first muley down

[JaDub]

At age 62 I checked off one more item on the bucket list . Went to a large tract of land in eastern Colorado just west of the Kansas border. It was very flat with a few rolling hills. It was covered with 13 years worth of CRP which was VERY difficult to hunt in however it held many deer......... ya just had to find them. Saw many nice bucks but very few does.......of which I had a tag for. Had a trophy 10 pointer within 100 yards but couldn`t pull the trigger. First day I was within range of 7 bucks and made a belly crawl stalk on a couple of does but just couldn`t close up before they moved on. That CRP is just about impossible to move thru without sounding like a herd of elephants. Got busted by wind direction change numerous times but that only made me more determined than ever. On the fourth day after seeing twenty bucks or so I finally made another impossible stalk crawling on my belly for near 100 yards and setup behind a small sagebrush 259 yards from where I saw three does bed down. Now the wait began...... my legs and hips were starting to protest my shooting position but I was determined that this might be my only chance. I carefully broke out a few branches in the middle of the bush to make a shooting window and began the wait. My thought was "the first one to stand up is in trouble". 1 1/2 hours later one of the does made the fatal mistake and I put her down with a single shot of my Winchester model 70 7mm mag. She was DRT ! How kooool was that......... ! 8-) She weighed a little over 145 #s and dressed out near 100 #s It took four days of intense hunting but the reward was extremely satisfying. This was a self hunt by myself and I enjoyed every minute of it. Up at 5:30 am and asleep by 8 pm. Saw lots of coyotes, eagles and owls at very close range...... unfortunately I didn`t pack the camera in my back pack for fear of damaging it......... that will change next year. The photos I could have taken would have been extroardinary. Weather was in the 70s & 80s during the day and slightly below freezing at night. The night I got back home ( last night ) a major snow storm blew through and dumped 8 inches of snow and got down to 18 degrees so I `got it done` just in the nick of time. Can you say....... fresh liver and onions for dinner ???? 8-)
 

 

[klallen]

nice work, jadub.
 
1st sunny day on the other side of that snow and cold woulda been killer for mule deer hunting. least, it is up here. we love seeing snow !!!
 
congrats on the success.
 
 
 
k

[Hunterbug]

Yea, JaDub! That is so awesome! I can't wait to see you and hear the story.

[branxhunter]

Well done JD. Nice photos too.
 
I bet it tasted goood....
 
Marcus

[JaDub]

Mmmmmmmmm        mmmmmmmmmm        good !!

[recoil junky]

. Can you say....... fresh liver and onions for dinner ???? 8-)
 

No. You get to eat them all by yourself!!!

Awesome Jadub!!!!! Congratulations!!!

RJ

[Alboy]

No. You get to eat them all by yourself!!!
 
Awesome Jadub!!!!! Congratulations!!!
 
RJ

 
Gotta agree with RJ; 'ceptin if my wife was there she would have arm wrestled ya for it. I would not bet on you winning!

[JaDub]

When I got home from the hunt I called my best friend / hunting buddy and his wife over for a celebratory feasting.  Add a few stories ,   a bit of  finely aged burbon,  mix well ,  cook onions and liver.........   and start feasting.  8-)    It`s worth a year`s wait.  
 
  Now we`re getting our gear together for elk next week.   Cross your fingers.........
 
  JaDub

[davidlt89]

excellent my friend, congratulations. Nice deer, the hard work payed off. Liver and onions sounds delicious!!!! waiting on the elk pictures!! God Bless.

[Fieldmor77]

Good onya JD, nicely done and going by the pic's of those wide open spaces not an easy one at all.

[Jamie.270]

Well done man!! Thanks fer sharin'.
Liver and onions,... then
Maybe a little bacon too?

[gitano]

I'm in on the wrestling match for the liver. Not much better taste to my palate than fresh - REALLY fresh - liver cooked over a campfire.

Congratulations, JaDub!

Paul

[bowhunter 51]

Oh Yeah,........JaDub......
.............that's a good'n......Congratulations.......You'll be eat'n good for a while.
Hope you do as well on your elk.................................................................BH51..