antler had to be real close to where the other one was. It just had to be!
Of course I wondered if maybe someone had picked it up illegally earlier, but my gut was saying no.
So back down there I went and began searching an open ridge that I had thought I looked over very well. And then I got lucky, only 100 yards from where I saw the buck in December, that antler was tucked up under a bush. WOW, what a moment. I was so excited, hooting and hollering.
Brian Latturner
MonsterMuleys.com
LIKE MonsterMuleys.com
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I only made one more trip looking for him during the winter and didn't see him, so I was unsure what to think on whether he was still in that area when he dropped or not, but my gut and experience told me that he wintered right there close.
On day 1 of the antler hunt, we began our searching in the general area, but it wasn't until 10:00am that we decided to go right to the exact spot where I saw the buck. Surprise!!!! Right there, within 100 yards of where I caught the photo of him bedded below, was the first antler. We were all so excited.
No one else was even in the area that morning, surprisingly, but just as we found that antler, I spotted dudes driving the road, and glassing. Soon they parked and began looking up a canyon about a 1/2 mile off.
I told Penny and Anden that the other side had to be really close, so we began searching hard. All day we spent looking, gradually expanding the search area. No luck.
Day 2 we went back to the same area and kept after it, still no luck.
I was thinking "maybe" he had moved more than I thought he might have.
We came home on day 2 because the wife had to work the next day and Anden had to go to school, but I went back up on day 4 and got back after it. I began in the same area, triple checking much area, then worked out again. After 10 miles of hiking I stood on a ridge about a mile from where that buck was in December and where we found that first antler and all I could tell myself was that the antler had to be real close to where the other one was. It just had to be!
Of course I wondered if maybe someone had picked it up illegally earlier, but my gut was saying no.
So back down there I went and began searching an open ridge that I had thought I looked over very well. And then I got lucky, only 100 yards from where I saw the buck in December, that antler was tucked up under a bush. WOW, what a moment. I was so excited, hooting and hollering.
Brian Latturner
MonsterMuleys.com
LIKE MonsterMuleys.com
on Facebook!
