2023 Mule Deer Buck Harvest Story

[HarryToolips]

My 10 year old son and I had been scouting quite a few areas through the year...I took him hunting the one day, all day, so he was bagged and didn't want to come out for first light with me to a different area we had scouted. So I get to this other area for first light, cooler morning, so as anticipated, I see deer moving, all good sign...then, after watching a few others, another muley ass end catches my eye...same location as 5 days before where I spotted a nice buck, but at that time he disappears into the treeline...I catch a glimpse of this guy and think that's gotta be the same buck as the last time...I see him bed down, in the tall fireweed in the cut, just in front of the treeline.. wind is good..I quickly pray to God that this time the buck will hang around in the cut, rather than disappear into the timber like last time...sure enough, as I creep toward the area where the buck is residing, while using trees and the topography as cover, I can just make out little pieces of him through the fireweed he's bedded in...the topography wouldn't allow me to make a shot from a distance, I needed to get in close...I'm a confident still-hunter, so I quickly formulate a still-hunt approach plan in my head, then start making my way toward him..I am taking every single step now with calculated maneuvers, while simultaneously watching him whenever I can see him through the fireweed, and trying to keep cover for myself from his view...then, I finally get to a location where I may be able to get a shot off once he stands up. I extremely slowly twist my body into firing position, kneeling is the most feasible position in this situation. I can see he knows something is not quite right, he gets up, and starts to make his way toward the timber, I then buck grunt at him, just with my mouth, he stops, then turns a bit, and faces toward me. I know it's now or never, and let him have it. My .30-06 barks, and then silence after that. I ranged the shot, I had crept to within 50 yards of him when he decided to then get up. 53 yard shot. I wait for him to bed and die, then proceed to where he is...

https://i.imgur.com/6Mrd9Te.jpg

[HarryToolips]

My son has been with me for the gutless method of processing, but this buck I decided was close enough to field dress, and bring back whole..I call the wife and tell her to get my son and meet me at a location. So I meet them, and then take my son to the buck, where he can then learn how to field dress, he loved learning that, and the drag is downhill, so he says "dad I bet I can drag that deer myself down the hill" - I told him I was confident he could , so he dragged it most of the way, good times! Then once home, he helped me skin it too, and he's going to help me butcher it next...

https://i.imgur.com/iK1QQGk.jpg

"You're doing a fine job dragging that buck son, keep it up"

https://i.imgur.com/wH6O7dw.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/3J3X54t.jpg

[ghost]

Nice job congrats

[mpotzold]

CONGRATS! -to you & your son.:smile:

My guess-looking at the deer you'll have some fantastic meals coming.

[RackStar]

Nice buck! Congrats Harry

[Stone Sheep Steve]

Right on!
That’s great that you got your son in on the remaking part of the hunt.
You’ve raised them right when they don’t shy away from the work portion of the hunt!

Congrats and thanks for sharing, Harry!

SSS

[BeerMan]

Nice Buck! Great pics!

[HarryToolips]

Thanks everyone!.....

[Weatherby Fan]

Good story, great pictures, awesome buck, thank you for sharing and taking us along on your hunt.
Congrats on a great hunting trip.
WF

[high horse Hal]

Good going H, nice buck
Good that a family appreciates what it takes to put venison on the table

[Arctic Lake]

Great job getting your son involved in the field dressing ,that’s something that will bode him well in future hunts .
Got him skinning as well ,fantastic ! He’s going to be a seasoned hunter early .
Love it when you see all the different flora in hunt picture .
Just great all around !
Arctic Lake

[jlirot]

Great Pix! My son has started saying he wants to go hunting with me! So exciting. Great job.

[Harvest the Land]

Way to make it happen Josh! Very nice buck that looks like he's going to be tasty. Excellent work on getting him to stop before he disappeared for good. Did you end up aiming a little high to make a good shot since you got so close to him? Your kid is going to be hooked for life now. Thanks for sharing

[montec assassin]

That looks like a tasty looking deer for sure. Nice and clean with some solid rears. I’m in the same boat with my son who’s a youth hunter. The exposure to the outdoors is priceless. By following your posts, it’s easy to tell you’re doing a great job. Congrats.
montec

[Rieber]

Nice one! :-D

[bottles]

Congrats. Good looking buck

[HarryToolips]

Thanks everyone!.......

[HarryToolips]

Way to make it happen Josh! Very nice buck that looks like he's going to be tasty. Excellent work on getting him to stop before he disappeared for good. Did you end up aiming a little high to make a good shot since you got so close to him? Your kid is going to be hooked for life now. Thanks for sharing

That is a very good question, and one thing I thought about as I was giving the buck time to bed was that I should've aimed higher..but instinctively, I normally aim same location on an animal from 0-200 yards, as my 30-06 is zeroed at 200, high by 3" at 100... but in hindsight, I should've gone a little high...and my son is definitely hooked!

[HarryToolips]

That looks like a tasty looking deer for sure. Nice and clean with some solid rears. I’m in the same boat with my son who’s a youth hunter. The exposure to the outdoors is priceless. By following your posts, it’s easy to tell you’re doing a great job. Congrats.
montec

Thanks, I really appreciate that...I'll bet you're doing a great job with your son as well, cheers...

[TheObserver]

Congrats on a successful stalk Harry, good on ya gettin the boy learnin how to do that right off the bat!!

[browningboy]

Looks like a great time with a great finish! Congrats!

[jimzuk]

Nice buck. Lots of good eating there. Nice to see the young fella getting excited about hunting

[HarryToolips]

Thanks you guys, appreciate it, cheers... should be a good deer hunting weekend coming up here, with the dropping temps...

[Bugle M In]

Good job buddy.

[HarryToolips]

Good job buddy.

Thanks bud, appreciate it, cheers!

[IronNoggin]

Nice Work Harry!
Congrats both on the buck and bringing your Young Gun up right!

Cheers,
Nog

[Husky7mm]

Right on Harry, make the boy tough!! Next year moose or elk quarters!! Congratulations on the buck.