This year is the year everyone will remember as the year of Covid. The overly-hyped pandemic put a little dent in my hunting season as we decided to not travel to Alaska for caribou. Besides that, it really hasn't changed much around here in our rural living. I also cancelled and refunded my Colorado deer tag this year because Tyler has to work during the season. This means I was solely leaning on Wyoming for all of our family hunts this year!
The hunt I probably look forward to more than any other is high-country mule deer. This year, a couple different summer scouting trips were made with good friends and good bucks were located! A few of the bucks that stuck out were all found on the same ridgeline within a mile or two apart, so this became our #1 spot for 2020.
Tripod, cheater, 5x5, and 200 are just a few of the characters we had found. My buddy Brady convinced me that archery hunting these velvet bucks would be worthwhile. I had my mind wrapped around mid September rifle season, but the idea that Brady was up there archery hunting and I wasn't was more than I could bear, so I met him up at camp at 10,000' for a three day archery hunt. Brady had plans to stay for two weeks.
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| 5x5 |
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| Cheater and Tripod (tripod, in the shadows, has a front fork tripod and a kicker off the same antler) |
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| Tripod and Cheater (cheater is on the right and is 30" with a 5" cheater) |
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| Scouting season is awesome since we get water on top rather than dropping 800' |
The sun was warm and I laid in the shade of some krummholz for several hours. Finally, inline stood from his bed and started feeding in the afternoon sun heading slightly downhill and away from the scree rock slopes which made a stalk impossible. He finally disappeared behind a rocky, fir, covered knob and never came out from behind it. I assumed he re-bedded. Tripod had been on edge all day. There was a constant 10 mph wind blowing uphill and he seemed like he somehow knew he was on my mind, and my #1 target for the day. He wouldn't relax but finally decided he better go find his buddy and stretch his legs a bit.
I began scheming a strategy for a stalk if tripod headed down to the same knob inline had disappeared behind. He seemed to relax a bit more and worked his way down behind the knob and just as he got behind a screen of trees, I saw the unmistakable flash of a him settling into a new bed. Yes! I quickly gathered up my laid out equipment from my day bed and started my stalk from around 400 yards.
I really didn't think I could stalk the bucks right into their new beds but after watching these deer as much as I had, I figured I had a good chance to ambush them as they would likely feed through an opening just on my side of the knob they were behind. My plan was to get on the upwind side of the opening and hope they would feed my way in the evening. The sun was already hanging low on the horizon so I picked up my pace.
I made it to 150 yards from the bucks and had spotted the bushes mere yards in front of me where I'd remove my boots and continue with socks, when a little 4-point buck stood from it's bed 80 yards below me. Busted! The little buck was now working his way right towards the mature bucks behind the knob. I sat hoping it wouldn't end badly. The little buck popped it's head up from right behind the knob where Tripod had bedded. He watched my direction trying to pinpoint the camo-cladded monkey that just spooked him. Fortunately, he did a bad job convincing the older bucks that they were in danger. The little buck turned back, as if he was relaxed.
There was a fir tree 70 yards from the knob I hoped to get into the shadows of, which should give me a shot if they decided to feed my direction. The old me would've panicked by now and assumed all three bucks were on alert and headed out and I would've rushed the stalk. I've made enough archery mistakes in my life now to be cemented in patience and optimism. I continued my stalk towards the fir tree...
I noticed as I approached the tree there was a giant deer bed carved out in the shade which looked like a great place to set-up. I had just placed my bow down to get situated when I noticed a large grey-bodied buck appear from behind the knob feeding directly at me. Tripod! My calm demeanor was strong but I could feel the shots of adrenaline, panic, and fever starting to shake my mental stability. You got this. Easy and Calm, Wait for the right situation, I would calmly whisper to myself. He's gonna see you!! He's gonna smell you!!! he's only 60 yards hurry and shoot now!!! was shouted from the unconfident demons in my head.
Tripod kept coming, then the little four point, and then inline. They were feeding roughly at the same elevation as me and if they continued on their line, they'd eventually feed right above me most likely and get my wind. While tripod was feeding slower, inline was more direct and had closed the distance to 30 yards in a hurry. Inline was also a good buck, but I had more history with Tripod so I waited. Finally, I had ranged tripod at 45 yards with a good broadside. I was almost too scared to shoot as I was so afraid to screw up the situation but decided it's now or never before I get picked up by one of the three bucks.
I drew back and in a moments notice didn't care if another buck spotted me. It was too late and I knew I'd get the shot off as the 40 and 50 yard pin rocked behind the shoulder with my breathing up and down. It felt good and I slowly released and heard the thump. I think I caught a flash of the arrow disappear inside the buck, but tough to tell. The three bucks exploded and tripod ran right at me. I noticed he wasn't going to stop so I jumped up in self defense and he jolted left barely missing the tree I was kneeling under. He stopped 25 yards below me and wasn't feeling good. I tried to get another arrow in him through the tree but it didn't work, He run over the lip of the slope and disappeared,,,,the light was disappearing as well.
We made it back to camp and it was now Brady's turn to make something happen! Brady is a monster and made a beautiful stalk with his recurve bow on inline the following day. He killed his biggest muley and with a recurve! Seeing and smelling the fresh red meat from inline somehow made me feel better after my experience with tripod. Two days of hunting and two great archery bucks. I can't wait till next year to return with the melting snow to see who's back!
I thought I could hear his body crashing down below, I was carefully optimistic. I quickly went up to the initial shot and found my arrow with a complete pass through and a few drops of blood. I gathered up my boots and with fading light, decided to look over the edge with fading light to see if I could see his lifeless body tangled in some trees. There wasn't any blood where I had last seen him and I was deflated to see he wasn't where I thought he should be. Without much more thought. I knew my only option was to back out for the night. It was a long trek back to camp. Back in the teepee, Brady was more positive than I was and couldn't figure out how I could be upset after hearing the story and seeing the arrow. I, on the other hand, had a feeling of uncertainty, maybe it was those self-doubting demons again.
Morning came and we found ourselves on the cliffline where I had watched the bucks the day before. I pointed out to Brady where everything unfolded and we split directions. I would follow where the buck was last seen and he would go below and begin gridding. For those of you that have been there, you know how grueling of a process it is mentally. We checked and doubled checked every patch of trees down 1,000' below where he had disappeared but neither of us could find any sign of blood, running fresh track, or anything, besides some overly-excited coyotes that seemed to be more vocal than normal.
The coyotes were down in the bottom where I assumed the buck might be lying dead and half-eaten. The morning sun warmed the slopes quickly and now my mind was on the venison I will lose if I don't find him quickly. By 11 AM we were right back where we had started, where I had last seen the buck. The only angle we hadn't taken yet is if the buck side-hilled rather than go down-hill. I Got Blood! I yelled up to Brady who was slowly walking every trail looking for any sign. 
The sign wasn't much, more of a smear on the underside of a leaf but it gave us a line! We began working the line and naturally began angling downhill as we lost any blood or track across the rocky dry slope. I was convinced the coyotes were on the deer so I kept heading down that direction, 3 hours later we met back up without much more to show for it. By now, it was hot and of this deer was dead, he was certainly spoiled. It made me sick. But I wanted to finish what I started out of respect for this beautiful deer.
We were now at least 3/4 mile from I had shot the deer. We knew he had gone this direction but did he stay side-hilling higher? We were possibly lower than we should be so I told Brady to take a ridge back up hill and I'd go another 1/4 and take the next batch of trees back up hill looking for birds, coyotes, dead buck, blood, anything! Not shortly after I hear Brady howl like a coyote, which meant we had sign! I couldn't believe it! My legs were rubber and throat parched when I made it up to him, he had found blood and it looked good! The buck had stayed at a higher elevation and still side-hilling. It was crazy how much he was bleeding at this point. our drained enthusiasm had suddenly filled right back up to the rim!
We stayed on the heavy blood trail for several hundred yards, I couldn't believe this buck was still on his feet, we finally got into a major patch of timber and I thought there was no way he could go beyond and he'd hole up in the cover. My real hope was not only would he find him, but he'd be freshly dead and we could salvage the meat. Brady and I sat down in the timber to discuss the blood and tracks, we were both extremely optimistic at this point that we were close. We both saw him across the draw at the same time. Laying dead with a scavenged hole in his gut. I'd typically be jumping up and down in excitement, but that day was a roller coaster, I didn't have the energy to do much more than shed some tears. I was mentally and physically beat down and didn't know how to feel. I walked up on him and realized the meat was unsalvageable. but certainly felt a sense of relief that we made it to the end of the trail and finished what we started.
The arrow placement I dare say was perfect. I don't know what to blame. The two-bladed broadhead didn't open a big enough hole to bleed? The stubbornness and strength of an old wise buck not wanting to die? Me not being a good enough tracker? The coyotes had found him before we did after the buck traveled well over 3/4 mile with very, very little blood for the first half mile. I believe he died 10-15 minutes after being shot. He was shot 7 PM, the night before. We found him at 5 PM the following day, without any breaks looking for him. I'm proud to have folks like Brady in my life, that will stick through the hard times with me. I don't know if I would've found this buck without his help. I think 90% of hunters would've given up on the search by then, but I try to surround myself with people that don't quit. Thank you Brady.
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| Entrance hole. The exit was behind the other shoulder at same height |
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| This picture does good showing raw emotion and fatigue |
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| Meet tripod |
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