Braxton Hamilton here.
Man it’s that time of year where the snow starts to come off and the mule deer are migrating finding their way back to their summer homes. I get so excited to start getting some mud on the boots!
Lately I’ve been overwhelmed with so much negative noise from other hunters. I want to remind everyone that there is no easy button, you just have to hunt hard. But in order to hunt hard you have to be positive. Without positivity you will not “stay in the hunt.” I see so many people go back to camp when it’s raining or get back to the truck when the morning hunt was slow and run to town for a burger, stay positive and keep it in your mind that the harder you hunt the better your chances are. I have a saying that I say daily while scouting and hunting. It only takes one. When I’m struggling finding a target buck I always remind myself that “it only takes one.” That saying alone keeps me so positive and able to stay in the hunt. I can see a bunch of little bucks all day and be bummed that none of them are shooters but when I remind myself that it only takes one, my mood instantly changes.
In 2023, right after the catastrophic winter, there wasn’t supposed to be any big bucks. Every hunter I knew was so down on deer hunting and a lot even didn’t participate.
Scouting season started as expected, not many deer and not many if any big deer. But I knew it only took one and I had to hunt and scout hard for it. It was the bottom of the 9th and my last scouting weekend when I found him. Everyone was negative and telling me it was impossible.
View attachment 882376Attitude is everything. And trust me I’m not blind to it. I know what’s going on in the west with mule deer. They’re down and they are fighting an uphill battle. 95% of my mule deer hunting career has been while they have been down. No more good ol days. I never got to experience them, but what I’ve learned is that everyone complaining and being negative just wishes there was an easy button. Maybe back then there was, but I know for sure there isn’t one now but attitude and hard work can go a long way to closing that gap.
I always hear that the mountains are way too busy and there is too much “combat hunting” going on. I get it. It can be stressful when you’re trying to enjoy a hunt but keep on running into other hunters. I’m 35 now and have hunted mule deer since I was 12, there has been a few years in the younger years where I have missed a season due to sports or something, but every year I’ve been out there has been a million people on the mountain. And every year I’ve at least seen a very nice if not amazing buck. The fact that during these years of lull we can still see them and still hunt them gives me so much hope and joy!
Let’s not forget why we do this. If you’re a hard core mule deer hunter then remember what got you to that point. It was the experience. Chasing these suckers takes us into some of the most beautiful moments in life. Amazing country that others would only dream of. Great moments with family and friends that we will never forget. Memories that last a lifetime. Breathing fresh air that instantly asks for better health of our bodies and minds. And of course, the one that got away. That’s something to stay positive about. Keep hunting. While there’s still breath in my lungs and deer on the mountain, I will stay positive and enjoy what God has given us!
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