Colorado 2nd season success

[mt-mike]

A couple of fellows on this forum gave me some good info to help with planning where to hunt. They know who they are and I thank them very much. Hunting was tough with bluebird weather and full moon. I dealt with these obsticles by putting on my soft soled (sneakers) boots and hunting the timber very slowly and quitely into the wind. It took me 6-days to find this guy.

 

[hoshour]

Nice job, Mike.

I also took a deer second season in CO last week so I know about the warm temps, full moon and rice krispies underfoot.

My hat's off to anyone who can still-hunt in those conditions and bring down a heavy, mature buck. You've got some real patience, my friend. That's a well-earned trophy.

 

[BigSurArcher]

Beautiful buck. It's hard to stay motivated hunting Muleys during sunny days and sunny nights. Way to stick with it!

 

[Colorado Cowboy]

Good job, especially during what I consider the toughest season to hunt here in Colorado.

 

[Red Raider]

Congrats Mike. That's a great buck.

 

[HiMtnHnter]

Now that sounds like a hunt! You did very well.

 

[Ikeepitcold]

Great buck Mike. Congrats!! Let's hear the story.

 

[troutcarver]

The look of pure satisfaction right there. Nice job on a very nice buck.

 

[mt-mike]

My story? OK, once I recovered from the shock of seeing so many hunters in the field, I realized I was going to have to do some serious walking. Opening morning consisted of altering the direction I was heading no less than three times due to running into multiple hunters. Most were Elk hunters. I did get the glimpse of a good buck traveling through the quakies heading for a north slope drop off. Then a little later in the morning, about 2 1/2-miles in, I encountered a lone buck feeding on the brink of a north slope drop off in a mix of quakies and conifers. He was close and unaware of me. He was big enough to give me a good surge of excitement. Then after further study trough my binocs, I concluded I should let him go. His frame was large with a great spread 3-4" beyond his ears. However, he lacked good mass and had very weak G2-G3 forks. Being the first morning I passed. I didn't fully recognize how difficult the hunting was going to be. Three or four days later I would have surely taken him. Here's the best picture I got of him.

 

[sneakypete]

Nice buck and thanks for the story. I just came back from an eastern Oregon elk hunt with very similar conditions but not the success that you had.

 

[Don Dusart]

Wow nice buck!!

 

[oneshot]

well worth the wait. thats a great buck!

 

[oneshot]

love the picture.

 

[Eberle]

Great buck congrats!

 

[Engideer]

That is a great buck and thanks for the story! The one you passed up on would have haunted you all year, he was a pretty nice deer too. Congratulations!

 

[THelms]

I don't think many people truly understand the supreme accomplishment you have here. Amazing job, my hat is off to those old-school ways gettin' it done. WOW!

 

[hardstalk]

Awesome, awesome, awesome!! Congrats on a great hunt!!

 

[BossBrott]

Beautiful buck, congrats!

 

[BigBy1]

That'll look swell on your wall...... If you're allowed to have a wall!

 

[sjsmallfield]

Congrats on an awesome buck Mike. Sounds like you worked your butt off for that buck.