Mule Deer Bow Hunt,
"Win Some, Lose Some!"
by Ralph
Ramos, PSE Pro Staff
As I started walking into what I call my favorite mule deer honey hole in New
Mexico, I felt like something was different this time. Maybe it was the lack of
hours not scouting, feeling guilty from not doing my normal preseason homework.
My conscience wondering if I would see the number of mule deer in hopes of an
opportunity at a big one kept pounding inside my head. All I kept telling myself
was stick to your normal routine, follow your pattern that you always take, and
use your optics to find your prey.
Arriving at my first glassing point after an hour of darkness walking, climbing
to the highest mountaintop. My swarovski 15x56 binoculars, gathered all the
early light possible, finding two groups of mule deer within the first five
minutes of glassing. I was immediately relieved finding mule deer grazing on
dormant desert grass, while others nibbled on mountain mahogany leaves. When all
of a sudden I spotted some rutting activity of a nice mule deer buck chasing a
doe in estrus. I can remember well as my hunting buddy Michael Estrada said,
"Well, I guess the rut is still going on." I replied quickly and graciously, "
Yes it is, thank goodness." I guess we were very happy that the rut was still
happening, sense the bucks normally start rutting in mid December and slow down
with breeding after the first of January. This year New Mexico bow hunter's
experienced typical annual changes from our Game & Fish Agency, taking a few
days away from our late January bow hunt. Normally, our hunt starts on new years
day and ends on the fifteenth, when this year we started on the eighth ending on
the eighteenth; cutting us short four days. I guess I ought to be thankful, for
at least having the opportunity to be enjoying the outdoors during this time of
year is a blessing, with gorgeous weather.
As we continued glassing I found an additional group of deer on a different
ridge, oh a good three quarters of a mile away. This gave us a choice as to
which deer had the best stalking scenario. While the first two groups were
keeping themselves entertained, as one buck chased a doe acting rutty, others
fed happily ignoring the activity. Knowing the deer were content as to where
they were, we had some extra time to contemplate on which buck to move in on.
When all of a sudden I spotted another huge buck 190 to 200 inch Pope & Young
class, bedded away from the others. He was at least a good hundred yards
downwind from the obvious deer herd. I quickly told Michael stay put to see if
you could get some video footage from here, as I stalk towards him. I didn't
want to take any chances on not getting a shooting opportunity on this huge
buck.
As I moved within a hundred yards from the bedded buck, I stumbled across three
doe grazing slowly towards me. Given this situation, that was as far as I could
move in with a stalk, so I slowly nocked an arrow and waited patiently. When all
of a sudden this bedded buck gets up and starts walking towards the three doe
and my direction. I thought to myself I might have a chance, so I slowly ranged
out several bushes, stumps, and a distinct juniper tree at 70 yards, using my
new Bushnell Pocket Rangefinder. He continued approaching the three doe as they
kept grazing towards me at sixty yards. Unexpectedly, a small forked horned buck
appeared to my left at a close twenty yards, headed downwind below me towards my
scent. How coincidental bow hunting is, that these sneaky creatures just pop out
of nowhere, when you least expect them or when you don't want them around. It
was a matter of seconds when this huge buck walked out into an opening and
stopped allowing me to draw my bow as he stood staring at the little buck within
fifty-yards.
As he stood glued staring at the pestering little buck, I held my fifty-yard pin
on his throat wishing for him to give me a more ethical broadside shot; so I
waited. When untimely the ****** fork horned buck smelled me, snorted loudly and
bolted running away towards this buck of a lifetime. Quickly I shifted position,
aiming, holding my pin on the trophy buck as he ran away spooked. When he
stopped quartering away, looking back in my direction at sixty-yards. As a blur,
all I remember is my Scott release going off, launching a carbon force arrow
through my PSE Scorpion bow searing through the cold morning air. Cling, clang,
and sparks of broad head blades were all I heard and saw. Dang it, my stomach
sank full of disgust, as I clearly saw a clean miss at a buck of a lifetime; El
Muy Grande as we call them here in the "Land of Enchantment!" Yes, I was upset,
more like pist but what the heck! My hunt would have been finished graciously,
but now at least we start all over again; glassing, spotting, moving in,
stalking in hopes for another opportunity. You better believe it; even I miss
every so often! Ha! Ha! That's bow hunting!
When we began glassing for another mule deer buck, my thoughts kept rewinding
back to the big one that got away. Fortunately, it was a matter of minutes when
I spotted another group of bedded deer; quickly I began brainstorming my next
approach at a new stalk. I figured a buck to be in this herd, so we moved in
taking advantage of the deer not moving in hopes to find a mature buck to shoot
at. By this time the midday steady breeze had set in, having the direction of
wind current in our favor. What else could a bow hunter ask for? As I closed the
gap within 150 yards from the deer, I noticed a couple of moving bodies to my
right. When all of a sudden I spotted the buck of this herd, following, chasing
a doe behind a thick brush pile. Fortunately having cover, this habitat had
plenty of cactus and mountain mahogany, allowing me to continue stalking in
towards this dandy ten-point buck. I soon found myself within sixty yards from
the dandy buck as he followed a doe in heat. They traveled back and forth; round
and round in a small brush pile area. I figured if I would be patient and the
breeze would cooperate I would possibly get a shot soon. I waited an eternal
eight minutes, kneeling with my heart pounding anticipating action. I held my
bow steady, arrow nocked ready to draw; as I selected shooting lanes carefully
as both buck and doe weaved in and out through the brush.
As my luck would change with the wind direction, I felt a steady breeze stop and
turn towards my right spooking two bald headed deer out of their beds. These two
doe bounced, trotting towards the rest of the herd, alerting the party. Luckily,
the buck bolted towards my direction, wondering what spooked the does. As soon
as I saw the buck stop, I remember him looking back at the rest of his herd. I
quickly came to full draw, aiming, settling my fifty-yard pin high in the lung
area as he quartered towards me. Without hesitation I punched the trigger on my
Scott little goose release, searing the carbon force arrow tipped with the rocky
mountain titanium broad head, out of my new PSE scorpion bow, into the kill
zone.
Immediately, mule deer legs jumped up into the air, as he lunged over a rock
pile, he bolted running gasping for air towards the rest of his herd. After the
first twenty yards running with adrenaline, my buck began to run side ways
hobbling, slowing down as he left a bubbly bright red blood trail, leading to a
quick recovery. As I closed in to take a better look at my dandy New Mexico
muley, I new it was all over. The carbon force fletching was sticking out as the
rest of the shaft was buried through the shoulder blade clipping both lungs.
Michael and I immediately threw up the ole high five slap in the air, yelling
with excitement towards each other, as we knew this was a great day to remember.
January mule deer bow hunting is by all means a great way to spend time in the
outdoors. Spotting of game at a distance, followed with stalking closing the
gap, in hopes to stick an arrow in these smart creatures, makes it a great
challenge. Luck of the wind, other critters cooperating, and not being seen
during a stealthy stalk, is what needs to happen in order for it to all come
together. My attitude with mule deer bow hunting is to stay positive, be
persistent, and by all means don't give up, because sooner or later, "You will
win some and lose some." Good Luck Hunting!
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