BuzzH
Well-known member
Went out deer hunting on a 3-day solo backpack hunt. I hiked in the first night, saw a deer I'd seen during bow season and decided he needed a couple more years. A really good buck with huge fronts, but his backs are a little small. I still thought he might score 165.
I made the decision to hike into an area that my buddy Doug and I had glassed but never really hunted. Turned out to be a pretty tough hike into it. Hunted all day yesterday in there and saw 27 deer but nothing real good.
I made it back to my tent last night and was tired from the hike in and spending all day glassing for deer in the timber. I turned in at 8:00 pm and didnt wake up until an elk bugled about 200 yards from my tent at around 6 am. I got up and waited until it was light enough to shoot and walked to my first glassing spot. I immediately saw a good buck and got my spotting scope out. I looked him over for about 10 minutes trying to figure out why I shouldnt shoot him. I made the decision that he was a good buck so I crawled about 50 yards to a spot I could shoot from. I looked at him through the scope and decided I needed another look through the spotter. I crawled back up grabbed my spotter and told myself "pretend you havent seen this deer and look him over again". I studied him some more and decided he was a buck I'd be happy with. I rested across my pack and shot...instantly dropping him at 262 yards.
I wasnt disappointed with my decision to shoot him once I got down to him.
A good buck worthy of a couple pictures. I havent taped him yet as the pack out was an absolute beast, gaining and losing serious elevation both ways. Between the heavy pack, lack of water, 4.5 hour hike one way, and summer-time weather...I'm about shot.
Anyway, my 2006 WY mule deer...public land and general tag.
Another look.
And one last picture.
