First off the pic is in the 2009 gallery, I can't get it to load in this post. If someone can help it is under Ne. Muley
I was invited on this hunt by a friend who coaches college soccer. One of his players helped set it up with his uncle who ranches in the sandhills. We had no idea what we were getting into but assumed the hunt would be alot of walking and glassing.
The season started on Dec. 1st so we drove up Nov. 30 and arrived at the ranch about 2pm. We met the rancher who showed us our accomodations, a nice apartment on the side of his indoor arena, told us to get unpacked so he could show us where we would be hunting. Much to our surprise he was planning on guiding us.
There were 5 of us hunting and we all piled into the ranchers truck and headed for the hills, literaly, he drove us right up into the hills to look for deer while telling us how we would be hunting. The plan was to drive around the range land and spot deer from the truck, determine if they were shooters and then stalk into position on foot. He talked about his herd management goals, letting the bucks get to 3.5 yrs old and then culling out the 3x3s and 3x4s with the goal of having 4x4 or better bucks.
Our guide dropped us back at the apartment with instructions to be ready at 7 the next morning so we could get after 2 nice bucks we had spotted that evening. In his words we were going to drive over there in the morning and shoot them. Well at 7 the next morning we did just that. Drove over to where we had spotted them the night before, found them bedded with a herd of does, stalked up on the biggest one and shot him. He was a nice 3x3 with brows, 22inch inside spread and 14 inch G2's, our guide guessed him at least 5yrs old and one he wanted out of his herd. We took pictures, got him field dressed and loaded and were back in the truck before 8.
Off into the hills in search of more deer, we spotted one about 2 hrs later from over a mile away. We drove closer and glassed him, decided he was worth a stalk and a better look. Three of us took off on foot out of sight of the buck. We stayed on the downwind side of the ridge he was over until we reached the fence he was standing by. It was decided my friend who set up the trip would get first shot and we crawled up over the ridge. When we reached the top the buck was still standing where we had last seen him, he was trying to impress a doe by working over a dead tree with his antlers. He was a nice 3x3 with good brows, younger than the one we killed earlier but atleast 3.5. My friend decided to take him and we prepared for the shot. By now the deer had spotted us but was unconcerned, we were only 60 yds away. As I waited for the shot I glanced over at my friend, who had pulled his gun down, he whispered he was not comfortable with a head on shot and I should take it if I wanted to. I was fine with that, settled the crosshairs on his chest and lit the powder. The buck spun at the shot, jumped a fence and tore up a hill like nothing happened. He went out of sight in a little bowl and when he didn't come out I new my first Mule Deer was on the ground.
Over the next two days the other three guys filled their tags as well. I think we drove over 100 miles off road and covered around 30,000 acres on one of the best hunts I have ever been on.
I was invited on this hunt by a friend who coaches college soccer. One of his players helped set it up with his uncle who ranches in the sandhills. We had no idea what we were getting into but assumed the hunt would be alot of walking and glassing.
The season started on Dec. 1st so we drove up Nov. 30 and arrived at the ranch about 2pm. We met the rancher who showed us our accomodations, a nice apartment on the side of his indoor arena, told us to get unpacked so he could show us where we would be hunting. Much to our surprise he was planning on guiding us.
There were 5 of us hunting and we all piled into the ranchers truck and headed for the hills, literaly, he drove us right up into the hills to look for deer while telling us how we would be hunting. The plan was to drive around the range land and spot deer from the truck, determine if they were shooters and then stalk into position on foot. He talked about his herd management goals, letting the bucks get to 3.5 yrs old and then culling out the 3x3s and 3x4s with the goal of having 4x4 or better bucks.
Our guide dropped us back at the apartment with instructions to be ready at 7 the next morning so we could get after 2 nice bucks we had spotted that evening. In his words we were going to drive over there in the morning and shoot them. Well at 7 the next morning we did just that. Drove over to where we had spotted them the night before, found them bedded with a herd of does, stalked up on the biggest one and shot him. He was a nice 3x3 with brows, 22inch inside spread and 14 inch G2's, our guide guessed him at least 5yrs old and one he wanted out of his herd. We took pictures, got him field dressed and loaded and were back in the truck before 8.
Off into the hills in search of more deer, we spotted one about 2 hrs later from over a mile away. We drove closer and glassed him, decided he was worth a stalk and a better look. Three of us took off on foot out of sight of the buck. We stayed on the downwind side of the ridge he was over until we reached the fence he was standing by. It was decided my friend who set up the trip would get first shot and we crawled up over the ridge. When we reached the top the buck was still standing where we had last seen him, he was trying to impress a doe by working over a dead tree with his antlers. He was a nice 3x3 with good brows, younger than the one we killed earlier but atleast 3.5. My friend decided to take him and we prepared for the shot. By now the deer had spotted us but was unconcerned, we were only 60 yds away. As I waited for the shot I glanced over at my friend, who had pulled his gun down, he whispered he was not comfortable with a head on shot and I should take it if I wanted to. I was fine with that, settled the crosshairs on his chest and lit the powder. The buck spun at the shot, jumped a fence and tore up a hill like nothing happened. He went out of sight in a little bowl and when he didn't come out I new my first Mule Deer was on the ground.
Over the next two days the other three guys filled their tags as well. I think we drove over 100 miles off road and covered around 30,000 acres on one of the best hunts I have ever been on.
