The Mule Deer Project

[Ridgerunner]

Getting close to go time. Can't wait to see how this turns out.

 

[Cindy Wamsley]

Update

David and I have been trying to get everything lined up for the Colorado hunt but it's just not in the cards this time. Don't fret, the Mule Deer Project is still going full force. I will be hunting Idaho instead of Colorado.

I'd be lying if I didn't tell you I am disappointed but I always try to look for the positives and there are many. Idaho will allow me to get much more hunting time in the field and take my family with me.

I'm still way excited. I've been working hard at getting in shape and have more than 50 miles in the Kenetrek's. Yesterday I did a little over 10 miles, gained 2800+ vertical feet and my pack weighed 32 lbs. I feel pretty good about that because when I started 15# was pushing it. I'm getting the gear finalized and I'll post my gear list when I do.

Darin has been helping me get the site dialed in and a wheel tape run. Hopefully, he'll chime in about that process. I do have quite a funny story about that. It's funny now but scared the hell out of me when it happened.

Evan is keeping me in arrows. Thanks for that.

Thanks to everybody who's been following the project and stay with us, there's plenty more to come. Remember, shoot me any questions about what we're doing and why. Hopefully, David will be able to chime in some more on tips and tactics.

 

[Kevin Root]

Best wishes to you Cindy. I hope you have a safe and successful hunt. God bless you!

 

[Cindy Wamsley]

Best wishes to you Cindy. I hope you have a safe and successful hunt. God bless you!

Thanks Kevin, I really appreciate the support and same to you!

 

[dreamingbig]

Idaho now huh? Hopefully it is still this year.

 

[david long]

Yes, it is this year.

 

[rhendrix]

Dang, that stinks, but a bad day of hunting beats an awesome day at work any day of the week.

 

[david long]

Cindy is very disappointed that the Colorado hunt fell through, but she is equally excited that Idaho will give her more time in the field which could greatly improve her chances of harvesting a muley. It will also allow her family to join her on several of her outings.

The only other option would have been to put the Colorado hunt off until next year, but we really didn't want to do that. The hunt really needs to happen this year.

Considering Idaho is Cindy's home state, I am confident she can turn up a good buck.

 

[Rick Seymour]

When does Idaho season start, CO season starts in app. 90 hours. Hunting w/family VIP. If family coming does this mean not as far hunting from vehicle's? Is this an Idaho OTC tag?

 

[HellsCanyon]

Idaho archery starts Aug 30 I'm pretty sure....

What units will you be hunting Cindy??

Mike

 

[david long]

All,

We were really bummed out when circumstances led to Cindy having to switch states on The Mule Deer Project. This will actually work out very well though – let me explain:

Here at Rokslide, we take hunting very serious and The Mule Deer Project is no different. I began this project knowing it would be of great interest to all of the Roksliders out there and it has truly proven to be one of the favorite threads for people to follow on the forum. Not only that, it has received an amazing amount of support from sponsors who feel the same way about the Project as we do.

Lately, I simply haven’t had the time to devote to the Project that is needed to ensure its success. But with that being said, fellow Rokslider and mule deer guru, Robby Denning, who lives in Idaho and not too far from Cindy, has agreed to step up and devote a lot of his time to helping Cindy achieve her goal of sticking a nice buck with her bow. Robby owns a scouting service and probably knows Idaho as well as anyone.

Robby has already scouted up some nice bucks (anyone who reads the muzzleloader thread should be well familiar with the monster buck Robby already has located) and will be accompanying Cindy on her hunt. He will work with Cindy on hunting tips and tactics and will also be packing a video camera with him to capture it all on film. This should be good stuff! Stay tuned.

Good luck Robby and Cindy!

 

[Cindy Wamsley]

Welcome Robby!

Things are happening fast as we are closing in on the opener. As mentioned above Robby is going to step in and be my partner for this hunt. Thanks Robby!! I'm one lucky lady!

Don't think for a second that this project is diminished by changing states. We at Rokslide take every aspect of hunting seriously and Robby and I are dedicated to doing our very best as we approach the opener and right up until the hunt closes.
To quote Robby from the muzzleloader thread, "As it goes in the real world of hunting, no matter how much we plan, things almost always turn out differently than we thought they would." So true and to quote David, "This will actually work out very well though" In hunting you better have a plan B and we do!

I've never been more excited for a hunt and I've been on some good ones! This project has been incredibly challenging mentally and physically. It pushes me everyday. Pushes me to be a better wife, Mom and person. It makes me do things I never thought I could or didn't want to do. It stretches me out of my comfort zone which helps me grow. It places difficult and down right hard things in my path and makes me work for it. Ultimately, I want to take the biggest buck I can. But success for me isn't just measured in the trophy, its in the journey.

 

[Kevin Root]

As Robby wrote in his post,

"A man's heart plans his way
But the LORD directs his steps,"
Proverbs 16:9

Sounds like some good steps have come together so far Cindy. May you have an awesome journey ahead. God's speed and God bless you and may He direct your steps.

 

[Cindy Wamsley]

Thanks Kevin!

 

[HellsCanyon]

Good luck Cindy, you'll do great and BIG kudos to Robby for stepping in and helping out! Can't wait to see what kind of hunt you have!

Mike

 

[robby denning]

Kevin Root hits it right on the head. This is the reality of hunting: things rarely go the way we think they will- we're ultimately not in control.

David put his heart and soul into the Project and when it became clear that Colorado was not in the cards, he, and everyone, was crushed. We all licked our wounds for a few days, then decided to pow-wow on the phone. It was very clear that everyone- David, Cindy, Aron, and Ryan- still wanted to give this Project the best chance at success we could, and this is what we came up with.

If you've followed my muzzleloader thread at
http://www.rokslide.com/forums/showthread.php?1148-Big-mule-deer-here-I-come-)/page3

The end of that video shows the twist in events (and still twisting!)

I found a great Idaho deer upon my return from Colorado. I hadn't really planned on devoting much time to the Idaho bowhunt as my Colorado hunt opens September 8th unless I found a really good Idaho deer. Well, by the grace of God, I did. I had planned to hunt that buck the first week or so alone (as usual) before I had to leave for Colorado.

After our pow-wow, I prayed about what to do and spoke at length with my wife Jodi. It quickly became clear to us that I was not to hunt this buck alone. I called Cindy back and gave her a few details about the buck and the hunt, like days needed, strategy, etc, to see if she was interested. She flipped! This woman doesn't look a gift horse in the mouth and was redoing her gear list before we got off the phone.

She was really bummed that the Project wasn't going the way she'd planned and didn't even hesitate to drop all her Idaho plans and go after this buck.

So, that is how we got here.

Cindy and I are talking daily on gear adjustments, checklists, logistics, hunt strategy, etc. The Project started out to be a backcountry hunt, but as stated, things change. Right now, Cindy and I will be staying in a mobile road camp and giving this buck everything we've got for the amount of time we have to hunt together- about 6 days or so.

As usual, I do have a back up plan if this buck doesn't pan out. As I said in the video, he is pretty close to some roads and there is a good chance we won't be the only ones after him. It is very open country and if he spooks, it's going to be very difficult to find him again. Luckily, I've scouted a lot of country and do have a place we can backpack where I've seen a few really good bucks over the years. Hopefully we won't need that plan, but we are geared up for it if needed.

notice the body size on that buck compared to his compadre, truly a big deer!

I've hunted alone most of my adult life, but I'm fully aware of this truth:

"Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor,
For if they fall, one will lift up his companion.
But woe to him who is alone when he falls,
For he has no one to help him up."

Ecclesiastes 4:9

See you Wednesday, Cindy!

 

[cmeier117]

So now it is a muzzle loader hunt or still bow hunt? Hope someone shoots that thing!

 

[Jodi]

Hi Cindy. This is Jodi, Robby's wife. I am so excited that you and Robby get to do this project together (looking forward to meeting you myself). He is an amazing hunter and person, and I know he is looking forward to this hunt.

Advice: He snores, so put your tent at a safe distance. Also, if he doesn't get his coffee before heading up the hill (he is the ultimate coffee snob), your hunt may not go well. And, no worries, he is a clean freak, so you probably won't have a smelly companion.

 

[robby denning]

cmeier117
sorry for confusion, this Idaho hunt is a bow hunt. The Colorado hunt is a muzz hunt. If you have about 13 minutes, watch the video on the muzz thread, it explains the whole thing

 

[cmeier117]

I watched the video a few times... I am just slow sometimes. Or as my wife tells me all the time. Good Luck!!