What a bust

[Armadillo]

So opening day I found myself on the Eastside chasing mulies around. Saw 6 bucks and 2 does. I spotted a nice heavy two point that was bedded and a small forked horn about 50 feet away from him. Both deer were just below an old skid road so I figured id make the approach in the case that a Big Boy is still herded up with em. As im slowly creeping in the wind starts picking up and is blowing straight in my face and making some racket with all the ground scrubs, totally blotting out my noisy feet. I finally get to the spot where I landmarked the bedded two point, look over the skid and he was there, I got a picture of him and the forked horn about 30 yrds away with my crappy point and shoot camera. What I didnt notice before was that about 500 hundred feet further along the ridge was a bench type topography and as im glassing it I notice a two pt with a third kicker on one side, a very nice 3 pt and a very nice, wide 4pt with deep forks, the stalk was on!. I tip toe'd past the 2 pt after the wind shifted and was starting to blow uphill so I figured it was now or never. I was about a hundred yards from these nice bucks and from down the skid I hear some rumbling and alone comes a total *censored* on a dirtbike, no helmet or nothing, he sees me and turns around....Needless to say when I looked back the deer weren't there 


The nice two point, I would've had him if he had one inch eyeguards

[mossback91]

atleast you got on soem deer!!! thats the best part!!

all hard horned?? Ive been seeing mainly velvet

[Armadillo]

It made the trip really enjoyable to see some critters, especially where I was at given the season. The pictured buck was hard horned but all the others were velvet

[colockumelk]

I know how you feel.  All summer I've been patterning 2 3 points and a 4 point.  I know where they bed and where they head just before dark.  The few days before the season I'd watched one of the three points walk literally 2 yds from this old corral next to a spring.  (The area is in the open sagebrush and CRP)  So I get off work to hunt that spot and I notice human tracks all over.  Needless to say the bucks didn't show up probably because some *censored* hunted them in the morning and pushed them out of there. 

Granted it's public land so they have just as much a right to those bucks as I do but it does piss a guy off when you put alot of time and research into some deer only to have some yahoo go blundering around.

[jasfireman]

At least you got to see something. Nice pics thanks for sharing. 

[bow4elk]

Crap!  That's a stout fork! 

[coachcw]

Hi heard that motorcyle riders taste like mule deer.

[alecvg]

Well, great job, even though it got screwed up, at least the guy wasn't a complete jerk and just kep on riding, I am sure he didn't mean to spook the deer.  Bummer non-the-less.  Next time.

[Armadillo]

It was great to get out and see some deers  I just got back from another trip today and saw nothing but does and fawns and one forked horn in velvet  great trip though, wasnt nearly as hot as the opener. 

[Todd_ID]

I see your hunt as a vast success.  You were able to get within kill range of a muley on his terms even if you could only get him with a camera.  There's no such thing as a bad day hunting as long as you come home alive at the end of the trip.

[huntnphool]

Outstanding pics. Sorry to hear about the other guy but get back out there.

[boneaddict]

I agree with the above sentiment.  Sounds dang outstanding to me.  Thrill of getting in, getting a picture to share withthe boyz, and having a shot at an adrenaline filled stalk, AND you can go do it again. You could be like me and think. hmmm done for the year.    Glad you were packing the camera.  Keep it up and we enjoy the pics, no matter how crappy you think your P/S is.  COOL

[lazydrifter]

It wasn't meant to be.  There must be something better in the near future.  Good luck


Brant

[Armadillo]

Thanks for the kudos guys!! It really means alot. Its nice to get a jolt of motivation. I really want to get back out there and take some more pics of some critters regardless of how big the forks go 

[Jeffrey]

Thanks for posting up.  The next stalk will be on a shooter, go get 'em!