Ready for a monster muley.

Huntnful · Nov 9, 2021

New to forum! Found it after watching all the monster muley videos on youtube recently!

This is my 3rd season mule deer hunting. I elk hunt also, but mule deer are definitely my passion. I feel like I'm ready to start pushing that next level buck potential. I've hunted/scouted nearly 250 days since first deciding to pursue these awesome animals. I've hunted mule deer in California (where I live), Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Arizona and Utah. I'm all in on Muleys haha. But I finally feel like I'm ready to eat some tags, and push my limits in search of the big boys, and am happy I found a forum full of mule deer addicts!

I just recently got back from a hunt where I killed my biggest buck. General unit and a 7 day pack in style hunt. I passed a few good bucks and was able to kill an old gnarly buck on the 6th day. And it was a BRUTAL hunt. And I didn't feel pressured to kill something... a new feeling for me lol. I just told my hunting partner on like day 5 and our 4th time moving camp "If the work doesn't pay off on this hunt, it will pay off on another hunt". Well the work just so happen to pay off on day 6, and it was an AWESOME feeling!

Here are a few of the mule deer I've been able to take. All on public land, general/0 point units, or OTC units. Figured I'd learn on the tough units while building points. I'll start with my recent buck.

Captain_coues · Nov 9, 2021

Welcome. Nice deer. The rifles look just as special too.

Huntnful · Nov 9, 2021

elkhunterUT · Nov 9, 2021

Welcome to the forum and congrats on some great bucks. Looks like you have a great start already to your mule deer hunting career!!

publichunter1 · Nov 9, 2021

Welcome and congrats on all of the deer so far! I hope you find your big boy!

Huntnful · Nov 9, 2021

Captain_coues said:
Welcome. Nice deer. The rifles look just as special too.

Thank you! And yes, that rifle is basically an extension of me during hunting season!

elkhunterUT said:
Welcome to the forum and congrats on some great bucks. Looks like you have a great start already to your mule deer hunting career!!

Thank you!! I’m definitely happy with what I’ve accomplished so far!

publichunter1 said:
Welcome and congrats on all of the deer so far! I hope you find your big boy!

Thank you!! I have one more deer tag. 3rd season CO, and I’m holding out for that monster!

twdjr · Nov 9, 2021

Congrats on all the nice deer!

mlycrzy · Nov 9, 2021

Great bucks. What’s the caliber on that sweet looking rifle.

Wapitiwilly · Nov 9, 2021

Damn you are a killing machine. Welcome aboard and congratulations on some great bucks!

Huntnful · Nov 9, 2021

mlycrzy said:
Great bucks. What’s the caliber on that sweet looking rifle.

That's a 28 nolser. It's been such a great rifle. No regrets at all on it. I've killed bucks with the berger 180 VLD's, Berger 195 EOL's and just recently, the 169gr Hammer Hunters.

Wapitiwilly said:
Damn you are a killing machine. Welcome aboard and congratulations on some great bucks!

Hahaha, I'm a hunting machine, the killing is just a byproduct of that, and luck

. Thank you!!

Wiszard · Nov 9, 2021

It looks to me you've already killed a few big boys. I wouldn't have passed on any of those bucks you tagged.
I am in Orcutt, Ca about an hour north of Santa Barbara. Where do you live?

Steve

mta5672 · Nov 9, 2021

Looks like you have it figured out! Love that ol timer buck in the first pic. Congratulations and welcome!

Huntnful · Nov 9, 2021

Wiszard said:
It looks to me you've already killed a few big boys. I wouldn't have passed on any of those bucks you tagged.
I am in Orcutt, Ca about an hour north of Santa Barbara. Where do you live?

Steve

I'm here in the central valley. Near Sacramento!

mta5672 said:
Looks like you have it figured out! Love that ol timer buck in the first pic. Congratulations and welcome!

Thanks man! I have his teeth, going to send them in and get him aged after my CO hunt!

mlycrzy · Nov 9, 2021

Huntnful said:
That's a 28 nolser. It's been such a great rifle. No regrets at all on it. I've killed bucks with the berger 180 VLD's, Berger 195 EOL's and just recently, the 169gr Hammer Hunters.

Hahaha, I'm a hunting machine, the killing is just a byproduct of that, and luck . Thank you!!

Nice. I shoot a 28 as well and absolutely love it. Trying out the 195’s Bergers for the first time on a late elk hunt in a few weeks.

Ranger1 · Nov 9, 2021

Huntnful said:
New to forum! Found it after watching all the monster muley videos on youtube recently!

This is my 3rd season mule deer hunting. I elk hunt also, but mule deer are definitely my passion. I feel like I'm ready to start pushing that next level buck potential. I've hunted/scouted nearly 250 days since first deciding to pursue these awesome animals. I've hunted mule deer in California (where I live), Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Arizona and Utah. I'm all in on Muleys haha. But I finally feel like I'm ready to eat some tags, and push my limits in search of the big boys, and am happy I found a forum full of mule deer addicts!

I just recently got back from a hunt where I killed my biggest buck. General unit and a 7 day pack in style hunt. I passed a few good bucks and was able to kill an old gnarly buck on the 6th day. And it was a BRUTAL hunt. And I didn't feel pressured to kill something... a new feeling for me lol. I just told my hunting partner on like day 5 and our 4th time moving camp "If the work doesn't pay off on this hunt, it will pay off on another hunt". Well the work just so happen to pay off on day 6, and it was an AWESOME feeling!

Here are a few of the mule deer I've been able to take. All on public land, general/0 point units, or OTC units. Figured I'd learn on the tough units while building points. I'll start with my recent buck.

View attachment 58000
View attachment 58001
View attachment 58002

Great bucks and pictures!

Founder · Nov 9, 2021

Welcome! Those are some real good ones you’ve scored.

Stillwater165 · Nov 9, 2021

First buck looks like a well aged critter ! All nice , and very nice pictures to boot ! Congrats

Huntnful · Nov 9, 2021

mlycrzy said:
Nice. I shoot a 28 as well and absolutely love it. Trying out the 195’s Bergers for the first time on a late elk hunt in a few weeks.

The 195's hit HARD. They drop bucks pretty well. But I shot a bull with one at 330 yards right in the pocket and he shrugged it off. He was alive for about 45 seconds before I put another one in him and dropped him. I killed 3 bucks with them from 30 yards to 540 yards, and they never exited. No exits on the elk either. I loved their terminal performance and initial trauma, but I wanted some exit holes. So I switched to the 169 Hammer Hunters for this year. They're served me well also!

Huntnful · Nov 9, 2021

Stillwater165 said:
First buck looks like a well aged critter ! All nice , and very nice pictures to boot ! Congrats

Definitely! I pulled one of his bottom teeth out by hand. I know he's old for sure. That picture of the buck in the snow, that buck was OLD. I got him aged last year. I’ll post up an age guessing thread. That’d be cool.

Huntnful · Nov 9, 2021

These are the teeth from the first buck. Wicked.

BrowningRage · Nov 10, 2021

With the time and money you have to hunt that many states, I'm not sure you need a forum to help you out... ??

wapitiman · Nov 10, 2021

Great bucks

The_Coloradoboy · Nov 10, 2021

Looks like you’re off to a great start! As you are probably figuring out; killing a big mule deer is undoubtedly the hardest thing to do in all the west. Which is what makes it so addicting in my opinion. Best of luck to you in your endeavors and in Colorado this coming weekend. Was hoping we’d catch a break with some storms this week but it’s looking to be the par for course conditions as of late for a November hunt here.

heywouldya · Nov 10, 2021

You're off to a heck of a start! Those are some great deer! Welcome to the forum, I live an hour north of Sac.

Huntnful · Nov 10, 2021

BrowningRage said:
With the time and money you have to hunt that many states, I'm not sure you need a forum to help you out... ??

Hahaha the time in the field is definitely the most important part!!

The_Coloradoboy said:
Looks like you’re off to a great start! As you are probably figuring out; killing a big mule deer is undoubtedly the hardest thing to do in all the west. Which is what makes it so addicting in my opinion. Best of luck to you in your endeavors and in Colorado this coming weekend. Was hoping we’d catch a break with some storms this week but it’s looking to be the par for course conditions as of late for a November hunt here.

Thank you!! My unit is basically looking sunny and 75 for the whole season lol.

heywouldya said:
You're off to a heck of a start! Those are some great deer! Welcome to the forum, I live an hour north of Sac.

Thank you!! Very cool!

OutdoorWriter · Nov 10, 2021

Nice.

Welcome.

Huntnful · Nov 11, 2021

The_Coloradoboy said:
Looks like you’re off to a great start! As you are probably figuring out; killing a big mule deer is undoubtedly the hardest thing to do in all the west. Which is what makes it so addicting in my opinion. Best of luck to you in your endeavors and in Colorado this coming weekend. Was hoping we’d catch a break with some storms this week but it’s looking to be the par for course conditions as of late for a November hunt here.

Thank you! The weather for my unit looks like blue bird and 30-60 degrees at 9000'. I'm going to start high in the remote country since I've been watching the weather for a month and haven't seen any drastic storms. I know they migrate on a Calendar also, but I'm hoping to turn up a few groups of remote does or even just some resident bucks that haven't dropped down yet. I'd really like to avoid the crowd by staying a little higher and in the rougher country. I'm sure going to find out first hand though! Leaving in one hour!!!

The_Coloradoboy · Nov 11, 2021

Huntnful said:
Thank you! The weather for my unit looks like blue bird and 30-60 degrees at 9000'. I'm going to start high in the remote country since I've been watching the weather for a month and haven't seen any drastic storms. I know they migrate on a Calendar also, but I'm hoping to turn up a few groups of remote does or even just some resident bucks that haven't dropped down yet. I'd really like to avoid the crowd by staying a little higher and in the rougher country. I'm sure going to find out first hand though! Leaving in one hour!!!

Find the does and stay with them is my best advice.

Coyotebrowntrouthunter · Nov 15, 2021

Wow you are def off to a great start man! Already killed some big boys! and to kill some old timers mean yer doing something right!!! Keep up the good work. A true monster is def in yer future! Congrats on all yer success!!!