2021' Review

ColoradoV

Very Active Member
Oct 4, 2011
797
818
As I like seeing reports how other folks hunting goes and have been here awhile - so here is how my seasons went as well as short take on mulies in Co..

Got in over 22 days summer scouting this year counted just over 380 bucks in 14 units in that time. I have been taking notes for over 15 years in the same areas now and the trends are interesting. This year is the first that 1%ers have fallen below 1%.. I consider a 1%er to be a buck I would hunt and over 200". The high water mark since 2008 was 2016 and this is the lowest year I have ever recorded.

With that said I did turn up 3 bucks that were 1%ers but had a harder time getting a archery license in that area - was only able to turn one up on the day Archery started so was a bit behind the 8 ball. Driving in to hike to camp or literally as the guy was running off my tag - I was greeted by news one of the Gov tags had shot my #1 with a rifle on the opener of archery.. Usually they wait late til late season but this was a very unique buck. Impressive buck 24" mains and over 70" yes not a typo over 70" of mass... It happens or on to #2 - he was cool as well I put him at 30-31" wide with a 190"+ frame and 20" of extras..

Packed in a long ways and set up Camp in a wilderness w my hunting partner - about 8 hours later his last min trip to mexico came full circle and Montezuma laid some revenge down on my buddy like I have not seen. He is very tough but had to evac him out after tearing up the Forrest and dropping 12 pounds in 3 days... I would have to had to leave him to chase the buck so we just got out and I came back in with my wife on day 5. Found the buck but also another group lucked into him and they proceeded to radio, run at, push, run in front of us, and basically everything that will push a buck out of country and that is what happened. Packed out to give him a few days to settle. Back after a couple days but with as close as the season dates are to Muzzy hunters moved in scouting not hunting and pushed the buck out of the basin - scouting... They set up a camp where they could be seen so both the buck and I were forced to leave. This unit gives out quite a few tags and I ran into folks in every basin I was in.

After 15 days and no stalks decided to switch to #3 found him on the opener of muzzy with a guided hunter on him so we both banged around for the next 5 days and pushed the buck out of the area. The guided hunter ended up shooting a solid buck in the same basin. So now I am 3 weeks into the season and after 45+ days of scouting and hunting - I have not had a single stalk.. With a rotting carcass as well as coyotes in the basin I headed out grabbed some front row Van Morisson tickets and went to the city for break. I had 1 more 6 day trip the last 6 days of the season and went to look for old #2 first spent 3 nights in the basins he liked and did not see him so packed out moved, repacked in, and went after 3 for the final days. He was there on the next to last day - I bed him then I was on my first stalk of the season on the next to last day! I got to 35 above him in a great spot honestly thought I would pry get him but after 2 hours the wind swirled - my man blew out of there w a passion so I headed home. He was cool 3x4 = I put him at 34"+ wide with both g2s over 21"

So I saw over 380 bucks scouting, spent over 50 days in the field, and had one stalk that I blew on the next to last day. Fun year and as I am a process guy I got just what I was looking for. Also I guess it is what it takes to kill a 1%er - w a bow. Fun year and I will be back at it again come late June or early July.

I honestly feel that the deer has to win sometimes and that was the case this year. Saw more pressure from both hunters and non hunters than I usually do but pry just how the cards fell this year.

Pics are below of 1,2,3
 

Timber Stalker

Active Member
May 22, 2020
291
622
You live in Mule deer paradise. I haven’t seen 340 bucks in the last twenty years. In that 20 maybe 1-2 that come close to the 200 mark. Thanks for sharing the picks.no doubt you put in a lot of work and have an enormous amount of knowledge but damn. Good deer numbers.
 
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ColoradoV

Very Active Member
Oct 4, 2011
797
818
Thanks all! I am lucky enough to grow up/live centrally located to a lot of world class Mulie terrain and I love the process of attempting to look it all over. A couple good friends also do the same in the summer so just a fun time of the year. This is the first year almost all of my little group ate our tags or we went 1 out of 4.

While the numbers may seem high they are actually quite a bit lower than they have been. I have changed w what I share and don’t share live bucks too often in todays internet climate or with the late rifle dates all of the above bucks are dead one killed in the 2nd rifle the other in 3rd. So all 3 were killed.. Guess I will just have to find more and while numbers are going down I believe work is the equalizer or if you put it in - there will always be 1 and that’s all it takes.
 

RICMIC

Veteran member
Feb 21, 2012
1,966
1,706
Two Harbors, Minnesota
Cripes those are incredible bucks. You've defineatlly paid you dues, and on occasion reaped the rewards, but I can agree with you that the process itself is the reward. Happy hunting.
 
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