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Montana High Country Mule Deer

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Bitterroot Bulls View Drop Down
Optics Master Extraordinaire
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Joined: May/07/2009
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Bitterroot Bulls Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Montana High Country Mule Deer
    Posted: September/17/2011 at 21:39
Well, my buddy and I backpacked nine miles deep into the Montana high alpine backcountry for the opener of early rifle.  This is a public land, OTC hunt for mule deer.  Deer numbers are not high in this area, but if you find a lone buck, he is often an old one.  That is the case with this deer.  He only had a few teeth left.  He was in full, beautiful, untouched velvet with a 4 inch horizontal kicker on his driver's side ... before the shot(s).  I kept putting shots on him to try to keep him on the ribbon cliff he was on, but of course he rolled right off.  The velvet was shredded, and the kicker was MIA.  My buddy and I searched the path of the fall, and through some miracle, my buddy found it in the rocks.  My taxi should be able to fix the kicker and put some synthetic velvet on.

The pack-out was brutal, but worth it!


-Matt
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ckk1106 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ckk1106 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/17/2011 at 21:59
Awesome.  What gun/caliber?
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Joined: September/09/2011
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote grizbacker Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/17/2011 at 22:02
Nice buck!!! I have always wanted to hunt this unit and have done a few scouting trips in it.  As soon as I graduate and have more time I plan to give it a try.
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Joined: September/09/2011
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote grizbacker Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/17/2011 at 22:06
Bitteroot, About what elevation were you hunting? looks pretty high
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jselsor Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/17/2011 at 22:10
That is one extreme hunt! Congrats Man. Next Fall I hope to do somthing similar
        J Selsor
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jonoMT View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jonoMT Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/17/2011 at 22:23
That's a stunning shot and a good story. Glad you had such a rewarding trip.
Reaction time is a factor...
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Bitterroot Bulls View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Bitterroot Bulls Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/17/2011 at 22:29
Originally posted by ckk1106 ckk1106 wrote:

Awesome.  What gun/caliber?


It was my backpacking setup:

Remington Model 7
Douglas barrel stainless 22'
7mm-08
Leupold PRW bases
Leupold PRW rings
Vortex Viper 2-7X32 BDC

Handloaded Barnes 140 TTSX.


-Matt
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Claus View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Claus Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/18/2011 at 06:18
WOW!!!!!
That is REALLY a nice buck you got yourself there Matt. 
Looks like a lot of work to get him out of there. Big Smile
What was the elevation there?
How heavy is a beast like that?


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Bitterroot Bulls View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Bitterroot Bulls Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/18/2011 at 09:35
The elevation was over 8000 feet.  That buck led to 113 pounds of boned out meat.  So using the "thirds" rule-of-thumb, he should have been around 300 pounds live weight.







Edit:  Just noticed the error on the meat poundage. 


Edited by Bitterroot Bulls - September/19/2011 at 10:55
-Matt
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jonoMT View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jonoMT Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/18/2011 at 11:05
That's about the altitude you need to be hunting at with the temperatures we've been having. I'm glad it's finally cooling down.
Reaction time is a factor...
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote billyburl2 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/18/2011 at 11:10
Jealous...Very Jealous Excellent
If it is tourist season, why can't we shoot them?
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Claus View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Claus Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/18/2011 at 13:16
If you weren't in good shape before, i bet you are now. Wink
That's a lot of heavy work man.Bow
Is that a normal weight for a muledeer buck?
Please let us see how you mount it.
Thanks
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Inside every older person is a younger person wondering what the hell happened
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Bitterroot Bulls Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/18/2011 at 15:59
Originally posted by Claus Claus wrote:

Is that a normal weight for a muledeer buck?


Most I have taken have been in the 200-250 range.  In my experience, it takes a really old buck to get into 300 pound territory.  This guy had a 2 inch cover of fat over the rib meat.


-Matt
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote lucytuma Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/18/2011 at 16:26
Beautiful, plain and simple. Congratulations Matt!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote supertool73 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/18/2011 at 17:51
Way to go Matt.  He is a dandy.  Excellent
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote cheaptrick Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/18/2011 at 19:43
Outstanding! 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Bitterroot Bulls Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/18/2011 at 19:47
Thanks guys!

I will be working on the video for a while...
-Matt
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote SVT_Tactical Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/19/2011 at 07:30
Excellent
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Dogger Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/19/2011 at 07:37
Very nice buck Matt and gorgeous location (maybe not so gorgeous with 100lbs of meat on your back).  A dream hunt for most of us!  Congrats.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 8shots Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/19/2011 at 08:14
Way to go...the tough hunts are the best.. but ExcellentExcellentonly after you have a cold frosty in the hand!!
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