Montana Mule Deer Rut Hunt

This hunt takes place in mid November. You except good hunting during this time of year due to the rut. I was in between hunts and just hanging out at our ranch house, glassing some hay meadows. We had around 22 does coming in and out of the fields within view from the house. I had not seen a big buck with these deer yet this year.

As I was glassing from the sliding glass window, drinking coffee, I spotted a big heavy horned buck. I watched him leave the fields with a couple of does. He was heavy horned and older! The buck grazed up and into the shade and laid down. I could see he had a rather long kicker on one side and beer can bases. I wish I had a hunter here!

When my hunter got in the next day, I was hopeful to see the big bruiser again. We drank coffee and glassed from the house at first light. Of course the buck did not show! We loaded up and headed down valley. Two canyons down and we ran into about 12 deer. Their he was and he had not seen us yet.

We needed to walk way around to get in a low spot that would provide us cover up the deer. My hunter Pete was moving slow as he didn’t want his hunt to be over so quick. I pulled him a-side and had a little pep talk! You are going to shoot this big ass deer! To put it mildly! Once we where on the same page, we continued the stalk.

As walked up the cow trail fully out of sight of the deer, I was thinking this is going to be easy if the deer are still there. I peeked over when I thought we were close. They had moved but I could see them. 80 more yards and we would make our stand! We made a bit of ground and I set us up on the steep edge of our coulee. Not to comfortable for Pete to shoot but it was all we had. He was propped up on the pack and I ranged big boy at 275.

Let him have it when he turns I hissed! The buck was grazing but some does were looking our way. Shoot I hissed. Pete took the safety and let one fly. It was a hit, shoot again! Miss then a hit. The big buck laid down and died right then. As we approached the buck, I was surprised at the extra points and mass. I told Pete, You just shot a caribou! This was a magnificent buck, he scored 191 inches and had 44 inches of mass. A monster Montana muley!