It was ten years ago when my hunting partner Cliff Free and I last hunted mule deer in North Dakota. Although our DIY hunt was unsuccessful we vowed to return one day and try again. Little did we know at the time that it would take us so long to get back. Actually, we had applied for and drawn tags last year but a sudden medical condition in Cliff's family had us post pone our trip until this fall.
Although last year's winter was mild North Dakota's three previous winters had been brutal and combine that with a outbreak of blue tongue disease in the area it didn't sound all that promising as far as deer numbers go.It has been reported in certain spots the deer populations were down 70% from what they were just a few years earlier. Any mule deer hunt I have ever been on has been a challenge and this one was stacked up to be no different going in. We still had high hopes as we left from Michigan on September 7th. After spending the night in a motel we arrived at our destination in the far western part of the state early the following afternoon. Something about hunting the prairie in early fall that sticks with you. We were glad to be back.
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k267/bowjack/208_0374_zpsf574f36d.jpg)
:campfire:
I believe the key to successfully hunting mule deer in such open country is patience. Wait until you can locate a deer in a stalk-able location seems like the most productive method. We spent our mornings and evenings when deer were up feeding to glass the ravines and open hillsides looking for the right situations. They were few and far between.
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k267/bowjack/208_0358_zps5f590873.jpg)
We did soak up a lot of the natural beauty of the landscape in the process though.
We were glassing two really nice bucks in this valley each morning and watching them go to bed. They were never in a spot where either the wind or the terrian allowed us to get close though. The one day they bedded on a cliff part way up the deep ravine in the center of the picture on the hills in the distance. Too steep for a stalk but we felt maybe a push might work. I circled around and got dirrectly above their position while Cliff worked up from below. Our plan didn't work though as they must have squirted out the side. We never saw them leave.
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k267/bowjack/208_0359_zpsf4f46a8b.jpg)
Very cool! Great pics. I've been wanting to hunt the ND Badlands for a number of years.
One evening I was glassing an area when two smaller bucks came out of the draw below me and bedded on the hillside to catch the last rays of sun directly across from my position at about 200 yards.Two more bigger bucks appeared coming out of the ravine and started feeding just below me at about 100 yards. I didn't dare move for fear of being spotted by one or all. I was able to snap a picture of one of the bigger bucks when the smaller bucks got up and moved shortly before dark. I couldn't make a stalk on him though because of where the other bucks were located. This is where patience comes in. I didn't want to blow them out of the area so waited until they fed over the ridge and by then it was too late to make a move.
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k267/bowjack/208_0355_zpsf73f8c53.jpg)
:coffee: Great so far Jack!
Finally on the morning of the sixth day I was glassing a buck that bedded in a place that would allow a stalk. He had fed late and I was pretty sure he would be there until evening. I slipped away from my vantage point and went to find Cliff who was glassing a spot a mile or so away. Here's the buck feeding a half mile distance through my spotting scope before he went to bed.
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k267/bowjack/208_0360_zps7b498383.jpg)
:campfire:
Cliff had located one of the two big bucks feeding in the valley and watched him enter a creek bottom and not come out. Although he couldn't see exactly where he bedded he hoped he might be able to walk up the creek and catch him napping. I felt the buck I had located could wait so I climbed to a vantage point and watched for the buck Cliff was after in case he bumped him. Cliff spent a couple hours looking but was never able to find the big buck and I never saw him leave either. We met back up and headed to the spot where I had last glassed the other buck in the morning. It was nearly noon by the time we got back there. He had bedded in the washout below the ridge in the center of the picture and was still there when we glassed. The stalk was on!
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k267/bowjack/208_0373_zpsbc411f00.jpg)
Cliff watched through the spotting scope as I made a wide circle to the left to keep out of the buck's view. You can see the washout where the buck is just above the shadow line on the middle left of the picture.
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k267/bowjack/208_0374_zpsf574f36d.jpg)
:campfire: Beautiful country!
It took an hour or so for me to make my way around to the ridge. Coming in from the top the wind was blowing strong to help cover my approach and carry my scent away from the unsuspecting buck. When I could see the washout I knocked a Snuffer tipped arrow and slowly inched forward with tension on the string. Reaching the lip of the washout I peered over the edge. It was seven or eight feet to the bottom and undercut so I couldn't yet see the buck if he were still there. I slowly leaned out and could make out his antler tips a couple yards under my feet. At about the same time the buck either saw my shadow or sensed my presence as he exploded out of his resting place. I drew my bow, picked a spot and released the arrow in one fluid motion striking perfectly behind the right shoulder at about five yards distance.
The buck raced down the hill crashing in the brush to his right regaining his footing and dropping over the lip out of my sight. I ran around the washout to try and get another glimpse of him but saw or heard nothing. I called Cliff on the radio to see if he could see the direction the buck had gone. Cliff said he had looked up from the spotting scope and grabbed his binoculars as soon as the buck took off but couldn't find him again.
I walked a few feet down hill and found him 75 yards from where I had shot, piled up.
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k267/bowjack/208_0364_zpsf4aa3819.jpg)
Cliff hunted hard the remaining few days but ended up never getting a buck within range.
We'll be back I'm sure.
Congrats Jack! That is a fine buck!
Nice deer Jack. What bow were you shooting.
doug77
Great deer. Congrats.
Nice, congrats!
Thank you, what a hunt. Nice pics. Makes me want to be there.
Great story and photos of your hunt, Jack. Congrats on the success.
PS - Jack, your mailbox is full.
:thumbsup:
Good for you, thanks for bringing us along.
Nice buck and congratulations Jack!
Congrats on an awesome hunt and buck! :thumbsup:
Jack WAY TO GO!!! Beautiful animal and great pics with the story. Thanks for sharing!!!
Congrats on a very nice deer! Great pics! Great story! Sounds and looks like it was a very fun hunt. Thanks for sharing!
Congrat's.......Nice story. Thanks for sharing it with us.
Not many things provide a greater thrill. Congratulations
Nice!
Thanks everyone. I need to admit up until the day I shot the buck it was looking pretty dim if either of us would get a chance. It sounded like you were walking on cornflakes with every step as dry as it was. I was very fortunate to have the single opportunity I had for a stalk work out. We both felt we would have had a great trip even if we didn't get that chance. Sometimes it just nice being there.
Doug,
Used the T/D Wing bow I have grown so fond of.
Darryl,
Thanks, cleaned out the mailbox some.
Congrats. THanks for taking us along on your journey. Ken
Well done Jack, thanks for taking us along.
Way to go Jack! Nice pics and story.
Thanks for sharing your story and pictures!
That's a special part of the world out there, I can't get enough of it! In my opinion Mule Deer are God's gift to bowhunters.
Good Shoot'n!
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/Iflytrout/Pictures/buzzards.gif)
Thanks for the pics, helps get me out of my head at work and into the woods :campfire:
Nice country..
Great story.
Congrats on your buck..
Nice work, thanks for sharing.
Congratulations. I truelly believe that a spot and stalk muley with a recurve is one of the trickiest hunts to do.
I hunted the badlands of ND a few years back, I would like to get back in the next few years.
Very nice!!
:notworthy: :clapper: :clapper: :clapper: Very well done Jack :clapper:
Great hunt and story. Thanks for sharing.
Dan
awesome hunt, thanks for taking us along.
Thank you for posting the story and congratulations on taking a nice buck.
Good Stuff Jack CONGRATS!
I gather there is a fair amount of public land?did you camp or stay in a motel?
Nice! :clapper:
Eric
Way to go Jack! Spot & stalk mule deer has to be one of the toughest, yet most exciting animals to bowhunt.
Congratulations!
Cool hunt! Great story. Congrats on a fine animal. Hunting muleys that way is the essence of hunting to me.
Excellent job, buck, and story, Jack!! :clapper: :clapper:
I've hunted that area a couple times and to sneak up and arrow a Muley is not an easy task. Hats off to you Jack.....what an incredible story! :thumbsup:
Congratulations Jack! And thanks for taking us along on the trip!
Awesome story and pictures Jack! Congratulations on a great hunt!
Congratulations Jack!
-Jay
Well, I am glad I clicked here. Good job Jack! I need to stop by one day...I am hauling the kids by there what seems to be a dozen times a day! Football, basketball, and marching band.
congrats, great story and shot!!!
Congrats. Well done. :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Great hunt. Thanks for sharing.
Way to make the most of a situation. Nice shooting.
Quite the spot to hunt. Those open spaces look like a real challenge, no wonder you wanted to go back.
Hunterken,
There's lots of public land in North Dakota and few bow hunters.On our first trip we tent camped, hunted public land and never saw another hunter. This trip we were able to stay at a friend's house and mostly hunt their ranch land.
Steve,
Stop over anytime. My wife is gone on a cruise and I'm in charge of watching our 3 year old grandson during the week until she returns.
A few more pictures of the North Dakota landscape.
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k267/bowjack/208_0376_zps44c62ad8.jpg)
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k267/bowjack/208_0375_zps64468f68.jpg)
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k267/bowjack/208_0374_zpsf574f36d.jpg)
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k267/bowjack/208_0354_zpsafcd0817.jpg)
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k267/bowjack/208_0353_zps77339a43.jpg)
Excellent, thanks. Nice trip and thanks for sharing
Congrats Jack. I love the badlands.
What bow did you use?
CTT
Great deer congrats.
Congrats!!! My brother and I have been going to ND for the last two years and I've been lucky enough to get a nice Whitetail each year. Last year I spent 2.5 hours stalking a Mule Deer and got with in 17 paces but when I tried to get him to stand up he ended up bolting and never stopped. We decided last year to not go back for a few years hoping that the herd would rebound. We are going to Missouri this year but after seeing your pictures of the beautiful Badlands it makes me want to go back even more and makes me realize how much I'm gonna miss it this year. Thanks for the story and the pictures. Congrats again!! Dave
:thumbsup: :archer2:
Great hunt. Loved the story!
Jack nice, I did the same thing hunting near Medora, it is nice country.
Awesome!
Congrats,
Bisch
Way to go Jack! Love it when it comes together like that! Congrats :clapper:
David
Congratulations sir!
Awesome Deer Jack!!
I'll bet the trip was equal!
you did a great job!
...what an animal and what a wonderful landscape.
Great
Greetings Thomes
Very cool! Congratulations.
Thanks for the account and pics...great country and nice deer.
Nice buck, congrats!
Jack, You have made my day! congrats.
That is a hunt I would like to do once I move back to the upper midwest!
Congrats! :clapper: :clapper: Great story and ending!!
P.S. my daughter is still shooting that Bear 68 cub you fixed up for her! Dave
Congratulations on your great hunt! Western North Dakota is surely a beautiful area. I've bicycled through the area a few times, but haven't hunted it. It looks like lots of fun! :thumbsup:
Bernie Bjorklund
NC Iowa/SW Wisconsin
Congrats Jack!
What an adventure and the pics are stunning.
Great Buck!!! Congrats on a great hunt
Great story, Jack. Congrats on taking a nice Buck!
Very cool. Congrats on what I know is a very difficult challenge. Especially with the herd decline!
Well done.. :notworthy:
Gr8t!!! Trophy!
JL