Sheep_chaser
FNG
- Joined
- Apr 6, 2022
- Messages
- 13
4th time’s the charm. A Colorado 3rd season hunt.
I built up a few points and started hunting Colorado mule deer in 2019. Since then, I’ve been able to acquire 3 tags, two 3rd season and one 2nd season. Throughout these 3 hunts, I’ve shot a big deer that got away—only to find him down on private rutting does the very next day—I missed a giant buck due to incorrect dialing (operator error)—and one season it was hot, early, and I simply could not find a shooter buck.
This year I was able to get back out for 3rd season. With no sign of weather coming to help the hunt, I knew it was gonna be a grind. Me and my oldest brother Cody reached the unit on Friday before opener, set up camp, and got straight on the glass. The evening showed little sign of deer out and about, picking up only one small buck and a few does. The elk were thick on the mountain—seemed you couldn’t pan a direction without seeing a herd.
Opening morning came and we hiked into the area that’s been known to produce a good buck. Much like the night before, we were surrounded in elk and saw very little deer activity (1 small buck and a few does).
At about noon we split up, and I decided to cover some country to locate some deer in general. At about 1 p.m. I saw a group of deer moving down in the lower winter range country, which is private land. I set up the spotter and sure enough—a great big buck! Even though he was about a mile off the public ground, I knew I better keep tabs because I’ve seen ’em come up before—especially when the girls (does on public) get hot—he may come around. The rest of the night was a bust for deer. Once again, I wouldn’t have minded an elk tag, seeing a couple decent bulls to fill the freezer.
Sunday morning we decided to cover country in the pickup and let the Swaro 15’s do the walking. I also did a little still hunting in a burn that sometimes can produce some deer. All in all, the day was slow, seeing only a couple small bucks and a small handful of deer. That night we glassed hard until last light. Just when we were about to call it a night, I caught movement in the scrub oaks. It was the big buck I found on opener—although this time he was on a hot doe, and they had just made their way onto the public. The light faded, but we knew where we had to be come early morning.
That night in the tent we reviewed videos of the buck and questioned how big he was. Good points, mass, and a body like “Grandpa’s old white Cadillac.” He had to be better than we thought.
Morning came fast. We laced up and hit the trailhead in the dark with our headlamps lighting the way. As the sun came up, we glassed with high anticipation, knowing possibly any moment the shape of a big rutting buck might take place. A couple hours passed and all we had seen was a handful of does and a small two-point.
We split up to glass the area from two different angles. I noticed a big-bodied deer strolling at a fast pace in a high sage flat that was surrounded by scrub oak. After a quick look I knew it was our buck, and he was all alone. I scrambled to set up for a shot. I ranged the deer at 580, but he was on the move without stopping. I watched him go up and over the fence and onto private property. I had a small window to make it happen and I blew it. As I sat there watching the buck mill around before disappearing in the scrub oaks, I was pretty down on myself. I knew I had hot does somewhere right there on the public, and it was a matter of time before he came back skankin’ around.
Fast forward to about 3:00 p.m. After a long sit staring at the brush and having some lunch, I stood up to stretch my legs. I looked down directly below me and, to my surprise, there laid a framey buck just on the edge of the tree line. He had big backs but not much on the front end. I admired the sweet buck before he got up and walked into the scrubs.
Maybe 10 minutes went by and I glassed back into where I’d seen the buck with big backs. I noticed a tree shaking back and forth; I knew it couldn’t have been the wind. I couldn’t see a deer, but I figured that buck was just raking like they do. Not a moment later a doe walked out of the brush, and behind her a big-framed deer hot on her trail. I was almost certain this was my big buck, but I was slightly thrown off by the fact that the last time I’d seen him he was nearly 600 yards away on private and in the opposite direction.
Unsure if it was him, but knowing I needed to kill this deer, I ranged him at 260 yards. I threw my gun on my pack and held my second hash mark on the deer and hammered ’em. I jacked another shell in and hit him with a follow-up. For a moment the deer stood dead on his feet before tipping over.
Cody made his way over to me after hearing the shots. I told him I think I killed the big buck, but I wasn’t 100% sure. All I knew was a deer stepped out and after a fast look I thought I’d better shoot. I could see a deer laying with an antler sticking up out of the brush. Through my 15’s I saw a front fork that looked all too familiar. We hiked over to the buck and sure enough—we had our deer.
His body and head were significant in size, making a pretty large rack appear dwarfed. Finally, after 4 years of ups and downs chasing Colorado bucks, I got my deer. I guess for me, the fourth time’s the charm.
After some quick pics, we caped and quartered the buck up and started making our way back. After a 4 1/2 hour pack out, we stumbled into camp. That night we ate like kings and celebrated our success. I love Colorado and the opportunity it brings all of us hunters. Whether you get the weather you were hoping for or not, just remember—it only takes one. So keep grinding, keep showing up, and shoot straight.
I built up a few points and started hunting Colorado mule deer in 2019. Since then, I’ve been able to acquire 3 tags, two 3rd season and one 2nd season. Throughout these 3 hunts, I’ve shot a big deer that got away—only to find him down on private rutting does the very next day—I missed a giant buck due to incorrect dialing (operator error)—and one season it was hot, early, and I simply could not find a shooter buck.
This year I was able to get back out for 3rd season. With no sign of weather coming to help the hunt, I knew it was gonna be a grind. Me and my oldest brother Cody reached the unit on Friday before opener, set up camp, and got straight on the glass. The evening showed little sign of deer out and about, picking up only one small buck and a few does. The elk were thick on the mountain—seemed you couldn’t pan a direction without seeing a herd.
Opening morning came and we hiked into the area that’s been known to produce a good buck. Much like the night before, we were surrounded in elk and saw very little deer activity (1 small buck and a few does).
At about noon we split up, and I decided to cover some country to locate some deer in general. At about 1 p.m. I saw a group of deer moving down in the lower winter range country, which is private land. I set up the spotter and sure enough—a great big buck! Even though he was about a mile off the public ground, I knew I better keep tabs because I’ve seen ’em come up before—especially when the girls (does on public) get hot—he may come around. The rest of the night was a bust for deer. Once again, I wouldn’t have minded an elk tag, seeing a couple decent bulls to fill the freezer.
Sunday morning we decided to cover country in the pickup and let the Swaro 15’s do the walking. I also did a little still hunting in a burn that sometimes can produce some deer. All in all, the day was slow, seeing only a couple small bucks and a small handful of deer. That night we glassed hard until last light. Just when we were about to call it a night, I caught movement in the scrub oaks. It was the big buck I found on opener—although this time he was on a hot doe, and they had just made their way onto the public. The light faded, but we knew where we had to be come early morning.
That night in the tent we reviewed videos of the buck and questioned how big he was. Good points, mass, and a body like “Grandpa’s old white Cadillac.” He had to be better than we thought.
Morning came fast. We laced up and hit the trailhead in the dark with our headlamps lighting the way. As the sun came up, we glassed with high anticipation, knowing possibly any moment the shape of a big rutting buck might take place. A couple hours passed and all we had seen was a handful of does and a small two-point.
We split up to glass the area from two different angles. I noticed a big-bodied deer strolling at a fast pace in a high sage flat that was surrounded by scrub oak. After a quick look I knew it was our buck, and he was all alone. I scrambled to set up for a shot. I ranged the deer at 580, but he was on the move without stopping. I watched him go up and over the fence and onto private property. I had a small window to make it happen and I blew it. As I sat there watching the buck mill around before disappearing in the scrub oaks, I was pretty down on myself. I knew I had hot does somewhere right there on the public, and it was a matter of time before he came back skankin’ around.
Fast forward to about 3:00 p.m. After a long sit staring at the brush and having some lunch, I stood up to stretch my legs. I looked down directly below me and, to my surprise, there laid a framey buck just on the edge of the tree line. He had big backs but not much on the front end. I admired the sweet buck before he got up and walked into the scrubs.
Maybe 10 minutes went by and I glassed back into where I’d seen the buck with big backs. I noticed a tree shaking back and forth; I knew it couldn’t have been the wind. I couldn’t see a deer, but I figured that buck was just raking like they do. Not a moment later a doe walked out of the brush, and behind her a big-framed deer hot on her trail. I was almost certain this was my big buck, but I was slightly thrown off by the fact that the last time I’d seen him he was nearly 600 yards away on private and in the opposite direction.
Unsure if it was him, but knowing I needed to kill this deer, I ranged him at 260 yards. I threw my gun on my pack and held my second hash mark on the deer and hammered ’em. I jacked another shell in and hit him with a follow-up. For a moment the deer stood dead on his feet before tipping over.
Cody made his way over to me after hearing the shots. I told him I think I killed the big buck, but I wasn’t 100% sure. All I knew was a deer stepped out and after a fast look I thought I’d better shoot. I could see a deer laying with an antler sticking up out of the brush. Through my 15’s I saw a front fork that looked all too familiar. We hiked over to the buck and sure enough—we had our deer.
His body and head were significant in size, making a pretty large rack appear dwarfed. Finally, after 4 years of ups and downs chasing Colorado bucks, I got my deer. I guess for me, the fourth time’s the charm.
After some quick pics, we caped and quartered the buck up and started making our way back. After a 4 1/2 hour pack out, we stumbled into camp. That night we ate like kings and celebrated our success. I love Colorado and the opportunity it brings all of us hunters. Whether you get the weather you were hoping for or not, just remember—it only takes one. So keep grinding, keep showing up, and shoot straight.
