Hi all. Just hunted 3rd season Colorado, second choice. This was my 5th hunt on second choice and second deer over 180. Left Maryland, 300ft elevation, last Friday and flew to Denver. Two other buddies drove from California and Oregon with the gear. At Walmart Friday afternoon and get a call that snow is 18 inches deep at camp and road is blocked to where we typically hunt. Lost all hope for hunt and almost flew home dejected. Was sucking air at 6k feet so stayed in town Friday night as was exhausted from no sleep night before I flew out. Headed up hill at daybreak and was trucks and buggies everywhere as all tag holders were stuck from spreading out. Stopped and glassed on way up and found deer so was excited again. Saw does every day, but no bucks except for tiny forks which guys were happy to shoot! The pumpkin patch was spread all over. There is some bad ass dudes out there who will either walk up from the highway or bomb down from the top and hunt to the bottom. Long story short, it was cold tent camping and I struggled to sleep at 9000 feet. On Tuesday morning I was checking out a canyon and walked to the east side and sat down behind a fir tree to escape the breeze and sit in the sun as it was 3 degrees. Saw two guys sitting in a drainage 100ft from their trucks and thought what do they know that I dont which is why I sat down. Was two drainages from the road with a wicked saddle below me and figured if a deer came along it would come up thru the saddle . Playing on my phone I happen to look up and see two deer right in that saddle moving up the hill. I jump up and glass them and see the second deer is a buck and can tell it is a 4 point and Im gonna shoot it, no idea of size. Range it at 225, mount gun and discover that because I am wearing a huge stand hunter coat and my bino harness it doesnt feel right. Re shoulder and get buck in crosshairs and boom! He goes down! Shaking like an idiot I stand there like WTF just happened. Walk down to find this guy! I am truly blessed and love mule deer hunting! He rough taped right at 180 using a tape measure in camp. In addition, many thanks to my buddies for helping me quarter and pack the deer the 175 yards slightly up hill to the truck as well as setting up and tearing down camp and driving in from the west coast. They are what its all about! Cant wait to see what I get when I cash in my 15 points!
EDIT: Taped out at 183 with no extras or deductions and 189 counting all the extra points, no deductions.
EDIT: Taped out at 183 with no extras or deductions and 189 counting all the extra points, no deductions.
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