Big old 2x2 and a possible stupid question...

ram23 · Sep 10, 2009

I just completed my first muley hunt...solo and unguided and ended up passing up two bucks that (at the time) I thought were too small. (I will caveat here that the pack out was several miles, I have plenty of opportunities for whitetail deer meat for the freezer, and I have several nice whitetails on the wall already, so I was strictly hunting for a wall mounter muley). I ended up stalking up on two bucks that I glassed about 700 yards away on the next ridge. As I stalked, I could tell the buck following was higher and wider than the first, but never got a broadside view. I set up and the first buck came out of the trees right into my scope (150 yard). He was a 4x4 a little smaller than the ears (18 inches??)...I let him pass, waiting for the second. Second came out of the trees facing me and I knew he was tall and wide (maybe 3-5" wider than ears). I waited until he moved broadside and to my surprise, he was only a 2x2. A tall, wide 2x2. I ended up passing on the shot thinking he wasn't good enough for the wall.

Here are my questions. Is that large of a 2x2 common or was that some sort of anomaly? Most importantly, would you have shot either of those for your first muley buck?

Bloomgren · Sep 10, 2009

It does happen! Were you hunting where I was last week? I too saw a huge 2x2 that kinda fit the description you just gave! Crazy looking buck that was very tempting because he was something different!

Jared "J-Rod" Bloomgren

www.myspace.com/jaredbloomgren
http://www.camospace.com/Bloomgren

"Getting close to game undetected and maintaining self control while delivering a well placed shot are the true keys to bowhunting success." -M.R.James

257Tony · Sep 10, 2009

3"-5" wider per side that his ears? if so then thats a 26" or better buck, depending on the positioning of the ears when you saw him. Ears can be 20-24" depending. If it was a general unit that may be a shooter, I've always thought giant 2 pointers were pretty cool!

Paradox · Sep 10, 2009

On public land, any 4 point buck is a shooter! Especially for your 1st muley. After that you can trophy hunt!
Ed

walleye1121 · Sep 10, 2009

No they are not common but there always a few monster 2 points running around. There was a 4x 1 running around where we hunted this year and he was pushing 30" the spike side was as tall and wide as the 4 point side. He was surely a shooter because of what a rarity he was. You would need to decide about whether the two bucks were good enough for you. You passed for a reason. So, it doesn't really matter what anyone else would think.

Sometimes that close encounter you eventually decline on is a better memory than ending your hunt on a buck that was borderline for you.

out4elk · Sep 10, 2009

I shot a 2 point like this about 10 years back. It is 28" wide, my widest buck to date. I skinned the skull and hung if off the fence at my moms place for a few years. Now I have it on my entertainment center and have thought about restoring it and putting it on a plaque because it is a fairly unique buck. I didn't like it much at first but I really kind of like it now. Wish I hadn't of let it sun bleach as much.

?Life is like a ten speed bike. Most of us have gears we never use!?

sageadvice · Sep 10, 2009

I'd much rather kill a big ol mature Forky than some young 2-3 year old 4X4 with potential. To me, it's not even close. Now, mature, big racked forky's are not really that common. Lots of "nice" ones out there but "huge" ones with mass, frame, and age, are not dime a dozen. Maybe yours will be that next year.

I've taken some nice mature bucks but i've always said that the biggest buck, huge framed, high, heavy, and wide, buck i've ever had the chance to kill was a clean dark horned forky that would just blow your mind!

It did mine and sometimes at night in my dreams, it still does!

Joey

RACKMASTER · Sep 10, 2009

IN X-1 in CA I seen HEAVY, DARK FORKIE taken ...it had the biggest body I ever seen ..that was a few year ago up in 4 corners.

rackmaster

powellpounder · Sep 11, 2009

Any deer you are happy with is what you should shoot. I would have shot the two point and been happy.

hjbuys · Sep 11, 2009

Not huge, but a nice mature 2X2 I took last year in NM. Biggest one I had seen. I thought it was pretty unique. I have never been a big trophy hunter anyway, but I certainly wouldn't hesitate on a large 2X2 again.

NVPete · Sep 12, 2009

I know one like this is rare, I wonder how many hunters would pass on a buck like this because it was "just a two-point"??!!

NVPete · Sep 12, 2009

I was happy with this one, my biggest "forky"...had a weird twist to main beam that made him 23" outside spread.

.

sageadvice · Sep 12, 2009

NVPete, I seen this buck many times over several years. He didn't ever get better than the year pictured though and always a forky. I really don't know that this pic does the buck justice. He was no doubt over 200 lbs, by far the biggest deer i've seen in this area.

As big as the forky is, the one that haunts me was considerably bigger. Ruby mts, i'm gonna say 1983. His rack was probably 6-8" wider, just as high, longer main beams, and more boxy looking. PIG!!!

Joey