Colorado Deer

I'll start out by saying this hunt was number one on my list. With all the good reports I had herd about previous hunts I had a very high expectation of this hunt. Heck it took me 9 years to draw it so I thought this would be the chance to take a real smoker.

I made the 11 hour trip on Thursday, 2 days before the season to do a little scouting. The first night was very uneventful as I had only found 5 does. I woke up the next morning and glassed some of the mesa's with the same amount of luck. I did see a very young buck with great potential. He was a main frame 18" buck with matching 1" kickers on his G2's. That evening I decided to hunt high and try to find the 100's of deer I was suppose to be seeing. I found a great glassing place over looking oak and quakies. For 3 hours I glassed and found a grand total of 18 elk and no deer. Decision time.... Where to start on opening day.

I decide to stay high and I hiked into a secluded canyon to glass in the morning. That morning only elk were spotted and not one deer. I headed for the truck and drove down to the middle country to still hunt the junipers in hopes of finding some fresh sign. Not one deer or sign for that matter was seen. I did find a couple of sheds.

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Some of the country I was hiking through.
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That evening found me in the lower country glassing for bucks. I did spot more deer and a few younger bucks but still nothing to get excited about.
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This was the trend for the next 5 days. The weather was hot and dry and no mature bucks were spotted. Finally on day 6 I spotted my first mature deer. He was a tall 4 point that would score in the 150's. Funny thing is he was 20 yards off the road staring at me as I was heading up to a spot to glass. With 2 full days left I decided to pass. That evening the weather changed and it snowed 1.5" up on top. The reports I had heard is if any weather comes the deer move down to the mesa's. I decided to hunt low and found more deer but only does and young bucks. I did see one 3x4 that had the horn configuration of a whitetail. All points coming off his main beam. He was the first buck that showed sign of the up coming rut.
 
That evening I decided to head high again. I went to a spot that I could glass for miles. Not 15 minutes into my glassing session I spotted a nice 4 point by far the best of the trip. He was in a nasty hole and would be hard to get to without being seen. I had nothing to lose and dropped in after him. I made it to 400 yards of his hiding hole and waited him out. He was in the quakies and oaks and I could only see bits and pieces of him as he would walk through the mess. It never happened that night and I left dissappointed. I did glass up 10 does not far from the buck so I was hoping he would be with them in the morning.

Morning found me in the same spot glassing high above his hiding hole. I had found the same deer from the previous night but the buck wasn't with them. So much for the cool weather to start the rut and the migration, I kept glassing and found the buck not 50 yards from where I had left him the night before. He was in the oaks and I had to sneak down a different area from the night before. I was on a very steep canyon top and had to sneak down a crack to make it down towards him. This picture doesn't do the steepness justice as it was very touch and go. At one point I had to jump off a 6 foot cliff and slide down the mountain. I made it but it took me 1.5 hours to get within 425 yards of his last location.
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I started glassing and could find no sign of any deer. The last I had seen him was 2.5 hours ago and he was hanging with one doe. Another hour had gone by and I was absolutley freezing. I started my stalk when it was 5 degrees and now sitting for 2 hours had made me shake uncontrollably. I had to move and decided to head higher up my side of the mountain to get a better look into his livingroom. With a little warmth now in my body I sat to glass again. Not finding anything with my bino's I switched to the spotter and started picking the area apart. Bingo I found an ear. For 10 minutes I watched the deer feed and finally could tell it was a doe. Thinking ok this is the doe that my buck was with just keep looking. Bingo there he is. Nope another doe. WTF. I had now spotted a group of 4 does.

I watched the herd feed through the thick brush in hopes the buck would show himself. I had just about decided to head out and look over more country as I only had 1 full day left and didn't want to waste another evening in the hole when... I spotted movement about 100 yards above the does. I could see a tree was getting destroyed. I watched intently as I could see the buck moving through the brush. I watched for an hour as the buck would feed and rub his horns. I had no shots and could only see him through the spotter. He was heading to a more open area and I readied for an opportunity if it presented itself.

It was the most nerve racking situation I had ever been in. He would present a shot then be gone. That lasted for what seemed like an eternity. Coupled with the cold setting in again and my nerves on pins and needles I started to shake again. I tried my best to keep calm and waited for the next opportunity that was coming fast. I put the spotter down and pulled up the rifle. I followed the buck as he walked through small openings. I swung in front of a foot wide opening and when he entered it I took the shot. The bullet travelled the 425 yards fast and I heard the distinct whack of a hit. The buck ran but stopped 50 yards from where I had shot. I could tell right away it was less then an ideal shot and watched as the buck bed down. I worked my way through the brush trying to find an opening and finally did 350 yards away through a small opening in the quakies. Found a rest and touched one off. Nothing.... He laid there unaware of anything. WTF??? I steadied again and boom...Whack. He laid motionless. My ordeal had ended and I was ready to lay my hands on my Colorado buck.

I made it over to my buck and happened to look up and see what happened to my second shot. I was to the left more and the buck to the right. My opening was about 6" wide and right smack in the middle of the quakie was where I hit.
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Here is my Colorado buck.
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In 8 days of hunting I saw a grand total of 18 bucks with 4 of them being 4 points or better. To say the hunting was slow would be an understatement. I hunted hard every day and never took a break. Each afternoon was spent walking all the mesa's looking for fresh sign and new areas. For what ever reason the deer just didn't seem to be there. For my 9 year wait I was a little dissappointed but still happy with the outcome. He isn't the 200" buck I had hoped for but by far the best buck I had found on that trip.

I had also talked with the local Fish and game officer on day 6 and he couldn't believe how tough the hunt was. He had only checked 2 deer so far one 2 point and one 3 point that had only one horn.
 
Congrats on another great animal. Thanks for sharing all of your hunts with us. Looks like you almost cut that tree in half. What caliber of rifle?

CS

"Helping turn good tags, into great ones." - www.vipoptics.com
 
Congratulations on a great buck. Persistance pays off, you proved that. Makes for a better story than shooting it out the window of the truck on the first morning of the hunt anyway, right?

Nice job.
 
NICE BUCK BUGLER!!!

THERES ALOT OF PEOPLE IN COLORADO WISHING THEY HAD A BUCK HALF THAT BIG!!!

WHERE'S YOUR BUDDY Moosie???

THIS IS MY NEW GUN,YOU MAY NOT LIKE IT,YOU'LL LIKE IT A HELL OF A LOT LESS WHEN IT HITS ITS DESTINATION!!!
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THE ONLY bobcat THAT KNOWS ALOT OF YOU HAVE HAD THIS IMAGE IN YOUR PEA BRAIN BUT DUE TO POOR SHOOTING TACTICS I'M STILL KICKIN!!!
 
VERY NICE BUCK, YOUR YEAR JUST KEEPS GETTING BETTER !!! CONGRATS......YD. (I'M OFF TO THE KIABAB IN A WEEK, ITS A TOAD BUCK OR TAG SOUP FOR ME).
 
Awesome buck. Way to stick it out. It will be hard to top the year you are having. Congrats
 
That is a beautiful buck. Way to hang in there. I can't believe you jumped a 6 foot cliff.
 
Great Buck!! I am building my CO points as well, hopefully I as good luck as you had. I admire how you set the camera up in a tripod for pictures. Not enough people take the time to take good pictures, its always hurry and field dress or cape, and never "lets get the piture right". Congrats on the buck , and thanks for sharing... your lope was not too bad either. .Great season!

Rodzilla_v
 
HEY HornyMan!!!

I DIDN'T LOWER CASE Moosie AT ALL!!!

THAT IS HOW HE SPELLS HIS NAME!!!

I LIKE THE HELL OUTA Moosie!!!

I DON'T KNOWS IF HE'LL TALK TO ME ANYMORE SINCE HE WAS WASHED IN THE BLOOD,OOPS,I MEAN WATER???

MAN,THAT MUSTA DAMN NEAR DROWNED HIM???

NO SREIOUSLY,Moosie MAKES A GOOD PACK-ASS AND I WAS WONDERING WHY Bugler WASN'T LOADING Moosie UP WITH DEER MEAT IN COLORADO THIS YEAR???

THIS IS MY NEW GUN,YOU MAY NOT LIKE IT,YOU'LL LIKE IT A HELL OF A LOT LESS WHEN IT HITS ITS DESTINATION!!!
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THE ONLY bobcat THAT KNOWS ALOT OF YOU HAVE HAD THIS IMAGE IN YOUR PEA BRAIN BUT DUE TO POOR SHOOTING TACTICS I'M STILL KICKIN!!!
 
Sweet buck Bugler!
As has been said, you are really making it happen this year!
Congrats!
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"Yeah, I'll shoot him"
 
Congrats on the nice buck and I loved reading your story!!! Looks like hard work pays off.
 
Excellent IB, you deserved it. I for one am learning a big lesson from you on patience. If I had half of yours I think some of my hunts would have turned out differently.

Congrats,

Doug
 
I wouldnt hold out for a 200" deer that 'may' be out there somewhere if I saw that one!
Congrats. Awesome buck!
Jeff
 
Bugler,
Thats a great Buck, congrats and thanks for sharing your hunt ......


OMB


There's room for all of God's creatures, right next to the mashed taters and gravy.
 
That is a gorgeous, mature mule deer buck and some great photos! Congrats and thanks for the nice story.

You should be proud!

"Hunt hard or go home!"
 

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