RE: Pics of my SD Muzzleloader buck
 

Very nice!

RE: Pics of my SD Muzzleloader buck
 

Wow, that's one of the prettiest mule deer I've ever seen. I have a sweet spot in my heart for the really symetrical ones. Congrats!

RE: Pics of my SD Muzzleloader buck
 

dayum!!

RE: Pics of my SD Muzzleloader buck
 

Congrats on an awesome animal!

RE: Pics of my SD Muzzleloader buck
 

WOW, Congrats,
That has got to be one of the most perfect racks I've seen on a mulie much less one heck of a shot. Great story too.
Were you using snow shoe's? I would like to hear more for sure.... I'm in NY and it gets cold here and I will hunt all day in all kinds of weather but my hands get cold if I sit too long. Are you walking and scouting vast terrian w/ a spotting scope and wearing lighter clothes w/ heavy stuff in your pack? Your photograph is supurb! Were you w/ other folks or did you pack the camera in too? Got to have been a heavy pack much less packing the meat out too.
I would love to hear more for sure.
AGAIN Congrats on a hunt of a lifetime!
Steve

RE: Pics of my SD Muzzleloader buck
 

Thank you everyone! I couldn't sleep really well last night because I am still on cloud 109! To get such an opportunity at such a fine buck is a dream come true!

I was hunting public land many miles away from any established road. The snow was deep but luckily pretty hard in most places so I didn't have to use my snowshoes much! But when I was in the soft snow it was about knee deep in places where fresh snow had been blown into drifts. I was hunting vast terrain soa good set of Nikon binos and spotting scope was a must.I glass and find a deer that I may want to sneak on and put a plan in place to close the distance. In my pack I carry my spotting scope, tripod, camera, knive set, extra clothes, snacks and water. It was a physically challenging hunt to say the least. The ups and downs of the terrain wore me out that is for sure!

I was using a Thompson Center Endeavor, Shockwave 250 gr. spirebullets/sabots, and 150 gr.of Triple 7 pellets and primers. The bullet entered the buck behind the left shoulder and exited the opposite shoulder dropping the buck in his tracks.

I had sighted in the TC at 150 yards and could consistantly hit a 10 inch target at that range. At 186 yards I knew I needed to hold a hair high and really concentrate on the fundamentals that I learned in the military. When the smoke cleared and he was laying motionless on the ground...........emotions hit me!!

RE: Pics of my SD Muzzleloader buck
 

Another pic....

RE: Pics of my SD Muzzleloader buck
 

Yet another.

RE: Pics of my SD Muzzleloader buck
 

Last one..

RE: Pics of my SD Muzzleloader buck
 

That is AWESOME!!!!