2017 Mule Deer (and roosters)

In order to allow a series of photos to more or less tell the story, I'll make this short....

I planned a hunt for Tuesday evening through Saturday morning (14th-18th). I decided to take a bird dog (Cash) with me since I'd be close to some pheasants, but I'd have to board him for a couple nights while I hunted deer. I adjusted my planned schedule around the boarding arrangements. I would hunt with Cash Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning then board him Wednesday and Thursday night so I could hunt deer Wednesday evening through Friday morning. If I managed to kill a buck, Cash and I would hunt pheasants Friday evening and Saturday morning before driving home. I knew that I probably should have just left the bird dog home since a buck in country I'd never hunted was unlikely enough without taking time out to hunt pheasants.

This thread could have easily been posted in the bird hunting forum because when all was said and done I spent more time bird hunting than deer hunting, but the trip was originally planned as a deer hunt. We hunted roosters some and I deer hunted very little since I killed a buck the first evening that I hunted. I should have killed a few more roosters and maybe should have hunted deer a little longer, but my wingshooting skills suck and the buck looked good to me even if he's by no means a BIG mule deer. We came home a day early to deal with deer meat and cut back on hotel costs.

Finn staying close while I load gear (he did not get to go)
20171114_065020 by riverbottomstaxidermy, on Flickr

Single tailless rooster Tuesday evening
20171114_160159 by riverbottomstaxidermy, on Flickr

Where's your bed Dad?
20171114_193658 by riverbottomstaxidermy, on Flickr

Sunrise Wednesday morning. No roosters photos due to poor shooting skills.
20171115_065746 by riverbottomstaxidermy, on Flickr

Mars or mule deer country?
20171115_150332 by riverbottomstaxidermy, on Flickr

I glassed this guy chasing does at about 4:15 PM. I made a hurried dash through a couple coulees so I could come up downwind and behind a knob that I could peek over for a closer look and possible shot. I may have rushed the decision, but I was happy with the outcome.
20171115_164910 by riverbottomstaxidermy, on Flickr

20171115_165521 by riverbottomstaxidermy, on Flickr

20171115_165715 by riverbottomstaxidermy, on Flickr

Cash and I back at it. Cash is pointing in there somewhere, but the hard hunted birds were running like mad.
20171116_104722 by riverbottomstaxidermy, on Flickr

Cash after finding a runner that I thought we'd lost
20171116_111632 by riverbottomstaxidermy, on Flickr

I'll take a break if you are taking photos, but I ain't putting this guy down

Resized_20171116_111641 by riverbottomstaxidermy, on Flickr

I'm pretty sure these are old planters or wheat drills
20171116_115754 by riverbottomstaxidermy, on Flickr

Another rooster for Cash or should I just call him The Man.
20171116_115938 by riverbottomstaxidermy, on Flickr

Thursday's two roosters
20171116_123536 by riverbottomstaxidermy, on Flickr

20171116_123640 by riverbottomstaxidermy, on Flickr

Evening hunt
20171116_161850 by riverbottomstaxidermy, on Flickr

20171116_161658 by riverbottomstaxidermy, on Flickr

20171116_164929 by riverbottomstaxidermy, on Flickr

Not quite a turkey spur
20171116_171835 by riverbottomstaxidermy, on Flickr

Friday morning. There's a muley buck hiding in the trees there.
20171117_081555 by riverbottomstaxidermy, on Flickr

20171117_090755 by riverbottomstaxidermy, on Flickr

First rooster of the morning came from this grass just the other side of the trees to the left
20171117_090801 by riverbottomstaxidermy, on Flickr

Last rooster of the trip. If I'd have been prepared I could have had a double here and a limit of birds for the day.
20171117_101523 by riverbottomstaxidermy, on Flickr

Two for the day
20171117_105240 by riverbottomstaxidermy, on Flickr

Now this is my kind of trip! Congrats on a good hunt, nice buck and love the dog & rooster pics.

You squeezed a lot of adventure into that trip. Congratulations

That's a whole lot of awesomeness in one trip!

Looks like a great couple days.

dogs doing what dogs do is the best. Thanks for sharing, and give that shaggy beast a treat.

That looks like a ton of fun!

Love to see the veteran dogs catch some birds! Did you find any hatch year birds? Nothing but adults in my neck of the woods, which is not a good sign for the next few years.

Hunting Wife said:

Love to see the veteran dogs catch some birds! Did you find any hatch year birds? Nothing but adults in my neck of the woods, which is not a good sign for the next few years.

Click to expand...

Out of the five roosters that I shot (in 4 hunts), I believe two were this year's hatch. Of the other roosters that I laid eyes on (not as many as Id have liked) Id say 75% were last year's roosters.

Perfect!! Well done! Following the dog after roosters is much more fun.

"Ugly" dogs rock!

Smorgasbord harvest...good job.

Good trip...

That combo trip would make me a happy man. Good job hobbes and Cash.

Dang MT is the best! Miss it alot, growing up and shooting roosters all fall is a great time! Congrats on the nice mule deer also,
Matt