The DIY Hunter

In 2004 my brother Weston, and good friend Clint backpacked into one of our favorite locations to mule deer hunt. I was excited at the opportunity to hopefully help Clint get his first mule deer.

We hiked in one evening and spent the night. The next day we watched a group of several does, a couple of two points and a small 3x4 buck for a couple of hours and we decided to look for something larger. We found another small two-point in another canyon but no shooters.

That afternoon we went back to our base camp and moved camp further around the mountain. That evening we glassed off a point and could see some does bedded down in the oak brush below us. While we were sitting there my brother looks over my shoulder to see a nice buck coming around the ridge straight at me, only 10 yards away. The deer bolts and Weston drills the buck on the run at 75 yards. Just an awesome shot!

We boned out Weston's buck that evening and hauled it back to our base camp. The next morning Clint and I went different directions looking for shooter bucks. An hour or so after shooting light a buck came trotting around the canyon. I could tell he had four points at least on the side that was facing me but the buck never stopped to give me a good look at his antlers. I waited until he was just about to disappear into the oak brush at about 170 yards and decided to drop the hammer.

He wasn't quite the size of buck I was looking for, especially because I would have to sit out hunting mule deer the next year. It was my second year in the dedicated hunter program and I had killed a buck last year and now this one my second year of the program.  You only get two bucks in three years so I'll be sitting out the Mule Deer hunt in 2005.

Weston's Mule Deer Buck taken in 2004

Weston's Buck


Brady's Mule Deer Buck taken in 2004

My Buck


Clint's Mule Deer Buck taken in 2004

Clint's first Buck

After I had my buck down Clint and Weston came back around and met up with me. We glassed around watching different deer moving up finger draws. Then across the canyon we spotted a small four-point. At the long range I handed Clint my rifle and told him where to hold to make the shot and the 270 WSM did the job. Clint had is first mule deer buck.

The rest of the day we boned out the deer and we all packed a buck out on our backs through a snowstorm. A hunt we will always remember.

  • Weston shot this buck with my 25-06 Rem. Remington BDL.
  • Clint's buck and mine were shot with 130g Triple Shocks from a Winchester Model 70 Ultimate Shadow in 270 WSM.