2019 Mule Deer Semi-Live Rut Hunt

hobbes

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I'll make this as live as possible but it will likely be more of a semi-live hunt where I'll update in the evenings due to poor cell service. I'll be heading out with my truck loaded early tomorrow morning and hunting until Thursday next week. My primary focus is rutting deer, but I'm bringing Kassie (one of my griffons) since I'm on my own this year. I'll hunt hard, but this is typically a laid-back hunt that I look forward to and I like the company on the drive. I'll be roughing it from a hotel room.


I'll start off by hunting pheasants a little Saturday afternoon and glassing for deer. I'll do the same on Sunday. Kassie will go to a kennel afterwards and I'll hunt full days Monday through Thursday for deer. If I'm lucky enough to kill a buck early, I'll pick up the dog and finish up hunting with her.


The region can produce some really nice bucks, but with a general season open during the rut, "really nice" is relative. I won't hesitate on any mule deer that looks close to 150ish or up. I may not hold out for that if the deer is framed well enough and the mood strikes me. I found a couple of really good whitetails not too far from this location about a month ago so I may start off glassing for them. I'm originally from IL and haven't shot a whitetail in a while.

My gear isn't anything special (I'm not much of a gear head) but it will suffice. I'll be shooting my same Remington 700 in 7 mm rem mag. I did upgrade to a Timney trigger and an inexpensive Stocky's Accublock stock this year. I'm not a long range shooter so shots will have to be within reason.

I've posted these photos in years past, but these are the bucks taken on this hunt the last few years.

2016, my first mule deer (not even close to 150)
dJu3bm.jpg


QnXZog.jpg


2017 (almost 150)
uqp20k.jpg



2018, my buddy's first mule deer (not 150, but I screwed up a chance on what I think was a solid 150ish 4 point)
3x7m9l.jpg


Remington 700 with this year's improvements.
sLJSos.jpg
 
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hobbes

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Saturday 11/9

I'm about halfway there. I've stopped and had my oil changed and picked up a few things. I should have done all of it yesterday, but everything piles up at once whenever I leave work and home for a few days.
 
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hobbes

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I've stopped at a piece of public land that I've glassed from no my truck before and was planning to let the dog run. I've spotted a muley buck with four does bedded at the back of this draw. He doesn't appear to have much for forks but looks big bodied. I may have to take a closer look to be sure.
IMG_20191109_092347473_HDR.jpg
 
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hobbes

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Another better buck just popped out of a draw cruising. First is not a shooter, second is getting closer. More does up hill. Going to keep an eye on them for a little while
 
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hobbes

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First buck got up at sight of second and the does with him. Neither were shooters. Ive glassed this before with no luck but stop here because I hunted birds just below this in December once and saw a bunch of deer including a couple borderline shooters.

On to the destination.
 
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hobbes

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1:00 PM Made it to hotel. Room isn't clean. It gets dark at 5ish, so guess we'll look for roosters then glass for deer before unloading in hotel. Someone is getting antsy
IMG_20191109_091853429_HDR.jpg
 
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hobbes

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Glassed a few mule deer does this evening in a spot that I saw a big buck last year following does. The spot will probably get another look.

Everything is muddy. The place had ice and snow, but it warmed enough today to melt it and make it a mud hole. Temperature is dropping and it's now snowing. I hope that stops because it'll warm up early next week and the mud will be worse. It'll all be frozen in the morning and tomorrow's high is 18. My plan is to bird hunt in the morning then drive to where I saw the stud whitetail a few weeks ago and glass for him or something similar. The place has mule deer to.

Lots of folks hunting, so they could always alter my plans. Saw one decent dead 4 pt on the back of a side by that was towed behind a camper.
 
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hobbes

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Turned the heck out of my right ankle in my backyard about a week and a half before antelope, so mid October, and apparently I'm going to have to go to the doctor. It popped pretty good when I did it but nothing crazy and didn't really bother me until I did my combi antelope and phez hunt.

Its probably taken me out of being very effective at elk hunting. My archery season didn't amount to much and my rifle elk may be less. I picked this up this morning and hope it helps some this week.
IMG_20191109_192716810_HDR.jpg

I also ended up in urgent care last Sunday morning after getting a spec of wood in my right eye the night before while using a saw. It scratched the heck out of my eye and hurt like hell until the doc got it out. He tortured me using novacaine drops, dye, a black light, and a swab poked way back in my eye to remove a spec that felt like a giant splinter.

In other words, I've tried hard to cancel hunting season by just working around my house.
 

3pointer

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Keep at it , best of luck , I’ll definitely be along for this ride , appreciate the updates 👍
 

Shrek

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Turned the heck out of my right ankle in my backyard about a week and a half before antelope, so mid October, and apparently I'm going to have to go to the doctor. It popped pretty good when I did it but nothing crazy and didn't really bother me until I did my combi antelope and phez hunt.

Its probably taken me out of being very effective at elk hunting. My archery season didn't amount to much and my rifle elk may be less. I picked this up this morning and hope it helps some this week.
View attachment 132131

I also ended up in urgent care last Sunday morning after getting a spec of wood in my right eye the night before while using a saw. It scratched the heck out of my eye and hurt like hell until the doc got it out. He tortured me using novacaine drops, dye, a black light, and a swab poked way back in my eye to remove a spec that felt like a giant splinter.

In other words, I've tried hard to cancel hunting season by just working around my house.
Ankle sprains can take a looooong time to heal. Hopefully there’s no permanent damage. I sprained my ankle really badly when I was six and to this day (I’m 50) if I step just right going downhill my ankle will dump me over. At least you’re hunting !
 
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hobbes

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Sunday

Snowed 4"
Cold and breezy

Planned to hunt phez but wanted to start glassing for deer. A pile of does with one tiny buck so far. Hay field above some deep draws.not my usual spots but should be a better buck aroundIMG_20191110_083727807_BURST000_COVER.jpg
 
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hobbes

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I've spotted two groups of does on another spot. Both groups havexa buck. Closest us a no, but farthest is hard to tell. Too far in hazy snow for spotter to tell other than no wider than ears. Probably a no, but I'm going to make a play on them to see

Far ones are way out there. Again, not my normal mule deer country but if they are there...why not.IMG_20191110_095514889_HDR.jpg

Closer ones already know something is upIMG_20191110_095526415_HDR.jpg
 
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