When scouting becomes much more

[tonymiller7]

My Dad, buddy, and I headed to GMU 101 after work Thursday for the main purpose of setting up stands for the upcoming rifle season starting Oct. 11. Additionally Tom and I were drawn for multi-season deer tags. This particular weekend you were allowed to hunt mule deer does and we were trying very hard to get Tom his first deer. I also took my bow in case a large buck decided to be very stupid, which turned out to be the case. Friday morning we headed out and saw very little. We saw a flash of a deer's butt, a small 2 pt. mulie (which we couldn't shoot due to the rules being 3 point or larger or antlerless), and a grouse. For the next 6 hours we packed in gear to 4 locations well off the beaten path where we were going to hunt come October. That evening proved to be a little more eventful. We started seeing deer where we have in the past. Tom was able to take a shot at a doe that evening but missed her clean (first deer jitters). He was able to get a grouse with his bow at about 30 yards. That evening we also saw a small group of whitetails with a nice buck in them but in typical whitetail fashion they left the country before I could even get the truck stopped. The next morning proved to be hard to get out of bed from all of the climbing and packing the day before. Tom and I managed to get up and Dad decided to stay in bed. We headed out and had only made it a short distance when we saw our first deer of the morning, a nice mulie doe who didn't quite hang around long enough for a shot. Then a few miles down the road we spot another deer. Tom gets out and draws and I give him the range, he lets the arrow fly and it's right on line and then hits a twig and deflects. We thought he missed for sure. I have him guide me down to where the does was standing to look for the arrow and check for any signs of blood. While looking for his arrow I came across good amount of blood and then eventually find the bloody arrow. He had hit the deer after all but we had no idea where. We decided to go back to camp to get Dad to help us track it. That would also hopefully give the deer plenty of time to expire. We come back about an hour later and start on the trail. After an easy track job of about 100 yards we found the deer. The stick had deflected the arrow and it hit the deer in the neck (EXTREMELY LUCKY) and Tom was rewarded with his first deer. The drag out was pretty rough, uphill and lots of rocks and downed logs to deal with but we got her out. That evening we were debating on whether or not we should head out and do a little grouse hunting or to celebrate the morning at camp. We decided to do a short evening hunt and then have a little fun. We had made a short drive out and hadn't seen anything, we picked up some firewood and headed back toward camp. On the way back I see a deer off to my right. A nice 2 pt. mulie that isn't legal. We watch him for a while and continue down the road, we get around a corner and I see another deer, I put the binoculars on it and it appears to be a giant 2 pt. Tom persuades me to continue to stare at this deer in an attempt to make it grow a 3rd point, since "there is no way a buck that big is only a 2 pt!" I continue to stare down the buck becoming more and more frustrated as it is clear he is only a 2 pt. Finally he turns his head and I see a 3rd point on his left side. I get out of the truck and range him at 45 yards, I start to draw my bow and second guess myself and ask for the binoculars back to reconfirm him having a 3rd point. Sure enough it was still there, I draw my bow and the deer finally has enough of my screwing around and decided to take off. I doe bleat at him and he stops and turns broadside and I let the arrow fly. It felt like it was in the air forever, it was heading right for the mark and makes a 90 degree left turn and the deer runs off. I asked Tom if I hit the deer or a stick and the arrow deflected missing the deer, he said he couldn't tell either. We head over to where we thought the deer was standing, I headed off to look for the arrow (which was easy to find because I have lighted knocks and it makes the arrow look like a laser flying through the air) just as I found the arrow Tom yelled for me to come over to where he was. I grabbed the arrow first and examined it, it was covered in blood, Tom had found where the deer was stand and found the large blood trail. I had hit the deer and hit it good! We still decided it would be best to wait and once again went back to camp to get Dad to help us out. When we got back to where the deer was it was well after dark, we grabbed flashlights and went after it. After a very easy track job we found the buck. Luckily for us he had circled around and wound up only 50 yards and uphill of the road making it one of my easiest drags ever. The deer ended up weighing 125 lbs. dressed out which translates to about 220 lbs. live weight. It is also my first mulie. There are also photos taken from May and June of a camera I had set up. The batteries died mid June but in about 3 weeks I had over 700 photos but these are some of the best.

[jasnt]

Congrats, looks like a great time!

[Blacktail Sniper]

 

NICE!!!!

[wildmanoutdoors]

Sounds like a road hunters dream come true area. 

[tonymiller7]

Sounds like a road hunters dream come true area. 

Not really, been hunting there years and this is the first buck anyone I know of has gotten from the road.  But we've always seen tons of does and not legal bucks, or whitetails that bolt as soon as you see them.  I was just extremely lucky.  I was pretty certain my buddy would get his doe though.  I in no way thought I'd see a buck that I'd want to shoot while we were there.  I was fully expecting to just prep for rifle season.

[mfswallace]

Sounds like a road hunters dream come true area. 

Maybe you missed the part about 6hrs of tree stand work 

Great deer, Tony!!! Ignore the jealousy and revel in your successes'!!

[Billdos Uncle]

Sounds like a road hunters dream come true area. 

Have u posted any of ur kills on hunt wa... I haven't seen any??? 

[robertsjd]

Congrats man !! To everyone involved ! Great weekend for sure way to get it done

[Boss .300 winmag]

Now what are you going to do in October? 

[tonymiller7]

Now what are you going to do in October? 

Play guide for my Dad and I still have a bear tag and cougar tag in my pocket!!!

[jasnt]

Now what are you going to do in October? 

Play guide for my Dad and I still have a bear tag and cougar tag in my pocket!!!

[Ripper]

Now that is a good scouting trip! 

[MLBowhunting]

GREAT Muley for sure.   

[DIYARCHERYJUNKIE]

Now what are you going to do in October? 

Play guide for my Dad and I still have a bear tag and cougar tag in my pocket!!!

Good deal tony!    looks like a great trip.  Congrats on a nice buck!

[elkoholic1]