this is my 2011 washington mule deer

[seth30]

Good job on that deer!  Are you going to get it taxidermed?

Seth

[windygorge]

I have a video of everything but the shot.  will be posting it shortly.
the story........well i had drove east on friday night.  didn't quite make it to the east my nightfall.  made it to my hunting area, and found a place to park and make my truck into my sleeping quarters(truck bed and canopy).  got up and did morning hunt with no success.  started driving around to find areas to hunt and about mid day, i found this buck running with another nice buck.  so for the next two days i was hunting him, or his buddy.  there were two other groups of hunters doing the same.  mid day sunday, i decided to make a blind to ambush them, but ran into the other hunters who said they shot him and were on their way down to look for him.  with blood on the arrow that they showed me, i was very sad, but i was truly happy for the other hunter.  i knew the other deer was still available, so i stuck to my plan of using the blind for the evening hunt.  after some time i went back to look where the other hunters were and to help if needed.  they were completely flushing any game out from the area i was intending to hunt.  so i regrouped and drove around to where i should be able to see the animals that normally came out and there were none to see at the times i should have been seeing them.  as expected, they spooked any game in the area.  with time running out and the possibility of the buck being shot and the other not even being around, i decided to go look for more bucks.  i found a really nice whitetail buck that i decided to hunt come morning. 
the morning hunt...........as i am putting all my effort into the hopes of getting this whitetail buck, i also have a vantage point of the area the other two big bucks usually were.  i turned around, and what the heck do i see, but both the bucks i have been after and the big buck that the other hunter DID NOT SHOOT!!!  I can't say how happy i was to see this buck, much less have my last oportunity at it.  so i needed to make a game plan.  as i am doing so, they must have been stalked from the other side and ran parallel to me.  so i pulled out of the bushes spooking a small whitetail herd that was about 80 yards away(not the buck).  went to a higher vantage point, only to find the bucks were spooked again and running directly towards me.  im thinking Holy Cow!!!!  this can't be happening.  i am about 100 yards from the road that they are scanning to check for safety.  after about 15 minutes and being a sitting duck because they busted me in the wide open, the main doe made her move to start going down to the road to cross, my buck was short to follow then the others.  they went behind a tree long enough for me to make up about 15 yards.  still in the wide open, and my wind totally not in my favor, they finally crossed and made it across the ditch.  by this point i am wondering what the heck my wind is doing as they are not spooking like they should.  as the string of them some out, one doe and fawn spook and run to the other side of the crp.  they don't give alerts but just kinda trot off.  the main doe is looking at me with question while the big buck goes around her and into the crp.  the other big buck walks away from them and towards me when he smells me and turns and trots back about 20 yards, which starts a domino effect with the other deer.   the other buck is oblivious to what is going on behind him and as he walks up and around a small bush i let him have it and he runs for about 80 yards into some trees.  looked like a great shot.  went to truck to get all my stuff and came back to track him not to find blood.  went to were i heard him running through the trees and could hear him trying to get his breath.  found him through the thick mess and saw he was bedded and then stood up.  tried putting another arrow in him at about 25 yards through the mess and found out later that i missed him.  he ran a short distance, about 30 yards through the trees.  i decided to hang out and could hear him trying to breath.  then after about 15 minutes it stopped. 
decided to go to were i heard him last and found him laying there and OH MY GOD!!!!
i am so thankful and appreciate every minute i have while hunting.  good or bad.  yesterday........was amazing. 

[Alan K]

Right on, congrats! 

[BOWHUNTER45]

awesome ...nice buck !!

[ratherhunt]

Nice Buck, Congratulations

[rb2506]

awesome tall buck congrats,    what were the other guys shooting at ?    nothing maybe  try to get you to leave 

[JackOfAllTrades]

Thank you for the story man!  Most everybody teases with a story and no pics... You held my attention by showing the reward before the events that lead up to it. Great perseverance on your hunt!

-Steve

[Pathfinder101]

Nice buck!

[Armadillo]

Thats a great buck! congrats! Did the other guys see you with the deer in the end? 

[Rooster1981]

Great story, 

[PlateauNDN]

Thats a great buck! congrats! Did the other guys see you with the deer in the end? 

   Great story and congrats on the hunt that buck is a stud!

[jollyskwala]

Awesome Deer! Nice

[firefighter4607]

  Great looking Buck!! Congrats

[jamesjett]

Nice buck!  Thanks for sharing! Congrats!

[redneck_04]

Nice buck! Congratz man