2023 Mule Deer

DeerMadness · Jul 19, 2023

Thirteen years after I drew a tag for late buck hunt I drew again. June 29th was the day the draws came out. When I logged on it showed no elk, no pronghorn but as I scrolled down there was the Muley Late Hunt saying selected. I know winter and numbers are down but I scored on a slightly over 30" buck when I drew the same tag in 2010.
I will be 65 yo at the last few days of this hunt in November.
Weighing about 240 I know I'm in trouble if I don't get fit. I've started walking for an hour several days a week and climbing stairs. Down 15 lbs in 16 days. I am starting to stall on weight loss so will have to add a few calories to boost the metabolism again. My goal is sub 200 by October.
Today was my first hike. Up the Menan Butte only 1200' elevation gain on the first section but a grade of 39%.
I need some more time to lose weight and get the furnace stoked before I go scout. This mornings hike is just a hike and not my unit.

DeerMadness · Jul 31, 2023

Still haven't scouted yet. I'm busy losing weight and climbing stairs or walking. Yesterday I climbed 68 flights of stairs. Not the Stairmaster just stairs at the job. Going with the Mrs this week to some lakes on the ATVs, and taking the RV. It is 9400 at the top so I will hike some areas to acclimate then I will be ready to scout next week .
I am down 23 lbs. I stalled for almost 10 days so I ate a little more to get a metabolism boost.
Eating a Sbut nickers bar once a week while dieting used to work for me, but I don't want sugar this time.
I get tired in the heat we have had so when I get outside in it it wears me out. I hope next week is cooler when I head up to look around. I have some decent Binos the are Nikon Premier tgat were 1600 when they came out but I bought them for 900. I know some Swaros would be nice. I guess you spend lots and then you are set , however, I didn't do that. Long-distance requires a good scope and I'm working on that. I have a friend whobis going to let me use his rangefinder.
Next week after scouting I will start on target practice. I have a Kimber Montana .270 I have had great luck with. It doesn't shoot out over 500 yards nor would I try but get me to within 500 and with a good rest I should be kicking a bucks body down.
I hope you all are excited and getting ready for a try on a tough year after winter kills have thinned down the herd. Leave the 3 points and forkies alone this year as we need to get numbers back somehow. The F&G I talked to said next gear will be worse.

DeerMadness · Jul 31, 2023

Update- went to the gym today and did Cardio and weights . My HR was good even after 45 minutes if treadmill. It equaled 5 years ago when I was 59 . That may not be fantastic but I'm glad it wasn't hitting the limit at my present age. It is conservative I am sure so it would really bother me to have the machine slowing speed and cutting back on the incline setting because if exceeded HR.
It felt good to lift some light weights but they were lighter than expected to feel ok. No hurries there or I might get an injury . I think older guys feel like they have to lift heavier weight than they should thinking they are still a tough guy. I'm past that and just want to have good lungs and strong core and leg strength. I should have prepared early as the general hunt would be tougher being a 14 day window and no shot at the rut season.
I just didn't get in gear nor have I really tried in quite a few years. I will test a little of my metal this week and hopefully next week scouting.

DeerMadness · Aug 12, 2023

A 3.8 Mile hike this morning. Some 36% grade and some scrambling. Getting in better shape. 1.5 hours.

DeerMadness · Aug 16, 2023

218 back up a lb. It's OK, going hiking again. Another hike to 2 lakes in two weeks. I will be ready by opener and November I will be cutting track in the migration route .

DeerMadness · Aug 22, 2023

Another week has ticked by. Still excited for the hunt even if the numbers are low or I get nothing in my sights. Went with the wife to Stanley last weekend but couldn't prod her into a hike. We did walk alot though.
Came home and did 200 floors on the Stairmaster yesterday- the most I have done in nearly 14 years. It wiped me out all day. Watched my calories but not as close as I should.
Back to the gym today for upper body workout and some incline on treadmill along with some jogging. The upper body workout is improving.
I had plans to scout by now but haven't felt I am to the level I need to get up at 9000' with the seriously steep country. It is going to be a suffer fest for me when I do .
I have a 10 mile and 4 mile backpacking trip over Labor day weekend planned though. Both are over 9000' and the long one is about is 10500' at the summit after a summit push . That will have me ready for sure as both trips are on the same 3 day trip.
The Kimber .270 is great on the target so a couple more practice sessions on target will more than suffice. I'm going to shoot a couple 100 round boxes through the Ruger 10/22 also for some good breathing and trigger pull practice.
I wish my best luck to the others here as always. It will be a challenging year for so many.

DeerMadness · Aug 30, 2023

The hot weekend was a deterrent to scouting last weekend. Still need a little more cardio and elevation acclimation so I'm heading out fir 2 days this weekend with an 8 mile RT hike TO 10,000 ' and the next day an 4 mile RT hike to 9800'. No more worries after that. I am 15 lbs from my goal of 195 lbs from start of 245 . I WILL share pics if I dare next week also.

DeerMadness · Sep 7, 2023

Went to 10,150' to hike and fish. Only 2,000' ele gain and 7.8 Miles RT. I caught 5 fish no big ones. Came home a day early as my Uncle got hypothermic after getting sweaty on the hike up. It was 36° and windy and he got cold really fast. I shared my rain jacket, rain pants and light down jacket and he was still shivering so left the lake early.
His feet were killing him so and we returned home a day early . I enjoyed reminiscing about my Dad and the adventures they had in the old days.
We got home last night. I went on a brisk one hour walk with my wife this morning and I will climb stairs during my breaks tonite at work.
Here are a couple pics of our trip.

DeerMadness · Oct 9, 2023

All I can say at this point is the events leading up to my wonderful Mom struggling in her last days , her passing leaving me with much work to get a funeral organized and all the other stuff has taken precedence as it should have. I haven't been able to accomplish the steps to prepare for this adventure. I will be able to hunt in November and maybe I will share my luck in finding a trophy or share the adventure I will have even if I end up not having success. Hunting is always an adventure just being able to enjoy the outdoors and for the physical aspect we get .
Enjoy the threads of others. I am happy to see theirs.
I'm doing well and staying busy.

DeerMadness · Oct 25, 2023

Had my Mom's Funeral Sunday. Was the only one planning and coordinating it. Last two days cleaning her place and the storage unit out. Just haven’t had any time from 1st of September. Helped wife with her farm ( Garden) lol has taken huge amounts of time. Not many Deer this year, so it wasn't a good year to draw, but I will make the best of it.
I just cleaned and oiled the Kimber Montana .270 today. Winterized my trailer. Need to go through and get all my gear, clothes etc after work this week. Going to target practice Monday and make sure gun is still ready.
Next Monday and Tuesday will get out and start hunting. My real hunting starts Nov 6. I will have 17 days total to hunt in Nov .
Snow is coming this week. I hope whatever is out there won't migrate too early.
I plan on taking my RV to stay in even though home is comfy. Travel and fuel would get very spendy.
On the positive side I have been weight training and Cardio. Was able to hit 211 floors onnthe StairMaster Monday. 81 minutes and didn't have to go home and die on the couch. I went down 36 lbs then back up 5 lbs. Weight 210 lbs now. I planned all along to be less than 200 but I'm glad I didn't lose too much Muscle . I think the weight training and Protein drinks were better than excessive diet.
I wish I hadn't started this adventure thread because I've been busy and didn't come through on scouting. Best laid plans, haha !

DeerMadness · Oct 31, 2023

Going out for my 1st day in the morning. After this week I will be out almost constantly. Finally, I feel pretty excited.

DeerMadness · Nov 1, 2023

Went out early before light. Saw 7 Does and these 2 Bull Elk. No Bucks following yet..

DeerMadness · Nov 6, 2023

Wednesday I will be back out for 2 days hoping the action starts heating up with the bucks . Next week I will have 6 days to hunt. Silence is good , but maybe after 5 days I will miss the wife.
I climbed 211 floors on the Stairmaster in 66 minutes today. That's 15 minutes quicker than the 211 in 81 minutes on the StairMaster 11 days ago.

DeerMadness · Nov 9, 2023

Yesterday was not as cold as I thought it would be. Made it out and scouted around glassing asome areas I've seen Deer before. I watched a nice 5x5 Bull , and then saw close to 40 Elk in another area. No Deer yesterday.

DeerMadness · Nov 16, 2023

I'm not hearing anything positive about my Unit. Most people haven't even seen anything. I packed the trailer and am prepared. Striking out Monday for 10 days of hunting. I hope I can find them . I have phone service at the place I'm camping so will share pics or a prize if I can get one. I hope ya'all have a great weekend.

DeerMadness · Nov 20, 2023

One big 3pt today but no other bucks. 1 doe following that buck. 9 does in a group of 6, and a group of 3 that I watched later on before dark, but no Bucks with those. Got back to camp and my 2018 Forest River Trailer that I pulled up here isn't giving any 110V power. All I have is batteries that are charging from the 30 amp service, but no AC current.

DeerMadness · Nov 22, 2023

Up at 430 am. Yesterday was a cold and pretty day. The sun was bright though so the snow melted up a ways on the mountain. I saw 7 Bulls and some does . The Bucks aren't staying with them . I think the rut is very late. Saw one buck yesterday, and he wasn't anything special.
Very different year for game numbers. What a bad year to draw a tag in.
I put several miles in yesterday. It was a little muddy yesterday and I'm glad I didn't slip and fall in it. Seeing a few hunters - ran into 6. Only heard of one deer talked but I have heard a few shots.
Well, time to get ready and get on it.

DeerMadness · Nov 25, 2023

Will share more tomorrow night. Gun was off, missed a nice one. Came home to get shooting sled and it was right 6" and up 6". It took 14 rounds and now I am shooting a 1.25" group at 100 yards. A Kimber Montana .270 isn't as accurate as many guns, but the very light weight never bothers me even on the same shoulder all day. It won't miss when I'm confident and my confidence was lost until I sighted it in again. I won't say anything to her, but I worked for 2 months before the hunt fixing all the honey do's and the garden. My wife appreciated it very much though. Not many animals to shoot this year so I may be lucky to find a 28 to 30" buck . There are some fawns alive though as I have seen them. A few forkies also.
Time to go back up tonight and get organized for the last 5 days. Murphys Law has been kicking my butt this year but I'm not done. All the conditioning has really helped except for not scouting . I will try to get a few pictures in the next days and hopefully a keeper.

DeerMadness · Nov 26, 2023

No monster but he has some mass, a big body and a weird left fork. Just havent seen big ones and plenty of guys who have tagged out. There are very few Deer this year . 10: 00 am.

DeerMadness · Nov 26, 2023

Picture doesn't show the body size. My Uncle couldn't get his end off the ground. But he is only 20' wide. Oh well, I had fun.

DeerMadness · Nov 29, 2023

I didn't stay patient until the last few days but it didn't look promising to get a big Deer. At least I had fun and got a 4x4 anyhow. I remember I promised to show my weight loss. I made it to 208 lbs. I will see if I can hit sub 200 or around 205 by Christmas. I like not being thin as a rail so the weights and protein are a big part along with Cardio training.
Well here is fatboy vs now.