I grew up hunting mule deer and have had a lot of fun and success chasing them around.  That was all with the compound.  Since switching to a Silvertip I haven't had much luck.  Oh, I've had chances where I screwed up and missed shots and perfect stalks where I was waiting for the buck to stand and give me a shot and the wind swirled and gave me away.  I could have shot some smaller fork horned buck and does but I just wasn't interested.  That's hunting, but man it was getting pretty frustrating.  This year we have a reduced season for deer but I was determined to give it my best and besides I just love poking around in mule deer country.  If you look really close in this picture there is a nice buck bedded right in the middle of it. I ended up missing him at 19 yds......that one still hurts!!    
 

I had gone out on opening day and during the course of wandering around during the day looking for a nice buck to stalk I found where deer had been coming up out a coulee to hit a harvested pea field.  The coulee funneled down with a steep wash in the middle and a big clump of aspens and chokecherry bushes about 15 yds from a series of converging trails.  In short, given a good wind direction it was the perfect spot for an ambush.

I see the deer.... Looks nice

 
Fellow flatlander waiting on bated breath

I love this one! Would really like to stalk some mule deer... Keep It coming ...

This past friday I packed up all my gear with the intent of hunting for a week.  I had checked the weather and the wind was going to be perfect for my ambush spot for the next few days.  I got there late afternoon and made a natural ground blind in the bush I had picked out.  I settled in for the evening and everything was just perfect.  I didn't have long to wait and I could see a doe making her way towards me.  I let her go by on the trail and she had no clue I was there.  A few minutes later I could see a nice buck standing at the fence.  I had a good chance to study him and could see that even though he only had an average sized rack he had a big body and was fat.  I knew right away if I got a chance I shouldn't pass this up given my past bad luck.  He came down the trail without a clue I was there and as he was going by my shooting window partly quartering towards me at about 12 yds I drew, aimed and released.  I hit him a little higher than I had aimed but the arrow disappeared through him instantly and he gave a big kick and tore off up the hill beside me.  I could hear his labored breathing and knew he couldn't go far.  I went and found my arrow and it was covered in blood as was all the ground around it.  There was an excellent blood trail which is saying something.  Prairie grass is really bad for blood trailing on.  It just seems to soak up the blood.  Anyway it was a short trail and about 50 yds later I was tickled to find my fat little buck at the end of it.  Not my biggest, but the first mule deer with my recurve after a lot of trying.  I hope it's not my last.  


I used a 125 gr Magnus Stinger Broadhead on Beman 400 Bowhunter shafts with 100 gr brass inserts and a Schafer Silvertip 54 lbs at my draw.  I had hit him high on the left shoulder and the arrow exited out his liver on the right side.

wow nice buck!

Perfect. . .  A great trophy in my world!  Still looking for that bedded buck in the above pic though. . .??    

EDIT:  Just found it.  I was looking in the top pic- but buck is in bottom.  Got it!!  Cool

Dan in KS

He's there Dan, just look in the shadow in the middle.

   

Excellent! Congratulations! It will NOT be your last!

nice ,,,thanks for the story,,congratz

Well Done.

Very very nice. Love that terrain as well.
Great job

Nice buck!

Sunsets, thunderstorms, and coulee mule deer.
The three things i still miss after leaving Saskatchewan almost twenty five years ago...  

Nice story and good job, congrats

Well Done!!! Congrats!!!

Good work, good looking buck.

Very nice!!

Good looking buck...CONGRATS!

Wow thats a nice one!