Henry Mtns Archery!!!

LAST EDITED ON Jul-13-10 AT 01:28PM (MST) by Founder (admin)[p][p align=right]Thread Views Counter....[/p]

I have been meaning to post on here for some time. Finally gettin around to it.

I drew the Henry Mtns Archery Deer tag this year with 13 bonus points. My preparation for this hunt started a long time ago.

This is a picture of a picture (hence the wrong date....) of my mom and I in front of the Horn down on the Henrys in August of 1990. We hunted down there from the late 80's till they closed it in 1995.
[IMG]http://www.monstermuleys.info/photos/user_photos/1339henrys2.jpg

This is me shooting my lil recurve in camp on the Henrys in August 1991.


Then takin a break for watermelon. Again a picture of a picture.


When they reopened the area in 2000 as a Premium Limited Entry my dad, brother and I were there in August scouting to see what 5 years of management did. It was an amazing change. From being hard to find a buck, to seeing 180 - 200 inch bucks on almost every ridge.

I am headed down Friday July 16th - 19th for my first scouting trip this year. I will post some pics when I get them.



Mathews Z7
CX Maxima Hunter 350
Sure Loc Single pin
Grim Reaper Broadheads[/img]

I have been shooting at least a dozen arrows every day since April 1st. Whether its in my back yard or at a range or at work.
Yes I said work. One advantage to working at Sportsmans Warehouse in the archery department!

My friend Kyle Christofferson and I shooting at the new range Flippin Arrows at the point of the mountain in Lehi.





Practicing some steep down hill shots.


My dog Kimber watching over my bow while I went and got my arrows.


Running back up to make the shot makes you tired and makes you focus.


Focus......


SCORE!!!!










Mathews Z7
CX Maxima Hunter 350
Sure Loc Single pin
Grim Reaper Broadheads

Work out routine.

Since the first of April I have been shooting my bow everyday and every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday I have been running, riding my bike and shooting my bow.

I have a route that I follow. I ride my bike 2 miles come to the house and shoot 3 arrows.





Then I do 15 pushups.




Then I shoot 3 more arrows, do 15 pushups and then I do it all over again.

I end up running 4 miles, shooting 12 arrows and doing 60 pushups.


20 yard shot in the back yard after running and pushups.



Then its time for a protein shake and a shower then off to work!









Mathews Z7
CX Maxima Hunter 350
Sure Loc Single pin
Grim Reaper Broadheads

1st scouting trip......

WHERE DREAMS AND VISIONS BECOME REALITY!!!!


Just got back from a 4 day scouting trip to the Henry Mtns. It was a great trip.


Started things off where they began back in 1990 in front of the Horn.



I dun caught me a big ol horned toad!!


This dude was hanging out just above our camp.




This guy has great mass and length, too bad his tines are short.



We found this messed up dude bedded on the skyline.



This big boy is on my hit list!! Cant wait to see what he looks like each time I go down.




These next 9 days of work are going to suck!!

Headed back down Thursday July 29th - August 2nd.

I hope you all enjoy the pictures. Stay with me...its only gonna get better!!





Mathews Z7
CX Maxima Hunter 350
Sure Loc Single pin
Grim Reaper Broadheads

2nd scouting trip......

Well where do I begin. This was a very adventurous trip. We saw sun, rain, more rain, and then some more rain. Oh yeah then some fog. We ended up leaving a day early because of the weather. Didnt want to get stuck on the mountain. Any of you that have spent any time down there know what I am talking about. Slick roads, flash floads and washed out, nearly impassible roads.

Enough talking....Heres some pictures!!!


The buck on the left I named "Big Pig". He is the same buck in last picture of my last post!! Wow he has grown alot. He is number 3 on my list.


This is a buck we found last trip but couldnt get any pictures until this trip.


These two bucks are my 1 and 2. The buck on the right is a 5x5, the buck on the left that is tucked away is an 8x7.


This is Bruno. He is the buck I am going after. We watched him feed then bed down and we snuck in to 200 yards.




We had a great trip filled with alot of activity. We left a day early because of the rain. I am headed back down for my last scouting trip Thursday August 12th - 15th, then back down the following Thursday for the hunt.










Mathews Z7
CX Maxima Hunter 350
Sure Loc Single pin
Grim Reaper Broadheads

Video of "Bruno"

Hey everyone I finally got some video of "Bruno".
Hope you enjoy!!!






Mathews Z7
CX Maxima Hunter 350
Sure Loc Single pin
Grim Reaper Broadheads

Final Scouting Trip......

Well this was a quick trip but a very important one being the week before the hunt.

We got down there late Thursday night and came home late Saturday night.

Saw alot of great bucks, and I am SO excited for next week.
Definately not getting much sleep this week!!!

Had a nasty rock go through my tire...yeah thats enough to piss ya off!!!





Throwing my hat was my way of not saying a few choice words!


Here are a few pics of how bad the roads were washed out. Hope they get them cleaned up this week.





Not much of a road anymore.



How about some deer pics!!!
























Mathews Z7
CX Maxima Hunter 350
Sure Loc Single pin
Grim Reaper Broadheads

A few more deer.....

Picked out a few more pictures that I thought I would show everyone.

Leavin Thursday August 19th and coming home the 31st at the latest....hopefully it will be sooner than that!!!

Enjoy the pics and I will let everyone know when I kill one!















Mathews Z7
CX Maxima Hunter 350
Sure Loc Single pin
Grim Reaper Broadheads

Big Pig Down!!!!

As we rolled up the mountain late Thursday night the unmistakable sound of air hissing out of my tire put a little damper on the adventure. With me was 3 of my best friends Brody Floto, Codee Raymond and Kyle Stuart. For 2 of them it was their first time on the Henry Mtns and the other had his first trip the week before.

Early Friday morning found us looking for "Bruno" but with no sightings the last 2 weeks and 2 other hunters after him, I decided to go to my backup buck "Big Pig". Friday evening after my dad and brother arrived we found "Big Pig" in his usual place and decided I wanted to harvest him the next morning.


Here are a few pictures of him from each trip and you can see how much he grew.
















Those last 2 pictures were from the night before the hunt. We watched him for almost 3 hours until it got dark. i knew in the morning I would get my shot. As we arrived back at camp well after dark, I fired up the lights on the truck and did some last minute shooting out to 60 yards and was shooting great!! Even in low light conditions my confidence was high.

Morning found us the same place we were the night before. His buddies increased from 4 smaller bucks to 12 other bucks opening morning.

This is them on the skyline before I made my first stalk.


As I got to 60 yards behind a tree, one of the smaller bucks noticed me and they made their way over the hill. I knew they would want to come back down towards the cedars so we waited them out. They crossed the ridge lower than I thought, but with a quick jump in the back of my dads truck we were down the hill and in position once again.

I jumped out of the truck as they kept going and threw my boots off to make the final stalk. Once again at 60 yards I had no shot because of a smaller buck in front of "Big Pig" shielding him. They made their way through some oak brush so I scurried up ahead of them. When I got to a clearing I saw the majority of them out of range walking in some sage. Luckily for me "Big Pig" was still slowly feeding in the back of the group.

A smaller buck came out in front of him and I ranged him at 42 yards. I set my pin on my Sureloc and had an arrow nocked. "Big Pig" wasnt far behind. When he stepped out I ranged him just to make sure I would hit my mark. 42 yards, read my Nikon. As he stepped behind a samll bush I stood and drew back.

After that it was all auto pilot. All of the pushups, the miles of running and riding my bike, protein shakes and countless arrows shot in practice came down to this one moment. I settled my pin and let it fly. With the "thwack" of the arrow I knew I hit my mark. He took off running, but only in vain. As I watched him through my binos I could see my broadhead sticking out of a big hole in his right side. I knew he wouldnt go far.

My excitement couldnt contain its self any longer as I let out a yell " I got him, holy crap I got him!!!!"

A short tracking job and we found him under a tree and the hugs and high fives couldnt be tamed.


















This was definately the adventure of a lifetime.

First morning, First arrow, First buck with a bow!!!

He is a 4x5 that is 29 1/2" wide and rough scores just over 190".

To be able to watch a buck for so long and then harvest him opening morning with family and friends there to watch was an experience I will never forget.

A huge thanks to everyone who said I couldnt kill a monster buck on the Henry Mtns with a bow!! It was an even greater motivation.

A special thanks to Brody Floto, Kyle Stuart, Codee Raymond, Sean Morgan, and Shane Harris - my hunting friends for life.

A very special thanks to my dad. This hunt was for you. As I think about all the big bucks you missed on the Henry Mtns when it was a general unit because you were draggin me up the hill with a bloody nose or cold feet crying. You are a man I look up to and admire. To have you there to witness this meant the world to me.

And to my wife. You put up with alot. Words cant describe how much I love you and how grateful I am that you let me chase my dreams.

Thanks everyone for sharing this adventure with me!! Good luck to all.








Mathews Z7
CX Maxima Hunter 350
Sure Loc Single pin
Epek XC3 Broadheads

Big Pig Video.....

Well I thought I was done posting until my friend Codee Raymond told me he had a video he was doing. I hope you all enjoy it.





Mathews Z7
CX Maxima Hunter 350
Sure Loc Single pin
Epek XC3 Broadheads

Take him to the taxidermist......

Having him mounted by Kelly Memmott in Pleasant Grove. Been a good friend of the family for a long time and he does great work.

This was just after he caped him out. (phone picture..not the best.)


Got him injected...now just waiting for the cape to be tanned and put on the form and his velvet looks so freakin good.










The next ones will be of him completely done!! oh I cant wait!!



Mathews Z7
CX Maxima Hunter 350
Sure Loc Single pin
Epek XC3 Broadheads

My taxidermist just sent me these pictures of my deer. He got him done but I wont be able to pick him up for a few days so he emailed me these so I could post them up. Hope you enjoy.

Thanks for following my Henry Mtns Archery adventure!!!














Mathews Z7
CX Maxima Hunter 350
Sure Loc Single pin
Epek XC3 Broadheads