2014 Idaho Mule Deer...

Juan_ID

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I would first like to start this thread off by stating that Thursday October 2, 2014 is a day that will forever be etched into my memory as quite possibly my greatest accomplishment as a hunter. This is the "not so live" story of my first of two (God willing) Idaho mule deer of the 2014 season... It may be a little long winded but I thought some might enjoy it...
 
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Juan_ID

Juan_ID

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Back in August I applied for a new job of which there were 2 openings. One to start the beginning of September and the other not til the beginning of October, I had roughly 4 weeks of paid time off built up at my previous job and was hoping if I was to be hired for the new job it would be for the October opening as I was hoping to use my time off to hunt the whole month of September trying to get my first archery mule deer. Well it wasn't long after I interviewed that I received a phone call stating that I was being offered the position that would be starting October 6th. I couldn't believe it, this was going to be an awesome season!!! Within a couple days of receiving the good news I was having "the talk" with my boss and my last day of work would be September 6th. I would be having the entire month of September off to chase muleys, being that the general archery seasons open August 30th, I had a 3 day weekend to kick-start my 2014 season. Opening day of the archery season found me in an unfamiliar unit looking for a worthy buck. As luck would have it, I found a more than worthy buck within an hour of sunrise on the opener. Here is what he looked like...

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I wasn't able to get a stalk on him that morning and had to be home for a family event that evening so I was going to be back out at first light trying to turn him up again... Well I did and here's a couple pics from him on day #2...

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As luck would have it, he ended up bedding down in a great spot for a stalk (small stand of trees with a small cliff above), and I felt confident if I could get out of sight without him seeing me I had a good chance at him. Well I make the long trip up and around him hoping he was where I had left him about an hour ago. As I get to the cliff above his last known location I slip my pack off and start ranging things below me as the wind was at my back I knew it would happen fast. I no sooner got done ranging things below me and there he is, standing slightly quartering away in a spot I hadn't ranged, I was fumbling with my release trying to get it flipped out and on my loop. Didn't take long for the buck to realize he didn't like what he either smelt/heard or both and began to walk away as I sat there mad at myself for not being more prepared. I had figured he was ~40 yards and would have shot for that had I gotten a shot off, after he was out of sight I ranged where he had been standing and he was at 43 yards. I gathered up my stuff and headed towards the last sighting. After looking for a couple hours with no luck I decided I was better off leaving him alone and looking for him at a later time. The rest of that day was uneventful and little did I know how elusive this buck would be...

I returned to work a day later for what would be my last week at my job, and to say I was excited to get back out knowing I had all month to get after that buck would be an understatement. Work drug on, but when Friday finally arrived I was ready to get back after it! That weekend was very slow to say the least but I had made up my mind that he was the buck I wanted to chase til either I got him or the season was over since I hadn't seen another person within a couple miles of where this buck hung out. Little did I know what I was in for... A couple weeks into my vacation, a buddy of mine invited me on my first true elk hunt, I was hoping this was the change of pace I needed to get back into the groove of things. We were to head in in the late morning of September the 13th and hunt til the following Friday. This was my first backpack hunt and to say I had a blast is an understatement! I learned a lot and had some close calls but we came home with unfilled elk tags. But all in all I couldn't have asked for a better trip. I look forward to chasing bugling bulls again next season! With the elk hunt behind me I took a couple days to rest as we had put on some serious miles chasin bulls. A couple days later I was back out looking for the buck I couldn't get off my mind with no luck for the next several trips out... I will speed this up as it was a very slow September chasing that buck to say the least! All in all I spent in the neighborhood of 21 days out in the field "chasing" that buck. In those 21 days I seen him a total of 4 times, including the first 2 days of the season. I had seen plenty of other bucks but none that I got overly excited about after getting so close to the buck I was determined to find. Well as the season was coming to a close I began to lose hope quickly. I had a whole month off and I was going to be going into my new job without a harvest... Or so I thought! ;) But to say I didn't question what I was doing with a bow in my hand would be a lie. I constantly thought to myself during the weeks of September, "if I can't get an archery harvest with a whole month off to do it maybe I'm just not cut out to be an archery hunter"

**PLEASE EXCUSE SOME OF THE BLURRY PICS, MANY OF MY PICS ARE SNAPSHOTS FROM VIDEOS I TOOK!!!**
 
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Juan_ID

Juan_ID

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So with the close of the general archery season and with nothing more than pics of deer to show for it I wasn't feeling all too great. But with still 6 days off I decided to shift my attention to the unit I had drawn on my resident tag. So on the evening of October 1st I was headed to an unfamiliar part of a unit I have grown to love/hate over the years. This is a very tough unit to hunt to say the least, I am now 24 and first started hunting the unit when I was 16 or 17. I have had many close calls here over the years but still nothing more than that to show for all my efforts.

So back to the hunt, I had gotten there later than I had hoped but I was going to make the most of it. As I drove further and further into the unit I began getting frustrated as I was unsure of where the very rough road I was on would lead me. I stopped to look at my map in an attempt to see where I was headed, I then looked up and seen something on the horizon, I initially thought they were elk but soon found it was 8 does and 2 little bucks. Although they weren't anything I wanted to pursue it was still nice seeing deer that far from the ag fields this early in the season. I drove to within 70 yards of them before they got nervous and turned to walk off. I spent a little time looking around there in case I had missed anything or in the off chance a bigger buck had gotten up and began moving. After seeing nothing I pressed on knowing that there was an end to the rough road not a couple miles ahead where it met a good gravel road. Just as I was thinking I had seen all there was to see that evening I turned and noticed antlers skylined. This is what I saw, and although he's no monster I was beyond excited to see this buck!

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I had hoped to see he had a buddy or two with him but with light fading fast he was all I seen. So I snapped a couple pics and decided I would like to check some nearby areas in the morning...
 
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Juan_ID

Juan_ID

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So after getting home that night I had planned on checking an area that I had grown pretty familiar with last season at first light. I almost always go out with high hopes but also prepared for the worst. So daybreak on October the 2nd found me headed up a road I had driven many times in the past, on the way up I was seeing tons of cattle which I didn't like. When we had hunted this area last year it seemed the deer were a lot more abundant after the cattle have been moved out, being I haven't hunted the area this early in the season I more so was just headed out to "look" over some area and again "hopeful" of seeing deer but wasn't counting on it. I get to a couple spots to glass and after seeing nothing but cattle I made quick work of the glassing and checked a couple other spots.

After seeing nothing I head back down the road and plan on heading to the general area where I had seen the 4x at last light the night before. I find the old rough road and go through the first gate and press on. After getting through the second gate I pull my ol' trusty 4runner off the road and begin to glass from the rig. As I'm scanning he horizon I see what looks like 2 bucks skylined, it didn't take me but a second to see that one of them was a good buck... So I throw up the spotter and here's what I see.

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Upon first glance I thought the one buck was the same smaller 4x from the night before but it ended up being a different (bigger) buck and he had a buddy! It was at this time that I had decided if given the chance I wanted to try and harvest what I thought was a heavy 3x5 as he was unlike any buck I had personally ever seen but wouldn't pass up a shot at the 4x if I had no chance at the heavy buck. At this point they were probably around 3/4 of a mile and just feeding, I decided I needed to cut the distance. I quickly gathered up my things, said a quick prayer and I was off! I was so excited from seeing the 2 "shooter" bucks I called my wife and told her the good news. After chatting with her for a few minutes I was back to trying to decide where I needed to get to watch the bucks.

I made a big loop and soon found myself within ~350 yards of the bucks. Once arriving all I could see was the 4x's head and rack. I decided I was going to kick back and wait til around 10 to be sure they were gonna stay put. So I got my phone out and began to take some video of the 4x, unfortunately later on in the day I had to delete some videos from my phone due to lack of memory for later videos and the video of the 4x bedding down was one of the videos that had to go... But I did take a couple screenshots soon after taking the video...

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As I sat there waiting I remember getting really nervous/excited thinking I had a good chance of getting on the bucks that day if I was patient enough. Soon it was 10 o'clock and time to try and cut the distance in half yet again. I had no sooner packed up my things and decided to look once more and to my surprise the heavy buck was then up feeding. While I had been sitting there waiting all I could see was the 4x so I was just assuming/hoping the other buck was there still. So I was happy to see he had just bedded down out of sight. So I once again got my spotter out and proceeded to watch the bucks feed and get more video, which was later deleted too unfortunately. But again luckily I had taken a few screenshots before the deleting.

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So I decided to watch the bucks til they either bedded down or fed out of sight before I moved in closer. It wasn't long and they fed behind a small hill and I quickly gathered my things and was off once again to cut the distance...
 
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robby denning

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Juan, good bucks! I'm guiding hunters right now and have to head back out soon, so I'll be watching for your posts. Can't wait!!!!!! I like the palmated buck
 
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Juan_ID

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Wasn't long after they fed out of sight and I found myself slowly creeping up the hill they had fed behind with the wind in my face. As I peered up over the hill I caught a glimpse of a buck and pulled up my binos to see the 2 bucks feeding no more than 150 yards away in the warm sun. As you have probably already noticed, I love taking pics of deer so I got my scope out and began getting some video of the 2 bucks feeding once again. And it was here that I realized he was actually a 4x7...

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I watched them for a while and noticed they were once again going to be feeding out of sight so I put my spotter away and watched through the binos til they fed out of sight. I quickly back tracked a little and with the wind still good I began walking quickly in an attempt not to lose them. This is very open country but I had been skunked in country like this many times before so I wasn't wanting them to be out of sight for any longer than they had to be. As I was cresting another hill I saw what I thought was the 4x feeding up into some rocks, I then began thinking to myself "if the heavy buck feeds up in the same spot I will for sure be getting an opportunity" all the while still moving closer quickly with the cover of another small hill. Just as I crested the last hill between us I could see the heavy buck feeding his way above where I had last seen the 4x...
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After seeing how much higher he had fed, I began to doubt the situation. If he fed up and over I wouldn't get to see where he bedded and would be going in blind and just hoping I saw him before he saw me in time for a shot... As luck would have it, (the good Lord must have been watching over me that day for sure) the buck turned and began walking back down closer to the last known location of the 4x...
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I seriously couldn't believe how all this was unfolding right before my eyes... Little did I know how much more unbelievable things would soon get...

Sorry guys need to run a few errands, will continue when I get back a little later and hopefully cap this off... :D
 
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I should be going to Idaho instead of WI next month... Man you are killing me. Again, congrats, you earned it buddy! Maybe I can make it out there next year for a week or something, you have me jones'n for some desert muley action!
 
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Juan_ID

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So as the heavy horned buck fed his way back down the hill he began looking for somewhere to take some afternoon zzz's. It wasn't long and he was pawing his afternoon bed...

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Not long after getting it pawed out he laid down, my mind then began to race as I started thinking up a plan to sneak in on the bedded buck. I knew they weren't too far away but I wasn't wanting to leave anything to chance so I got my rangefinder out and began ranging where the buck was bedded. Luckily they were within range of my rangefinder and I was getting ~200yds to a rock I had picked out, ~220yds to the buck and ~230yds to a big rock that was behind the bedded buck.

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So with the buck bedded and with what I thought was my final game plan, I said a quick prayer and slowly scooted my way out of sight of the buck. Once out of sight I felt comfortable with the still good wind and I stood up and began slowly walking to close the distance. About half way there I realize my rangefinder fell out of my pocket at some point during the beginning of my stalk...
 
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Juan_ID

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Thanks for the kind words guys! Again, going to have to wrap it up a little later. Got a bday party to go to! Sorry I don't mean to leave you guys hangin! And ya Nick you really should be coming to Idaho!!! ;) And if you end up coming next year lemme know! You know where to apply, and I'd be game for helping you out!
 
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Juan_ID

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After realizing I didn't have my rangefinder I thought maybe I'd better go back and look for it but decided against it as I didn't know that the bucks would stay put long enough to do that. So I pressed on... This pic with the red arrow shows where I had originally planned on stalking to giving me a 20-25 yard shot...

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Continuing to close the distance, I knew I was within 100 yards and began to slow my pace and knocked an arrow. As I crept my way up I found myself to the left of the rock I had planned to get to at the base of another big rock. After evaluating the situation I decided I would make too much noise to try and get to the rock I had planned to so I just decided to keep on creeping up the rock pile I was already on. I knew I was getting very close, and if the buck hadn't moved I was going to be right on top of him. Well luck was on my side and as I crept up as far as I could I saw his hind quarters and he hadn't moved an inch since I left my last location some 220 yards behind. Wind was perfect and I found myself getting the oh so familiar "shakes" that I tend to get when I get excited/nervous, my leg began to shake uncontrollably. Just then I said a quick prayer asking that if I were to get a shot that he allow it to be a clean kill shot and take the buck down quickly, and if that wasn't to be the outcome that he allow for a clean miss as to not allow the animal to suffer. This pic with the white arrow shows the rock I was sitting on waiting for him to stand...

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I knew I was well within 20 yards and with the wind still constant I decided I'd just wait him out and hope to get a shot. Not a couple minutes after getting into position I catch some movement off to my right and realize the 4x had gotten up out of his bed for some reason and was walking towards my intended target. He had walked behind a big boulder not 10 yards in front of me, I wasn't sure if he was going to bed back down or continue his way towards my buck so I hooked my release and prepared for whatever may come next. Not 15-20 seconds later the 4x emerges from behind the boulder and gets my buck up from his bed and I come to full draw all of which happened simultaneously. I recall seeing the 4x come into clear view broadside at ~10-12 yards looking at my buck as though they were subconsciously thinking "something isn't right here" but weren't quite sure. Although the 4x was a very nice buck, I had made up my mind and it was the heavy 4x7 or nothing for me that day. So with nothing but his hind quarters and neck up visible I wait for him to turn ever so slightly so I can send an arrow. I recall a very calm feeling coming over me for once as everything seemed to be in slow motion, I got to my anchor points readied my trigger finger, settled my top pin on the buck and waited for him to take a step, exposing his vitals. The buck then took a tiny step with his front half and that was all I needed, I settled my top pin and let it fly...
 
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Juan_ID

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At the shot both bucks ran up the hill, I was attempting to nock another arrow and grunt at the same time to make sure if the buck stopped I could hopefully release another arrow. The 4x4 buck had crested the hill and gone out of sight and the 4x7 had just stopped at what I figured was ~50 yards up the hill and began to look around as though he wasn't sure what had just happened. I no sooner started questioning if I had hit him or not and the buck started the "wobble" I soon seen him tip over and his hooves facing the sky... I couldn't believe it, I had finally just harvested my very first archery mule deer buck! To say I lost it would be an understatement, I began to fist pump and yell in all my excitement. I was shaking uncontrollably and somehow managed to get my arrow back in the quiver without hurting myself. I was completely overwhelmed with emotions I had never before felt as a hunter, I said a prayer thanking the good Lord for what had just transpired and called my wife as I made my way to my buck... As I walked up on him I still couldn't believe what had just happened and began snapping pics and video. Here is what I saw as I walked up on him...

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And here's how I found him piled up...

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All in all from the time I released my arrow to the time I watched him tip over couldn't have been more than 15 seconds, I was very grateful for being able to hold my composure and make a quick clean kill.

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Juan_ID

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I couldn't believe how awesome and beautiful this buck was, and he was all mine!!!

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Rizzy

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Thats a really unique buck, good job and congrats! Hopefully you can get on that 4x next season too.
That desert sure looks inviting after humping the hills for Elk and Goats all month :)
 
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