2014 Nevada Mule Deer Hunt

by Steve Alderman

 

 

No shit, there I was, watching 4 bucks feeding all morning, even after being chased by a couple other bow hunters.  Too many other guys running around this country I'm thinking.... a popular Nevada cow elk/mule deer bow hunt, no shortage of people here.  I myself am running around the hills with a non resident deer tag, I love hunting Nevada.

 

My Buck encounters had been limited to a few through the spotting scope, and only one so far that I went after.  He was a big 4x4, feeding toward me the day before, everything going right, 70 yards, 65 yards, ... then heads up!, running away, blowing their noses at another hunter trying to come in below me.

 

Today I found the big buck again, but also 3 separate quad runners on tops of ridges, looking down on him.  I didn't even bother, went ahead and drove to my second choice or areas to glass.  As luck would have it, I picked up these 4 bucks this morning, and even after watching them scatter from other hunters, was able to keep a distant eye on them, and watched them feed all morning.  They worked towards what I would have sworn was going to be their bedding area, a large cluster of mahogany and bitter brush in an otherwise open sagebrush hill.  sure enough, they walked right into it, then turned, walked single file uphill and away from me, over the top of the ridge and out of sight.  Gone.

 

Yesterday, I felt like I did everything right and of course did not connect.  Today, I was patient and again, did not believe I was going to get a chance at these deer.  But, Luck always seems to play a part in hunting, sometimes more often than not.... So even though I didn't know where the deer were, I knew which way they were going and decided to give it a try. 

 

A quick hike back to the quad and I drove the mile or so up and around to the ridge I saw the bucks cross over.  I parked what I thought would be around 200 yards before the place they crossed the ridge, presumably to bed down in the timber of this north facing area.

 

My plan was to ease down off the ridge and make my way through the timber, trying to find them in their beds.  I hadn't gone 50 yards when antlers popped up from the ground and scattered like a covey of quail.  I had been watching these guys all morning, so I knew which one was the big one.  I was able to locate him running through the trees when he stopped between a couple small trees, it was now or never, I guessed him at 65 yards, and let er fly.  The buck ran 30 yards, spun in a circle, at which time I saw blood on his side, then fell over dead.  The whole episode took maybe 5 seconds... 5 incredible seconds.

 

Yesterday I did everything right and failed, today it just kinda fell in my lap!  65 yards (which is incredible for my archery skills), 151 6/8 inches.  Not my largest archery mule deer, but definetly a trophy in my book!  Did I mention I love Nevada?