Here's a deer I shot last December in the Davis Mountains of West Texas. He looked big when we spotted him walking from close to a mile away, and he stayed big when we spooked him out of his bed from less than 50 yards. As he trotted up a hill, I shot him once with my .280 AI at 80 yards or so, and he ran about 15 more yards and fell over. No ground shrinkage! Gross 185 7/8; net 181. It's pretty cool that he's a totally natural, wild deer. No supplemental feeding (not that there's anything wrong with that), no fences, never seen before. I couldn't be happier.
Nice buck, you did good!!! I sure miss hunting those West Texas mulies. I was lucky to get to hunt them four times and was able to collect three. We saw some giants but I was not able to ever get one. My biggest shot in '87 scored 168 and some change. Did you get him around Alpine? JC
It's pretty cool that he's a totally natural, wild deer. No supplemental feeding (not that there's anything wrong with that), no fences, never seen before.
AAHH yes, the beauty of mule deer hunting. Nice deer, especially for Texas.
JC, I was northwest of Alpine, in Jeff Davis County. I shot a nice deer in Brewster County, just west of Alpine, two years ago -- maybe a 145-150-ish deer. Here's that deer:
505, I agree with you about the beauty of mule deer hunting. In Texas, lots of people are starting supplemental feed programs for their mule deer, and they're seeing impressive results (take a look at the Desert Safaris web site, for example). I have mixed feelings about the whole thing. It's nice to see bigger, healthier deer, but I'd prefer my buck to never have his nose in a feeding tube. For me, mule deer hunting is a spot and stalk game. A buck becomes tough to kill because he knows how, when, and where to hide. Once they start coming to feeders, they're just like whitetails -- only bigger and dumber.
Here's a buck I shot in the Davis Mountains in 2008. He doesn't immediately look big, but he has lots of tines (14 scoreable points, including an extra set of 2-2.5 inch brow tines on the backs of the main beams), and three of his four forks are really nice. I love these little desert mule deer.
505, I agree with you about the beauty of mule deer hunting. In Texas, lots of people are starting supplemental feed programs for their mule deer, and they're seeing impressive results (take a look at the Desert Safaris web site, for example). I have mixed feelings about the whole thing. It's nice to see bigger, healthier deer, but I'd prefer my buck to never have his nose in a feeding tube. For me, mule deer hunting is a spot and stalk game. A buck becomes tough to kill because he knows how, when, and where to hide. Once they start coming to feeders, they're just like whitetails -- only bigger and dumber.
There is definately something special about hunting a wild animal that is there with nothing more than what God gave it. That seems to be all but extinct in the whitetail, hopefully the same doesn't happen with the muleys.
Gee, sandyhunter, you spend a lot of time and probably money collecting nice TransPecos mulies, why not dump the woodland BDUs? They must be 20 years old by now!
Seriously, though, beautiful deer and nice country
Posts: 210 | Location: Central Asia/SE Asia | Registered: 02 March 2005
They are 20 years old, silkibex. Well, at least 15 years old, not including the time they were worn by some GI before they went to the surplus store. If I bought that fancy King of the Mountain stuff you wear, I couldn't afford as many hunts. Actually, I'm convinced that BDU pants are the perfect hunting pants. They're tough, comfortable, and have lots of pockets. If it's cold, I just wear long underwear with them, and I'm fine.
I tried that and froze my nuts off in KG. That's why I went to KOM. I agree, except for extreme cold they are the perfect hunting pant. I preferred the old style jacket with 4 pockets on the front, though.
Posts: 210 | Location: Central Asia/SE Asia | Registered: 02 March 2005
