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Mule Deer Buck #151651 11/05/2014 3:56 AM
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Gregg Richter Offline OP
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To be frank, one of my current health conditions (right knee) precludes me from doing much walking in uneven terrain; ie. pretty much the entire Colorado wildlands.

So I was very limited in mobility while hunting to fill my mule deer buck tag. My method was quite simple: keep re-visiting my past successful (and some not so successful areas) and using my Zeiss optics, scouring the meadows and open areas for long minutes and even hours, from my truck. Glassing, waiting, repeat, move to another area, repeat.

I figured that if I spotted a buck that I wanted, that my adrenalin and stubbornness and love of the stalk and hunt could keep me going for at least one good try.

After a couple of mornings and afternoons, I had yet to see a buck. I was seeing does without bucks; due to the unseasonably warm weather here the mule deer rut had not quite started yet.

The time was 4:30 p.m. on the third day of my season and the sun was sinking fast. A cold front was moving through and we had gotten a flurry of snow the previous evening, which would hopefully get the game moving around some. Moving slowly along a two track excuse for a road in my F-150 following a small drainage, I suddenly spotted a buck down on the edge of the creek, about 75 yards away. I stopped the truck and turned the motor off. My Zeiss binocs automatically came up to my eyes and I looked at him and sized him up in about two tenths of a second. Staring back at me was a very respectable 4X4 with one brow tine. I slowly opened the door and got out, my right hand going to my Custom .475 Linebaugh and removing it from the makeshift shoulder holster (works for me)
\:\)
As my right foot touched the ground, the knee pain along with the crunching sound of the porcelain spacer block in that severely compromised joint rudely reminded me to step very carefully in spite of my excitement at seeing such a beautiful buck.

I carefully moved ahead to the nearest tree for a rest and where I had a clear view of the buck and brought up my revolver, planted the red dot of the JPoint sight just behind his shoulder, cocked the hammer, and pressed the trigger.

At the boom, he swapped ends and started scrambling up the opposite hillside. Something however was very very wrong. His hind end wasn't working very good. Yet he was still moving away, so I put another 400 Gr. XTP through him. (Note this was the opposite side as the first shot) He fell down and died in the creek.

It was almost dark.

These photos were taken the following day.



The following photo shows my two shots, one entrance and one exit, due to the fact the buck turned around 180 degrees after the first shot. This area is about 4 inches behind the shoulder.








Re: Mule Deer Buck [Re: Gregg Richter] #151653 11/05/2014 4:02 AM
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GlennS Offline
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Nice work Gregg! You always find a way to fill the tag with a good one. I'm gonna start riding in the back of your truck
\:\)


Hope the leg gets better!


"Better to Remain Silent and Be Thought a Fool than to Speak and Remove All Doubt"
Re: Mule Deer Buck [Re: GlennS] #151654 11/05/2014 4:28 AM
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KRal Offline
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Congrats, Gregg! I hate you're not able to enjoy your hunts to the fullest due to your knee, but at least you are not giving up and making the best of it; and quiet well may I add.


It takes 43 muscles to frown and 17 to smile, but only 3 for proper trigger squeeze.
Re: Mule Deer Buck [Re: Gregg Richter] #151655 11/05/2014 4:47 AM
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s4s4u Offline
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It's good you made the best of it, well done!


Rod, too.

Short cuts often lead to long recoveries.
Re: Mule Deer Buck [Re: s4s4u] #151657 11/05/2014 5:20 AM
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Ernie Offline
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So happy for you Gregg!!!


Ernie the Un-Tactical
Re: Mule Deer Buck [Re: Ernie] #151658 11/05/2014 6:46 AM
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Gregg Richter Offline OP
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Thank you guys!







Re: Mule Deer Buck [Re: Gregg Richter] #151659 11/05/2014 7:09 AM
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Zee Offline
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Awesome buck! Beautiful handgun. Well done.


"To Hell with efficiency, it's performance we want!" - Elmer Keith
Re: Mule Deer Buck [Re: Gregg Richter] #151660 11/05/2014 8:44 AM
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billa Offline
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Nice buck Gregg. Congratulations.


"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations,... "
Matthew 28:19

Handgun hunter since 1979 - haven't used a rifle since!
HHI member #992, NRA, SCI.
Re: Mule Deer Buck [Re: billa] #151663 11/05/2014 11:13 AM
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dhom Offline
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Very well done,nice buck!!!!

Re: Mule Deer Buck [Re: dhom] #151664 11/05/2014 11:55 AM
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racksmasher1 Offline
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Congrat"s Gregg

Re: Mule Deer Buck [Re: racksmasher1] #151665 11/05/2014 12:44 PM
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Duke3026 Offline
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Great going Gregg!

Re: Mule Deer Buck [Re: Duke3026] #151667 11/05/2014 1:29 PM
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chas3stix Offline
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Nice buck. Way to go Gregg.


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Re: Mule Deer Buck [Re: chas3stix] #151668 11/05/2014 1:34 PM
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Chance Weldon Offline
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Congratulations, Gregg! Very well done!


Formerly TN Lone Wolf

"We are only as strong as we are united, as weak as we are divided." - J.K. Rowling
Re: Mule Deer Buck [Re: Chance Weldon] #151672 11/05/2014 2:08 PM
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500WE Offline
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Beautiful buck, Gregg! Congratulations!

Re: Mule Deer Buck [Re: racksmasher1] #151674 11/05/2014 4:23 PM
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Russell Offline
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Nice one, Gregg!!


It's not the gun, but the man behind it.

Sheriff Russell Cottle, Ret.
USMC; 1967-1970; Vietnam-'68-'69
Re: Mule Deer Buck [Re: Russell] #151675 11/05/2014 4:42 PM
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Bearbait in NM Offline
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Gregg,

That is a dandy. Please do not beat yourself up for spotting it from the truck, and not having it instantly hit high gear. Those of us who hunt the west, probably have logged hundreds if not thousands of boot rubber miles over the years. If you divide the miles by the number of animals it will quickly reveal that you have put in a lot of unsuccessful miles. Every once in a while we get a gift "stalk". Nice shooting.

Craig


Northern born and Southern bred
Re: Mule Deer Buck [Re: racksmasher1] #151679 11/05/2014 6:46 PM
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BBwheelgunner Offline
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hell of a buck, congratulations!


"If you are going to go through all the trouble to put a hole in something, why not make it a big one?"
Re: Mule Deer Buck [Re: BBwheelgunner] #151680 11/05/2014 7:14 PM
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That's a damn nice buck! Good shooting Gregg!


Choot em!
Re: Mule Deer Buck [Re: MrMcPorkchop] #151685 11/05/2014 8:30 PM
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Mad Dog 1954 Offline
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Nice buck I can empathize with having a medical condition that hampers hunting


Sometimes it is entirely appropriate to kill a fly with a 12 pound sledgehammer!
Re: Mule Deer Buck [Re: Mad Dog 1954] #151688 11/05/2014 9:48 PM
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doc with a glock Offline
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Way to go Greg! What 400 gr. bullet / load are you using? I sympathize, not all my parts ( knee ) work like they used to before I exceeded the warranty.

Doc

Re: Mule Deer Buck [Re: doc with a glock] #151689 11/05/2014 11:44 PM
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wyote Offline
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Good goin Gregg! That's a dandy buck

Re: Mule Deer Buck [Re: wyote] #151691 11/06/2014 12:50 AM
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SChunter Offline
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Congratulations Gregg! Fantastic buck and good shooting!

Here's to getting out and getting after them...

Re: Mule Deer Buck [Re: doc with a glock] #151693 11/06/2014 1:02 AM
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Gregg Richter Offline OP
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You guys are great, I am humbled by your positive responses! Thank you so much!

 Originally Posted By: doc with a glock
Way to go Greg! What 400 gr. bullet / load are you using? I sympathize, not all my parts ( knee ) work like they used to before I exceeded the warranty.

Doc


Doc, your part about exceeding the warranty is funny!


My load is 25.5 gr. H-110 underneath a Hornady 400 gr. XTP.
Not the hottest load but I know how it shoots and it gets the job done.







Re: Mule Deer Buck [Re: Gregg Richter] #151716 11/07/2014 1:43 PM
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reflex264 Offline
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Beautiful buck! By handgun makes it that much better. Huge congrats!!!!!!!


"A quiet hit in the right place is better than a loud miss in the wrong place followed by 10 more shots on the run"

I was a handgun hunter, when handgun wasn't cool.....
Re: Mule Deer Buck [Re: reflex264] #151725 11/07/2014 8:05 PM
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Congrats Gregg. Jealousy does not become me, but describes me pretty well right now.

PH

Re: Mule Deer Buck [Re: PythonHunter] #151740 11/08/2014 4:16 AM
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Gregg Richter Offline OP
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 Originally Posted By: PythonHunter
Congrats Gregg. Jealousy does not become me, but describes me pretty well right now.

PH


\:\)


No reason to feel that way; I would have enjoyed having you or one of your daughters take that buck instead of me.







Re: Mule Deer Buck [Re: Gregg Richter] #151884 11/11/2014 5:55 PM
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BlackhawkBama Offline
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Awesome muley buck....gotta love the effort & desire

Re: Mule Deer Buck [Re: BlackhawkBama] #151890 11/11/2014 6:49 PM
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Mark Hampton Offline
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Congrats Gregg! Well done

Re: Mule Deer Buck [Re: Mark Hampton] #151898 11/12/2014 12:34 AM
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csherrill Offline
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Good job! Glad to see a handgunner enjoying the outdoors. Congratulations!!!

Re: Mule Deer Buck [Re: csherrill] #151912 11/12/2014 3:16 AM
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riggeruwz Offline
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Gregg, that's a great buck. I love reading people's posts and seeing their pictures. Thanks for sharing.

Re: Mule Deer Buck [Re: riggeruwz] #151914 11/12/2014 5:16 AM
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tradmark Offline
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Great job gregg. Awesome shooting as usual. You can be our honorary president of the bad knees club

Re: Mule Deer Buck [Re: racksmasher1] #151919 11/12/2014 12:18 PM
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cottonstalk Offline
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congrats


"If you get to thinkin' you're a person of some influence,try orderin' someone else's dog around" unknown cowboy
Re: Mule Deer Buck [Re: cottonstalk] #152266 11/21/2014 3:30 AM
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3dcadman Offline
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Not even your health could keep you from scoring another beautiful animal. That is passion, despite the pain you made it happen. Good job!

Re: Mule Deer Buck [Re: Gregg Richter] #152518 11/27/2014 1:57 AM
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pab1 Offline
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Very nice buck Gregg!


Experience is the best teacher, hunger good sauce.
Osborne Russell Journal of a Trapper


Re: Mule Deer Buck [Re: pab1] #152547 11/27/2014 9:01 PM
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Very nice buck Gregg. I miss colorado. Great shooting and great get r done drive.


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