MDF Water guzzler

WA Guzzler – FINAL

By Kari Dingman––Assistant Wildlife Area Manager with Washington Dept. of Fish and Wildlife

W.T. Wooten Wildlife Area Guzzler

The mule deer that call the Blue Mountains of southeast Washington home, are a popular big game species with both hunters and wildlife viewers alike. While the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) has spent considerable time and money in habitat restoration to increase mule deer numbers, MDF chapters have proven to also be an important avenue of support and funding for the projects that benefit these mule deer.

Before guzzler

The W.T. Wooten Wildlife Area (WLA) consists of 16,000 acres located south of Pomeroy, Washington. The WLA ranges from an elevation of 2,000 feet in the river bottom to 4,300 feet on the highest ridges. Steep, rocky slopes characterize the terrain, with mule deer, white-tailed deer, elk, bighorn sheep, black bear, mountain lion, coyote, bobcat, forest grouse, Hungarian partridge, and pheasants all calling this special place home. In addition, the Tucannon River, which runs through the middle of the WLA, houses chinook, steelhead, and bull trout.

After guzzler

A majority of the WLA was covered with coniferous forest until the School Fire in 2005 and the Columbia Complex Fire in 2006 burned the entire WLA. The WLA was logged for salvage timber and to remove standing debris in 2007 and replanted with nursery-grown seedlings in the Spring of 2008. The WLA is now very open with stands of conifers in areas that were not heavily burned. The understory vegetation has now come back and is doing well since the fires.

Water guzzler installed

However, with few or no water sources on the ridge-tops of the WLA, the MDF partnered with Safari Club International (SCI) to purchase a 750-gallon wildlife guzzler (water retaining structure) and WDFW contributed the manpower and equipment to install the guzzler. The guzzler was installed on the ridge overlooking the Hartsock Unit of the WLA in April 2009.

Mule deer heading to guzzler

The installation of the guzzler provided water in an area that was previously devoid of any, and the chosen guzzler location is now receiving a great deal of use by mule deer traveling between forage and shelter. The guzzler will convert the area to a more useable habitat for mule deer as well as the other wildlife species in the area. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife would like to thank the Mule Deer Foundation and all of its members, staff, and volunteers for their past support and assistance. We look forward to working with this great organization in the future.

Kansas Muzzleloader Mule Deer!

Kansas, Muzzleloading Mule Deer!

During the 2003 and 2004 mule deer seasons I was fortunate enough to bag two monster muleys thanks to my friend Matt Beckman and his father Mike who run a guide service in western Kansas. With Matt’s help and generosity, during the 2003 early muzzleloader season, I was able to shoot a 205-inch non-typical mule deer at twenty-two steps while he was bedded down in an uncut milo field. This past season was a little different because I was hunting with my father and my wife during rifle season so I was more interested in getting their mule deer first. Time was also a factor as I had only a day and a half to hunt before both Matt and myself had to be back to work.

The first morning of the hunt my father scored on a real nice whitetail. Later that day, with only 45 minute of shooting light left, my wife had just enough time to make a sneak to within 50 yards of a nice mule deer while he was feeding. She made a great shot with her .308 and the buck went all of five yards and fell dead. Awesome, two great bucks in the same day!

Sunday morning I picked Matt up an hour before shooting light and we decided that we were only going to hunt the big bucks until 11:00 a.m. because we both had to leave early to get back home. Before I left the motel my wife told me that I could not shoot a deer unless it was big, because our freezer was full.

The first spot we went to was a place were Matt’s dad had seen a couple nice bucks feeding in a cut cornfield the night before. We got set up in the cornfield on a terrace where we had a good view of the place and just as it was getting light enough to see, we spotted three bucks moving around at the far edge of the field. The one was a nice buck but I chose to pass on it. We made our way around and glassed some other areas and around 9:30 Matt said that we could check one last spot before we headed back to town. It was an area where deer regularly bedded and our plan was to walk out the small weedy draw in hopes of intercepting a buck. We parked in the adjacent pasture to the north and started to work our way south to the draw. We made it 50 yards from the truck when I looked to the east along a creek bottom and saw some deer that were already bedded. As soon as we put our binoculars up we knew he was the one! But, we were caught on top of the hill in the wide open. The deer noticed us as soon as we noticed them and the herd proceeded up a draw and stopped at the south end of it. This gave us a good opportunity to put a stalk on the giant. After one hour of crawling and using the contours of the land, I managed to get within 200 yards. I slowly stood up from my position and placed a vital shot dropping the giant buck. As Matt and myself approached, there was no ground shrinkage….just ground growth! The deer had a 28 5/8 spread with a gross score of 200 inches!

Idaho Monster!

Idaho Buck

After discussing with my good friend and mule deer hunting companion, Neal Myler, where to apply for mule deer tag, I took his advice and applied for the Eastern Idaho unit he had drawn in 2002. He said it was a great area but had been tough because of very little snow. When the drawing results were out I found, that as usual, I had not drawn my elk tag but was excited to see I did draw a mule deer tag.

The area we would be hunting our giant bucks is very dependant on the snow driving the mule deer down but Neal and I scouted as much as our time would allow. By the first week of the hunt there was no snow and few deer. During that week I had spotted a few smaller bucks and Neal had the same report except for a heavy 26-inch non-typical. However, he didn’t think the big buck would score well because of short points. I had to leave town for a few days so I decided to pray for snow and hit it hard when I got back.

When I returned I found that it had indeed snowed and was continuing to do so. That, combined with the rut peaking and the fact that it’s easier to spot in the snow, Neal and I found a lot of deer. I was amazed at the difference. Over the next few days we spotted several bucks, the best was a 26-incher that was “okay” but kind of light with weak fronts.

Leaving the low country we went a little higher where the timber started. Suddenly, Neal spotted a huge typical at 600 yards. We figured he was close to making book. There was a sheer cliff below him and without coming over the other side of the mountain, there was just no way. We watched him walk into the timber and disappear. Later that day, Neal spotted another buck bedded under a tree at 200 yards. As I glassed him, I could see one side of a great typical frame, 180-190 inches. I had a dead rest and the safety off when Neal whistled and as the big buck turned we saw one side that went four inches past his ear and the other side being broke off right above his brow tine. I couldn’t get the safety back on fast enough.

The next morning we parked the truck and started back at it again. Neal and I had just split around a knob when suddenly I spotted a doe not fifty yards away. Behind her a doe, then a small buck. Behind and above him was another mule deer. I moved up a little and waited. When he came between two trees I cold see the back of the left antler and a forked cheater. I knew he was big and that cheater was all I needed. The two does were ahead of me and I watched them walk between some junipers with the big buck bringing up the rear. I didn’t look at antlers once I knew it was him. The shot was only 75 yards and the Sako 300 Remington Ultra Mad did it’s job. Double-lunged, he went to his knees and then backed down into the draw. When I got to him all I could see the rack sticking out of the knee deep snow. Neal had heard me shoot and soon we were celebrating together. The five by nine big buck measured 32 inches wide to the cheaters and had a 28-inch mainframe! With thirteen inches of non-typical points he grossed 193! Special thanks to my good friend Neal for his time and efforts, I couldn’t have done it without your help.

WASHINGTON’S TOP MULE DEER?

Possible new Pope and Young State record for Washington

Muledeercountry.com all photo rights reserved

What a great guy!  Just got off the phone with the lucky hunter Mark.  What a humble person!  This is a great story, Mark has watched this deer for three years and was able to draw the tag a stick an arrow in this awesome animal.

“It really hasn’t even hit me yet.  The phone has been ringing off the hook and it hasn’t even giving it time the sink in.  I wish the deer was still alive and a pet in my back yard.  Its hard harvesting something you have so much time invested in.  I’ve watched this particular deer for three season now.  He deserves the respect, not me”

From my conversation with mark on the phone I can tell he is a true gentleman in every spectrum of the definition.  Its good to see good people work hard and get what they have put in, back out of a sport they so enjoy.  Congrats mark, on a spectacular buck! I can’t wait to see the field photos and hear the full story!  This is KARMA at its best!

Currently the State record for Washington is a 202 0/8 incher harvested in Franklin County back in 2004 by Tom Adrian.  The number two Pope and Young buck was harvested in 1983 in Chelan County and scores 189 1/8 inches. We should have an unofficial green score some time today. (Information per the 2005 edition of the Pope and Young record book) I’ve my got fingers crossed for you Mark.

Update 9-10-2009

Unofficial gross green score is 209 1/8 inches with 8 7/8 inches if deductions.  This gives it an unofficial net green score of 200 1/8 inches, putting him number two in Washington.  He is 31 1/2 inches wide, with great mass al the way out to the tips. This is a beautiful buck. Congrats mark, thanks for the update!

Steve

Founder, Mule Deer Country

New Mexico Governors tag!

Once agian the Gisi’s Harvest another monster!

John and Jason Gisi with a 260 inch gross buck with 30 plus inch main beams

See Story in future issue of Muley Crazy

Early, Idaho Rifle hunt!

Early rifle hunt in Idaho

It all started when this new taxidermist moved into town and came in the store asking if we needed any work done. After two months of telling him no I finally agreed to take our town’s newest taxidermist, Mike Allemang, with me on my controlled hunt. Also accompanying us was another good friend, Buddy Yeun. I had hunted this unit for the last five years, either with a tag of my own or taking a family member. The biggest buck we had taken scored around 150 B&C. We just hadn’t seen anything that good…..until last year. This is where my story begins.

The back country road we were on is overgrown with buck brush and is about four miles long. The only way to see is to put someone in the back of the truck. Buddy chose this job because I said it would look really bad if I was to be seen in the back with a gun. Everybody agreed and we had a plan. Mike was to drive and video when the time came, Buddy was to spot, and all I had to do was shoot straight.

We drove ¾ of the way down the road and didn’t see anything, less of 100 head of elk. It was 10:00 before we started seeing deer, but something was different. There were no bucks to be found and very few does. Fifteen minutes later, Buddy asked Mike to stop the truck so he could glass a far ridge. After a few moments of spotting, he informed us that he had spotted a deer but did not get a good look at it. He just knew that it look BIG! We walked up the ridge to get a better look. Buddy and I went on ahead to set up and Mike was behind getting the video camera. We only made it 100 yards up the hill when Buddy motioned me to stop. There were a couple mule deer just up the hill and one was a buck. Still not knowing how big the other buck was, we decided to wait for Mike to work his way up the hill. When Mike got there, we finally spotted the second buck and what a monster buck it was! It made you shake just looking at him. We all knew immediately that this was the one I had been waiting for.

As I lined up my shot, the big buck turned and looked directly at us only leaving a very small section of neck and shoulder to be seen from behind the trees. It was 300 yards uphill when I attempted the first shot. I squeezed the trigger with the world’s greatest flinch, and when nothing happened, my heart nearly stopped. I looked at Mike and told me in a very calm voice to relax, calm down, take my safety off, and try again. The second shot, or the first that actually fired, hit the mark! Down went the big buck and one of my greatest dreams came true. My 2003, public land, mule deer buck grossed 206 and netted 199 7/8ths! I have to give special thanks to Buddy Yuen and Mike Allemang for all the help and support and to my dad for taking the time to teach me the correct and responsible way to hunt. Mike mounted the big buck for me and it is one of the best deer mounts I have ever seen. Valley Taxidermy (208) 871-0785