W
WIducks_deer
Guest
BETTER LATE THAN NEVER.
This is a region F buck, on a first time DIY hunt on public land.
My partner and I started out hunting the mountains, but after 3 days of hunting we didn't see a single buck. On the 4th day of the hunt we decided to go down to the low land and hunt the sage. We set up on a hill overlooking a sage filled river bottom. As soon as we were settled on the hill we began to glass. Immediately we began to see deer (boy do they blend in). In about 2 hours we counted 24 does, and 1 fork buck. As the light faded I saw this guy below us feeding in the river bottom 218 yards away. I decided to take the shot. After I recovered from the recoil the buck was gone. By the time we got down to where the buck was, the sun dropped below the horizon. After searching for an hour we only found 1 speck of blood. Sage, grass, sand and willows make it hard finding blood. I decided to come back the next day and search for the deer with natural light.
The following morning I found exactly where the buck was standing when I shot. There was blood everywhere. After an easy 40 yard track I had my hands on my first ever mule deer. Not a monster, but an unforgettable trophy to me.
Next year I will try drawing a tag instead of buying OTC. I'm hoping to get into an area with better deer numbers. Thank You for all the help you guys gave me. The tips and pointers helped me bag this deer.
-Steve-
This is a region F buck, on a first time DIY hunt on public land.
My partner and I started out hunting the mountains, but after 3 days of hunting we didn't see a single buck. On the 4th day of the hunt we decided to go down to the low land and hunt the sage. We set up on a hill overlooking a sage filled river bottom. As soon as we were settled on the hill we began to glass. Immediately we began to see deer (boy do they blend in). In about 2 hours we counted 24 does, and 1 fork buck. As the light faded I saw this guy below us feeding in the river bottom 218 yards away. I decided to take the shot. After I recovered from the recoil the buck was gone. By the time we got down to where the buck was, the sun dropped below the horizon. After searching for an hour we only found 1 speck of blood. Sage, grass, sand and willows make it hard finding blood. I decided to come back the next day and search for the deer with natural light.
The following morning I found exactly where the buck was standing when I shot. There was blood everywhere. After an easy 40 yard track I had my hands on my first ever mule deer. Not a monster, but an unforgettable trophy to me.
Next year I will try drawing a tag instead of buying OTC. I'm hoping to get into an area with better deer numbers. Thank You for all the help you guys gave me. The tips and pointers helped me bag this deer.
-Steve-
