If you have traveled at all widely hunting large mule deer (whether B&C,or B&C Class, or simply "old and large"),something a guy should have figured out by now is that your BEST chance for a TRULY large buck will likely be best in what I call "fringe" mule deer country.Maybe a lightly hunted ranch or other large acreage in some "non-traditional destination-type" place with low deer density,very low hunting pressure,plenty of escape cover,or a combination of factors that result in bucks being able to grow up,with excellent winter habitat to carry large bucks over from the rut,etc.
Sometimes the licenses in these areas are very tough to get(AZ Strip,Kaibab,etc); sometimes private and limited access creates these conditions.Sometimes it comes about because hunters are like "sheep",following the crowds to highly touted areas or "hot" outfitters,and ignoring the "fringe" habitat areas, like New Mexico,Texas, parts of Oklahoma,and hard to draw areas of Colorado,etc.
I have no doubt whatsoever that Ray has the deer he speaks of on these large, remote, difficult-to-hunt ranches in New Mexico, and Texas. I suspect that very few hunters really have the patience and determination to stay "off-the-trigger" for two weeks at a stretch,or devote the 2-4 years of burning tags it takes before you finally get a crack at a buck like JG posted a picture of.
Just because a guy goes someplace,hunts half-assed for 5 days(not enought time BTW)and does not see a big one,does not mean they are not there.....
