Honestly, I wish he'd have been bigger. Don't we all. I was hoping for a super monster. BUT......I harvested a mature mule deer, doubtfully would have gotten any bigger. I did it in his domain, not in the rut in November, and not on the winter range. I was in the hardest terrain I could imagine to do a stalk, even harder than the desert. The conditions were perfect. I was pressed for time, had to slip into about 20 other deer total, including several other bucks. About 15 minutes after I deflated hiim the thermals changed. I had to cross open terrain and then the gravel rocks. the creek and walking "like a deer" versus a hunter allowed me to get at least close enough. He looked at me standing there on top of that mountain and I had enough cool to dump him. I couldn't let him go.
