First DIY Mule Deer Hunt Story (long)
thedoveshooter
12/2/12 12:53am
I know this is a late post about my mule deer hunt in Oct. 2011, but better late than never! I apologize for the long story in advance.
Well, my best friend and I had an adventure, to say the least, on our first DIY mule deer hunt.
On the way from Houston to Unit 58 in Colorado HIS truck broke down in Clayton, NM. Luckily, the next day the owner of the Chevy dealership in Dalhart, TX gave us the use of a loaner truck. We eventually made it there but a day late and we had no time to scout.
Well, the first 5 days were hot and we saw nothing. We just kept going further and further off the trails. At the end of the 5th day we got a small cabin at a nearby Christian retreat ranch before the snow hit (we didn't want to camp in the snow). We ran into the guy who ran the retreat on the BLM land we were hunting. It just so happened that he ran his cattle where we were hunting and HE WAS FROM TEXAS, like, within 45 min drive of my hometown. Needless-to-say, he pointed us in the right direction to find them.
The 6th day, after 14 inches of snow, we finally saw 4 bucks. My friend and I had an agreement that whoever saw the buck first got to shoot him. Luckily he did as they were on top of a peak that I was not going up. I had not gotten in as good as shape as I should have. Three months was not enough. Anyway, my friend shot the one below at about 125 yds.
My friend and his buck:
http://i877.photobucket.com/albums/ab339/admiller1987/P1000653.jpg " alt="" />
This is the embarrassing part. As we were trying to relocate the buck after we went back and got the packs, it started getting late and I suggested we come back in the morning. When we decided to go back to the 4-wheeler on the trail we then realized clouds had moved in between us and the 4-wheeler. We had a general idea of where it was, but we weren't sure. By now, the clouds had enveloped us and that's when I said we should backtrack our footprints to the 4-wheeler. Well, that didn't work and by now it was 2 hours after sunset. I told him "I ain't sittin' on this mountain in 20 degrees until morning hugging your ugly face next to mine," and I called search and rescue.
I just told them that we needed only one person to come up the trail and stop with a light at the 4-wheeler and we would know where to go, but they made it into a 20 person ordeal. Oh well, they kept us from freezing that night. After 3 more hours two ATVs stopped at our's and we walked to them and we followed them out. We told all 20 people thanks and sorry, but they said we did the right thing, that they carry more folks out dead that time of year than alive.
Anyway, the next morning when we were butchering my bud's deer, I saw mine. He was bedded down, chewing his cud, watching us cut up his pal. I grabbed my friends rifle (we only brought his to take pics with it and we were heading home after the previous night's ordeal) and shot mine where he lied at 300 yds. It was weird shooting a lefty rifle but it worked. On a side note, the 140 grain .270 Barnes passed through his chest all the way to his pelvis for about 30" of penetration.
My buck and I:
http://i877.photobucket.com/albums/ab339/admiller1987/P1000668.jpg " alt="" />
On the way home we had to stop, call 911, and at a wreck on the highway just south of Dumas, TX. Two crackheads rolled there car just in front of us. The cops came, took our disposition, arrested them, and we proceeded home, very nervously. Anyway, we made it home that night in one piece. (a week later we went back to the panhandle to pick up the "fixed" Chevy)
Though we had many trials and tribulations, we still had a great time AND we both got home with our first DIY mule deer bucks. I definitely learned a lot about mule deer hunting and will be going next year. Also, we made good friends with the rancher of the BLM land we'll be hunting in the future; hopefully he can point us towards the bruisers he has seen.
- thedoveshooter
Trav with his pack loaded up:
http://i877.photobucket.com/albums/ab339/admiller1987/P1000671-1.jpg " alt="" />
Well, my best friend and I had an adventure, to say the least, on our first DIY mule deer hunt.
On the way from Houston to Unit 58 in Colorado HIS truck broke down in Clayton, NM. Luckily, the next day the owner of the Chevy dealership in Dalhart, TX gave us the use of a loaner truck. We eventually made it there but a day late and we had no time to scout.
Well, the first 5 days were hot and we saw nothing. We just kept going further and further off the trails. At the end of the 5th day we got a small cabin at a nearby Christian retreat ranch before the snow hit (we didn't want to camp in the snow). We ran into the guy who ran the retreat on the BLM land we were hunting. It just so happened that he ran his cattle where we were hunting and HE WAS FROM TEXAS, like, within 45 min drive of my hometown. Needless-to-say, he pointed us in the right direction to find them.
The 6th day, after 14 inches of snow, we finally saw 4 bucks. My friend and I had an agreement that whoever saw the buck first got to shoot him. Luckily he did as they were on top of a peak that I was not going up. I had not gotten in as good as shape as I should have. Three months was not enough. Anyway, my friend shot the one below at about 125 yds.
My friend and his buck:
This is the embarrassing part. As we were trying to relocate the buck after we went back and got the packs, it started getting late and I suggested we come back in the morning. When we decided to go back to the 4-wheeler on the trail we then realized clouds had moved in between us and the 4-wheeler. We had a general idea of where it was, but we weren't sure. By now, the clouds had enveloped us and that's when I said we should backtrack our footprints to the 4-wheeler. Well, that didn't work and by now it was 2 hours after sunset. I told him "I ain't sittin' on this mountain in 20 degrees until morning hugging your ugly face next to mine," and I called search and rescue.
I just told them that we needed only one person to come up the trail and stop with a light at the 4-wheeler and we would know where to go, but they made it into a 20 person ordeal. Oh well, they kept us from freezing that night. After 3 more hours two ATVs stopped at our's and we walked to them and we followed them out. We told all 20 people thanks and sorry, but they said we did the right thing, that they carry more folks out dead that time of year than alive.
Anyway, the next morning when we were butchering my bud's deer, I saw mine. He was bedded down, chewing his cud, watching us cut up his pal. I grabbed my friends rifle (we only brought his to take pics with it and we were heading home after the previous night's ordeal) and shot mine where he lied at 300 yds. It was weird shooting a lefty rifle but it worked. On a side note, the 140 grain .270 Barnes passed through his chest all the way to his pelvis for about 30" of penetration.
My buck and I:
On the way home we had to stop, call 911, and at a wreck on the highway just south of Dumas, TX. Two crackheads rolled there car just in front of us. The cops came, took our disposition, arrested them, and we proceeded home, very nervously. Anyway, we made it home that night in one piece. (a week later we went back to the panhandle to pick up the "fixed" Chevy)
Though we had many trials and tribulations, we still had a great time AND we both got home with our first DIY mule deer bucks. I definitely learned a lot about mule deer hunting and will be going next year. Also, we made good friends with the rancher of the BLM land we'll be hunting in the future; hopefully he can point us towards the bruisers he has seen.
- thedoveshooter
Trav with his pack loaded up:
3,861
Cool story I enjoyed it, congrats on some fine tasting bucks. Sounds like quite the adventure.
I'd suggest picking up a couple GPS's for your next trip, even knowing the country better this time, they sure save allot of headacke finding things like your 4 wheeler in the dark.
congrats on a great hunt, good luck on your next one, and thanks for sharing!
A lot of satisfaction comes from a DIY hunt..