Last year was the first year in 30 years I didn't fill my tag and that didn't set well with me. This year my enthusiasm was low due to the fact I really didn't have anywhere great to go, and the deer numbers are way down in Montana due to disease and hard winters. So just finding deer is a major problem this year. I went out last weekend and passed up 16 young mule deer bucks. It was nice to see that many bucks, but spikes, forkhorns, and really small 3x3's don't light my fire at all. Anyway last night after work I knew I had about two hours of daylight that I could go hunt. I called a land owner and they gave me permission to hunt on their place. They also mentioned they hadn't seen any deer. So I wasn't overly confident as I left my truck to hike up the mountain. In fact I had zero expectations to see much of anything. This was weighing on my mind along with the fact I have very little time to deer hunt this year. To make a long story short, as I neared the top of the ridge and rounded a corner I was surprised to see a small herd of deer. Even more surprising was the fact there was a buck chasing around the does and he wasn't a forkhorn. I ranged him at 260 yards. I then laid down, got him in my scope, and gave him a hard going over. I knew he was far from the biggest buck I've ever shot. In fact he would qualify as very "average". The thoughts about limited time, and a bird in hand, came to mind and I decided to take him. I settled in for the shot, squeezed the trigger and heard that very satisfying WHUMP of a solid hit. He took a few step and tumbled down the steep slope. By the time I reached him it was getting dark. I took photos as quickly as I could and then reached for my headlamp in my pack. The friggen thing was dead! So I had the fun task of quartering this buck out in the dark (the no gutting method) and then transcended my own carcass off the mountain in the dark. Made no less stressful by the fact that one misstep on that super steep rocky slope and I would wind up in the obituaries. I made it back to the pick up long after dark, ran home and recruited my two youngest boys to come help me pack the buck out. We got all our head lamps working, returned to the buck, loaded everything up and were home by 9pm. I wish they could of been with me during the hunt itself but both were busy at the time. Glad they were free when the work started though.

Here are my two Sherpa's.


My son took this photo of me (the old fat man) on our way out.


Me with the buck shortly after taking him. So there you have it. I killed an average antelope buck this year, and now an average mule deer buck. So just call me Mr. Average. My buck is down and I can get back to more important things like fishing, coyote hunting, and possibly helping one or both of my daughter get a buck or two.

Your Average sounds pretty damned good, OFM.

Nice buck in my book.

Looks like you got the light load.. That's how it should be, dad.

Excellent! Nice buck!

You did well sir!

You are starting to suck in a big way......













cool beans

Congratulations

Nothing wrong with that buck, nice kill.

Nice story/buck! Congrats!

Exactly!!!

Congratulations! An average buck and an average antelope equal a lot of good "average" meat in your freezer.

L.W.

+1, and having two sherpas haul your deer beats a big buck anyway!

Congrats to you - looks like a nice buck & one I'd be happy to take anytime!!

Sherpas like that can eat a lot of venison...

Congrats on getting your buck. I've had some of those night-time pack outs. Ugh.

Was a real help when my own "Sherpa" helped me pack out a good buck a few years ago.

Guy

That's about as good as it gets and as mentioned you might need to adjust your "average" scale..good going on a nice buck done right!

I've yet to get a chance at a Mule Deer of either sex, so I'd call that one a dandy. Great job and thanks for taking the time to write it up!

I have been fortunate to kill a lot of mule deer. Given the conditions this year in Montana, I'm more than happy with this buck.

Good post, hunt. Sorry, it won't place in the dink contest.

Eyeball, there is always next year.

Just remember that 49% of the bucks are below average! So you did great. Have fun Clint

You just have to try harder for the Dink-a-thon.


Of course you could enter this buck, if you used a HUGE bribe to the judge...

Nice buck and GREAT story, made all the better with your boys. That's a lifetime memory for them.

Never realized just how far below average I really am .

Awesome experience man; glad you got your boys out there!

Hell yeah Troy, not a 'bad' buck at all considering.


Already chasing does?


Other than about an hour on opening morning I haven't been deer hunting yet this year, time is always pain in the ass!
Just about caught up and was thinking sometime this week would be a good time to miss a day of work.

Sam he was chasing does all over the mountain. I ended up using a deer fawn call to bring the does closer because I knew he would follow. When he stopped at 260 yards, that was close enough, and BOOM!

Congrats!

You don't eat the antlers!

Looks like those sherpa's probably get about 1 mile/pound of jerky at best ...

Mike

That's a nice buck, and you didn't slice your hand off or fall to your death in the dark............seems like some real positives to me!

That's a much better than an average buck.

I spent 8 days in Montana this season and didn't see a buck that good.

Congrats!

Congrats

Very nice story and very nice buck.. All bucks are nice, some are just bigger!!!

Congrats. Nice buck

Congrats!!!!

Nice buck, way to go!

Boy, your kids are sure growing up Troy...

Good looking doods!


Bill

Troy
Do you feel the hunting is not as good as what you had in the NE? or had the disease and winters been bad all over MT?

Good story. Nice buck.

Congratulations. Your "average" is a "trophy" to most of us!

Good job. donsm70

If'n that's average, what's your "above-average" look like?!?

+1000