In March 2007 my father drew the one and only Mule Deer Foundation tag in the statewide raffle. It is the equivalent of a ND Govenor's tag, good for any unit in the state during the entire rifle season. Over the summer of 2007 I scouted and found some great bucks:
ND Rifle Mulies
- Thread starter Buschy
- Start date
AZ402
Well-known member
Good looking bucks.
Well in Sept. of 2007, my father fell off of a ladder on his hunting property breaking his right hip and shattering his right elbow. He was in surgery for a total of 10 hours to get everything put back together and his hunting season was obviously shot.
With the help of the regional Mule Deer Foundation director, Brandon Mason, I was able to convince the ND Game and Fish Dept. director to defer my father's special tag until the 2008 season. My father was estatic. Since he is retired, I informed my father his only job over the next year was to heal and get ready for next year's hunting season. He listened and worked hard at recovering. I continued to scout.
More story to follow
With the help of the regional Mule Deer Foundation director, Brandon Mason, I was able to convince the ND Game and Fish Dept. director to defer my father's special tag until the 2008 season. My father was estatic. Since he is retired, I informed my father his only job over the next year was to heal and get ready for next year's hunting season. He listened and worked hard at recovering. I continued to scout.
More story to follow
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Neither my father, nor the friend I had been applying with for tags, had ever shot a mule deer before. I talked to my friend and explained I really wanted this to be a special hunt for my father. I explained my plan of putting in with another person to intentionally bring our odds down to nothing. This would keep us from getting drawn for just this one year so I could spend time with my father and find him a good buck. My friend agreed and we found someone to put in with us and bring our odds down to 3%. Well I think the big man upstairs wanted me to hunt with my father because in July of 2008 I found out my friend and I beat 3% draw odds and drew tags to hunt mule deer with my father. I had tried to avoid this, but was thrilled with the news.
Fast forward to deer camp 2008 in the Badlands. I was a little anxious because both my father and friend were leaning on me to put them on deer. Neither were real comfortable out there on their own. The first three days of the season the we saw little rutting activity, but I still managed to put my father on three great deer at less than 150 yards. The problem was all of these shots were at moving deer and dad was not comfortable taking that kind of a shot. I realized I had to find a deer willing to stand still for us or find one bedded.
On day four the rutting activity really started to pick up and I found a nice buck pushing does around a creek bottom. Dad and I moved to within 150 yards, but the thick cover made it difficult for him to see the buck. Eventually the buck bedded down and I decided we could make big circle and come in from above on a huge butte that towered over the creek bottom. When we inched over the top I immediately found the buck stretched out in the sun with his head on the ground napping contentedly. Dad had a 200 yard shot at a steep downward angle and slammed the buck. He never got out of his bed. He is a 3x3 with browtines. He also had good mass, height and width. Dad was thrilled.
Fast forward to deer camp 2008 in the Badlands. I was a little anxious because both my father and friend were leaning on me to put them on deer. Neither were real comfortable out there on their own. The first three days of the season the we saw little rutting activity, but I still managed to put my father on three great deer at less than 150 yards. The problem was all of these shots were at moving deer and dad was not comfortable taking that kind of a shot. I realized I had to find a deer willing to stand still for us or find one bedded.
On day four the rutting activity really started to pick up and I found a nice buck pushing does around a creek bottom. Dad and I moved to within 150 yards, but the thick cover made it difficult for him to see the buck. Eventually the buck bedded down and I decided we could make big circle and come in from above on a huge butte that towered over the creek bottom. When we inched over the top I immediately found the buck stretched out in the sun with his head on the ground napping contentedly. Dad had a 200 yard shot at a steep downward angle and slammed the buck. He never got out of his bed. He is a 3x3 with browtines. He also had good mass, height and width. Dad was thrilled.
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With my father's tag filled, I focused more on hunting for my friend and myself. The next evening we went to a spot that has always produced good bucks. We sat up high and glassed many does and quite a few bucks, but no shooters. I informed my friend I was going to sneak over the next ridge and take a peak. Bingo! I found about 25 mule deer in and around a little wooded draw. There were three bucks chasing does and one definite shooter. I went and got my friend. The stalk was quite easy as we had a 15 mph wind in our face and a large butte between us and the deer.
When we inched over the top of the butte we saw the shooter walk into the draw and were waiting for him to come out. I was so focused on the big buck we had been watching that I failed to look below us. 90 yards away was another great buck looking right at us. I told my friend to kill the buck below us. He saw it and quickly put him on the ground. He had his first mulie buck and was thrilled. The buck is a 4x4, with browtines. He is 24 inches wide outside, 22 inches tall, and has good mass.
When we inched over the top of the butte we saw the shooter walk into the draw and were waiting for him to come out. I was so focused on the big buck we had been watching that I failed to look below us. 90 yards away was another great buck looking right at us. I told my friend to kill the buck below us. He saw it and quickly put him on the ground. He had his first mulie buck and was thrilled. The buck is a 4x4, with browtines. He is 24 inches wide outside, 22 inches tall, and has good mass.
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Calif. Hunter
Active member
Congratulations to both of them! (And to you for your expertise!) Did you tag out?
Now we just had my tag to fill. Right off the bat the next morning I found about 20 deer, with three bucks feeling quite horny. One in particular stood out as he had some great front and back forks. They were not in an area that was easy to get close to as it was very flat. I took off and played cat and mouse with the group of deer for about 45 minutes. I tried three different times to get into a good position for a shot. They finally moved into a draw which allowed me to get closer to them and set up for a shot. Within minutes one of the smaller bucks pushed a doe up out of the draw and I figured the others would soon follow. They did and the bigger buck gave me a broadside shot at 437 yards ranged by my friend (it was dead calm that morning). Well I admit I missed the first shot, but the second put him on the ground like a piano dropped on him. He is a 4x4 with no browtines. He is just over 23 inches wide and has some great forks. I am thrilled.
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This trip could not have been more of a success. Spending time with my father and a great friend was very special. Getting three good bucks was a bonus.
I still have a bow tag to fill and hope to have it hanging off of a good mulie buck before the season ends.
Thank you for looking and I hope your fall has been as wonderful as mine.
I still have a bow tag to fill and hope to have it hanging off of a good mulie buck before the season ends.
Thank you for looking and I hope your fall has been as wonderful as mine.
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smalls
Well-known member
Awesome story and pictorial Buschy. I do miss that part of the world!
Buschy has a bad grudge against those Badlands muleys. As is always the case, great photos, great story, and some really great bucks to show for the effort.
Congrats to all of you.
Congrats to all of you.
Ridge Runner
New member
Good job on some great bucks and great pictures. Thanks for sharing them with us.
elk_hunter
Active member
Many congrats! Those are awesome bucks and great stories! Thanks for sharing!
T Bone
Well-known member
Very cool. That's a real memory for all involved.
Moosie
Grand poopa
Boooooyah Baby !!!!!
noharleyyet
Well-known member
Outstanding field photos.
Bwana
Well-known member
Way to go Buschy and glad to hear everything turned out so well. It can be stressful at times when you are the one called upon to make things work but obviously your homework paid off with 3 very nice bucks.
Thanks for sharing and congrats to all involved.
Thanks for sharing and congrats to all involved.
