Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Canada Mule Deer

I was hunting an area I have hunted before, but hadn't shot anything there before, my son had taken a couple bucks out of the area previously.

I was hunting just below my camp, I only saw the same 7-8 does hanging around my camp lol, I was prepared to shoot the first good sized 2 point I saw as its early yet for getting a good eating Muley. The 3rd day I changed direction and went up the slope, and as soon got up there on a bench I was busted with a snorting buck. I went over about 100 yds and sat down, got sleepy and had a nap.

Woke up and remembered the snorting I had heard earlier, I went sneaking back over there and had to cross about 100 yds of blowdown timber, soon as I had crossed it I heard the thumping of a running Mule deer, saw antlers and realized it was a large open area. I saw him looking at me through the tree's and brush, I moved to a rest, he stepped out for a better look, 50 yds broadside, he ran about 50 yds stood there and went down.

I was alone on this hunt as my son came down sick and had to stay home. I have always hunted alone so, no big deal, but it would of been good for the pack out, this buck may have been the most brutal 400yrd pack out ever for me.
I was alone, forgot my packboard, and also forgot my chainsaw winch, but I had my quad and other tools, but really missed the board and winch. I had to try and find a way up to the buck, I cut a trail up the steep slope, once on the bench I had to cut through a mass of blowdown, I burned 2 full tanks of fuel in doing so. I was also concerned about the approaching darkness and any grizzlies in the area.

I tried dragging him, but after 10ft of that, I knew it wasn't happening, I got my machine to it after several hours, and simply started dragging him back down the slope, the steep part I was dragging him myself, and I took my gunboot off the quad in case of a roll over, yeah, it was pretty steep, so no flop over's. Got back to my camp just at dark.
Today, I am paying the price for not remembering the winch.

6.5x55 swede, 140gr hornady sp, great rifle and bullet. Interesting how sometimes Mule deer bucks will have large racks and smaller bodies, while others can have smaller racks, but large bodied.


This Honda has been incredible.