by Evan Williams
The steam of my breath fogged the glass on my binoculars as I watched him traverse a distant hill towards the bedding area. The images of more than 35 bucks flashed through my mind like the pages of a book being rifled through in hyper-speed. I had no memory of this buck I now drooled over through my Vortex 10X42’s. After fifteen days of chasing these ghosts of the prairie, I now found myself staring at a new plains monarch.
My entire 2010 season revolved around this tag. My only goal: fill my Kansas buck tag with a Mule Deer using my Hoyt Carbon Matrix gross scoring 180″ or better, roughly the same as my father’s buck, Marion, which scored 181” gross typical. A lofty goal indeed, however, I was determined to see it through.
I spent 15 days hunting mule deer, not including the scouting trips and a weekend of upland bird hunting. My parents still reside in Kansas and a number of times I left their place a little early over the course of the summer to drive around my hunting area and find a buck or two that I liked on my way back home for work. I located several nice bucks and nicknamed them:
24 – – An older buck, which to me, had already started on the downhill side. He looked white next to the other deer with him. The nickname of 24 stemmed from his interesting antler configuration; a nice typical 4-point on his right side and a large forked frame on his left side. However, his left side had a 5-6 inch drop off his G2 that hooked down and a matching tine off his main beam that tipped up and two other 4-6 inch points at the tip of his left beam. Making him, overall, a 5X7 mule deer scoring in the low 160’s gross.
PORKY – – Amazing buck!!! The twin brother to my younger sibling Austin’s buck, Raymond (198” gross non-typical), but he had 2-3 extra points over Raymond and I scored him in the 203-205 inch area. Porky made #2 on my list.
PJ – – Spent all his time with Porky. PJ looked like a smaller brother to Porky with an identical looking frame. A 9X6 in the 170-175 inch area and I aged him at 3.5 – 4.5 years.
9 FOOT – – I found 9 FOOT in the morning of my first day of hunting. I spotted him in a standing Milo field and watched him bed. He had nice mass and I wanted a closer look. I covered half a mile of fireweed brush and standing Milo until I had him bedded at 9 FEET! Thus, earning him the nickname of 9 Foot. Upwind of me and within 9 feet, he remained bedded for approximately 15 minutes before he stood, stretched and meandered off. A 4X4 frame with even tine length and good mass I scored him in the 148-150 inch area.
?!?!?! – – By far, the largest mule deer I have ever laid eyes upon in person. I don’t know how many points, I don’t know how wide, but he had me awestruck! His entourage consisted of 3 younger bucks all in the 140-155 inch range. I put him better than 220 inches gross. This buck certainly earned the #1 spot on my list.
AIRPLANE – – Airplane had a typical 4X4 frame and looked like Marion, dad’s buck, with matching 5-6 inch kickers straight off his G-2s like the wings on an airplane. I judged him around 177-183 inches.
My first few trips out to Kansas led to many practice stalks on younger, smaller bucks. I saw the bucks I wanted but never had an opportunity present itself. I was one of two people archery hunting in the entire area and I knew my time was coming I just had to be patient.
After opening weekend of the Kansas upland bird season, my boss gave me the next Saturday through Monday off. With lots of confidence, I left town and headed east. The mulies had started rutting and their activity level had increased during the day. I saw a new buck first thing in the morning around a friend’s house on the neighbor’s ground with his harem of does and he had no intention of leaving. I went north to see if I could find Porky or ?!?!?!. What I did find? MASS!!! I watched this buck get out of his bed and follow a group of does across two different pieces of property. I moved to watch them when they crossed the road but the lead doe didn’t like my yellow GMC and covered all the ground she just had, finally crossing the north road. Luckily, I had permission to hunt ONLY that particular piece of ground from the landowner.
They made their way into a draw I knew as a bedding area and met up with 24 as well as 3 younger bucks and 4-5 does. I now had 5 bucks and 7-8 does in my foggy Vortex Diamondback 10X42’s. Lots of eyes I had to fool! 24 and this new buck had shared duties of running the younger bucks off the does.
I walked half a mile up the draw and crawled under a fence. The wind decided not to blow 100% in my favor. Breezing slightly out of the East/NE, if I approached too fast or didn’t get into the area deep enough to the east, that’s all it would take to give me away and bust the entire stalk. I began crawling and saw two different groups of does stand in the sparse CRP grass and yuccas with their noses in the air. The wind had begun to swirl, luckily, and their noses couldn’t pick me out. Plus in my Gore Optifade from Sitka, their eyes couldn’t find me.
I inched closer and 50 yards in, I spotted 24 pushing a doe out of her bed and a smaller 4X4 stood up. 24 began posturing and advancing on the buck. Glancing up in front of me, three does stood and began trotting my way. Trailing behind them like a puppy dog on a leash followed the buck I wanted. I grasped my rangefinder: the lead doe had paused long enough to sneak in a reading on her. She was now 45 yards away.
I set my CBE sight as he stopped to check her. She ran west turning him around, 270 degrees, presenting a quartering-away shot. Coming to full 
draw, I settled my pin and began pulling through the shot. The Matrix sent my Easton Flatline sailing out at 304 fps. I heard the arrow connect with a loud thump, his body jolted and I watched him go a few yards and lay down. A tidal wave of emotions rolled through me!!! I had finally connected on a Kansas mule deer with my bow. The other deer didn’t know what had happened. The whole group stared towards the injured buck while 24 had his hooves full still working on getting rid of the smaller 4X4. I looked back and the buck I had shot and he stood back up!! He took a few steps and stopped perfectly in a lane through the CRP grass. I nocked another arrow and drew. With no time to readjust my sight and having a longer shot, I put my pin behind his shoulder and raised it up for the increased yardage and thump…arrow 2 on the way…SMACK!!!!! He jumped and kicked like a saddle bronc horse coming out of the chutes.
He ran a few yards and dropped out of sight. The CRP erupted with activity. Four bucks and a number of the does headed north into the wheat stubble and resumed rutting activities. I stood and walked to where the buck had presented my first shot. I looked around for my arrow or blood and then I saw him…bedded with his head up and wavering. Nocking a third arrow I took two steps backwards to get a clear shot, drew my Hoyt and he began to stand! Getting his front feet under him I didn’t want to let him get any further I released my third arrow.
He bolted to his feet and dropped within 20 yards. I walked back to the truck and waited for my father to arrive. We had planned on doing some pheasant hunting that day, but that would have to wait. When he arrived we hugged and I told him the story. We then went to go find my arrows and get some pictures of my downed buck.
An 8X7 non-typical (with a broken point that would have made him 9X7), he ended up gross scoring 185 0/8″ Pope and Young (the broken tine would have pushed him over the 190″ mark). Dad and I judged him to weigh close to 300 pounds on the hoof. My second archery buck and first archery mule deer, he fulfilled every goal of my 2010 archery season. To complete the story, two weeks later during the rifle season opener, my father, and hunting inspiration, harvested one of the smaller 4X4s that 24 kept running off.
Equipment:
Hoyt Carbon Matrix 28.5”/71#
Easton Flatline Surgical 400
Norway Fusion 2.1” Vanes
Trophy Ridge Meatseeker 3 blade 1.5”
Smoke Broadheads RAMCAT
CBE Tek sight w/ Spot Hogg .010 up pin housing
B Stinger 8.5” Stabilizer w/ 11 oz
Trophy Taker Pronghorn rest
Tight Spot Quiver
America’s Best Bowstring Custom Strings and Cables
Carter Quickie Release
Specialty Archery Super Peep
Sitka Gear:
90% Jacket/Pant
Core Zip T
Traverse Top
Shooter Glove
Bandit facemask
Bomber Belt
Cap
Vortex Diamondback 10X42 Binos
Cabela’s Brand:
100% Merino Wool Base Layers
Outfitter Series 400g Thinsulate Boots
Ultimax Wool Socks
VRF Bushnell rangefinder
Buck Knives
Wyoming Saw
