I had saved points for 18 years and decided this was the year to burn them. I drew the fourth season in unit 63, hunted with Jerad Cotton, West Elk Outfitters.
The weather could not have been worse to start the hunt, hot and no snow to bring the deer and elk out of Black Canyon National Park. The first day I didn't expect much, just ride around and see the country and wait for the weather that was to come in in a couple of days. First light we saw a decent buck and a few does along with some small bucks. Enjoyed seeing the beautiful Colorado scenery. It was getting late afternoon when we stopped to glass a flat where Jerad had seen deer before. There was a line of buck brush about 600 yards out and Jerad spotted a buck bedded up against the brush, in the shade with brush in front of him. All he could see was his antlers. How in the world he could see him is beyond me. I couldn't see him in my binos, he gave me his binos and I still couldn't see him. Jerad had to set up the spotting scope before I could find the deer. We had to get a closer look and let him stand up to get a good look so we went up a ways to get a hill in between us and the deer. When we got to the top there was a few bushes and tress to stay behind as we got closer. At about 200 yards the cover ran out and we were able to peer around a bushy tree to see the deer was still bedded down. Jerad said he needed to get up just to see him good and about that time he stood up. It was rush, rush, I ask Jerad several things about the buck to make sure he was a first day buck. Finally, I asked him what I should have asked him at the beginning, "What do you think?" He immediately said " I think you should shoot him." Well, I rushed it and gave him a WARNING shot then settled down and made a good shot. As we walked to him, he got bigger and bigger. What a beautiful deer, his body was enormous, neck big as a steering wheel. Jerad said he would weigh around 275.





I look like a happy fellow. I apologize for the photos, I have some good pics on an I-Pad but I don't know how to down load them to my computer. When I get someone to do it , I will post them.
Since it was the first day, we glassed for some of the other hunters. One day we were on a hill side walking back to the truck when we saw a buck that would go 200" easy. He stopped long enough broadside at 150 yards to get a good look through the binos. That was one of the highlights of the whole trip. The snow came in the next day and made the scenery that much more beautiful.



We glassed out on the flats, with the rut coming on strong we saw several bucks chasing does.







These are four bucks that were taken in camp, mine is the one on far right. They scored 187, 186, 178, 172. A young man who was a friend of Jerad, killed one on his family's ranch that score 193.



Had a great hunt, enjoyed the guys in camp. I have 19 pts. for elk, looking at trying to hunt elk in 61 with Jerad next year.

Nice Bucks and looks like you had a great hunt.
Thanks for sharing your story and pictures.

Bama:

Be proud man, that's one hell of a buck.
I've hunted CO for over 50 yrs and never seen one equal except at night feeding along the highway near Craig, and just the one. I do have a 187+ my uncle killed way back in '46 I had remounted. See it on the trophy room pics.

To get four such and all even bigger than yours with three of 'em 5pts. Just don't know what to say man.

Spend about $6-800 and fill some space on the wall!

Thanks for sharing with us,
George

Congrats! That's a hoss.

Congratulations, that is a really great buck.

Congrats on a fantastic hunt, and for the patience to wait 18 yrs. You deserve a great buck like that. Great pics too.

Thanks guys. I've been blessed to be able to hunt in beautiful places as this. I'm proud and thankful of him. I'm letting a taxidermist that Jerad uses mount him. Down here in Bama country they don't do a lot of muleys and quite often use a smaller form, the bucks neck was so big that it is as big a part of the trophy as the antlers.

Georgeld, I looked up your deer and the pictures are not showing, what's up?

Really nice buck!

Nice buck! I do love those beautiful symmetrical mulies. Well done.

Wow, that is one heck of a buck!

Beautiful buck! I would have shot him on the 1st day without hesitation...

gorgeous deer! congratulations!

Well done!

What an awesome buck...congrats!

Thanks for sharing the photos of the scenery as well. That's some gorgeous country.

No doubt that's a first day buck! Congratulations and thanks for posting.

Buck of a lifetime, or several life times.

This are some pics from the I - Pad. They really show the buck like he was.









It was a great trip with good people and beautiful scenery.

Whopper!! Congratulations. No doubt pulling the trigger on that guy.

Wow!

Congratulations!

Congratulations

The country also looks as majestic as the buck himself. I tip my hat to you not only for the buck, but for the 18 years of amassing points to get to hunt him.

That's a beautiful mule deer buck, congrats!

Love those big mulies, looks like a great area.

quote:

Originally posted by FishN4Eyes:
That's a beautiful mule deer buck, congrats!

Love those big mulies, looks like a great area.

63 is a great area. 63 and 53 have the same deer, 53 took 19 points to draw. One fellow in camp drew 53 and said they didn't see near the quality deer we were seeing and it was a traffic jam getting into the one or two spotting areas 53 has. 63 has a lot of areas to class from. Jerad advised me to pick 63 and it was excellent advice. The three biggest bucks in camp came out of 63.

Great buck! Congrats.

That is a fine buck. Its one virtually anyone would take on the first day. Congrats on you hunt. Bruce

Nice buck Randy. Worth the wait.

quote:

Originally posted by mt Al:
Whopper!! Congratulations. No doubt pulling the trigger on that guy.

+1