My 2014 washington river buck

[face]

I started hunting my late tag on Nov. 8th and had till the 19th to find a good buck. Nov. 8th in the afternoon I found 14 deer, 3 small bucks and 11 does. The biggest was a 3 point that I nicknamed Crabby 3. Nov. 9th I hunted in another part of the unit, seen a few does and 1 tiny spike. Nov. 10th rolled me into some timbered areas in the morning in another part of the unit. Found only 2 does. Then I find it.. "snow". Well that's all I seen is snow and no tracks anywhere.On Nov. 11th I took my Brother and 2 Nephews to another part of the unit. Polar Invasion was setting in, I think it was in the minus degrees on top of the ridge with the windchill. Saw 1 2X2 and 9 does and fawns. Had to take Brother home, kids had other commitments in the afternoon. So I headed back to where I knew there was lots of deer within 100 yards of each other, Right off the bat I spotted Crabby 3 running does and trying to show his dominance. Every once in a while I noticed he would stop and look in the tall sagebrush, then continue pushing.I watched the tall sage until it got dark.  Well Nov. 12th rolls in and I find myself back watching with my spotting scope from afar all day long.Knowing when the little bucks round up the does,that when the bigger bucks move in.  Around 2pm a mountain biker slams his car door and rides toward where the deer are, stops and turns around, heads the other direction.  I watched the biker for a minute, looked back at the deer, and that's when I see him... holy crap.. wow. I snuck to 464 yards, could not go any farther, there was a doe and fawn right below me at 50 yards. So I leaned against the hillside trying to figure if I could use my shooting sticks on the steep hillside. Nope. I watch the buck chase Crabby then he would tend to the does not knowing I was with the does.I don't think any of the does ever seen me and I know he didn't. Then here he came he did not stop till he was 264 yards away. I figured that's close enough. Offhanded, a little shaky...BOOM... WAAP I see him jump about 3 feet in the air then he stumbles and just stands there.I shoot again and I hear the hit and he disappeared into the tall sage. One shot later and it was over. I had just killed a monster buck at 18 degrees. I would like to thank my wife for putting up with my mule deer addiction. Also to my Mom, Dad, Brother, and my Nephew for coming out to take pictures and helping with the drag out. And I would like to thank the mountain biker for helping on this hunt.

[bowhunterwa87]

Nice buck. Always nice to get one like that close to home.

[subagang707]

Nice Buck!!  Thanks for the story.

[Natures Way]

nice buck!

[jackelope]

Congrats on one heck of a buck. Welcome to hunt-wa and thanks for sharing your story and pics.

 

[MtnMuley]

Very cool. Dandy buck

[stew pidasso]

Yep that's a big mule deer for sure.

[SkookumHntr]

Very cool buck!!

[ridge line]

Congrats!!!!!!

[Eli346]

Nice buck! Very unique so he will make a great mount with a cool story behind it. Patience was the key. Good job.

[adamR]

Awesome, I know right where that's at, it's so cool that a huge buck like that was there

[Mfowl]

Great buck! Congrats!

[jdb]

Awesome, I know right where that's at, it's so cool that a huge buck like that was there

i know right!!

[face]

Ya I figured I might see a good buck,I almost crapped my pants when he stepped out.Thanks for all the replies and encouragement. Any Idea on what he might score?

[Naches Sportsman]

Ya I figured I might see a good buck,I almost crapped my pants when he stepped out.Thanks for all the replies and encouragement. Any Idea on what he might score?

he scores pretty damn good for around here. he was probably one of the bucks who wintered in the orchards up on top.