Well it finally happened! I have been relentlessly chasing these guys since Jan 01. I have found some great bucks and blown way too many stalks. Its been an educational month to say the least!
I found this deer 2 weeks ago after a big buck punctured his right eye with his horn. It bled pretty bad and he got out of the canyon after he was injured. I was much more focused on the bigger buck so I never looked twice at him. An hour later, he came strolling over the ridge and walked within 5 yards of me! He couldnt see me as I was on his downhill(bad eye) side and he proceeded by me and out of sight. I didnt take him then because I was chasing the better buck.
Well, 2 weeks later (last night) I glassed him up bedded about a mile away in the same canyon. He was in some palo verde and all I could see was his white face and long main beams. I figured last day, Id give it a shot. The wind was perfect blowing steadily to the north and I came in about 200 yds at the same elevation. It took me two hours to get over into the adjacent draw but as hot as it was I figured hed still be in there bedded up. Side-hilling it in the desert can be tricky and nosiy! Every little pebble/twig snaps like a .22!
I slowly worked my way south across a few of the fingers with the wind maintaining its course. I waited for the sun to set behind the mountain to my west because the ridge I was about to cross wouldve lit me up like a Christmas tree. As I eased over the top, a lone doe I hadn't seen busted out 20 yds above me and ripped across the draw towards the buck. Luckily, he held tight and after 10 minutes I worked down and up to my predetermined shooting point.
I scoured through the palo verdes looking for anything part of a deer with my 15s. I wanted to find him bedded but before I knew it I had another doe, 75 yds away at the same elevation feeding uphill. Assuming he was going to be with her because they are still rutting hard in this area, I quickly ranged her, knocked my arrow, and clipped my release. I looked up again and saw another deer sneaking in behind her. I knew it was a mature, big-bodied buck and figured he was the one I had been sneaking on.
When he cleared the brush I let out a grunt and stopped him. He was slightly behind her quartering away so I held my 80 yd pin low on his chest and let it rip. The Rage 2-blade caught him just in front of the hip and buried almost to the vanes angling towards his opposite shoulder! He hunched up and back-peddled a few yards then scurried away from me around the bowl. He quickly laid down at 135 yds and was obviously hit hard. It was about 5:50 pm when I hit him so I watched him lay there till about 6:30.
Right when I decided to go in after him he started to try to stand up! I couldnt believe that the arrow wouldnt have punctured his diaphram. As he got up on his wobbly legs he scooted forward a few steps and then fell back down. His ears were back and his mouth was open and I felt he was having trouble breathing.
I had left my headlamp in my pack at the base of the canyon and because it was pitch black now I didnt want to chance pushing him. I've lost 2 deer in my life and I will never push a deer again when I know I can find him in the morning. I snuck out of the canyon slowly and got home around 8:00pm.
Because it was officially the last night of the hunt I decided to call the Operation Game Thief # and inform them of the situation. They put me in contact with the unit manager and I explained everything to him. I went in this morning(no bow of course ) and was able to locate hime by 7:40 am!
He is my first desert mule deer and first deer with a bow. Though I chased better deer I had a cool connection with this buck and was greatful to be able to take him. He's 25" wide and missing 3" or so off of his right beam. This deer is so beat up and broken from this months rutting activity. He had zero fat on him too!
AS HE LAY THIS MORNING
HE WAS TOTALLY BLIND IN THIS EYE
