Blinginpse
WKR
- Joined
- Oct 12, 2014
- Messages
- 1,068
September 11th was my first full day of mule deer hunting in my life. I slept a total of 3hrs that night and woke at 4am smacking my hunting buddy with a hotel pillow as a hour early alarm clock. If I can't sleep yep you ain't sleeping either!! Yea the time difference from Virginia to Alberta (2hrs) had me messed up, but inside I was itching with anticipation.
The morning glassing period was full of deer sightings and pulled out the spotting scopes for 2 bucks right after daybreak as they was drifting back from the crop fields to the deep ravines that lead into the river valley. The best deer dispersed into a small dip along a bush at a 1000 yards which then sent us on a foot race to try to cut him off and get a better look.
After a long tuff walk down one side and up the other of a deep coulee looking for the deer with no prevail lead us into looking over a herd of open range cattle and then a surprising group of 8 mulie bucks drifting into the bush from above. We glassed the deer from 7-800 yards away and agreed none was of the caliber of deer we was after on the first morning.
We watched the deer for about a hour or little over as they seeped down from top of the draw to the lower 1/3 then bedding in the shade just under a rock ledge that was in a killer spot to ambush. We jack legged around debating size for another hunter with us for a bit. Then he (Levi) decided he just wanted a smidge bigger animal but was considering going after the animals anyway. Just because of the issue of their location. They was very killable.
As he and the gentleman hosting me Decided to make a Stalk on those deer and just before they left from that ridge top As ever so often it happens. Nature was calling. I had to find a bush so i was going to half to skip that learning lesson of a stalk. As we parted ways them going down me backtracking our own path after about 30 yards of scurrying and being close to my destination something beans me in the head from below me. Quickly I became woozy and my head starting pounding harder from the headache I already had.
My buddy who i was hunting with jokingly lobbed a rock as he was walking away to hit just near me to slow me down from business I was heading toward and as you know how jokes can go he hit me right square in the head. In -10 seconds I fell to the ground and quickly regaining my composure and jumping up after realizing what I'd just done. In my slow easing fall i sat down on a cactus and yes they struck home right in the center of my right butt cheek!
Needless to say after that I was ready for the truck that was 2 miles away. Advil that was 2 miles away and a nap that was 2 hours away. Not exactly your typical first text book mulie hunt.
After finally arriving back to the truck the boys was looking for a back way into the place we was hunting before heading in for lunch and that nap. We rode around for a hour or so checking each road. As was driving my buddy said hey we need permission there that place looks like a dream. I was dead headed and nothing stood out at the moment but from him looking at his map and the ground he saw with his eye. He knew it looked promising.
With a hunch and while En route to the hotel he looked on a map got the mans name and number and made a phone call. Permission granted and thats now where we was hunting that pm on a whim and his (my buddies) excessive mulie knowledge for early season. Yet, it seemed like odds or doubt may have been against us as the landowner may be allowing us to go hunt he said in the past "bow hunters don't ever have any luck here but you can still give it a try maybe your a better bowhunter than others previous." CHALLENGE ACCEPTED!!!
Around 330-4 we get up and start getting moving. We swing by grocery store and pick
Up some things come to the room and change then head to that very field.
Onced we parked about 5:15-530pm We walked the field edge and up along the young plush alfalfa that was at the head of 2 long draws and was parallel with a 175' coulee to the west. After seeing that i knew what he was eyeing on his map earlier. With 600 acres of all dry and fresh harvested fields surrounding us that green field was heaven on earth! Only issue was no decent cover besides week old 6x6 hay bales Scattered around the field.
We picked the 2 bales approx 8-10 yards apart and maybe 2-3' away from the 2 strand barbwire fence. They sat perfectly in between the 2 draws on the highest spot putting us at about 55 yards to the right draw and 35 to left then the deep coulee 85 yards to the left 50 past the smaller draw at 35.
After 30mins being brutally attacked by the blood sucking skeeters the first deer showed. A close Mile away across the river. Then about 10 more popping up as Time
Went on. By this time it was 630 and no deer had shown our way besides a yearling mulie doe that we bumped going in that sprinted by heading to a random Canola field to the east.
I stood to stretch my legs and happened to look over my left shoulder and ghostly like a huge buck had popped up straight down the finger from our hay bales between the 2 draws We had been watching. With us both caught off guard we froze. The deer stood for 10-15 seconds then proceeded to walk to the right draw. As he disappeared we lowered ur selves and I crawled to the other haybale 10' away. I hunkered down behind it peeping around it. Where did he go how will he come out? While watching for this buck Jay says "another buck out across the coulee 400'yards out looks like he's posturing and he's a big fella too"
I heard him say that but still I was focused we had a deer closer! So i pulled my rangefinder out and scaled distances. 45 to the first post at the open gap, 53 to the back post of the open gap, 55 to the corner of the tall weeds where the farmer Stopped mowing 46 to the lone patch of thistle at the high spot. All this Was repeating through mind while my sweaty Palm was Clinching my blue Carter hand release. Was this my chance? Where is he what's taking him so long he wasn't far, lights fading. I was becoming a wreck not to mention the attacking menaces had tripled!
Then Jay gets my attention I look over my shoulder slowly and there stood a 180"
Velvet mulie right In the field Corner opposite side of us right along that deep coulee. He had us pegged immediately since he appeared right from what seemed like thin air.
I was in shock was this really happening. 2 monstrous deer 1 on each side of us both under 100 yards. As a mule deer hunting rookie my heart was in my throat. Jay and myself both could hear my heart beating out of my throat. I was tore up from the floor up!
While watching the 180 I glanced back in direction of the first deer. THERE HE IS!
He's coming up the draw 85 yards. What's he going to do. Will he hit the open gap or jump the low spot in the fence at the corner. As you may figured yes he jumped the fence to be 103 yards out.
Crap that gig is shot in the foot. I turn to Jay not sure what to do he says "the big 180 deer has us pegged we got to Make a play on that buck. Stay low back up, cross the wire and the crawl up the fence keeping the high spot between you and the deer see if you can make the distance for a shot".
I listen and make tracks. Next thing i know I'm Crawling through a green field hiding behind a high spot in the field and 3" tall alfalfa on a deer at a lower elevation than myself. While en route to the deer he turns away and starts walking directly away. I'd made it to 70 but he was moving faster than me. I lost ground fast and while watching him leave i peek around to see Jay stooped down and motioning me to get back and mimics another deer behind him.
I then ease around on my stomach and find the deer. Man he's nice!!! I move so the hay bales we had been ambushing from was between myself and the new target. I get back to the bale and look at the deer. Yep he's a shooter too, but light was at essence. We had 6 mins till legal shooting light was over and he (the deer) was 80 yards away facing away. Then miraculously the deer turns and starts walking dead toward the head of the 35 yard draw initially to our left.
Frantically I knew I needed to quietly but quickly get to the haybale 10' away. I watched as the deer steadily walked into the draw. Finally I could move. I kept the haybale tween us while not so quietly hauling tail to it. I'd take a step forward and move right a little since deer was walking right to left to make sure deer didn't catch me moving. After scurrying to the bale I peep around it unexpectedly seeing him already in the hayfield.
Ranging him, he's 32 and facing me. Rangefinder on the ground easy does it, ok time to shoot. I kinda squat down grab the release and ease to the edge of the bale. I peek around. OH SNAP he's walking the fence row and going to come by broadside and close! 1 more peek don't want him catching me drawing. I barely move and see him getting nearer to clear the bale i take 2 tiny steps toward the back of the bale and then 1 to move up Close to give me room to draw and stay hidden. Im drawn, bubbles level. There he is coming out in view from my natural hay bale cover. Ok.....head clear, neck clear, shoulders clear, "MEH"!!! Top pin little low bubbles good. THWACK. There goes the green nock, it disappears and spits out the back side hitting the ground.
The buck hops up 2' And forward a tad from the slightly high shot but I knew it was good. He ran a j hook to his right and after 30 yards i could hear his lungs sucking for air. I stand there bent over holding my knees with my bow on the ground talking to myself saying go down go down go down. Then from a dead run he locks it up on a dime at a mere 70ish yards. As we bow hunters see all
4 legs kinda spread out then he gets wobbly and crashes to his right side.
Seriously did this just happen, what time is time, how much legal light left? I can't believe it, all this happened in 4 minutes and 2 minutes to spare and I just made a slam dunk shot on my First mulie within the first 36hrs of ever hunting them. My buddy comes out from behind his bale he watched from as I met him halfway. Hand shakes smiles and hugs was the firsts before anything else. I think we both was in shock that just happened.
Although we seen him fall we collected our things shared more smiles and the like and made a quick call to the landowner to inform
Him of a down deer just for respect and to keep him from thinking any foul play if he happened to see us in the field after dark.
Finally after getting to the deer and sizing him up and getting my hands on him I couldn't believe how big these animals was. Never did realize it. He was huge and by far the biggest deer I'd ever killed. I was ecstatic I didn't know weather to text everyone or grab him and enjoy the fact I had my first mulie down! We took several photos and conversed about how in the world did we just throw all that together. Was no doubt luck was on our side and we knew it.
What we wasn't aware of is the buck that was at 400 yards posturing up ended up being the buck I killed. He crossed a
Big deep coulee a small draw a fence and ended up coming right by at 22 yards broadside. I'm still shocked!
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The morning glassing period was full of deer sightings and pulled out the spotting scopes for 2 bucks right after daybreak as they was drifting back from the crop fields to the deep ravines that lead into the river valley. The best deer dispersed into a small dip along a bush at a 1000 yards which then sent us on a foot race to try to cut him off and get a better look.
After a long tuff walk down one side and up the other of a deep coulee looking for the deer with no prevail lead us into looking over a herd of open range cattle and then a surprising group of 8 mulie bucks drifting into the bush from above. We glassed the deer from 7-800 yards away and agreed none was of the caliber of deer we was after on the first morning.
We watched the deer for about a hour or little over as they seeped down from top of the draw to the lower 1/3 then bedding in the shade just under a rock ledge that was in a killer spot to ambush. We jack legged around debating size for another hunter with us for a bit. Then he (Levi) decided he just wanted a smidge bigger animal but was considering going after the animals anyway. Just because of the issue of their location. They was very killable.
As he and the gentleman hosting me Decided to make a Stalk on those deer and just before they left from that ridge top As ever so often it happens. Nature was calling. I had to find a bush so i was going to half to skip that learning lesson of a stalk. As we parted ways them going down me backtracking our own path after about 30 yards of scurrying and being close to my destination something beans me in the head from below me. Quickly I became woozy and my head starting pounding harder from the headache I already had.
My buddy who i was hunting with jokingly lobbed a rock as he was walking away to hit just near me to slow me down from business I was heading toward and as you know how jokes can go he hit me right square in the head. In -10 seconds I fell to the ground and quickly regaining my composure and jumping up after realizing what I'd just done. In my slow easing fall i sat down on a cactus and yes they struck home right in the center of my right butt cheek!
Needless to say after that I was ready for the truck that was 2 miles away. Advil that was 2 miles away and a nap that was 2 hours away. Not exactly your typical first text book mulie hunt.
After finally arriving back to the truck the boys was looking for a back way into the place we was hunting before heading in for lunch and that nap. We rode around for a hour or so checking each road. As was driving my buddy said hey we need permission there that place looks like a dream. I was dead headed and nothing stood out at the moment but from him looking at his map and the ground he saw with his eye. He knew it looked promising.
With a hunch and while En route to the hotel he looked on a map got the mans name and number and made a phone call. Permission granted and thats now where we was hunting that pm on a whim and his (my buddies) excessive mulie knowledge for early season. Yet, it seemed like odds or doubt may have been against us as the landowner may be allowing us to go hunt he said in the past "bow hunters don't ever have any luck here but you can still give it a try maybe your a better bowhunter than others previous." CHALLENGE ACCEPTED!!!
Around 330-4 we get up and start getting moving. We swing by grocery store and pick
Up some things come to the room and change then head to that very field.
Onced we parked about 5:15-530pm We walked the field edge and up along the young plush alfalfa that was at the head of 2 long draws and was parallel with a 175' coulee to the west. After seeing that i knew what he was eyeing on his map earlier. With 600 acres of all dry and fresh harvested fields surrounding us that green field was heaven on earth! Only issue was no decent cover besides week old 6x6 hay bales Scattered around the field.
We picked the 2 bales approx 8-10 yards apart and maybe 2-3' away from the 2 strand barbwire fence. They sat perfectly in between the 2 draws on the highest spot putting us at about 55 yards to the right draw and 35 to left then the deep coulee 85 yards to the left 50 past the smaller draw at 35.
After 30mins being brutally attacked by the blood sucking skeeters the first deer showed. A close Mile away across the river. Then about 10 more popping up as Time
Went on. By this time it was 630 and no deer had shown our way besides a yearling mulie doe that we bumped going in that sprinted by heading to a random Canola field to the east.
I stood to stretch my legs and happened to look over my left shoulder and ghostly like a huge buck had popped up straight down the finger from our hay bales between the 2 draws We had been watching. With us both caught off guard we froze. The deer stood for 10-15 seconds then proceeded to walk to the right draw. As he disappeared we lowered ur selves and I crawled to the other haybale 10' away. I hunkered down behind it peeping around it. Where did he go how will he come out? While watching for this buck Jay says "another buck out across the coulee 400'yards out looks like he's posturing and he's a big fella too"
I heard him say that but still I was focused we had a deer closer! So i pulled my rangefinder out and scaled distances. 45 to the first post at the open gap, 53 to the back post of the open gap, 55 to the corner of the tall weeds where the farmer Stopped mowing 46 to the lone patch of thistle at the high spot. All this Was repeating through mind while my sweaty Palm was Clinching my blue Carter hand release. Was this my chance? Where is he what's taking him so long he wasn't far, lights fading. I was becoming a wreck not to mention the attacking menaces had tripled!
Then Jay gets my attention I look over my shoulder slowly and there stood a 180"
Velvet mulie right In the field Corner opposite side of us right along that deep coulee. He had us pegged immediately since he appeared right from what seemed like thin air.
I was in shock was this really happening. 2 monstrous deer 1 on each side of us both under 100 yards. As a mule deer hunting rookie my heart was in my throat. Jay and myself both could hear my heart beating out of my throat. I was tore up from the floor up!
While watching the 180 I glanced back in direction of the first deer. THERE HE IS!
He's coming up the draw 85 yards. What's he going to do. Will he hit the open gap or jump the low spot in the fence at the corner. As you may figured yes he jumped the fence to be 103 yards out.
Crap that gig is shot in the foot. I turn to Jay not sure what to do he says "the big 180 deer has us pegged we got to Make a play on that buck. Stay low back up, cross the wire and the crawl up the fence keeping the high spot between you and the deer see if you can make the distance for a shot".
I listen and make tracks. Next thing i know I'm Crawling through a green field hiding behind a high spot in the field and 3" tall alfalfa on a deer at a lower elevation than myself. While en route to the deer he turns away and starts walking directly away. I'd made it to 70 but he was moving faster than me. I lost ground fast and while watching him leave i peek around to see Jay stooped down and motioning me to get back and mimics another deer behind him.
I then ease around on my stomach and find the deer. Man he's nice!!! I move so the hay bales we had been ambushing from was between myself and the new target. I get back to the bale and look at the deer. Yep he's a shooter too, but light was at essence. We had 6 mins till legal shooting light was over and he (the deer) was 80 yards away facing away. Then miraculously the deer turns and starts walking dead toward the head of the 35 yard draw initially to our left.
Frantically I knew I needed to quietly but quickly get to the haybale 10' away. I watched as the deer steadily walked into the draw. Finally I could move. I kept the haybale tween us while not so quietly hauling tail to it. I'd take a step forward and move right a little since deer was walking right to left to make sure deer didn't catch me moving. After scurrying to the bale I peep around it unexpectedly seeing him already in the hayfield.
Ranging him, he's 32 and facing me. Rangefinder on the ground easy does it, ok time to shoot. I kinda squat down grab the release and ease to the edge of the bale. I peek around. OH SNAP he's walking the fence row and going to come by broadside and close! 1 more peek don't want him catching me drawing. I barely move and see him getting nearer to clear the bale i take 2 tiny steps toward the back of the bale and then 1 to move up Close to give me room to draw and stay hidden. Im drawn, bubbles level. There he is coming out in view from my natural hay bale cover. Ok.....head clear, neck clear, shoulders clear, "MEH"!!! Top pin little low bubbles good. THWACK. There goes the green nock, it disappears and spits out the back side hitting the ground.
The buck hops up 2' And forward a tad from the slightly high shot but I knew it was good. He ran a j hook to his right and after 30 yards i could hear his lungs sucking for air. I stand there bent over holding my knees with my bow on the ground talking to myself saying go down go down go down. Then from a dead run he locks it up on a dime at a mere 70ish yards. As we bow hunters see all
4 legs kinda spread out then he gets wobbly and crashes to his right side.
Seriously did this just happen, what time is time, how much legal light left? I can't believe it, all this happened in 4 minutes and 2 minutes to spare and I just made a slam dunk shot on my First mulie within the first 36hrs of ever hunting them. My buddy comes out from behind his bale he watched from as I met him halfway. Hand shakes smiles and hugs was the firsts before anything else. I think we both was in shock that just happened.
Although we seen him fall we collected our things shared more smiles and the like and made a quick call to the landowner to inform
Him of a down deer just for respect and to keep him from thinking any foul play if he happened to see us in the field after dark.
Finally after getting to the deer and sizing him up and getting my hands on him I couldn't believe how big these animals was. Never did realize it. He was huge and by far the biggest deer I'd ever killed. I was ecstatic I didn't know weather to text everyone or grab him and enjoy the fact I had my first mulie down! We took several photos and conversed about how in the world did we just throw all that together. Was no doubt luck was on our side and we knew it.
What we wasn't aware of is the buck that was at 400 yards posturing up ended up being the buck I killed. He crossed a
Big deep coulee a small draw a fence and ended up coming right by at 22 yards broadside. I'm still shocked!
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