Author Topic: 2012 Archery Mule Deer  (Read 4126 times)

Weste

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2012 Archery Mule Deer
« on: October 09, 2012, 09:51:34 AM »
Well, after hunting hard with my bow for 15 years, I finally had it come together on a trophy mule deer.  I have been chasing this buck all season and have been inside 30 yards two times earlier in the season.  A friend of mine had taken up bowhunting this year and I have been trying to help him harvest his first deer.  Both times he was with me and I was trying to get him a shot at this deer (Quite frankly, I thought this deer was 170" buck) and I was willing to hold out for something a little bigger.  On Saturday, we set out again to get to find this buck and work a sneak in on him.  After a 2 mile hike in the dark, we were near where the buck was living.  We seen him and 3 other bucks within the first 5 minutes of legal light and the hunt was on.  We followed him around for about 3 hours in the rolling hills and ended up about a mile from where we had located him in the morning.  After another 2 mile hike to set an ambush, playing the wind and avoiding other deer from busting us, we were inside 50 yards on him.  At this point, he was only with 1 other buck, and he was sleeping with his head sideways on the ground.  After a short wait, he either seen or smelled something that he didn't like and was alert.  He stood up and was looking in my direction, I loaded my bow and ranged his antlers at 44 yards.  Unfortunately he was in a hole and his vitals were not visible for a shot.  After a brief second he walked a couple yards to his buddy and gave me a clear shot.  The arrow found the mark and he was on the ground in a few seconds.   His body size is one of the biggest I have ever seen and certainly helped me under estimate the size of his antlers.  Once I got to hold him, then I realized how big this deer really was.  Let's just say there was a some field celebrating over the next few minutes.  LOL  Anyway, he has great mass with over 22" in mass on each side with a total gross score of 195".








Paul

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Re: 2012 Archery Mule Deer
« Reply #1 on: October 09, 2012, 09:55:36 AM »
Fantastic buck Rick, well deserved, congrats!

sporthunting

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Re: 2012 Archery Mule Deer
« Reply #2 on: October 09, 2012, 10:21:20 AM »
Great buck congrats!!

wildmeat

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Re: 2012 Archery Mule Deer
« Reply #3 on: October 09, 2012, 10:45:29 AM »
very nice rick... congrats... hard work and patience pays off again!!!!

Sonny

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Re: 2012 Archery Mule Deer
« Reply #4 on: October 09, 2012, 01:47:16 PM »
Wow what a beast...congrats. :)

Deputy sheriff

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Re: 2012 Archery Mule Deer
« Reply #5 on: October 09, 2012, 03:06:48 PM »
Buck of lifetime, will look great on your wall.
If you are too busy to hunt , you are too busy.

walleyes

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Re: 2012 Archery Mule Deer
« Reply #6 on: October 09, 2012, 04:37:14 PM »
Wow what a beuty.. Awesome read and pics to go along with it.. Thx for sharing..

jboutdoors5

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Re: 2012 Archery Mule Deer
« Reply #7 on: October 09, 2012, 05:38:50 PM »
NICE BUCK!! Thanks for the story and the pics!
Bonnie (and Joel)

http://jboutdoors.ca/

chicken

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Re: 2012 Archery Mule Deer
« Reply #8 on: October 09, 2012, 07:13:51 PM »
Great mulie, congrats!

Primal

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Re: 2012 Archery Mule Deer
« Reply #9 on: October 09, 2012, 07:43:27 PM »
Wow, what a buck. Congratulations!

Doug N

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Re: 2012 Archery Mule Deer
« Reply #10 on: October 09, 2012, 07:55:21 PM »
Very nice!!

OL_JR

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Re: 2012 Archery Mule Deer
« Reply #11 on: October 09, 2012, 08:21:59 PM »
             What a friggin stud huge congrats to you!
"Wolves don't lose sleep over the opinions of sheep"

Pottymouth

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Re: 2012 Archery Mule Deer
« Reply #12 on: October 09, 2012, 10:07:32 PM »
sweet muley buddy ! congrats

CAN_bigbore

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Re: 2012 Archery Mule Deer
« Reply #13 on: October 09, 2012, 10:15:55 PM »
very nice deer!  Congrats

badback

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Re: 2012 Archery Mule Deer
« Reply #14 on: October 09, 2012, 11:12:00 PM »
Right on Rick!!!
Treat each day as your last; one day you will be right.

diamonddave

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Re: 2012 Archery Mule Deer
« Reply #15 on: October 10, 2012, 07:54:01 AM »
That is a great Mule buck Rick, congratts on a well earned trophy!!

Springer

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Re: 2012 Archery Mule Deer
« Reply #16 on: October 10, 2012, 08:26:09 PM »
Thats a Brute of a Muley . Congrats Weste.

Weste

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Re: 2012 Archery Mule Deer
« Reply #17 on: October 10, 2012, 10:37:43 PM »
Thanks all.  I am still having a hard time believing that I got him with my bow!  LOL and I passed him up twice!!  What was I thinking???

JIMMY 808

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Re: 2012 Archery Mule Deer
« Reply #18 on: October 11, 2012, 11:43:40 PM »
Heck of a deer…

Weste

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Re: 2012 Archery Mule Deer
« Reply #19 on: February 06, 2014, 09:48:32 AM »
Well got the big guy back from the taxidermist and I am very happy with the result.  He seems bigger than I remember.  LOL  A big thanks to Levi and Kevin Wiebe at Top Notch Taxidermy in Coaldale, AB.  They did a great job.