Another Mule Deer Hunt

[recoil junky]

With all the fun dale and I had last year and Dale drawing a doe tag for my backyard, plans were made. Dale got here last night and here's the rest of the story:

I was up this morning at 05:30 so I could have breakfast ready for Dale when he wandered in at 06:00. And a hearty one it was, bacon, eggs and toast. With all the arduous hiking in store for us we didn't want to eat too heavy, thinking it would be better to have a bigger meal when we got back.

We finished just in time for the it was getting just light enough to see in the pasture out the kitchen window. we sat there sipping our coffee and telling yarns all the while our binoculars busy scanning the outlying meadows and ridge lines for deer. As the sun came up we adjourned outside to the deck chairs enjoying the warm sun. This made it harder to spot deer in the sagebrush, but if deer crossed the fenceline they would be easy to spot as they made their way onto my side.

After watching 20-25 head jump the fence and bed down I got the pickup and we headed up the rtoad to see what we could spot. Right away a big doe, two fawns and a forked horn buck jumped out in front of us and went onto another neighbors property that we also has permission to hunt on.

"Didja want that one Dale? you've already kilt one or two on his place and nothing on mine yet." It always worked out that the deer would be on the neighbor's and not on my side of the fence every time Dale gets a shot.

"Nah, lets drive down a bit further."

We went another 30-40 yards down the road where the sage along the fence was shorter and we spotted 10-12 does and fawns already bedded down in the 6-8 foot tall sage on the far side of the creek.

"Is that gonna be too far Dale? It's must be all of 75 yards!!" The deer (most of still bedded down barely paid any attention as we were picking one that for sure didn't have antlers.

"I can make it." he says "what about the 3rd one from the left, the one laying down?"

I put my glasses on her and said, "Yep, she. " KAHRACK!!! (as a disabled WWII vet, Dale has a lifetime "shoot from the truck permit")The doe lunged to her feet and immediately pitched over on her face, never moving another muscle. The rest stood there wondering what had just happened.

"Can we drive to her?"

"I think so, if the creek bottom isn't too wet. We'll go back down by the barn and see." As it turned out the usually dry creek bottom was too wet for the heavy old Powerstroke to cross so we walked the seemingly endless 150 yards to where the doe lay. "This is going to be a killer drag Dale. I'm thinkin' we might have to quarter her up and pack her out of this mess."

"Yeah, good thing I brought my trusty pack frame. Too bad you had to sell your horse and mules, we could sure use 'em."

"Yeah I know, don't remind me!!! Woulda taken all three ya know."

Well the big old doe turned out to be this years button buck fawn. Dale was plumb tickled though and so was I.



With the pleasantries over we set about the eviscerating the giant. I told Dale to have a seat and I'd rehike the murderous 150 yards back to the truck and drive back around to the road where it was closer (only a 50 yard actual drag).

"You shot this big old thing now you gotta at least drag it half way!"

So he did, all the downhill part :D



When he got the deer to the steep part uphill I took over, getting it to the fence and tossing it over. I lowered the tailgate on the truck, "We might hafta get Jim's loader to get 'im in there yah know."

"Yeah, don't strain yerself young feller!"

With one mighty heave I slung the giant into the back of the pickup while Dale gathered his rifle (a beautiful sporterized Springfield '06 with a custom thumbhole stock)



Yeah, he's a happy camper and so'm I. It was a great pleasure to take Dale out for (what he keeps saying) will be his last time. Not if I have a say in the matter. Such a pleasure to be around, and the stories!! My gosh what a character!!

RJ

[Jamie.270]

Great stuff RJ!

Congrats to Dale on his "trophy."

[gitano]

Congratulations, Dale!

Great write-up!:2thumbsup:

Paul

[branxhunter]

Good story RJ.

Would love to see a photo of that Springfield

Marcus

[Alboy]

Good job to both hands. Would have been quite a dilemma on deciding to leave him in the gene pool or not had you seen those buttons first.
 
MONSTER buck.

[RatherBHuntin]

Good on both of ya

[Vermonster]

Very nice! Congrats!

[Hunterbug]

Yea Grandpa. He was thrilled. We took it down on Sunday to the processor. We're already looking towards next year.

[davidlt89]

Just awesome!!!!! God bless.

[JaDub]

RJ,  Did Dale tell you the story behind his walking stick ??  Pretty cool stuff.
 
  Dale is a real stud muffin .  8-)