Long Time Long Ranger
Well-Known Member
The first buck in the photo you asked about is 28 3/4" outside.
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How wide is this Mule Deer?
- Thread starter SBruce
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SBruce
Well-Known Member
Maybe the first one isn't as wide as I originally thought. We all seem to agree that the 2008 buck is 30 inches plus on the outside. Which is what I was thinking when I pulled the trigger too. But there was some ground shrinkage.
For alot of years, I'd passed on "decent" mature deer, hoping for a chance at something in the 30" or better class. My requirements were 30" wide, and at least 4 main points on each side.
When I first saw this buck, he was running full out....fast as he could go. The closest he got to me was about 300 yds. I could see his left side from above (I was up on a butte). I thought he was probably the one I'd been waiting so long for, so I tried my luck at about 350. Lead was over 2 body lengths easily, and swinging with him. The shot felt really good, and looked good too (I saw dust just opposite his shoulders on the off side). I chambered another, and in the scope I could see him carrying his left front leg. He had also slowed and was now quartering away more, so I reduced my lead and shot behind him...Darn! Now he was over the hill and out of sight!
7MM Sendaro and I made our way to the other side of the ridge and found the blood trail. He continued to follow it while I went back and got his dad. His dad and I then circled way ahead (in the direction the buck was last going) in an effort to "head him off". Ended up meeting up with 7MM Sendaro and he was still on the trail. The trail was headed toward another ravine. We split up, I took the left side.
The buck had decided to bed down at the head of the ravine in a 3' deep hole/pocket. I walked to within 3 yds of him before he could be seen. When I did spot him, I was almost directly above him............he bolted again! Now I could see his drop tine and was Really Excited! All I could see was his head/neck and backline above the sagebrush. He wasn't moving very fast now, and was only about 50 yds away..........I held on his withers, fired and down he went.
After examination we determined that the first shot had broken the shoulder/leg joint and did some damage to the brisket, just needed to be a couple inches higher to be up in the vitals. There's obviously more to the story than room allows, but that is the ammended version.
Had him scored officially after the two month drying time:
186 3/8 SCI Non Typical Official Score
28" wide (tip to tip of T3's).
23" main beams.
20 1/2" wide inside main beams.
14" of non-typical tines.
Gross typical score (leaving out the trash) would have been about 172.
For alot of years, I'd passed on "decent" mature deer, hoping for a chance at something in the 30" or better class. My requirements were 30" wide, and at least 4 main points on each side.
When I first saw this buck, he was running full out....fast as he could go. The closest he got to me was about 300 yds. I could see his left side from above (I was up on a butte). I thought he was probably the one I'd been waiting so long for, so I tried my luck at about 350. Lead was over 2 body lengths easily, and swinging with him. The shot felt really good, and looked good too (I saw dust just opposite his shoulders on the off side). I chambered another, and in the scope I could see him carrying his left front leg. He had also slowed and was now quartering away more, so I reduced my lead and shot behind him...Darn! Now he was over the hill and out of sight!
7MM Sendaro and I made our way to the other side of the ridge and found the blood trail. He continued to follow it while I went back and got his dad. His dad and I then circled way ahead (in the direction the buck was last going) in an effort to "head him off". Ended up meeting up with 7MM Sendaro and he was still on the trail. The trail was headed toward another ravine. We split up, I took the left side.
The buck had decided to bed down at the head of the ravine in a 3' deep hole/pocket. I walked to within 3 yds of him before he could be seen. When I did spot him, I was almost directly above him............he bolted again! Now I could see his drop tine and was Really Excited! All I could see was his head/neck and backline above the sagebrush. He wasn't moving very fast now, and was only about 50 yds away..........I held on his withers, fired and down he went.
After examination we determined that the first shot had broken the shoulder/leg joint and did some damage to the brisket, just needed to be a couple inches higher to be up in the vitals. There's obviously more to the story than room allows, but that is the ammended version.
Had him scored officially after the two month drying time:
186 3/8 SCI Non Typical Official Score
28" wide (tip to tip of T3's).
23" main beams.
20 1/2" wide inside main beams.
14" of non-typical tines.
Gross typical score (leaving out the trash) would have been about 172.
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MontanaRifleman
Well-Known Member
The G3's are only 28" wide? Interesting... the ears are flopping down which makes it a little hard to judge. If I try to picture them up and out I could see where the tips aren't all that much farther out.
Good thread and congrats on a very nice buck
Good thread and congrats on a very nice buck
Long Time Long Ranger
Well-Known Member
I would not be concerned a bit about that buck not going 30". That is one heck of a buck that anyone would love to have the opportunity to tag. Congratulations on a mighty fine animal.
SBruce
Well-Known Member
Thanks Folks, and Thanks to 7mm Sendaro for all his help with it.
I actually am quite happy with the buck. He's the biggest that I've ever had an opportunity at, and it was no "walk in the park". Even though he's not as big as I thought he was.......it was still a great hunt.
I actually am quite happy with the buck. He's the biggest that I've ever had an opportunity at, and it was no "walk in the park". Even though he's not as big as I thought he was.......it was still a great hunt.
7mmSendaro
Well-Known Member
What Sbruce left out was that he gave me the first chance to miss that buck! I kept expecting him to stop for a look back as he had run several hundred yards from where he was jumped but no dice......... I missed the long running shot right before Shane put it to him. Until we had the buck on the ground we really weren't 100% sure who made the first hit. Since we were shooting from different vantage points, it was very obvious who made the hit once he was down. That old buck gve me a run for my money tracking as the blood had almost totally dried up and we were losing light fast. the last couple hundred yards or so I was going solely on tracks, no blood.
It was an awesome hunt....it is incredible to put your hands on a deer like that, especially when one of your best buddies gets to tag him!
It was an awesome hunt....it is incredible to put your hands on a deer like that, especially when one of your best buddies gets to tag him!
SBruce
Well-Known Member
Remington 700 BDL Sporter. 25-06 shooting 100gr Barnes TSX.
Leupold 4-12 scope on 12X (I nearly always leave my scopes on max power, up to 16 anyway).
SBruce
Well-Known Member
I talked to the taxidermist today, he said that the mount should be finished by the end of this week. I won't have a chance to go pick it up for a while, but when I get it home, I'll post pics of the mount..............hopefully within the next month or so.
SBruce
Well-Known Member
Looks like it's gonna be a while before I can post pics.
I got the mount back, but didn't like the pose. In my opinion, the neck was outstretched too far and too straight, and the head was too far below the shoulders. If we rotated it so the head was above the shoulders, then it's nose was pointing in the air instead of slightly down.
I requested to have an open mouth too, to more resemble a running deer mount that I'd seen in Cabelas at Rapid City SD, but I didn't like that either after I got it home and looked at it.
I had 4 other people look at it too, they all agreed that it didn't look like a running deer, more like a tired deer or one on the tail of a "hot doe".
I decided to return it to the taxidermist to have it re done with a different pose/manaquin and the mouth closed, which he is going to do, but it will be another couple months now. He'll have to replace the original cape too unfortunately.
But since this is a real special buck, I want a real special mount too. Something I will always look at and be impressed with, rather than look at and wish it looked different.
I got the mount back, but didn't like the pose. In my opinion, the neck was outstretched too far and too straight, and the head was too far below the shoulders. If we rotated it so the head was above the shoulders, then it's nose was pointing in the air instead of slightly down.
I requested to have an open mouth too, to more resemble a running deer mount that I'd seen in Cabelas at Rapid City SD, but I didn't like that either after I got it home and looked at it.
I had 4 other people look at it too, they all agreed that it didn't look like a running deer, more like a tired deer or one on the tail of a "hot doe".
I decided to return it to the taxidermist to have it re done with a different pose/manaquin and the mouth closed, which he is going to do, but it will be another couple months now. He'll have to replace the original cape too unfortunately.
But since this is a real special buck, I want a real special mount too. Something I will always look at and be impressed with, rather than look at and wish it looked different.
7mmSendaro
Well-Known Member
Back to the original buck and question of this post....I am planning to have a tape on him in about two weeks......
.SBruce
Well-Known Member
If you get him, I've got some pictures of him in velvet from a couple weeks ago. Looks to be a little wider than last year, and an extra point too. 5 X 6 this year. I'd send them to ya, but they're not on the computer yet.
