Zim

Just got back from Gunnison, Colorado. Had a 4th season rifle mulie tag. Took this 173" buck on the 4th day.

Anyone else hunt a 4th season? I don't mule deer hunt much and was curious what you think of this buck. The locals said he was small for that area. I was having a rough time, totalling my jeep on an icey hairpin turn. I hunted hard and did not see many bigger bucks, so I was happy with this one. I think the 4th season is over-rated. From now on I'll be hunting the longer 2nd or 3rd seasons.

One nice thing is I spotted this buck from 2 1/2 miles away and watched him for an hour. There were 5 other smaller bucks and 5 does. I drove to within 200 yards of them! Stopped my truck behind them in a power line clearing and stalked over the edge of the dropoff. Shot him from 100 yards and had a cream puff time packing him out. The day before I hiked in 3 miles through the snow to see 80 deer/14 bucks, but I passed on all of them. Crab claws and big 3x3's. Bad genetics?

Anyway my buck is only 22" wide but had nicer forks than anything else I saw, plus 2 cheaters.

Zim

One thing I learned on this trip was the patience to sit in one high spot and glass for hours, and lug that spotting scope around. After the first 3 I was kind of bored and thought I'd never spot anything after most of the deer bedded at 9 AM. I even fell asleep up there for an hour. However I kept at it and lo and behold, finally saw this group. The critters were so far away I could barely make them out with my spotting scope. Background snow allowed me to see them. They were extremely active for mid-day, chasing. I watched my buck tear up somebrush making a rub. The bucks were fighting too. I sat and scoped until I identified every deer in that quakie grove. This kind of hunting is now really appealing to me. I hope to return and try this some more someday.

camelcluch

Nice buck!!! Nothing wrong with that one.

Conductor Tex

Very nice buck,I would have shot it too. Too bad about your Jeep but you got to look at it this way,there's lot of Jeeps but only one of you!!!

Rebel Hog

Great Mulie! Congrat's

madmax83192

Well those people are dumb that is a nice buck i live in colorado and thats a nice mulie were were you hunting at

Zim

This was in unit 551. Snow blocked many areas. I know he's not a dink, it's just this hunt took all 10 of my preference points. That's a lot of points. I kind of expected to at least SEE a few bucks over 180". That is how this hunt was described. I saw only one monster and had no shot opportunity. I bumped him out of his bed in the dark timber. No way will I ever wait 10 years again. I think I can find a buck like this in a 2/3/4 point unit. Certainly I can have a good hunt for that anyway. I am in great shape and hike long & hard.

Next time I'd like to either try an archery hunt or a high mountain basin type hunt. This winter range stuff isn't for me.

charlie brown

Thats a nice buck for sure!! Congrats on the hunt!

BTW - didn't you have a NV bull archery tag? How did that go?

Zim

Yes. I thought I posted my NV bull on here back in September. Here's another pic. That was a great 9 day hunt. Ihad extremely close calls with a 400" 6x6 and a 380" 8x8 before taking this 347" bull.

SILVERTIP-CO

Looks like you had a good year. Not much to complain about withthe deer or the elk.