In Pursuit of "Cover"
MuleyMadness
9/18/12 5:59pm
The 2012 season began with much anticipation, not because I had draw a good tag...but my buddy had. I decided to dedicated most of my summer (turns out all of it) in pursuit of find him a big buck. He had drawn a tag in the place I love (God's Country) isn't it all his though. :)
The famed hunt would take place with a bow on the beautiful Paunsaugunt Plateau. With a history rich in BIG BUCKs, it's a place I knew well and loved to spend time. Would 2012 bring the much needed Spring rains for antler growth, or the dryness of it seems the Sahara Desert? Turns out the Spring of 2012 turned out to be hot, and DRY...VERY DRY. Not a good mix for antler growth and big bucks. Still my (our) hopes were high of finding a 'shooter' buck to admire.
I had made a 'hit list of big bucks' from 2011 that I hoped would return in 2012 and the chance at finding one of them. That black box in the corner was reserved for something "new" I was hoping to find in 2012.
Here was my bucks I had seen the previous year, not knowing if any or all of them would survive and return this year. Turns out that black box, would end up with a picture in it fairly soon...and better than any of the other bucks. BTW I did find 2 out of the 5 bucks in the photos in 2012 as well.
To be continued...
The famed hunt would take place with a bow on the beautiful Paunsaugunt Plateau. With a history rich in BIG BUCKs, it's a place I knew well and loved to spend time. Would 2012 bring the much needed Spring rains for antler growth, or the dryness of it seems the Sahara Desert? Turns out the Spring of 2012 turned out to be hot, and DRY...VERY DRY. Not a good mix for antler growth and big bucks. Still my (our) hopes were high of finding a 'shooter' buck to admire.
I had made a 'hit list of big bucks' from 2011 that I hoped would return in 2012 and the chance at finding one of them. That black box in the corner was reserved for something "new" I was hoping to find in 2012.
Here was my bucks I had seen the previous year, not knowing if any or all of them would survive and return this year. Turns out that black box, would end up with a picture in it fairly soon...and better than any of the other bucks. BTW I did find 2 out of the 5 bucks in the photos in 2012 as well.
To be continued...
37,375
I look forward to the rest of the story.
I was thrilled, check about the double guards and bases on this buck. Tough to find bucks with double eyeguards on both sides here he was in plain sight within 10 minutes of scouting. Man this summer is looking good and easy so far, or is it???
So I found a new buck, is he big enough or the one to "cover" the black box? TIme will tell...
see ya back here soon hopefully...
1st the odd balls and younger bucks...
Then some that have potential...
Then for my sweet 3x3 framed buck that I immediately recognized from the previous year (3 point on the right). Look which buck he was running with last year...
This has to be a good sign right. It's only June 14th and look at this growth already. So with a month and a half left, this has to be our "cover" buck doesn't he? Looks like a dropper off the main beam and some trash up top and plenty of time to still grow...this just might be "the one".
His frame was by far better than ANY buck I'd seen so far, wider, taller, just all the way around he look the best yet. But there has to be something bigger/better somewhere? Or is there??
Stay tuned...
Awesome thread.
Thanks.
While waiting for the parts on the new builds, I set up 4 trail cameras in hopes of turning up good buck, cams were set up around the end of May and I waited less than 2 weeks until I checked them for the 1st time.
Here is the results, will any of these trail cam bucks end up running for "cover" come opening day?
see ya soon...
May 31st, 2012
An nice straight 4 point and a big 3 point with a cheater.
I also found this buck from an earlier post, he is starting to look better. Course his buddy was still with him also. Could he end up a shooter?
Then I found these 2 nice bucks, especially the one on the right. Heavy, mature, tall, and it's only June 30th...we still have potential for another 4 weeks of growth. This guy could be a HUGE typical buck and something special. Only problem is he lives most of his life on private property. So I just had to watch him for fun. Or is it possible for him to leave the solitude and "cover" of private ground over to public?
We shall see...
I'm waiting for a pic of big buck and a hunter at the end of this thread???...
My trip turned up the same nice 3-point from earlier, looking even better.
I also turned up these group of bucks, a decent 4-point with mass and couple okay 4-points. Plus the crab clawed 4-point with a cheater. But these bucks aren't what you wait for the Premium tag for, or are they?
Hang it there still 4 weeks left till the opener, still in pursuit of "cover"...
Absolutely awesome posts, just as many others have mentioned, I find myself checking back everyday for new updates. Great scouting photos and capture of some neat bucks. I'm looking forward to seeing how it plays out.
Well the morning of the 18th of July I had 2 goals in mind, find the sweet non-typical cheater buck and a new monster.
I accomplished one of those goals and here is the sweet video to show...
I managed to get some great footage on 40 power through my Spotter. Check out the awesome dropper off the beam that has grown a lot since my last time finding him. The trash and character, just might make him to hard to pass. (He looks best in HD, change the settings to 720p)
But what about the trail cams, haven't checked them in a while...time to open the "cover" and have a look inside goal 2?? ...
I wasn't exactly sure what to think, kinda washed out and blurry from moving. But I'm thinking I'm seeing a cheater or two and right side and good fronts. And the photo is from June 17 from the time stamp...things are looking good and looking up.
Glad I finally cracked the "cover" on the trail cam.
But this is only one of 4 cams, what about the others??...
I'm thinking I just found a GIANT, and as near as I can tell he is an 8x8 which a spit eye guard on his left side (possible point or two on his right base as well). The best news I've seen all summer and the best photo also. What are the odds, I was ecstatic. But I had yet to see the buck "alive" or in person. Would I ever?
Better yet the time stamp on the trail camera was June 21st, still plenty of time to grow. How big would he get?
Quest now was to get more trail cam pics of him, would it happen??
In the meantime I continued to scout for other bucks, hoping to jump another giant from "cover".
Here is my next trip, I found some good bucks but there has to be more than one big buck left alive. ](*,)
And some video...
my guess is the buck you put 9 cameras on is a young buck with great potential. Either way I cant wait to see the rest of the story and see how he turns out. Thanks for posting!
looks like the buck posing for the camera turned out to be an incredible one by a few post down. The trail camera photo of this buck made it look like a very young buck compared to the big heavy bodied bucks you posted videos of.
congrats to the hunter! Do you have any idea what the age of the buck was?
What are the odds of this big boy leaving "cover" of private ground?
I can tell you one thing that it doesn't end with one of these deer in front of my smiling face. :not-worthy
Here is what I found that day, you should recognize these bucks from some previous posts. They are looking really nice now, and I was pleasantly surprised at how the wide 4x5 turned out from my 1st time seeing him this summer. He was looking good and wide (I have photos of him for 3 straight years.)
My Favorite of the day, the "Chipmunk" buck. :) (On Private Ground)
Aug. 2nd the next day, things are going to turn in my favor...
My friend managed to get a pic of him in 2010...
Here is my pic of him in 2011
And my video from 2012 on August 2nd (no still pics) he was a long ways off and I videoed him with my home brew spotting scope adapter on 40x power.
As good as August 2nd was, (and it was good) August 3rd was even better (a lot) better; the big boy was about to break "cover"...
Here Here, I think so...so off to check my now 9 trails in search of the giant buck I figured I had on previous cameras earlier. Much to my dismay and shock this is the only picture I had of the 'big boy' again. I couldn't believe it, for sure I thought I could turn him up with that many cameras running. No dice.
The date on the time stamp was July 7th, so still plenty of time to grow and he is still looking BIG, really big to me. Not my best trail cam picture but I'll take it.
As as the sun sets and lightness turns to darkness I realize that tonight just wasn't my night. I begin the ride back home as it's nearly to dark to see anything and even if I did this late (it's to dark for any pictures) so I "bail" out of the area with no sighting of anything big let alone the big non-typical from my trail cam.
This is the picture I took as I left that evening at 9:21 PM August 3rd...
Hang in there, the buck just broke "cover".
So what would allow or make him to break "cover", as I steady the camera hoping he steps into the clearing I notice not ONE deer, but TWO deer standing next to each other. The 1st buck steps out into the clearing, I immediately turn to take pictures...but quickly notice this buck is no monster, in fact he is a dink young buck. But I've learned over the years, this is a good thing the nicer buck behind just
might follow the younger buck in front.
Sure enough, just as the young gun steps out of the clearing here comes the 4-point and I'm READY with my camera. HOLY CRAP I think to myself as he steps out, that's not a 4-point...IT'S HIM...the GIANT NON-TYPICAL. I was in disbelief at my luck! The biggest buck I had seen on trail cam in a long time had just came right to me at almost dark. I turned my ISO settings on my camera as high as possible to allow more light and began "clicking" as fast and furious as I could. He paused in the opening for 1 min 52 seconds.
As he stepped into the trees and darkness I couldn't help but smile at my own little moment of Mule Deer Heaven. I got him on camera, a mere 60 yards or so. I was ecstatic!!!
Now the question is did the pictures TURN OUT? With the open skyline in the background I knew I had a chance, without it NONE.
Here are the results from the encounter...
This one has a torn up ear also.
Are you notching their ears like they used to on hogs back in the day so that you can keep track of all these nice bucks? :))
I FINALLY got my break and got an absolutely stunning trail cam picture of him on August 5th, 2012 (13 days before the Archery Opener)
I also got these 2 pictures of him, although they are not great quality
August 7th
August 8th
And my last trail cam picture of the year of him I finally caught him during daylight hours going away on the 8th of August also. Hang with me, I get out for 1 more scouting trip before opening day...
Can't wait to see and read more.
Couple of pretty nice bucks in these pics, worthy of the tag???
Also found this cool looking Antelope...
And finally some video of my cool non-typical 3-point. Notice anything different about him?
Yea that's right, the bil ole 3-point has lost his big cool DROPPER. Bummer, I would have shot him if I had the tag, but he now dropped off my "hit list".
[muleymadness]p17996a7hbfasvvuice10gcq771[/muleymadness]
Would the big non-typical break "cover" for the 2nd time on OPENING DAY???
Then with less than a week before the opener things changed, WHAT THE HECK. Are you KIDDING ME? My buddy decides to try for a different buck opening weekend. Are we/he NUTS? :)
So you guessed it, opening day found my buddy in a different area after a different buck and found me at home wondering what the heck I was going to do. Oh well that's hunting right. I elected to pass on another scouting trip for the opener, I could only be out the 1st day anyway as I was back in school and very busy.
So what happened opening day? Would the big non-typcial survive? I had my doubts.
My friend texted my and called with a rumor that a big non-typical was killed opening day that was rumored to score around 220"
Some how I just knew it was the HIM. I just had a gut feeling he was killed, but I had no confirmation from anyone and most importantly no PICTURES to prove.
It took 3 weeks before I would know for sure and here is the conclusion to my search for "COVER".
Yes the Big Non-Typical broke "cover" opening day, not only did he break "cover", he made THE COVER. :)
He was arrowed at 1st light from a very close distance by a guy named Garth Jensen.
I've heard 3 different scores on this tremendous buck. 222", 220", & 218"
I'll go with the one in the middle. 220"
(Click To Enlarge Image)
big bowl of tag soup...
It was a very frustrating hunt for him to say the least. Hope he'll forgive me for posting these pics. [-o<
Tough call to not try for a buck of that caliber, guess they now the situation better than I do :)
Great pics anyhow- thanks
In 2009 I had located 2 bucks that fit the criteria of the kinda buck I would love to have hanging on my wall a 200"+ non-typ and a 200"+ typical running together and a couple of younger bucks with potential in the future, but I didnt have a tag so all I could do is watch and wish. Later that year the non-typ was shot on the general rifle hunt off the road by a little kid in the middle of the day guess he was in the right place at the right time. The typical didnt show up the next year.
Im going to appologize right now for having the lack of pics from past years because my harddrive crashed a few months back and I lost all my pics but I've found some that were still on my SD cards so ill post up what I've salvaged as the story goes on.
The matching inline buck had my attention more then any buck I had found all year. He wasnt wide but to me he was awesome.
Also had some sweet trail cam pics but I lost them in the HD crash
Any guesses on his score with about a 19" inside spread?