2022 Mule Deer

[Eagle]

Been waiting to post this up. Had surgery to repair a torn bicep tendon this AM so lots of time on my hands for a change. Won’t be mentioning locations, and please don’t ask.

I’d been saving points for a few years and decided to burn them on a tag in a location not particularly sought after, but that I thought had a good chance at holding a mature buck. My buddy said he would join me on the hunt after I had assisted him the year prior on a mule deer hunt as well.

We met in the state of the hunt on Wednesday, with opening day set for Saturday and drove to the trailhead. Loaded up packs with a weeks worth of supplies and begin the seven mile trek into camp. It was slow going that afternoon. Buddy had been in his truck for 30 hours driving from the east coast and we made it about 5 miles in before setting up camp for the night. No glassing opportunities as it was densely forested and essentially dark by the time we got set up.

 

[Eagle]

Woke up the next morning and got started on the trek for the final two miles to the basin I wanted to check first. I had several options in mind within a roughly two mile radius of where I thought we could camp.

We made it to the basin around noon and found a good secluded spot for camp. A great glassing spot giving us a 360 degree view of the basin was a short 50 yard walk away, so we took off our packs, grabbed our optics and got setup to glass. With two days to go before the opener I was hopeful we’d find a good buck and be able to sit on him.

Within seconds of sitting down I looked up at a small patch of jack pine and noticed a deer. Put glass on him and saw it was a young buck, likely 1.5. Shortly after, another buck stood from the same location with his head blocked by a pine, but it was clear from his massive body, he was a mature buck. Then another buck stood and the size differences were apparent. A 1.5, 2.5 and 4.5+ made up this bachelor group, and as the 4.5+ revealed himself I knew instantly he was a buck I was interested in.

 

[Eagle]

We watched this group of bucks feed the rest of the evening, and got lots of great video of the mature back. He had great fronts, good backs, brows, and a few kickers on his G2’s.


We lost them just before dark behind a ridge but they had fed calmly all evening, so hopes were high that they’d remain around until the opener.

 

[Eagle]

The next morning, we were up in the dark and ready to glass at our knob as the colors of the high country basin slowly began to reveal themselves. We caught a glimpse of the buck and bachelor group in roughly the same location we lost them the evening before, but just as quickly they went back below the ridge.

We spent the rest of the morning glassing mountain goats and the rest of the basin not turning up any other deer.

Mid day we decided to cautiously explore a few potential shooting locations around where the bachelor group could potentially reappear. We used the terrain and cover to keep us hidden and found a couple great spots. From the second location, we glassed the bachelor group in a shaded and secluded spot, but only saw them for a few seconds before the terrain again hid them. We snuck back to camp and milled around until it was time to glass that evening.

 

[Eagle]

We kept tabs on the location of the mature buck that evening while glassing the rest of the basin.

We spotted a lone branch antlered bull, a handful of does with a yearling, and one new bachelor group of three bucks with a shooter 3x3 in it. This group of bucks was sticking to the willow and would be difficult to ever get a shot on, but having a second option in the basin was great to see. This group was interesting as there was a beautiful young 4x4 we saw first, 140-150” buck. Then we saw the 3x3, and when they were side by side, the 3x3’s ass was twice as wide as the young 4x4. His body size was unreal in relation to the other buck.


We watched the second bachelor group until they disappeared and then kept glassing the basin. Never turned up any other new bucks but did catch a glimpse of the target buck right at last light in the basic location he was in mid day. This gave me a lot of hope and confidence that I’d get a chance at him during the opener.

 

[Eagle]

Opening morning dawned and found us at our glassing knob as the basin came to life. It was slow at first with a steady down canyon breeze keeping our wind away from where the buck had been. About 20 minutes into the morning. I looked up and left and noticed a group of does from the evening before about 500 yards out, and right there with them was the mature buck and his bachelor group.

They were moving left to right along the basin wall and going at a steady walk. My buddy urged me to immediately close the distance for a shot, but I wanted the group to slow down before I did anything. As we watched them walking, they eventually stopped about 400 yards out when they got to a patch of willow and started to feed. I quickly removed a couple layers, grabbed my tripod and rifle, and started stalking behind a wall of cover to try and cut as much distance as I could.

 

[Eagle]

After about 100 yards of squat walking occasionally stopping to glass and keep tabs on the buck, I was as close as I could get without having to bust brush. I set up my tripod, laid my rifle on top and began to try and steady my breathing. The buck was a touch over 300 yards and still calmly moving from left to right, but he had left the willows and was moving through rock and boulders on his way to the next patch.

I had to reposition a time or two, but he eventually stopped slightly quartering too long enough for me to get steady and fire a shot. He dropped on impact and I stood up to watch as he rolled down the rocky basin for what seemed like seconds before losing sight of him behind some jack pine. I intently kept watch to ensure he didn’t emerge and once confident he was down turned to my buddy to raise my arms in exhilaration.

He had been filming through his spotter but didn’t catch the shot on film as he had to repositioned just as I shot. I walked back to the knob, grabbed my pack and quickly made the walk up the basin to the patch of jack pine the buck had disappeared behind.

As I rounded the small trees I was greeted with the sight every hunter dreams of.



He was dead immediately on the shot. And came to rest in as beautiful a location as I could have ever dreamed up. As you can see, his pristine velvet was destroyed from the tumble, but everything was intact.

 

[huntnful]

Beautiful buck and great read! Thank you for taking the time to share the story and pictures!

That 3x3 looked like a hammer buck as well!

 

[Eagle]

My buddy made it up to the buck once I confirmed all was well and we began a discussion on what to do given the velvet damage. A couple pictures of him as he was with velvet hanging all over and then I decided to just strip it off.




The amount of blood that flowed from the antler bases was eye opening, and the stark white color of the antlers was a sight. I decided to rub the blood all over the antlers and quickly had a pink antlered specimen of a mule deer.

We went ahead with pictures, and I determined all would be fine with some black and white alterations.

 

[huntnful]

My buddy made it up to the buck once I confirmed all was well and we began a discussion on what to do given the velvet damage. A couple pictures of him as he was with velvet hanging all over and then I decided to just strip it off.

View attachment 870140
View attachment 870141

The amount of blood that flowed from the antler bases was eye opening, and the stark white color of the antlers was a sight. I decided to rub the blood all over the antlers and quickly had a pink antlered specimen of a mule deer.

We went ahead with pictures, and I determined all would be fine with some black and white alterations.
View attachment 870149

I wanted to ask for more pictures of the buck but didn’t want to be pushy considering what all you’d wrote and posted already hahaha. Glad this post was soon to follow! Awesome deer!

 

[Eagle]

With pictures complete, the work began. We took care of the buck and got all the meat deboned and in the shade. I’m no longer a shoulder mount guy, so the load was lessened without a cape, but I was very happy to have a buck and lots of great meat to carry seven miles back to the truck.

 

[Eagle]

With heavy packs of meat and all our gear, we slowly started making our way out of the basin. After a couple miles, we decided to camp at the same location we had stopped the first evening to enjoy the backcountry and savor the day. I diced up the heart into large chunks, cut a couple of willow branches into skewers and we built a small fire. Fresh heart roasted over an open flame is always a treat.

We also placed the meat over a small flowing spring feed stream to help cool it. This only lasted a couple hours before we noticed a pine marten had taken a keen interest in my prize.


We put the meat back in game bags and hung it up in a tree before settling in for the night.

 

[Eagle]

Up early the next morning we packed everything up again and began the final 5 miles out to the trailhead. Every step was a joy after such an incredible hunt.

After my trek home I took care of the meat and set to completing the euro mount of the skull. Simmering and patience is all one needs for good final product. A little wood stain on the antlers brought them back to a more natural hue.

 

[project_84]

Beautiful buck. If you don’t mind me asking, how wide did he go? (This helps me with future field judging)

 

[MidwestElkHunter]

Nice looking buck

 

[denisepipkins4]

It’s beautiful


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Wheels]

Thanks for sharing. Beautiful buck and great story.

 

[Eagle]

Beautiful buck. If you don’t mind me asking, how wide did he go? (This helps me with future field judging)

He’s 20 and 2/8” inside and 24 outside. I scored him at 178.

 

[Fridaythe13th]

Great story and great buck

 

[High Climber]

You picked a good basin to check out! Nice work on the euro mount it looks great