Henry Mountains - Here I Come!
NHS
6/29/11 4:36pm
I posted this on another forum, but a_bow_nut encouraged me to post here as well. After many, many years of waiting, I drew the Henry Mtns archery tag for this fall with 13 points! (And yes, swbuckmaster, I know what point creep is)
I hope this to be truly a once in a lifetime experience. Based on my first trip of the year down there a couple of weeks ago, I do not expect to be disappointed.
It looks like the Henry Bucks are off to a good start.
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I'm off to find more bucks. I'll keep you posted!!
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I hope this to be truly a once in a lifetime experience. Based on my first trip of the year down there a couple of weeks ago, I do not expect to be disappointed.
It looks like the Henry Bucks are off to a good start.
I'm off to find more bucks. I'll keep you posted!!
33,186
Keep us posted.
NHS
33 days!
The best spot is a area that they call the phone booth. It's on the road that runs from coyote benches down to the mud springs that are in Stanton Pass. As soon as you drive through the saddle and can see down too Lake Powell stop in that pass and we had a great signal to where I could use the net on my phone to send pictures.
If you would like I can get the GPS numbers of these spots and sent them on to you.
Nice looking deer by the way.
NHS
make sure to report back, i'd LOVE to hear how it goes.
dont get so caught up in the pressure that you dont enjoy yourself! have a great time, take lots of picture, and give it your best. you will end up happy with the outcome.
Any luck?
Ok. I'm back home tonight. It KILLED me to come home, but I gotta work to pay the bills.
Let me first say that this whole experience has been the single coolest hunting experience in my life. I had a fantastic experience 2 years ago on an open bull unit and lucked into a great bull. That experience was amazing. Once we located the elk, the strategy, the tracking, the stealthy stalk and then shooting a big bull in its bed from 45 yards was unforgettable.
The thing that has been cool about this hunt is that it has gone on now for more than 4 months...actually longer than that. I have been dreaming about chasing big mulies on the Henry Mountains for years. When I learned that I drew the tag, this thing has consumed a large portion of my thoughts and dreams. The planning and strategy, meeting new people and getting information. Learning new country, seeing new sights....it has all been one fun ride. I guess what I am trying to say is that this hunt has been everything I could have hoped for in a premium limited entry hunt. Even if I eat tag soup (which I have NO intention of doing) I will have zero regrets.
That said, I have still felt a great deal of pressure. Most of it is self-imposed. This is a hunt of a lifetime. I don’t want to screw it up by doing something stupid. As a result, I have tried to think of every scenario and angle. I probably have over thought things. That is where I found myself on Saturday morning. Saturday I found myself almost frantic in searching for a shooter buck. As a result, I did not have the right attitude and perspective. Here is a buck I found first thing on Saturday. I blew right past this guy and didn’t even give him a second look. As I look at him now, I think “wow, what a great mule deer”.
I spent most of the day Saturday saying things like, “too small”, “weak fronts”, “he’s kind of crabby”, “too willowy”, “too young”, “not what I’m looking for” etc. Saturday night I laid eyes on one cool buck. The guy I talked to from Richfield who has been hunting him called him the tripod buck. He is a stud of a buck.
Sunday was a good day for me. I don’t want this to turn into a no-hunting-on-Sunday thread. If you hunt on Sunday, more power to you and I wish you the most success possible. For me personally, it’s something I choose not to do. But taking that day off on Sunday was the best thing that could have done to get my head straight. Sunday night we drove back to look at Tripod and his posse. There were 3 other REALLY nice bucks with him as well as a whole bunch of interference. The Richfield Hunter was just coming back to the road after sitting on Tripod all day. We had a great chat. He and his hunting buddy are good dudes.
Monday morning I started set up where I hoped Tripod and his posse would pass. They went the other way and headed into the timber to bed. I knew the other hunter was in that timber. I did not want to blow his hunt, so I hiked around the mountain and came from the backside above him. It took me over 2 hours to sneak in about 100 yards. I finally found the bucks that were bedded. That is when I gave the update on my phone. I spent an hour just 50 yards from this guy. What do you think, is he a shooter?
As I sat there trying to talk myself into shooting this buck, a quick micro burst thunderstorm moved in. In the end, I’m glad I was patient. Fate decided the situation for me. When that storm came in, the bucks scented either me or Richfield…either way, they bolted like they had been shocked by a cattle prod.
Monday was an AWESOME day. I had been within bow range of SEVERAL mature bucks. I crawled and rolled around in the dirt for more than 6 hours. I hiked about 2 miles, about 1 of it straight up, and the other 1 straight down. It doesn’t get any better than that!
That night I went to Richfield’s camp and talked strategy. He wants that Tripod buck bad. Since he found him before I did, I feel like it is the right thing to do to let him have first crack at it. Like I said, this is a stand-up guy. I agreed to steer clear of this patch of timber for the short-term. As a result, he told me where I could find a stud of a typical 4X4.
I found that buck this morning. He was too close to us for me to get out the scope and get a good pic. I had to snap this pic with my point and shoot as we were pretending to drive by so as not to alarm him. After a quick gear check, I set out to stalk him. He ultimately gave me the slip in the oak brush, but I know where he lives and I will be back for a visit. He is a WIDE perfectly symmetrical 4 point. A truly beautiful buck I would be proud to have hang on my wall (read unfinished basement wall)
Like I said, overall it has been incredible. I can’t wait to get back down there. Sorry this was so long……there will be more to come.
Here are a few photos:
Some of Tripod's posse:
Cheater buck on top:
"Them Sirens loved him up and turned him into a h...horny toad!"
A couple of great 4 point.
Me with my father-in-law. A great guy and friend:
Stay tuned. More to come.........Hopefully!
Boy, getting close to a big one is not easy. Overall a good day. The trip started off exciting with a brief middle of the night rain storm. We just crashed in the bed of the truck, so we had to Mcgiver a shelter. Luckily I chucked an old tent in. The rainfly fit over the bed of the truck just like it was made for it.
First thing this morning we started to see deer. There were some bruisers up on the skyline. How would you get to them?
After some more glassing, Tree found a big heavy buck that was definately in a huntable area. He is the buck in the upper right.
These bucks were feeding from the open area to a bedding area. The plan was for me to get around the hill and come up from the backside of the ridge. I either under estimated the height and steepness of the ridge, or over estimated my ability to climb it quickly...I'm not sure which one. By the time I topped out on this ridge, the bucks had already made their way into the timber to bed.
This was thick nasty juniper, pinion, scrub, and pines. I did my best to sneak in there and find the bucks before they found me. Unfortunately, we found each other at the same time at about 40 yards. The bucks snorted, and jumped. They were in a bunch of thick stuff. Even if I had located them first, I would not have had a shooting lane.
After I made my way back to Tree, we continued glassing different areas of the mountain. We made our way over to check on Richfield to see if he killed his buck yet. The tripod is still eluding him. He was close today, but as I have come to realize...close doesn't count.
We continued on our way to find a big deer to stalk. The small group of skyline bucks was still on top. They are fun to look at and take pictures of.
We found the club buck. His right side is like a giant club. He is a pretty unique buck.
Here is another buck that let us take his picture.
Towards the end of the afternoon, I looked over on a far point and found 3 BIG bucks. 2 of them were something special. They were in a huntable location, so after I snapped a pic, we hurried to get into place. This picture does not due them justice. They were heavy, wide and tall....that is a great combination.
I hurried as quicky and quietly as I could. Conditions seemed to be perfect. I came around the back side of the knoll they were feeding on. As I came around, it started to rain. Stalking conditions were perfect. When the rain started, the wind shifted and started to blow down hill. I was not concerned, because I thought that I would come around below them. It turns out that I came around above them. The three of them were huddled behind a small tree 70 yards directly downhill from me. I knew they could smell me because their heads were on a swivel. But they had no idea where I was. I could see giant antlers turning back and forth above the tree. That is enough to get the blood pumping! I tried to get in a location to possibly have my scent carried away from them. After watching them for a few minutes, they turned and slowly headed downhill away from me, never presenting a shot.
It was another great day in the field. I learned a few things that hopefully I can use to my advantage when I head down again. This sure has been a great experience. Sometimes I need to pinch myself. I'M HUNTING THE HENRY!!!
Think they would mind? Don't know the hunter or I would ask. Sweet buck!
This is a great story. I have been following it over on the other forum. You have got to have lots of good karma coming your way for backing off that buck and letting the other guy go after it. What a fabulous animal.
Best of luck and I look forward to seeing how this all plays out for you.
For those of you hoping to see a 200" monster, you are going to be disappointed. I hunted my guts out on this hunt and passed on bucks that I never imagined I would ever see in the wild. My goal when I started this hunt was to take a fully matured mule deer. In the end, it came down literally to the final hour I had to hunt. I will share the story and experience in more detail when time permits.
This is by far my biggest mule deer, and my first big game animal of any kind with a bow. What a rush. I have ended my hunt with zero regrets and experiences and memories that will last a lifetime.
Here is what he looked like in June:
Here is what he looked like Sunday night:
And here is what he looked like about 12:20 PM 9-6-2011:
Thank you all for your kinds words and thoughts. Like I said earlier, this was a scary thing for me to lay this all out there as it unfolded. It could have ended in a train wreck, but for me, it ended in a dream being realized.
NHS
I was simply enjoying the entire story, with photos etc. CONGRATS on your first buck with a bow. He is a cool buck, I don't care on size. You bagged a beauty, real wide with some kickers. 32-33 on width??
Thanks for taking us with you on the journey, I really enjoyed it and look forward to more pics. 10sign:
One day I hope to see that area!
i had a great archery muley tag in oregon 12 yrs ago. i chased alot of big bucks the whole hunt and the last day just shot a nice 26" 4x4. IMO it worked out great for you-- you were able to chase monster bucks till the end and then still were able to tag a real dandy buck. perfect hunt IMO
I would love if you had any other pictures of him. I was looking through your pictures last night on a whim and found him. I ordered a print from you this morning. :thumb
Let me know if you have any other pictures. Thanks!
NHS