High country cast kill

[dk17hmr]

It seems slightly ridiculous to hunt other states for animals I can hunt on an over the counter resident tag here at home but that's what I did this year with a good friend of mine. We both drew a muzzleloader mule deer tag in Colorado for an area that is only about a 3.5 hour drive from my house, actually have to drive through the area I have a coveted deer tag here in Wyoming to get to where we camped and hunted.

We spent a week hiking, hunting, stalking, and glassing for big deer at above 10500', we found a couple real studs but the numbers were down in this particular area. One of the locals told us the snow pack this spring was bad enough he didn't think all the animals made it to the top. My buddy said numbers were way lower from two years ago when he had an archery tag in the unit both deer and elk.

I shot this little meat buck Friday afternoon, we had to pull camp Saturday morning and after a week of hunting big deer with only a few hours left to hunt this guy walked into a clearing 25 yards away broadside and stopped while I was still hunting through a patch of thick pine with alot of blow down. 54 caliber, 465gr conical, and a 110gr of powder might have been a little much but he only made it 15' AFTER he found his feet and remembered how to stand up.



Lyman Great Plains bullet it shoots fist sized groups at 80 yards for me in my TC Black Mountain Magnum. I'm normally a heart eater but there wasn't much left in his chest.


Trophy pic that matters to my family.




I was really trying to hold out for a bigger deer but I have a young family of meat eaters and I'm just not at that point in my life where I'm fine with not filling tags. I sent my wife a picture and said Im pretty sure the shot knocked the milk off his lip, she said our 5 year old was so excited he is going to help me grind burger he didnt care it was a small one.


It was such a fun hunt with my friends we are planning on making it a fairly regular thing. We hopefully can draw every couple of years. I'm already looking forward to growing my muzzleloader collection.

[trails4u]

Horns don't eat good.....but those straps and tenderloins sure will. Good job on a very successful hunt, and good times with friends....that's the priceless part.

[Iwsbull]

Congrats looks and sounds like you had a great time. Proud for you and a little jealous that is some gorgeous area up there.

[Edward]

A great time with a happy ending (outstanding) /Ed

[Hickory]

High country will make your lungs work overtime.
Sounds like you had a good hunt.

[CastingFool]

Congrats on a great hunt. I'm all about getting meat, too. Eating tag soup is not very fulfilling.

[nagantguy]

I’m a meat hunter as well; a freezer full to feed my family beats a set of antlers on the wall! Those 54’s sure deliver the thump don’t they?

[hc18flyer]

Horns don't eat good.....but those straps and tenderloins sure will. Good job on a very successful hunt, and good times with friends....that's the priceless part.

My sentiments exactly! Anytime spent camping and hunting in the high country, is 'priceless! A cooler full of meat , is a bonus! hc18flyer

[dk17hmr]

I have killed a number of deer and antelope with 50 caliber and 58 caliber muzzleloaders I'm always happy with the results. Sample size of one this 54 combo show it to be devastating and probably better suited for hunting bears, elk, and moose than close range deer but my 50 caliber doesn't meet the requirements in Colorado and my 58 caliber doesn't carry as nice.

When it comes down to it I'm a meat hunter.

I was expecting some grief at camp about shooting a smaller deer it all stopped when I grilled potatoes, squash, tenderloins, and fried eggs for dinner

[white eagle]

back straps always make better soup than tags
congrats on the hunt
sounds to me like a good hunt

[BHill]

I was expecting some grief at camp about shooting a smaller deer it all stopped when I grilled potatoes, squash, tenderloins, and fried eggs for dinner

You really know how to shut down an argument/leg pulling ��

[shortlegs]

Great story! I love camping and hunting. I hope to "make meat" with my 54 this year. Wish I could hunt the "high country"!

[Beerd]

I never hunted the Colorado high country but did spend a good amount of time backpacking and fishing the front range when I lived in Denver.
Sounds like a great way to spend a week!
Do it as often as you can while you are able to.
..

[Kenstone]

Trophy pic that matters to my family.

Great thread/post
I would like to see the pics unblurred by photobucket though
Why not post/upload pics directly from you computer ?

[dk17hmr]

Great thread/post
I would like to see the pics unblurred by photobucket though
Why not post/upload pics directly from you computer ?

That would require me to buy a computer. I have been to busy to keep up with what has changed with the forum if I could upload directly from my phone I'd be tempted to figure it out but as of right now the bucket is my option.

[Kenstone]

That would require me to buy a computer. I have been to busy to keep up with what has changed with the forum if I could upload directly from my phone I'd be tempted to figure it out but as of right now the bucket is my option.

OH OK
why not find another image site to use that doesn't blur out the pics ?
Here's a few:
https://makeawebsitehub.com/free-photo-hosting/
just askin'

[Tom_in_AZ]

Sounds like a lot of fun!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Hamish]

OH OK
why not find another image site to use that doesn't blur out the pics ?
Here's a few:
https://makeawebsitehub.com/free-photo-hosting/
just askin'

Touch the picture and it takes you to Photobucket to view all the pics. Like the man said, at the moment, he chooses to use that app.

[Kenstone]

Touch the picture and it takes you to Photobucket to view all the pics. Like the man said, at the moment, he chooses to use that app. I am at a loss to understand why you think you can give him grief over it.

Thanks for reading/quoting my post.
I understand why you would think I'm giving him grief, I'm not, just my distain for PB shared by all the others that PB thru under the bus by slowing down their site and switching from free to fee paid to get the speed back.

Yes, clicking the pic will take you to a PB page, with all it's advertisements, and plant a cookie in your device, no thanks.

My apologies to the OP for going off topic to respond to another off topic post.
This will be my last post here,

[CITYREPO61]

Congrats.. it's all about the meat to me also.