My Henry Mt deer hunt

[TripleJ]

I really enjoyed your whole story, from beginning to end. These "Once in a Lifetime" tags are awesome but they come with enormous pressure. The way you approached this tag was great to see as it unfolded, and I think you did it 100% the right way, both through your preparation and execution. That's a stud of a buck, and it was well earned, congrats!

 

[NorthernHunter]

Thank you for the great read. Following along with your hunt was great. Congratulations on a beautiful buck. I love the character in his horns.

 

[GSPHUNTER]

Buck of a life time. solid work

 

[SDHNTR]

Huge congrats. One of the most well earned bucks I’ve ever read about! Well done sir.

 

[Fishn4eyes]

That was a great read and love your perspective on the reflection of the hunt.

Really admirable.

Congrats on a very nice deer!

 

[brettpsu]

Great read and congrats

 

[Azone]

Thanks for posting the story and congratulations on a sweet muley.

 

[Ash1980]

congrats!

 

[MuleyFever]

The conservation officer in the unit sent out a survey and I just got the results. Thought some of you may find it interesting. Not a lot of big bucks compared to what the unit once produced.

 

[sika64]

Just went through the whole post, congrats on a great play by play and harvest of a great buck.

 

[Whip]

Great story and beautiful buck. I've never followed this forum here before but glad I found this. One of the highlights of my life was a cow bison tag I drew in the Henry's. They really are a special place and I loved revisiting them through your story and pics. Congratulations!!!

 

[lundellhunting7]

I remember seeing this thread this spring when you first posted and somehow I have missed it until now..... Henrys was one of my favorite places to go glass and shed hunt years ago. I rarely make it down that way anymore so im always glad to see pics from others! You killed a great buck! This year was hard for antler growth for sure and you killed a stud!

 

[zion zig zag]

Glad I finally made time to read this thread. Strong work!

 

[Scoot]

Pretty darn awesome story and hunt! Congrats and thanks for sharing.

 

[BAKPAKR]

After reading the Idaho BOAL thread, I had to come back and read your story again. What a great buck!

 

[GSPHUNTER]

After reading the Idaho BOAL thread, I had to come back and read your story again. What a great buck!

Copy that, me too. That buck is what dreams are made of and yours came true.

 

[Bowfinatic]

Saw your post on your wife and caught this one. Congrats on a beautiful buck. Great story and follow along

 

[nurpuwy]

I was lucky enough to draw one of the few random muzzleloader deer tags for the Henry Mountains this year. Never did I think it would happen. I even had thoughts this year that I should just draw the Book Cliffs tag and go hunting. Boy am I glad I didn't decide to go that route. Growing up in WI I read of the Paunsaugunt and Henry Mountains deer. Cannot believe Ill be hunting the Henry's.

On a side note my wife also drew a LE elk tag. What a year!

I figured there are a few people that would like to follow along on this, basically, once in a life time experience so, I will try to keep this thread going. I am not expecting to have cell reception once I get out there but, I will keep posting here as I can. This is not a live hunt so much as an ongoing hunt story so I hope it does not violate the rules.

My first 2 priorities are a new .45 cal muzzleloader to try and extend my range and an upgrade to my spotting scope so I have the best opportunity to find that "one" deer. My 3rd priority is to find some BH209 powder. I was not planning to muzzleloader hunt this year so I am not prepared. I was focused on archery this year as I was planning to draw an archery elk tag in WY. Luckily, the Utah CC hits came just in time to withdraw that application.

My first trip out there is planned for the weekend of July 4th. This is probably the first year in many that my wife did not have camping plans booked some place. For some reason this year she just said we will wait and see what comes up. Well, something came up. I would have had to make an executive decision if she had made plans. I plan to scout as time allows, for sure again over Labor Day weekend and a few more quick trips. Season opens Sept 29th and closes Oct 7th. I plan to head out the 25th giving me 3 full days of scouting before the opener. Thank goodness I carried over a week of vacation from last year.

So, I hope I can post up some good stuff here and some of you can get some entertainment out of my adventure.

Sounds great!

 

[Nightstandx]

congratulations.. would love to see photo's when you are done..

 

[Big west]

Some final thoughts:

I really appreciate the support from this forum. My hats off to Robby, Ryan and crew. You have done a great job. When I drew this tag I had no plans to hunt muzzleloader this year and was not prepared. A lot of people here reached out with help from powder to guns.

I also enjoyed doing the "live hunt". I dont have friends that like to hunt like I do and no family out here. Doing the updates is a lot like getting back to camp and sharing the days events.

It was a little weird but after meeting people and telling them where I was camping they knew I was the guy out there alone. A game warden even stopped by to check my license and mentioned she heard I was out here alone. This was the first time I have been checked by a warden since moving out west 10 years ago and hunting multiple states. Its odd to think that I could have been poaching for the past 10 years and never been caught.

Three mountain house in my gut at one time is my limit.

I read about the Henry's and Pauns when I was a teenager, living in WI. I remember thinking about how cool it would be to hunt one of these units some day. The pressure of this tag was high. I had the thought that I wish I had never told anyone I drew it. When people hear you have a Henry's tag they expect you to shoot a 200"+ deer. I got it from everyone I told. I talked to the woman in the camp next to me. She drew the tag with 25 points. She told me how much pressure she was under from her crew, they had 5 trucks in camp. She said they had friends that drew the tag years ago and they each shot 200" deer. She just wanted to have fun and shoot a nice deer. Listening to her you could tell she was having issues with the difference in what she wanted from the hunt and what the others wanted.

These great limited tags are just a better opportunity to have a chance at a great animal. A bigger deer will be taken off of every general unit in the state this year. When you have the opportunity at these tags you just have better odds, no guarantee. Its important to keep that in perspective.

The bond is strong between a man and a warm sleeping bag.

If one of the most famous outfitters is advising their one client to kill a 180 class buck on day one the state of trophy class deer on the Henry's is down.

Like most hunts, I met a lot of great people. I even had a group offer to show me a good buck they found but didnt want to kill. This is the second hunt in a row that this has happened. We are all on the same team.

After having 2 of the traditionally most sought after mule deer tags in the last 11 months I believe that the state of mule deer hunting is down from what it once was across most of the west.

While I was quartering this deer I had an odd thought. I thought back to when I saw the deer a couple of weeks ago. There I sat watching this deer, thinking of how it would be great if I could kill him. There this deer stood, looking at the man that would take his life 18 days later.

I have been a lucky man when it comes to mule deer hunting the last few years.

Great story solo hunting and night pictures are incredibly hard. Thanks for the ride.