OneCam
Well-Known Member
2005 Mule Deer Hunt by Chris Lane
Pre-hunt
As everyone knows last years hunt was a tremendous success which was measured not only by the inches of Larry’s incredible trophy but also by the lessoned learned, extreme physical conditions overcome and the comrade shared. As you can imagine it was a very long year of anticipation and when I finally learned that I had drawn a tag for this special location I was really excited and began planning for a hunt of a life time. I’m sure you can understand very secretive location in which Larry and I made promises to each other to keep it this way. Unfortunately for Larry he did not draw a tag this time but lucky for me he still planned to make the trip and assist with my hunt. So I dub this story - The Expert and the Amateur.
To prepare for the hunt I started eating better and exercising by jogging and hill climbing in the mornings before work. I also practiced with my bow every chance I could up until the hunt. For equipment I decided to purchase a new Opti-Logic Range finder with tilt compensation that only measures the horizontal distance, a new set of Danner Prong Horn boots, some ASAT camo and all new Leica glass (scope and binocs). My bow set-up was a new 80lb Hoyt V-tech with the usual set-up: Easton Axis arrows a custom Spot-Hogg sight, Trophy Taker rest and Rocket broad heads.
Scouting
We arrived the afternoon before the season opened and quickly found and set up a great camping site. We quickly gathered gear and headed out for a quick scouting season. We were fortunate to see around 30 bucks with a few great ones to boot. All were still in velvet, in there summer bachelor groups and well above timber line.
A couple of bucks really stood out for us including a huge 4x4 that was easily recognizable from the previous year as a buck that Larry had a close encounter with. We hadn’t yet nickname this buck but we agreed upon Obe (short for a Star Wars character). We also found 3 other great bucks that we agreed would be great target bucks including a wide 4x4 that we guessed would go 32” nickname “The Wide One”, a tremendous 3x4 that had a huge frame and looked to as old as Obe and then “C-2”(short for Cheater 2). I really liked C-2 because of his tremendous front and back forks as well as his additional sticker or Cheater points on the inside of his forks – he was a 5x7 that looked to be 27” wide. We guessed that all of the target bucks would score at minimum in the 190’s. As you can imagine we were looking forward to the hunts to come.
Day 1 – Stalking Lessons
Shortly after Sunrise we found ourselves located in a familiar glassing location. Larry was quick to spot several bucks as I calmed my nervous tensions knowing today I was the hunter and the possibilities of stalking today would be good.
We watched as several great bucks worked their way toward a bedding area that we seen before. In the group there were at least 2 shooter bucks along with a number of others. As they closed the distance to the hillside we noticed they all started acting nervous and before we knew it the group spooked and left the hillside. About 20 minutes later a lone and unsuccessful bowhunter emerged and left over the top of the mountain.
At first we were a little bewildered and unsure of what to do as we planned to try for this group. But we were very fortunate to find 2 lone undisturbed bucks that had made it to the bedding area ahead of the group. C-2 was bedded under a lone pine amongst some willows with a much smaller buck well below him. A perfect situation Larry suggested as he walked me through what we both knew should be an easy stalk. The wind was blowing uphill relatively steady so we picked a path that would lead me clear around the opposite side of a mountain and I would descend on C-2’s location. I picked the pine tree he was located under as an obvious land mark and we arranged through a signaling process how Larry would direct me in if needed or let me know if the buck had moved.
Ascending the mountain was no easy task; the extreme vertical ascent, rock slides and a run in with a absolutely huge buck on the opposite side that I’m guessing was 35+ inches wide led me to an almost 3 hour time period before Larry finally spotted me closing in on my quarry. As I made my assent I was relieved to see that C-2 was still under the pine based on Larry’s signals. I began my final stalk by removing my shoes and pack then slipped down to within 40 yards of the pine. I decided to set-up to wait for him to stand up while waiting I checked through the binoculars to confirm my position with Larry and it was quite apparent I had stalked the wrong pine tree.
We had actually discussed this before the stalk to insure I had a good point of reference. You see most stalks end unsuccessfully and without a shot because of one of three scenarios. The first of which is knowing exactly where you and the deer are which is tough because once you get to the ground you have been glassing it sometimes looks very foreign. The second key to a successful stalk that we will discuss in more detail later is avoiding the non-target deer. The third key is of course the wind – the ever shifting wind has been the key to the longevity of many big deer.
Back to the stalk on C-2, once I realized I was somewhat turned around on the Mountain side I used Larry’s signals to find the right pine tree and start over. Well after the second stalk on yet another wrong and empty pine I once again looked for help. As I moved in toward the 3rd pine I found myself dazed and confused that is until I looked to my right at yet a different pine and saw antlers. It was C-2 and I happened to stumble undetected within 20 yards of him. I was ever so slightly below the buck and just as I spotted him a coyote walked between us. The coyote spotted me at less than 10 yards and came unglued. As the coyote ran up the hill the buck stood and I drew back but did not have a shot as all I could see were antlers. I tried to reposition myself uphill but with each step the buck became more nervous and so did I. Finally the buck worked around the pine and stepped down hill I drew back and found a hole to shoot through but this was not the day for this rookie as the arrow found some brush before it reached the buck and missed harmlessly.
Had I ascended in the correct location I could have easily walked above the bed, peered over and shot him laying down … looking back on this stalk I made a number of key mistakes yet vowed to learn from them and pay as much attention to Larry’s advice throughout the remaining days of our hunt. It’s still hard a hard pill to swallow having to learn this lesson at the expense of a missed opportunity at a huge buck.
Here’s a close up of the “pine” that the buck was actually under on the right side …
Day 2 – Lesson 2
After a day of scouting, a day of hunting at extreme altitudes and an overall lack of sleep from the initial drive in we decided to go into town for the night. The rejuvenation of a hot meal, shower and soft bed is unmatched and we were definitely ready for the days ahead.
We made it to our glassing area right at 10:30 in the morning and it took Larry less than 30 seconds to spot our quarry. Right on a familiar Mountain side stood Obe along with a few other bucks. Obe fed late and we carefully planned the stalk making sure that our landmarks were well laid out. At around noon we decided the wind was steady enough and the situation was right and I headed out for another stalk.
Obe was our target and we knew everything had to go perfect to make this work. This old buck was undoubtedly the king of the mountain as all of the other bucks in his presence were subordinate. When Obe found an occupied bed that he favored he would only have to tilt his head and lay his ears back and the bedded buck would exit the scene promptly. Obe’s body was enormous we figured he was at least 7 years old or better. His rack had huge front forks and his beams reminded me of a whitetail as they swept forward well beyond his nose. He was around 30” wide and his bases looked to be the width of base ball bats – he was huge!
I knew this stalk had to be perfect in every respect – the location, avoiding other deer and the wind all had to be in my favor. And even if all of these variables fell into place I would have to try and find a clear shooting lane through all of the willows and pines on the hillside. As I made my ascent I was very careful to insure I was on target and overall the stalk was coming together very smooth. I found myself directly above Obe as he was bedded only forty yards below yet I still could not see him. As I moved into new positions searching for open shooting lanes I suddenly spotted antlers just over the crest of the side-hill. I quickly moved into a position for a possible shot and hunkered down. The glimpse of antlers turned out a non shooter buck that would gross in the high 140’s and he was bearing down on my position. Before I knew it the buck moved into within 8 yards of my position and grew curious of the strange bush in front of him. The buck stood his ground for 5+ minutes as I hid behind my bow. The buck eventually started feeding but would not move beyond 10 yards, I was stuck and at the mercy of this young buck. Eventually an errant wind carried my scent to the young buck and wouldn’t you know it he took Obe with him as he left the scene. Forty yards from a true dream buck but it did not pan out this day do to being caught by another buck – my second lesson of the hunt.
After this attempt we met back up and decided to wait yet another day before attempting my next stalk.
This isn’t Obe but is a good look at a couple of good bucks from day 2 …
Day 3 – Lesson 3
Once again we found ourselves on our familiar glassing sight overlooking the opposite mountain side. The day was very mild and skies were clear, probably the nicest day yet, but we were hunting not sight seeing. Once again we found some target bucks in their familiar stomping ground, it was obvious that yesterday’s blown stalk hadn’t alarmed the local bucks to bad. Obe once again bedded in a very similar location and we knew a stalk would come soon.
We’ve learned from the past year that the best stalking conditions were on the windiest days yet the allure of this monster muley intoxicated our reason and we pushed on for a stalk. I now knew the area well and was sure to approach the right location from the right angle. I was careful to watch for Larry’s signals and approach cautiously as to not alarm any other deer … all was going very well in the stalk and I made it to my destination only 35 yards from the bedded Obe. I had planned to stay put the entire day if necessary and wait for him to rise then take him unexpectedly. I could see numerous bucks below me all of which were clueless – it was the perfect setup. That is until a slight 180 degree switch in the wind took place and before I knew it the hillside erupted - all of the bucks swiftly exited without even stopping for the that over-the-shoulder good bye … and Obe slipped through my fingers once again.
I decided to head back up the mountain and take a peak back in the spot that I encountered another monster on day 1. Unfortunately Larry couldn’t spot this location so I went at it alone. After about an hour hike up the hillside I arrived at the highest and rockiest peek and peeked over … just below me less than a 100 yards down were three bucks. A young 4 point, a mature 4 point and a monster 3x4 with a kicker on his weak side that was easily 7” past each ear and they were all feeding contently. The area they fed in was a small but slopped bench with fairly short cover with at most 2 foot willows that was protected on 4 sides by rockslides. It was high noon and within a half hour the group bedded. Fortunately for me the bucks were spread out and the wind seamed to pick up … unfortunately the only way to them was to expose my entry and drop directly into them by traversing a rockslide. It took me at least a half-hour to cover the 15 yards of rockslide as it was very steep and had the makings of being very noisy. Luck was on my side and I made it past the rocks and now skirted the edge of the bench. I was able to utilized the slope more for cover as the brush on the bench was fairly sparse. I could see my target bucks antlers and another just to my left which was slightly closer. I moved in to 45 yards then 35 yards … then the small buck stood and moved toward me. I was careful not to alarm the smaller buck and he soon bedded 20 yards away and was clearly unaware of my presence.
The big buck still remained bedded as I began using my rangefinder on the surrounding terrain. This was it and I just knew I would be able to take a buck solo similar to how Larry harvested his big buck last year. Then it happened … I felt the wind hit the back of my neck and before I could even draw my bow the bucks left in a cloud of dust … as you can imagine my nerves were about shot at this point … oh so close
I met back up with Larry, we discussed the events and decided to call it a day. After the discussion we both agreed that we shouldn’t have even tried a single stalk this day as the wind was too unpredictable … another very valuable lesson learned.
We made it to town by 6pm looking for more rejuvenation …
Here’s a nice look at some of the terrain we hunted …
Day 4 – Part 1 lesson review
Our first 3 days of hunting were full of close calls and experience in the making … I learned first hand how and why a stalk can and will go wrong. Day 1 was a miscue of location, Day 2 a miscue of avoiding other deer and Day 3 a lesson of ever changing wind currents on a nice Colorado day. We were defiantly ready for these learnings to pay dividends as we were still very confident for the outcome of the hunt.
The evening before the hunt we checked the weather from our hotel room and found day 4 would be similar to day 3 as far as weather so we opted to sleep in, visit the local sights and a good meal or two. Our goal was to avoid the mountain side during this time period as to avoid the allure of attempting a stalk in the wrong conditions.
So we enjoyed a big breakfast, a big lunch and took our time heading back to our camp site. When we finally arrived at camp we noticed the weather starting to turn so we headed to our familiar spotting rendezvous. It wasn’t until 4:30 in the afternoon until we began glassing and once again it didn’t take long to find some great deer. We spotted a new group in an area that seemed to be unapproachable that contained a buck over 30 inches wide.
On another slope we found only two bucks, one of which was a big 3x4 … the picture shows the 3x4 in the top right along with a nice 4x4 in the bottom left
I had a decision to make. Should I try for the 3x4, which had exceptional beams and mass and a body similar to Obe?
Day 4 – Part 2 the final lesson
Well as you guessed I finally decided to try for the 3x4 and began the stalk just after 5pm. It wasn’t the easiest decision as I really had my heart set on trying for Obe but this buck was a good one as well. The course of this stalk allowed me to approach from below the side hill and eventually traverse above the bucks on the same hillside. It was a fool proof approach as the wind was really picking up and becoming our ally.
I made great time and I approached a rock slide that was the same level as the bucks only 40 minutes into the stalk. At this point I started to remove my shoes for the final 80 yard approach Obe and two younger bucks laying literally in a hole between two rock outcroppings only 40 yards away jumped up and left the scene … damn my luck. Even though these bucks left the mountain the 3x4 hadn’t been alarmed based on Larry’s signals.
I finished the job of removing my shoes and preparing for the final stalk with a few quick last sips of water - then I was off. Within a few minutes I spotted my quarry as he rose from his bed and began to feed down the slope at around 60 yards. Just as quickly as I spotted the buck I lost sight of him. I quickly maneuvered myself in front and above the feeding bucks, it was a game of cat and mouse that went on for a number of very intense minutes. Then opportunity presented itself as the wind started gusting, I worked my way down a steep slope in record time. Before I knew it I was on a shelf directly above the bucks as they fed under me.
I was close as I tried to keep tabs on 3x4 – I moved in the final 10 yards and completely focused on executing the shot that I knew would come. I ranged one last time not focusing on the rack but on the exact spot I needed to hit. The bucks were below me at a 45+ degree angle and I was now almost in the open but they didn’t look up as the fed contently on the willows. I had all the time in the world but my only focus was now on making a killing shot. At that moment I wasn’t nervous just very, very focused … I drew, held steady and the release took me by surprise.
At the shot the buck kicked and ran then slowed … the arrow passed completely through the buck and I could see blood pouring out behind his armpit from the exit wound. The 1 ½ inch broad head did it’s job
What a great yet bitter sweet moment, a well executed stalk and shot and as I watched the big 3x4 leave behind his fallen friend I wasn’t that disappointed in myself for mixing up the two bucks and shooting the wrong one in the heat of the moment - I just added it to my list of lessons learned on this once in a lifetime hunting trip with a great hunting partner.
Special thanks to Larry for helping this Rookie harvest my first Trophy Muley
Pre-hunt
As everyone knows last years hunt was a tremendous success which was measured not only by the inches of Larry’s incredible trophy but also by the lessoned learned, extreme physical conditions overcome and the comrade shared. As you can imagine it was a very long year of anticipation and when I finally learned that I had drawn a tag for this special location I was really excited and began planning for a hunt of a life time. I’m sure you can understand very secretive location in which Larry and I made promises to each other to keep it this way. Unfortunately for Larry he did not draw a tag this time but lucky for me he still planned to make the trip and assist with my hunt. So I dub this story - The Expert and the Amateur.
To prepare for the hunt I started eating better and exercising by jogging and hill climbing in the mornings before work. I also practiced with my bow every chance I could up until the hunt. For equipment I decided to purchase a new Opti-Logic Range finder with tilt compensation that only measures the horizontal distance, a new set of Danner Prong Horn boots, some ASAT camo and all new Leica glass (scope and binocs). My bow set-up was a new 80lb Hoyt V-tech with the usual set-up: Easton Axis arrows a custom Spot-Hogg sight, Trophy Taker rest and Rocket broad heads.
Scouting
We arrived the afternoon before the season opened and quickly found and set up a great camping site. We quickly gathered gear and headed out for a quick scouting season. We were fortunate to see around 30 bucks with a few great ones to boot. All were still in velvet, in there summer bachelor groups and well above timber line.
A couple of bucks really stood out for us including a huge 4x4 that was easily recognizable from the previous year as a buck that Larry had a close encounter with. We hadn’t yet nickname this buck but we agreed upon Obe (short for a Star Wars character). We also found 3 other great bucks that we agreed would be great target bucks including a wide 4x4 that we guessed would go 32” nickname “The Wide One”, a tremendous 3x4 that had a huge frame and looked to as old as Obe and then “C-2”(short for Cheater 2). I really liked C-2 because of his tremendous front and back forks as well as his additional sticker or Cheater points on the inside of his forks – he was a 5x7 that looked to be 27” wide. We guessed that all of the target bucks would score at minimum in the 190’s. As you can imagine we were looking forward to the hunts to come.
Day 1 – Stalking Lessons
Shortly after Sunrise we found ourselves located in a familiar glassing location. Larry was quick to spot several bucks as I calmed my nervous tensions knowing today I was the hunter and the possibilities of stalking today would be good.
We watched as several great bucks worked their way toward a bedding area that we seen before. In the group there were at least 2 shooter bucks along with a number of others. As they closed the distance to the hillside we noticed they all started acting nervous and before we knew it the group spooked and left the hillside. About 20 minutes later a lone and unsuccessful bowhunter emerged and left over the top of the mountain.
At first we were a little bewildered and unsure of what to do as we planned to try for this group. But we were very fortunate to find 2 lone undisturbed bucks that had made it to the bedding area ahead of the group. C-2 was bedded under a lone pine amongst some willows with a much smaller buck well below him. A perfect situation Larry suggested as he walked me through what we both knew should be an easy stalk. The wind was blowing uphill relatively steady so we picked a path that would lead me clear around the opposite side of a mountain and I would descend on C-2’s location. I picked the pine tree he was located under as an obvious land mark and we arranged through a signaling process how Larry would direct me in if needed or let me know if the buck had moved.
Ascending the mountain was no easy task; the extreme vertical ascent, rock slides and a run in with a absolutely huge buck on the opposite side that I’m guessing was 35+ inches wide led me to an almost 3 hour time period before Larry finally spotted me closing in on my quarry. As I made my assent I was relieved to see that C-2 was still under the pine based on Larry’s signals. I began my final stalk by removing my shoes and pack then slipped down to within 40 yards of the pine. I decided to set-up to wait for him to stand up while waiting I checked through the binoculars to confirm my position with Larry and it was quite apparent I had stalked the wrong pine tree.
We had actually discussed this before the stalk to insure I had a good point of reference. You see most stalks end unsuccessfully and without a shot because of one of three scenarios. The first of which is knowing exactly where you and the deer are which is tough because once you get to the ground you have been glassing it sometimes looks very foreign. The second key to a successful stalk that we will discuss in more detail later is avoiding the non-target deer. The third key is of course the wind – the ever shifting wind has been the key to the longevity of many big deer.
Back to the stalk on C-2, once I realized I was somewhat turned around on the Mountain side I used Larry’s signals to find the right pine tree and start over. Well after the second stalk on yet another wrong and empty pine I once again looked for help. As I moved in toward the 3rd pine I found myself dazed and confused that is until I looked to my right at yet a different pine and saw antlers. It was C-2 and I happened to stumble undetected within 20 yards of him. I was ever so slightly below the buck and just as I spotted him a coyote walked between us. The coyote spotted me at less than 10 yards and came unglued. As the coyote ran up the hill the buck stood and I drew back but did not have a shot as all I could see were antlers. I tried to reposition myself uphill but with each step the buck became more nervous and so did I. Finally the buck worked around the pine and stepped down hill I drew back and found a hole to shoot through but this was not the day for this rookie as the arrow found some brush before it reached the buck and missed harmlessly.
Had I ascended in the correct location I could have easily walked above the bed, peered over and shot him laying down … looking back on this stalk I made a number of key mistakes yet vowed to learn from them and pay as much attention to Larry’s advice throughout the remaining days of our hunt. It’s still hard a hard pill to swallow having to learn this lesson at the expense of a missed opportunity at a huge buck.
Here’s a close up of the “pine” that the buck was actually under on the right side …
Day 2 – Lesson 2
After a day of scouting, a day of hunting at extreme altitudes and an overall lack of sleep from the initial drive in we decided to go into town for the night. The rejuvenation of a hot meal, shower and soft bed is unmatched and we were definitely ready for the days ahead.
We made it to our glassing area right at 10:30 in the morning and it took Larry less than 30 seconds to spot our quarry. Right on a familiar Mountain side stood Obe along with a few other bucks. Obe fed late and we carefully planned the stalk making sure that our landmarks were well laid out. At around noon we decided the wind was steady enough and the situation was right and I headed out for another stalk.
Obe was our target and we knew everything had to go perfect to make this work. This old buck was undoubtedly the king of the mountain as all of the other bucks in his presence were subordinate. When Obe found an occupied bed that he favored he would only have to tilt his head and lay his ears back and the bedded buck would exit the scene promptly. Obe’s body was enormous we figured he was at least 7 years old or better. His rack had huge front forks and his beams reminded me of a whitetail as they swept forward well beyond his nose. He was around 30” wide and his bases looked to be the width of base ball bats – he was huge!
I knew this stalk had to be perfect in every respect – the location, avoiding other deer and the wind all had to be in my favor. And even if all of these variables fell into place I would have to try and find a clear shooting lane through all of the willows and pines on the hillside. As I made my ascent I was very careful to insure I was on target and overall the stalk was coming together very smooth. I found myself directly above Obe as he was bedded only forty yards below yet I still could not see him. As I moved into new positions searching for open shooting lanes I suddenly spotted antlers just over the crest of the side-hill. I quickly moved into a position for a possible shot and hunkered down. The glimpse of antlers turned out a non shooter buck that would gross in the high 140’s and he was bearing down on my position. Before I knew it the buck moved into within 8 yards of my position and grew curious of the strange bush in front of him. The buck stood his ground for 5+ minutes as I hid behind my bow. The buck eventually started feeding but would not move beyond 10 yards, I was stuck and at the mercy of this young buck. Eventually an errant wind carried my scent to the young buck and wouldn’t you know it he took Obe with him as he left the scene. Forty yards from a true dream buck but it did not pan out this day do to being caught by another buck – my second lesson of the hunt.
After this attempt we met back up and decided to wait yet another day before attempting my next stalk.
This isn’t Obe but is a good look at a couple of good bucks from day 2 …
Day 3 – Lesson 3
Once again we found ourselves on our familiar glassing sight overlooking the opposite mountain side. The day was very mild and skies were clear, probably the nicest day yet, but we were hunting not sight seeing. Once again we found some target bucks in their familiar stomping ground, it was obvious that yesterday’s blown stalk hadn’t alarmed the local bucks to bad. Obe once again bedded in a very similar location and we knew a stalk would come soon.
We’ve learned from the past year that the best stalking conditions were on the windiest days yet the allure of this monster muley intoxicated our reason and we pushed on for a stalk. I now knew the area well and was sure to approach the right location from the right angle. I was careful to watch for Larry’s signals and approach cautiously as to not alarm any other deer … all was going very well in the stalk and I made it to my destination only 35 yards from the bedded Obe. I had planned to stay put the entire day if necessary and wait for him to rise then take him unexpectedly. I could see numerous bucks below me all of which were clueless – it was the perfect setup. That is until a slight 180 degree switch in the wind took place and before I knew it the hillside erupted - all of the bucks swiftly exited without even stopping for the that over-the-shoulder good bye … and Obe slipped through my fingers once again.
I decided to head back up the mountain and take a peak back in the spot that I encountered another monster on day 1. Unfortunately Larry couldn’t spot this location so I went at it alone. After about an hour hike up the hillside I arrived at the highest and rockiest peek and peeked over … just below me less than a 100 yards down were three bucks. A young 4 point, a mature 4 point and a monster 3x4 with a kicker on his weak side that was easily 7” past each ear and they were all feeding contently. The area they fed in was a small but slopped bench with fairly short cover with at most 2 foot willows that was protected on 4 sides by rockslides. It was high noon and within a half hour the group bedded. Fortunately for me the bucks were spread out and the wind seamed to pick up … unfortunately the only way to them was to expose my entry and drop directly into them by traversing a rockslide. It took me at least a half-hour to cover the 15 yards of rockslide as it was very steep and had the makings of being very noisy. Luck was on my side and I made it past the rocks and now skirted the edge of the bench. I was able to utilized the slope more for cover as the brush on the bench was fairly sparse. I could see my target bucks antlers and another just to my left which was slightly closer. I moved in to 45 yards then 35 yards … then the small buck stood and moved toward me. I was careful not to alarm the smaller buck and he soon bedded 20 yards away and was clearly unaware of my presence.
The big buck still remained bedded as I began using my rangefinder on the surrounding terrain. This was it and I just knew I would be able to take a buck solo similar to how Larry harvested his big buck last year. Then it happened … I felt the wind hit the back of my neck and before I could even draw my bow the bucks left in a cloud of dust … as you can imagine my nerves were about shot at this point … oh so close
I met back up with Larry, we discussed the events and decided to call it a day. After the discussion we both agreed that we shouldn’t have even tried a single stalk this day as the wind was too unpredictable … another very valuable lesson learned.
We made it to town by 6pm looking for more rejuvenation …
Here’s a nice look at some of the terrain we hunted …
Day 4 – Part 1 lesson review
Our first 3 days of hunting were full of close calls and experience in the making … I learned first hand how and why a stalk can and will go wrong. Day 1 was a miscue of location, Day 2 a miscue of avoiding other deer and Day 3 a lesson of ever changing wind currents on a nice Colorado day. We were defiantly ready for these learnings to pay dividends as we were still very confident for the outcome of the hunt.
The evening before the hunt we checked the weather from our hotel room and found day 4 would be similar to day 3 as far as weather so we opted to sleep in, visit the local sights and a good meal or two. Our goal was to avoid the mountain side during this time period as to avoid the allure of attempting a stalk in the wrong conditions.
So we enjoyed a big breakfast, a big lunch and took our time heading back to our camp site. When we finally arrived at camp we noticed the weather starting to turn so we headed to our familiar spotting rendezvous. It wasn’t until 4:30 in the afternoon until we began glassing and once again it didn’t take long to find some great deer. We spotted a new group in an area that seemed to be unapproachable that contained a buck over 30 inches wide.
On another slope we found only two bucks, one of which was a big 3x4 … the picture shows the 3x4 in the top right along with a nice 4x4 in the bottom left
I had a decision to make. Should I try for the 3x4, which had exceptional beams and mass and a body similar to Obe?
Day 4 – Part 2 the final lesson
Well as you guessed I finally decided to try for the 3x4 and began the stalk just after 5pm. It wasn’t the easiest decision as I really had my heart set on trying for Obe but this buck was a good one as well. The course of this stalk allowed me to approach from below the side hill and eventually traverse above the bucks on the same hillside. It was a fool proof approach as the wind was really picking up and becoming our ally.
I made great time and I approached a rock slide that was the same level as the bucks only 40 minutes into the stalk. At this point I started to remove my shoes for the final 80 yard approach Obe and two younger bucks laying literally in a hole between two rock outcroppings only 40 yards away jumped up and left the scene … damn my luck. Even though these bucks left the mountain the 3x4 hadn’t been alarmed based on Larry’s signals.
I finished the job of removing my shoes and preparing for the final stalk with a few quick last sips of water - then I was off. Within a few minutes I spotted my quarry as he rose from his bed and began to feed down the slope at around 60 yards. Just as quickly as I spotted the buck I lost sight of him. I quickly maneuvered myself in front and above the feeding bucks, it was a game of cat and mouse that went on for a number of very intense minutes. Then opportunity presented itself as the wind started gusting, I worked my way down a steep slope in record time. Before I knew it I was on a shelf directly above the bucks as they fed under me.
I was close as I tried to keep tabs on 3x4 – I moved in the final 10 yards and completely focused on executing the shot that I knew would come. I ranged one last time not focusing on the rack but on the exact spot I needed to hit. The bucks were below me at a 45+ degree angle and I was now almost in the open but they didn’t look up as the fed contently on the willows. I had all the time in the world but my only focus was now on making a killing shot. At that moment I wasn’t nervous just very, very focused … I drew, held steady and the release took me by surprise.
At the shot the buck kicked and ran then slowed … the arrow passed completely through the buck and I could see blood pouring out behind his armpit from the exit wound. The 1 ½ inch broad head did it’s job
What a great yet bitter sweet moment, a well executed stalk and shot and as I watched the big 3x4 leave behind his fallen friend I wasn’t that disappointed in myself for mixing up the two bucks and shooting the wrong one in the heat of the moment - I just added it to my list of lessons learned on this once in a lifetime hunting trip with a great hunting partner.
Special thanks to Larry for helping this Rookie harvest my first Trophy Muley