Big Methow mule deer

[NOCK NOCK]

Bigmacc   

Just curious where this is going.

[boneaddict]

Here is a quote from me in 2012.   I was in the same spot yesterday and relived the whole scenario in my head.  It was funny stumbling on to the quote on here as at least the story matched up.

Do you know how many thousands of deer I have looked over probably since 2012.  Still the biggest.

He was a beast!   Do any of you want to call me a liar. I don’t have a photo of it. 

The biggest (body) deer was one I saw just before dark one rainy day.  Idabooner and I were headed home at a pretty good pace though we were still on dirt.  I caught a deer out of the corner of my eye down over the hill in a small clearing.  I KNEW instantly it was a giant buck.   I backed up and there stood what looked like a hereford bull.    BIG OLE buck, 32 ish probably, but what stands out in my mind was his size.   I tried and tried to get a pic but it wasn;t working.  First day with a new lens and it was too slow, too dark. I ahd a canon AE-1 and a 600mm mirrored lens.   Did not hand hold at all.  I set up the tripod and he was gone.  I WISH I would have just stared at him throuhg my binos.  I got my old smaller lens and went after him.  I bumped a subordinate buck that was a big non typ 8x8 or something like that.   Never did catch them on film.   It was just too dark.   At that moment in time I knew I needed to invest in some camera equipment.

[boneaddict]

Bigmacc   

Just curious where this is going.

Basically the direction you are taking it.  You two have listed two gentleman that I’d hang on every word of what they had to say.  They don’t have to prove a damn thing.

[2MANY]

It's obvious to see who walks the walk and who talks the talk on this forum.

Some get it done and some try to appear like they do.

You young bucks are a joke.
C'mon man.
It's all a bunch of malarkey.
Post up your big bucks or shut up.

[birddogdad]

doing a little digging, there have been recorded dressed mule deer of 430's with an estimated 500+ on the hoof so yea, its  possible to have them running around.. i have run across whitetails down east in Maine field dressed over 325. i can recall one hanging from hind legs and trying to "hug" around its chest against its back and could not touch finger tips, big barrel chested....

[boneaddict]

Who here thinks they have seen more deer in the Methow Valley than me?

And to answer my own question... MntMuley Is probably the only one in the ballpark, and another gentleman that I trust when he tells me something.   I don’t think he quite ranks old timer status yet, but Like my father, is not prone to exaggeration, and I listen to every word he says. 

[Hilltop123]

I have never personally seen a 400-500 lb mule dear after hunting the Methow for 30 years.

What I can tell you is back in the day, when we could hunt late into November, we use to camp at the winter meadow above Pearigyn with 6-8 family groups.
We would sit in camp and watch the migratory herd of hundreds come into the winter feed meadow at dark. They seemed to be bigger and darker than the resident bucks.
Of course none would be around come shooting light.
The was a substantial increase in the number of deer coming through.
Those numbers just don’t seem to be around in the two weeks of the general season now.

 Thats seems to be the one common trait with the big Methow bucks. They are really dark, in color. As a kid listening to stories, from the old timer residents in the Valley. They claimed they could tell the migrant bucks out of B.C. by the color. Their term was not dark, it was black. Black as coal, some would claim. I miss those people, those stories. They could take you back to a time, before cars. If the story is true,  a time when there were some many Ruffed grouse in the creek bottoms, the boys hunted them with sligshots and feed them to the hogs.

[hunter399]

Googled 500lb deer.
This is what came up.

https://images.app.goo.gl/T4BSzoPb6LqhW5GU9

[gee_unit360]

If there was a 500 lb deer from the Methow Valley shot news would circulate in a heart beat. Hopefully someone has a pic, which if they shot a deer that big they would. If not I have hopefully another 40 years or so to monitor this site for old pics that pop up or new pics that service. But first let’s get a pic of a 400 lb deer which is more probable then 500 lbs. I’m also not calling anyone a liar. A deer that big would be extraordinary. I’d love to see it, it would be an incredible specimen.

[boneaddict]

I believe the argument stems from a deer that was guessed at 420 to 450, scale weight was 388, no guts, no legs and half hide gone.  He posted a pic.

[fishngamereaper]

If i shot a record book or any animal for that matter and didn't want word of it to spread no one would know if it.  My circle of friends is tight lipped and I butcher my own animals so no meat locker rumors would start. Not everyone posts their success pic's on social media.

[LITTLEBUCK]

 If I shoot a buck of that caliber this is the last place I would post. So tiered of this BS. You guys have chased off one of the people that could have helped you in the future. your loss. Bigmac I believe. Been hunting the Methow since 1977. Cant say I have seen that big buck but I believe

[2MANY]

Bingo.
It's laughable the flat brimming pups cant keep a secret.

Look what I can do everybody!!!!

[buckfvr]

Some of the bucks I  saw come out ( early to mid 70's) of War Creek Pass, Rendezvous Pass, Early Winters, etc., would have some guys thinking they were not real had there been pics.  Flat out incredible animals were not uncommon.

[bornhunter]

Would 392 muley on the hoof be considered big?