2007 and 2008 Colorado Muleys

[Alan K]

So I said on my whitetail thread that I'd post these bucks.  I'd have posted on there but I didn't want to take away from the bucks I'd killed this past year.

Anyways, my 2007 Muley. . .

My dad and I had found a very nice, very long canyon that was just prime for glassing a couple days before.  We'd been walking the ridge on one side in the morning and evening for a couple days now glassing as we went along, but never seeing more than a couple bucks along with the several does. No shooters. Well the rut was nearing, and we knew at any day the switch could go off and the big bucks would be moving. 

We woke up to a bunch of new snow and were hoping this would be the cold snap to kick the rut in gear.  My dad, Joel, and Bart had already killed their bucks, so it was up to me where we wanted to go.  I chose the same ridge we'd found. 

We weren't too far down the ridge when my dad said he could hear something.  After a second I could hear it too.  It sounded like rattling!  We sat down and began glassing, and it wasn't long before we spotted them.  Two decent bucks were fighting!  I lay down now with a rest across my pack and cranked the scope up.  I wasn't 100% sure I wanted to take either, so I took a couple pictures.  I'm glad I did now.  My dad told me he'd shoot one if it were him, and me being the last one with a tag I decided I'd go ahead and take one so that everyone could get back home.  "Which ones bigger?" They were about the same, but my dad said the one on the right.  I drew a bead, held, BANG! Dropped him! To my surprise the other buck just sat there staring at my downed buck.  I'm sure he was thinking wow I really kicked his ass.

We took more pictures and called Joel and Bart that I'd gotten one.  By the time they got down there Dad and I were already taking pictures.  We got him up out of the canyon with Joel's saw wench, and were loaded up heading to the meat shop in town by mid day. Oh, and when Joel got there he ranged it at 360 yards.

The one picture is all of us at the meat shop with our bucks.  My dad and I in the middle, Bart on the left, and Joel on the right.

My 2008 Muley doesn't have a cool story like the 2007 one.  I was just working my way down the canyon glassing and spotted him.  Made the shot at I believe it was 376 yards, and that was all she wrote.  The sheds are a nice matched 6 point I'd spotted one side of the evening before on the far side from 500 yards.  Dad wouldn't let me go get it right away because it would screw up that night's hunt, but my deer ended up being just 75 yards from it.  The other side was only about 5 yards away too, just out of sight from my ridge.

[Alan K]

Oh, and in the 2007 picture where I'm laying with my rifle where I shot from. . . The buck is down about two barrel widths to the right of the end of the barrel.

[bucklucky]

Nice bucks!!

[boonerboy]

always fun when everyone tags out!

[bowhunterforever]

Nice pics and bucks

[bowtech721]

Nice bucks and that looks like it must have been one happy camp! 

[MtnMuley]

Very nice, Alan K.

[Pathfinder101]

Great story and pics.  Sounds like a super hunt. 

[509er]

Nice bucks and sheds!

[winston2789]

Nice pics and story!!! You are killing some nice buck down in CO, let me know if you need another hunting buddy  Way to go!!!

[Alan K]

We're just now starting to realize the potential for the area. . . Starting to control the itchy trigger fingers haha! 

My dad and Joel hunted down there years ago when deer tags were over the counter and they were used to taking the first buck they saw.  Making the area draw only has been a great help for the herd.

[Young Buck]

Great bucks! Thanks for posting.

[benhuntin]

Lookin at the pics there may be a few elk in the area also, ever chase them or is it a draw?

[Alan K]

Elk is over the counter.  The elk are VERY spooky though.  Usually someone in our party gets a look at a nice bull during our trip, every time though it's been one of the people who didn't buy a tag!    

I got a pretty good scholarship this year for school though, so some of the $$ I make this summer will be spending money...  I know I'm buying a new scope for that rifle, and probably the Badlands 4500.  Depending on what tags I draw instate this year, if I draw, I'm going to consider spending the $500 for the tag.  

EDIT: For this area bull tags are over the counter, cow tags are draw only.

[C-Money]

Nice bucks! Looks like fun!