ekimmob
New member
Had the opportunity to harvest this buck opening morning last weekend in Colorado. My sister wanted to go with me, her first big game hunt, and she ended up spotting this guy on the horizon about 1/2 of a mile away. He was slowly making his way away from us, but didn't seem to be in a big hurry.
As soon as he went over the horizon we booked it across a large gully to catch up with him.....hoping that he didn't make it too far over the hill. I got up on to the plateau he was on when we last saw him and started to make my way to the edge. There was a large open bowl out in front us, a river on the left and some small hills to the right, so I knew we'd be able to see him eventually.
I started to glass, far away at first as I made my way to the edge, but didn't see him all the way out there. Eventually I was almost to the edge and he wasn't in sight, until I looked down at the foot of the hill to my left and I saw that unmistakable mule deer back end. He hadn't seen me, so I back off to re-position myself a little bit closer to him for a shot.
I lowered the shooting sticks on my rifle, crept to the edge of the hill and took a seat where I thought I'd line up better with him. It took me another 30 seconds or so to relocate him from my new position, but eventually found him staring right at me. He was under 100 yards from my position, so I held the cross-hairs at the base of his neck and took the shot. He dropped where he was and was gone within a few heartbeats. Nothing feels better to me than a good shot that produces a quick kill.
It was 9 AM on opening morning and my job was complete, though we all know I spent the remainder of the morning taking care of him and getting him back to our vehicle. All in all it was a great hunt and I am thankful for the meat in the freezer. Oh and of course, this was a DIY public land hunt.
Thanks for reading and happy hunting! Mike
As soon as he went over the horizon we booked it across a large gully to catch up with him.....hoping that he didn't make it too far over the hill. I got up on to the plateau he was on when we last saw him and started to make my way to the edge. There was a large open bowl out in front us, a river on the left and some small hills to the right, so I knew we'd be able to see him eventually.
I started to glass, far away at first as I made my way to the edge, but didn't see him all the way out there. Eventually I was almost to the edge and he wasn't in sight, until I looked down at the foot of the hill to my left and I saw that unmistakable mule deer back end. He hadn't seen me, so I back off to re-position myself a little bit closer to him for a shot.
I lowered the shooting sticks on my rifle, crept to the edge of the hill and took a seat where I thought I'd line up better with him. It took me another 30 seconds or so to relocate him from my new position, but eventually found him staring right at me. He was under 100 yards from my position, so I held the cross-hairs at the base of his neck and took the shot. He dropped where he was and was gone within a few heartbeats. Nothing feels better to me than a good shot that produces a quick kill.
It was 9 AM on opening morning and my job was complete, though we all know I spent the remainder of the morning taking care of him and getting him back to our vehicle. All in all it was a great hunt and I am thankful for the meat in the freezer. Oh and of course, this was a DIY public land hunt.
Thanks for reading and happy hunting! Mike
