SW Colorado Mule Deer hunt

[AntlerObsession]

I headed up to SW Colorado to help a friend on a 3rd Season Mule Deer Hunt in the area north of Durango. We saw an amazing amount of animals, and with fresh fallen snow, the tracks of many others: 14 different bear tracks, and 4 mountain lion tracks, along with countless deer and elk. The fresh snow also provided for some pristine panoramas. (This is my first time trying to use Photobucket. Wish me luck!)

 

 

We headed early Saturday morning to prime hunting ground, and on the way came across this 25"-ish 4x. My buddy passed, having set his sights on some bigger deer.

 

 

After seeing a few more deer on the way up, we glassed the mountain side, finding a strong contingency of does and a few bucks, along with this 300+ lb. milk chocolate sow and her cinnamon cub(in the bushes to the left of the mother.) That cub was a playful one: rolling around, jumping on its mom, and otherwise causing a ruckus.

 

 

We saw multiple bucks in the 160" class, and some in the 180" class that we couldn't quite get on before dark. We did, however pass this guy on our drive. Unfortunately, this buck had just passed onto private land, safe for one more year!

 

 

Well, we had a blast combing those hills together. I had to head home to work, and he is stil p there working on bagging his dream buck.

 

On my way home to AZ, I did pull some cameras off the hills, with some good pics of bucks and bulls, this bull definitely being the highlight. Any guesses on his score? We'll see who gets closest when him and I meet up next year!

 

 

It was a happy ride home!

[Coach]

Wow, amazing photos! I would love to "pass" on muleys like that. Thanks for posting them! Great looking bull too, for CO, especially.

[Mossyoak]

Wow nice pics Adam! I think you're going to have to take me up there one of these days.

[justinspe25]

Pretty awesome pics! thanks for sharing.

[Pine Donkey]

Great pictures and story. Thanks for posting

[Elkaddict]

Beautiful country and asolutely GREAT pictures!

[Chef]

Very nice!

My first bull elk and one of the biggest typical mule deer I have ever seen was on Missionary Ridge just N of Durango.

Gorgeous area and it looks like you were roughin it in that cabin!

Thanks for sharing.

[hunter4life]

You have got to love Colorado for mule deer hunting. NM does not even come close. Good luck to your friend.

[Lance]

VERY NICE! Thanks for that!

 

Lance

[izquik72]

Not sure how I missed this but looks like an awesome trip.

 

I hope my CO hunt next year is 1/2 as productive

[Coues Archer]

Beautiful country, fantastic pics, thanks for sharing!