2019 Mule Deer Semi-Live Rut Hunt

[Fatcamp]

Somebody's priorities are way out of whack.

Just kidding, OP. Hope the pack out goes well.

 

[3pointer]

O man , I hope he got him !!!

 

[mtnwrunner]

That's the bad part about semi live hunts......we want results like now.
Come on man!!

Randy

 

[hobbes]

Packing meat!

No signal in hole where I shot him.

 

[hobbes]

 

[hobbes]

I'm at truck warming. He's packed out of hole, but I've got to head back a mile with sled. The wind and cold is freaking brutal running this ridge top back.

 

[Michael54]

I don't know if i love or hate these live hunts lol. The suspense irritates me because we are at the complete mercy of the op lol. Congrats on your muley. Can't wait to see more pics

 

[hobbes]

I can tell more story later but here's a photo (I took a lot) and will add more. He's not as big as I first thought because he's not as wide as my first impression. That whole walking straight away thing. I'm really happy with him. He's my best muley.

 

[hobbes]

I'm heading back for meat and horns.

 

[Shrek]

Congratulations !

 

[3pointer]

That’s a Beautiful deer , well done my friend ,

 

[mtnwrunner]

Dude! Way to get it done.

Randy

 

[realunlucky]

Awesome enjoyed following along

Sent from my moto z3 using Tapatalk

 

[bbrown]

Congrats man! Thanks for taking us along

 

[ZuluSierra]

Man... Just read that from start to finish, thanks for taking us along for the ride!

Congrats on a beautiful buck!

 

[hobbes]

So this is what I tried to post this morning but signal was too weak. My timeline may be a little off since I'm posting after the fact:

(May not be much fun now that the ending and photos are already up.)

8:00 AM
Colder than a well digger's….. this morning. Dog is at kennel so nothing to interfere. However, the company was nice. While she can be somewhat of a princess, there are no clashing personalities like can be found in a hunting buddy.

Frosty fog has blown in so can't see far. One of those cold fogs that coats the trees with what looks like snow, if there were trees. Sun appears to be trying to burn through.

I've seen a lone doe bedded in one spot and a lone buck that is not my shooter but close to same area. I don't really think that either are alone. I just can't see the others that are surely there.

Going to have to let this clear out or I'll just be stumbling around blind.

8:30 AM
The fog isn't clearing. Rather than waist the whole morning, I'm driving 20 miles to where I hunted last year to see if I can actually glass.

9:30 AM
There are definitely no secret spots around here but this spot didn't have much pressure during the week last year.....two campers parked here this year. I'll get on high spot near road and glass for an hour or so.

11:00
Glassing is tough with this snow and bright sun. It's blinding. I've not found a single deer and I can see a lot of country. Im sure I've missed deer and could hike back in farther than I hunted last year but don't like the two campers and a couple trucks that I've just noticed are glassing down the road. I'm going to try somewhere else. I may drive on 40 miles or so and look at spot with big whitetail. There were mule deer there too.

 

[hobbes]

11:45
I had to drive by some good looking mule deer country that is a BMA bordered by BLM. I've considered it before. Now's as good a time as any. Been some folks at sign in box today but no one crossed fence walked in from here. High spot for glassing not far from sign in box. I'll glass it for a little while from there and only go farther if I see deer, if not then head on to original plan. (This decision was where I got lucky)

12:20
I'd just started glassing and spotted a buck a half mile out skylining himself before crossing a saddle. I had just thought he doesn't look bad when a bigger buck came into my field of view following the first. He skylines, posed, then dropped over.


I was cramming stuff back in my pack and trying to settle down before going too fast and blowing them out when I posted " Good one spotted on the move. Trying to catch him" or something to that effect.

 

[Michael54]

11:45
I had to drive by some good looking mule deer country that is a BMA bordered by BLM. I've considered it before. Now's as good a time as any. Been some folks at sign in box today but no one crossed fence walked in from here. High spot for glassing not far from sign in box. I'll glass it for a little while from there and only go farther if I see deer, if not then head on to original plan. (This decision was where I got lucky)

12:20
I'd just started glassing and spotted a buck a half mile out skylining himself before crossing a saddle. I had just thought he doesn't look bad when a bigger buck came into my field of view following the first. He skylines, posed, then dropped over.


I was cramming stuff back in my pack and trying to settle down before going too fast and blowing them out when I posted " Good one spotted on the move. Trying to catch him" or something to that effect.

Way to make me relive the suspense all over again congratulations on your hunt! Its a nice muley for sure and it sounds like you definitely put the time in. Now hopefully your dog forgives you for leaving her behind

 

[Elkhunter777]

Great job!,
congradulations

 

[hobbes]

This is as accurate as I can recall after I posted the photo around 1:30 PM of where they'd went.

1:45
I've went right to get a better look. Dropping behind sandstones to peek into next coulee.

2:00
Found them 450 to 500 yards. I've seen smaller buck nudging a doe and I think a glimpse of the bigger one behind him Moving around point of next ridge. Moving behind this ridge to get closer.

2:20
Just spotted bigger buck on top of next ridge, 340 yards. Too far. He's not as wide as I thought. Is that him? Good height fairly deep forks, has to be him. He turns away from me once with ears back....yep that's him. I just overestimated width. Is he a shooter? Yes....still a shooter.
He's dropping back in toward does below my line if sight where he can't see me. I'm hoofing it toward knob without much cover but he's below.

2:25
Half way there does start coming out of draw up on ridge where buck was. I extend tripod full length and drop to shooting position. Here comes buck behind them. I've got him in scope......No, wait that's not him is it...darker antlers, not as tall I don't think. I better decide now, all 5 does are looking at me. He's broadside wide open, no straight on confirms that's not him. They all start running.

I wait for the big one to come out then decide he may be sneaking out the other end so I take off to knob so I can see into coulee. I barely get started and there's the buck.
I put the scope on him, no that's an even smaller buck. Damnit did I just let the bigger buck run with the does. No way, even so I didn't want him if that was him.

2:28
I'm fast walking for the knob only 20yards ahead. I just start to ease around it when I spot the bigger buck in the bottom walking away nose down. He doesn't even know I'm here. He doesn't know anything is going on.

I run forward 20 feet to a flat spot, drop into a sitting position put the scope on him. Yes, that's him. Close enough I don't need a range and down hill. He turns to his right and quarters. I don't want him behind the cedars or walking straight away around point. I center the cross hairs and squeeze the trigger, lose the sight picture, but hear the hit. He dropped like a sack of potatoes, kicked a time or two and was done. My fresh round and watching him through the scope wasn't needed. Buck down!!!!