2023 MULE DEER OFFICIAL MEAT POLE THREAD

[Fatcamp]

Kids muzzleloader buck and first deer. As he lay.

 

[Andyram_18]

View attachment 620967Colorado first rifle mule deer.

How was your CO first season experience this season?LOOKS PRETTY GOOD TO ME!

 

[Fatcamp]

Our three bucks from this season ready to be washed. We have a full freezer and a pile of good memories. Getting these on the wall is the final page.

 

[armedhiker]

NM 2023

 

[bergie]

I live in whitetail country so this was my first mule deer. Spotted a real toad opening day about 10000' and after a 3000' 4.5 hour stalk that took me on the backside of the mountain into cliffs and boulder fields, just to pop back over to where he was last bedded. He changed beds and I spooked him at 30 yards, thinking I was still 150 yards or so out. I was heart broken, and by the time I got back to the trail in the bottom physically cramping as well. On the last morning of my hunt, admittedly in much gentler country, less than a mile from the pickup, I stumbled across this guy with a few of his buddies bedded in a perfect spot for a stalk. I slipped around, took off my boots and crept over the hill. I saw a tine as he was bedded at 18 yards but a goofy 20" spike I did not see initially spotted me first and stood up at 4 yards. After a brief stare down with him, I quickly ranged the far side of the draw where I thought the buck would run to if spooked and a patch of ground with missing sage was 43 yards. I drew my bow, spooked the spike, and at that time this buck jumped up and I'll be damned if he didn't run to the exact patch of missing sage and stop slightly quartering away. I pulled through and watched my arrow pass through right behind the shoulder. He ran maybe 30 yards and my hunt was over. I had my hopes set on a much larger buck but I will forever fondly remember this trip.

 

[HoneyBadger2484]

2023 was good to me. Hunter hard for a couple good bucks. Awesome to see everyone’s success and adventures.

 

[Gpw]

Tough year in Idaho. Felt fortunate to harvest this buck.

 

[eshunt]

Late season archery buck. Was a super fun hunt!

 

[northernalpine]

Had an opportunity to pull a doe only tag in a cool area…was worth the trip

 

[elkenstein]

Spotted off the highway on the way to deer camp. It was my first Muley as I have some good whitetail areas and prefer the meat. It was pretty fun to roll into camp with a deer in the back and eat tenderloins that night.

45 minutes from sighting to back on the road.

 

[Littlebrookie]

Wow, that's a great buck. Nice to see you didn't wait for rifle season. Congrats

 

[northernalpine]

Spotted off the highway on the way to deer camp. It was my first Muley as I have some good whitetail areas and prefer the meat. It was pretty fun to roll into camp with a deer in the back and eat tenderloins that night.

45 minutes from sighting to back on the road.

Way to capitalize on opportunity when it presents itself, that’s the way to roll!

 

[highsierra]

CALIFORNIA late season (December) hunt.
Worth the many, many years of applying.

 

[Mulyhuntr]

CALIFORNIA late season (December) hunt.
Worth the many, many years of applying.

View attachment 704370

Goodale?

 

[highsierra]

Goodale?

Yes

 

[Mulyhuntr]

Yes

Awesome buck. Dream hunt for sure. I don't have the patience to collect points that long though.

 

[highsierra]

Awesome buck. Dream hunt for sure. I don't have the patience to collect points that long though.

I hear ya….But nothing says you can’t still hunt while you’re building points! Probably shot at least 10 deer in California hunting the D-zones while waiting to draw this hunt… not to mention countless out-of-state mule deer hunts too. I really don’t feel that I missed out on anything by waiting for my turn to finally come around. Just something to think about…