Getting ready for mule deer season.

[ammohead]

Good luck on your hunt, Ammohead. Sounds very exciting. Looking forward to pics and stories.

The hunt starts next Thursday for me. The rut should just be starting then.

[quilbilly]

I see on the webcams that your mountains finally are getting some snow. Must be too late. Maybe next year.

[Lex]

I shot a mule deer with my 38/55 marlin cowboy.I used the 255 cast bullet from rcbs and smokeless powder.the bullet went in the back leg all the way threw and came out the front shoulder he never took a step.

[warboar_21]

BTW Ammohead - I think we are telling people wayyy too much about Nevada.

Doesn't matter what you tell people about the state. The draw pretty much takes care of hunting on a regular basis. One thing about Nevada though is when you are lucky enough to draw a tag there are some serious trophy class Deer and Elk. It's just drawing that tag. Now if you are only hunting doe and cows it's a different story.

[quilbilly]

Doesn't matter what you tell people about the state. The draw pretty much takes care of hunting on a regular basis. One thing about Nevada though is when you are lucky enough to draw a tag there are some serious trophy class Deer and Elk. It's just drawing that tag. Now if you are only hunting doe and cows it's a different story.

These days it has become much tougher in Nevada to get a B&C mule deer than a B&C bull as the elk gradually crowd out mule deer in many areas. I had breakfast with several outfitters in Belmont, Nv on a ski trip a few years back and they said as much to explain why they charge twice as much for a trophy mule deer hunt as for a B&C elk hunt. The wildlife biologist who spearheaded the introduction of elk into Nevada many years ago, George Tsukamoto was his name if memory serves,and who later went to work for the Washington Dept of Fish and Wildlife before he retired told me at a legislative hearing that he thought the biggest mistake he ever made in his long storied career was to introduce elk into Nevada. No one really understood how elk and deer interact. Up here I learned long ago that if I wanted find good deer hunting for our local black-tails, avoid anyplace with elk sign. Hunter success spreadsheets from our agency clearly show that our best elk hunting units east of the Cascades are invariably the poorest deer units.
George did tell me at the same hearing that, even though he had suspicions at the time, the RMEF was not an outfit to resist politically. I think that political reality is changing
in Nevada as more Nevada hunters want their mule deer back. I don't know if that is possible.
Nevertheless, there are some B&C trophy mule deer to be had. I found my typical near Mt. Grafton and those outfitters in Belmont told me where a non-typical could be found. Who knows? I might get there some day but it is so remote, even I am a bit intimidated.

[butch2570]

Good luck to ya , good looking rounds too..

[44 flattop]

A couple years ago I took a dandy antelope and an even dandier mule deer with a 280gr cast my Marlin Cowboy in 38-55! Both were spot and stalk, both were DRT. Then in my home State I took a nice bull elk with my .444 and a 300gr cast.

Last year was a really nice buck with my .44 Marlin Cowboy using a 260gr cast and another elk with the .444.

This year one buck with my .44 Cowboy and the same 260 cast and I'm out every day right now with my .444!

[ammohead]

Quick update.

Quilbilly was right the snow came too late for me. I have to be back to work today so left yesterday morning. For 10 days the weather was too warm. Does and babies feeding on the benches all over the country. Saw at least 60-80 everyday. But no matter how hard I glassed I could not put horns on any of them. Saw one 3 point Friday but could not get to him because I had to pick Jane up from work. Wasn't really looking for a 3 point on a 111 late tag. I did get my steel garage delivered and set up so the week was productive. Now I can begin moving things in the general direction of McGill NV to plan for retirement some day.

[GoodOlBoy]

Very nice!

As for how you hunt mule deer with a X. If you can get close enough to kill it with a bow, I can danged sure get close enough to kill it with my gun.

GoodOlBoy

[ammohead]

Went to work this morning and both my manager and the president of the company said "What are you doing here? You have 3 days left." So 4 hours to Ely, this evening and 2 days to fill my tag. Wish me luck!

[micky_blue]

congrats and good luck

[Harter66]

Luck Ammo.

[andrews10]

Wonderful Time

[quilbilly]

You will get a good one, no sweat. I heard it was 14 degrees a day ago. That should move the good ones around.

[ammohead]

So I packed my stuff and headed back to Ely. I got there about 2 pm and headed to a good spot and started walking. I spotted one buck sniffing a doe and chasing her around. Then found another group of does in the distance with what appeared to be a buck chasing and sniffing. I watched them until dark.

The next morning I started after the second group that I saw on foot but was preempted by a Dodge Pickup that was going to see them before I could get anywhere near them so I diverted to the first buck I saw the night before. Soon I saw white butts then whole does but no buck. So I put the sneak into their backyard. The wind was perfect and I thought I was stealthy enough but after getting to the top of the ridge I heard some deer bounding off rather close. So I double timed it and got to a clearing in time to see the buck heading straight away about 175 - 200 yards. I wasn't about to let him get away so I took the Texas heart shot. He turned and went downhill (towards the road, yay!) I shot a few more times to no effect and then I lost him right out in the open. I glassed for awhile and found him laying next to a tiny pinon. I tried to put the nail in the coffin but instead hit him in the antler right at the tip instead. He got to his feet bot only for a few steps then layed back down. Then I just waited him out. He fell 40 steps from the road.
[IMG][/IMG]

It was a long walk back to the truck but only a short drag. 26 1/2" 5 point if you count the eye guards. Some do some don't. I don't care he is my biggest so far and will be tough to beat. No cast boolit, but I bet I won't hear many complaints about using a model 99 Savage in 284 Winchester.

[IMG][/IMG]

[Idaho Mule]

Great job ammo!!! Very nice buck and a short haul to the rig is always welcome. I have next week off so hope to show a pic of a cow moose then. Take care. JW

[ammohead]

Great job ammo!!! Very nice buck and a short haul to the rig is always welcome. I have next week off so hope to show a pic of a cow moose then. Take care. JW

Gonna use that big bore 94 John?

[Idaho Mule]

You betcha!! JW

[quilbilly]

awesum!!!

[Afro408]

Congratulations on your successful hunt, Ammohead and a good write up too.