2004 Muley

[300 RUM]

2004 Utah general season mule deer shot on public land. Shot with 300 RUM running stright away at 187 yards. He is 24" wide and looks like he has broken off a drop tine on his left side before I got him:(

[mazter]

Thats a great looking Mount you have there. Id be proud to have it on my wall.;)

[petey]

Great buck!

Those 300 RUM's do the trick don't they. Kind of curious if you retreived your bullet or did it make it all way way through the deer lengthwise?

I was surprised to find the elk I shot with a 178-Amax through the brisket made it through the opposite shoulder but did not exit. I found the bullet in the hide while skinning it and the shot was at 40-50 yards.

[300 RUM]

I hit him with 180gr Scirocco Factory ammo. I was slightly higher and right then him. My bullet hit the last rib on his right side 2/3 up his back broke 3 more ribs crossed into the chest cavity to almost center and exited through his neck taking the windpipe in half. He fell within 2 yards and slid for about 8 more.

The buck I shot two years ago with the same load had very impressive damage. He was also running away too slightly right, I shot hitting him square in the hind quarter. The bullet hit his hip joint totally devastating it and blowing the entry wound open to the size of a grapefruit. Almost amputating the rear leg. The inside of the opposite leg had bone fragments sticking into the hide. The bullet then continued thru the cavity breaking thru a rib then shoulder bone and lodgeing under the skin on the outside of the shoulder. Basically crossing from right rear to front left. I weighed the bullet and it actually held together very well I think it weighed about 130 grains or so, not too bad considering the bone matter it went thru. (I believe this buck was about 100 yards away.)

[GUTPYLZ]

What part of Utah? (Northern, Southern, Central) Your Buck and mine are about the same. Congrats, and nice Euro! Did you do it yourself?

[300 RUM]

I was hunting in the Souteasern unit. I live in Central Utah but I hunt down South near the town of Monticello.

A friend did the mount for me, he gave me instructions on how to do it. I will try the next one on my own. I got the catalog he orders all of his supplies thru.

[BigCountryCreeper]

looking to hunt southern utah this year lots of bucks harvested in northern because of the snow was this the case in your end of the state

[300 RUM]

The weather actually caused us a lot of stress. My friends that live in Monticello had done a pretty good job of patterning the deer and knew where they were. Then the storm hit, the deer we were watching changed their patterns. This area is very heavy cedars with large CRP fields. The deer never came out of the cedars once the storm hit. And it is impossible to stalk a mature buck in that terrain he is sure to bust you long before a shot presents itself. It snowed a little but the wind was terrible it never quite for the whole 5 days. The deer stayed in the thick stuff all day and only came out into the short trees right before dark to feed. That is how I got my deer early morning heading back into the heavy cover, he just didnt quite make it. Five more yards and he would have been gone for good.

I had several friends that hunted near Nephi and the snow really pushed the deer down. There were more large deer killed around Nephi in 2004 than in the last 10 years put together. Also relatives in the Uinta Basin saw a lot of good deer due to the storms. In Nephi and Uinta Basin the storms pushed the deer out of the mountains into the foothills into less cover. In Monticello the opposite the storms drove the deer from the open fields into the heavy cedars.:confused:

[BigCountryCreeper]

thanks for the info will keep that in mind also been looking at ferron resivoir area mayfeild gunnision this area has alot of cedars never hunted cedars before any suggestions would be helpful thanks for the pics keeps the drive alive for the state of utah

[300 RUM]

I have huyjted in an area My friend called "Log canyon" I doubt that is an accurate name but it is north of the town of Gunnison.
If you are coming from Nephi on the highway just before you can see Gunnison you turn north on a dirt road and head back up into that mountain range. I have seen a few good bucks up in that area unforunatelly there is always a fair amount of other hunters in that area as well.
I have seen a few nice 26-28 inch bucks that have come out of that area but never got one mself, always shot a little one for jerky.
I have hunted the area straight east of Gunnison / Centerfield not sure what they call it, my friends grampa owned a small farm in the foothills. Lots of little bucks but nothing big.

As for hunting cedars good luck, I dont know any great ways. If you try to stalk they usually bust you before a shot presents itself. To set up a blind or ambush I have never been lucky the deer would have to walk right by ya. If it has a few hills or high spots try to find an area with some clear shooting lanes. If it is flat, best advice I have, they have to come out to eat sooner or later just be lucky enough to find when and where.

[BigCountryCreeper]

thanks i guess that no matter where or how much you scout it comes down to right time right place good luck enjoy the outdoors this summer...