2023 MULE DEER OFFICIAL MEAT POLE THREAD

[IDMuleyKid]

'23 Buck

Wow, he’s a cool boxy one- Genetics like the bucks in NW Montana/North Idaho. Awesome deer!

 

[AOberti]

Wow, he’s a cool boxy one- Genetics like the bucks in NW Montana/North Idaho. Awesome deer!

He's a central Idaho buck.

 

[NDGuy]

Brother bedded this buck down and the stalk worked out perfectly for my dad. Even more special his 3 sons got to watch it all unfold. Made some core memories that day. That’s what this passion is all about!

 

[NDGuy]

Montana success, last light on opening day.

 

[WeiserBucks]

Had a great time with my son and cousin, we were fortunate to find a good one.

 

[WeiserBucks]

 

[Idaho Brad]

8 year old son’s first big game animal! Didn’t go 20



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[go_deep]

First I'd like to say I suck at mule deer hunting, like really suck. I've even read Robby's books, and several other authors on mule deer hunting, and gawd do I suck. This is my son's 4th year hunting and he's yet to get a mule deer buck, no problem with buck antelope and elk, those seem to come easy. A lot has to do with him only have one day, or two half days, but I'm still not very good at mule deer hunting, so this year he only has one night and one morning, no pressure.
Boy it was different this year though. First night we had a buck out in front of us, just a little too far. Next morning I thought he was going to seal the deal on a pretty nice 3 or 4 year old, just couldn't get him comfortable, minutes later a descent 3 point comes up and out of the bottom, same thing close, safety off multiple times, he just didn't feel like it was a good shot. After seeing 4 bucks in a couple hours of hunting his season pretty much over and so close, but on the walk back to the truck God blessed us and put this 2 point right in front of us. A great offhand shot at 80 yards and the impossible, became possible. We boiled the head ourselves and every thing in his room had to get reorganize so that mule buck is right in the middle, he's very proud. Even though most wouldn't even look at this buck on many a hunts, it's a trophy to my son and me.

 

[Ens Entium]

Our first out of state hunt in Nevada. Big country but had a great time with my father in law. I like the bit of velvet still attached.

 

[yellowbeard]

Glassed him up in his bed at 400 yards and closed it down to about 100 to make the shot. Bullet went through his neck first then took the top off his heart off, he fell right over.

 

[IDMuleyKid]

10/27- my Dad, Brother and I set out for steep and physical day hunt. Probably the last one before my brother enlists in the military.

We began hiking at 5:05 AM and gained 2100 feet of vertical in 1.1 miles then trekked another 2 miles west.

Immediately, we spot a couple does and a nice buck. We get off the ridge and start to side hill out of their sight and towards them.

We look to our left and a group of hunters getting a late start (9 AM) are making quite a commotion in brush about 1000 yards away from these deer and the deer bumped into the rockiest/steepest terrain I’ve ever been in.

Pretty stalk-able position at that, so my brother and I make a mad-dash to a buck-brush ridge and separate to glass the two different draws.

I see nothing and my brother finds around 70 deer, mostly does and 2-points.

Evidently, he forgot a big buck was what we were after and took the nice little guy above lol.

I wasn’t mad though, it was a great day, full of life and I’ll try to get the big one, the 29-31.

 

[IDMuleyKid]

View attachment 619421View attachment 619423
10/27- my Dad, Brother and I set out for steep and physical day hunt. Probably the last one before my brother enlists in the military.

We began hiking at 5:05 AM and gained 2100 feet of vertical in 1.1 miles then trekked another 2 miles west.

Immediately, we spot a couple does and a nice buck. We get off the ridge and start to side hill out of their sight and towards them.

We look to our left and a group of hunters getting a late start (9 AM) are making quite a commotion in brush about 1000 yards away from these deer and the deer bumped into the rockiest/steepest terrain I’ve ever been in.

Pretty stalk-able position at that, so my brother and I make a mad-dash to a buck-brush ridge and separate to glass the two different draws.

I see nothing and my brother finds around 70 deer, mostly does and 2-points.

Evidently, he forgot a big buck was what we were after and took the nice little guy above lol.

I wasn’t mad though, it was a great day, full of life and I’ll try to get the big one, the 29-31.

View attachment 619430

I purpose left out the rocky terrain to avoid landmarks, but when I say dangerous, I mean dangerous!

I was seriously worried for my dads health and probably won’t take him back there. 45 degree slopes with 15 foot cliffs and slick/snowy boulders everywhere.

 

[bigunit]

Found this guy yesterday. Cwd and harsh winters have really impacted the mature bucks where I typically hunt (saskatchewan). This is that best buck I'd seen all fall so I made a stock and shot him at 140yards with the muzzleloader. I'd never shot a drop tine (left side) muley before so was happy to hang my tag on him. I would have had 2 weeks for rifle starting Nov 1 but now I can help my dad fill his tag instead.

 

[The Ri Guy]

Brutal season in the N. Central WA.

Last light, last day, with a snowstorm impending and a long ways from basecamp. The storm started while breaking him down and dropped ~6" by first light the next morning.

The few homesteaders & timber fallers in the valley floors claimed it was the worst winter in 50 years, combined with wolf encroachment leading to a high deer mortality rate leading up to this season.

Generally we'd be glassing up and reviewing a couple mature bucks per day, but this was the only "mature" buck we ever truly laid eyes on this season. Averaged ~7 miles and 1500' elevation gain/descent for 9 days straight, saw 6 bucks in total myself, with only two of them being 4x's.

Definitely the hardest I've ever worked for a deer, almost gave up on the season to be honest.

 

[Beagle001]

FINALLY notched an archery mule deer tag. I found a horseshoe (literally) 20 minutes before getting this guy, and he was close enough to drag to the truck.
I’ll likely never take one smaller, but I’ll also likely not have to work as hard and long for the next.

 

[littlebigtine]

great moments, great season

 

[np307]

First mule deer trip, first mule deer. Low point WY area.

 

[nubbin]

My dad and I doubled up one a couple bucks opening evening in SE Montana. My second Mule deer and his first one. Was an awesome experience. Deer were few and far in between and 2 other guys in our group didn’t punch their tag, but we managed to pull a rabbit out of the hat.

 

[tmorty]

Colorado first rifle mule deer.

 

[hdc77]

Got my first mule deer ever this season, tough hunt in SE MT after a snow storm the day before my arrival. Very little deer movement the whole hunt. Last day with 3 hours remaining, Ridge to ridge 380 yard shot with 215 Berger out of a 300 Norma. Pretty happy with my last minute buck.