Some might call it buck fever. In my opinion it was just plain misjudgment. Sure, my heart races the same as the next guy when I get a big buck in my crosshairs, but I've usually got it well under control. No, this particular instance was a result of poor judgment and a split decision. Too many variables and too little time, that's what this one was all about. Had I been afforded another 30 seconds to evaluate the buck's antlers, I'm certain my...
Ask most North American hunters and nine out of ten will probably say that early season mule deer hunting is for archers. As a committed bowhunter I've spent many early season days in the mountains, along river valleys and in the prairie grasslands chasing mule deer. It is indeed a great opportunity to catch deer relatively uneducated. But in recent years I've been hearing more about gun hunting these great deer in the early season. Aside from...
It was clearly the peak of the rut and, in the narrow draw below me, a doe pranced coquettishly through the brittle cottonwoods, keeping well out of reach of the husky buck that dogged her trail. Though confident that her magic scent would draw him on, she stopped every 50 meters or so to gaze intently down her back trail, evidently impatient for the buck to catch up.
Infinite volumes have been written about whitetailed deer. From their reclusive nature to their sex lives, virtually every aspect of their lives has been dissected. But, for those of us intrigued with variety, far less is written about their counterpart, the mule deer.
In sock feet, I started easing my way towards what I hoped was the right sagebrush bush, taking painstaking measures to ensure that each step was in silence. As I slipped behind the taller of the two clumps, I caught a glimpse of movement twenty yards ahead. My heart began to pound as I first made out the ear, then the head and body of my prey. Bringing my Darton bow to full draw, the mule deer stood up, as if on cue, and presented a...
We spotted the bucks just after sunrise, grazing on an open face far above timberline. We were far below. There would be no time to get in position for a shot before they went to bed down in an almost impenetrable thicket of krummholz, the dense, short pines found above timberline in the Rockies.
When talk turns to hunting in the high country, one may assume that the discussion is usually about stalking bighorn sheep or mountain goats. However, while lesser known, mule deer will also inhabit the terrain above timber line. In fact, some believe that the only place to bag a trophy class
mule deer is above timber line. If you are up to the challenge of stalking the mountain tops, read on, Gary Hubbell shares his experiences in pursuing...
