This year I drew an Antlered Elk and Antlered Mule deer. No luck with the Elk in spite of seeing 5 bulls. Been seeing lots of Mule bucks so decided I’d take one if a “shooter” appeared. 45 minutes into the hour drive to the hunt spot this morning and I “tagged” a white tail buck with my Tacoma. It was drivable so back home to pick up my 3/4 ton Ford ... and less than a km from home I hit the ditch (lots of snow and nasty slippery today). Walked home for the tractor to pull the Ford out and back on the road in an hour. By this time, in the mood to shoot something Buddy and I pushed his home quarter trying to coax an elk into the open with no luck. Deer were rutting hard and moving all day so when I saw this poor bugger chasing a doe, he never even had a chance to fart before the lights went out. 280 yds. Never got to use my deer gun as I was packing a 30-284 for elk.
We have permissions on about 8 quarter sections. Been hunting the same area for many years. Most of our hunting grounds are mixed deciduous bush and prairie with a lot of hills. This year, with close to a foot of snow on the ground, everything was up-hill. We always hunt the time of heaviest deer rut as the animals are moving all day.
This was the damage at days end. Poor little white tail in the middle looks out of place. The one I got with the truck was better than that The Muleys were heavy to pull up hill. They came in just under 300 lbs. on the hoof.
And here’s my poor Tacoma. Bought new in 2013 and used only during November hunts. Just turned over 12,500 kms. Will say these trucks are mighty good in snow.
Four days after “the event” I get this picture from a buddy. A grader operator talking to a farmer learned of this bad boy wearing my bumper parts had died by one of his corrals. It explains why I could not find any debris on the road or the deer when I went back to the site.