First Archery Mule Deer

I'd been watching a group of eight bucks in a bachelor herd since late June, down near Casper, Wyoming.  On, September 1st, I was able to get down and hunt early afternoon.  When I snuck into where I've been seeing the group of bucks over the summer, I had the whole bachelor herd within eighty yards of me.  As I started to slip into closer range, I unfortunately had a small fork horn buck bedded within fifteen yards of me.  The buck busted out, but luckily the rest of the bucks just trotted to about one hundred and fifty yards and started feeding again.  I slipped out of there without further disturbing the bachelor herds. 

The next morning, on September 2nd, I snuck back into the same place, and found the bucks roughly eight hundred yards away, but feeding towards me.  The group of bucks ended up bedding about two hundred and fifty yards from me by 7:30am.  I slipped out and decided to come back a little earlier than the day prior, to make sure I was in position of where they were before they were.  I came back at 3:00pm, and quietly walked back into the place I'd been seeing the bucks.  Around 3:30pm, I was just getting to the small ridge, and came up over a little rise.

                                       This buck was standing there, feeding at just 50 yards!  

With just getting to my position, I hadn't even nocked an arrow, as I was in complete shock this buck was already up and feeding, and more importantly, all alone!!  I eased back down, behind the sage brush, nocked an arrow and snuck to my left another five yards.  As I raised up onto my knees, I looked over the sage, and ranged the buck as he fed.  44 Yards.  I drew my Hoyt Defiant, settled the pin, and eased off the release. Instantly, I heard the familiar thump of when that arrow finds it's mark into the chest cavity.  The Easton Hexx found it's mark -- a double lung shot!  The buck made two small bounds and fell over, less than 20 yards from where I'd shot him.  I had just shot my first archery mule deer, also my first opportunity to shoot a buck in full velvet.  Not to mention, a pretty dang good buck, to boot. 

​I Am Defiant! - Dale Evans