I’m not a writer so I asked Kody the guide to write this. I’m sure glad I called John as my first thought was to let the buck go for a while before tracking. John assured me the way to approach deer with this type of wound was to keep right on their trail because they would still bleed out through the bone marrow. If we waited, we ran the risk of the wound clotting up.... Thanks John!!!!!
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| A west view towards the hit site about 3/4 the way down the track |
Victor and I had been chasing this buck for a few days and he had given us the slip every time. We probably should have moved on to another deer, but as a guide I have a responsibility to take my hunters to the best buck on the mountain. The first day we had him at 200 yards in the jack pines when the doe he was after busted us. The hunt was over for that day. Day two we saw his head sticking out of the chaparral for 30 seconds as he worked his way into the dark timber of a straight up and down canyon. This had been going on for over two weeks now. Day three was a whiteout snow storm that kept us confined to the lower end of the ranch. Day four, our second to last, was our only opportunity to hunt high at 9,000 feet before the next storm rolled through. Day four was the day to get it done so I called for an extra set of eyes in my cousin and phenomenal guide, Justin Whittier.
As luck would have it we put this buck in Vic’s crosshairs several times on that fourth day as he was running around acting like a froggy buck in the rut. The breeding season brings the big boys out of the bushes, but they never stand still for more than a few seconds. After jumping out of Vic’s scope three different times in a 10 minute period he ran 500 yards down the hill and stopped. Vic had shot well at the range out to 600 yards earlier in the week, but I didn’t want to press our luck with the wind. This was too nice of a buck. So we dropped down to a big rock as I brushed off the snow and threw my heavy coat over the top of it. I dialed up the Huskemaw scope to 412 yards and backed it off two clicks as we were shooting on a heavy decline. We both knew this moment was it. This was our last chance at this buck.
I asked Vic how he felt and he replied, “Pretty good! My crosshairs are steady.” I said that I was ready when he was as he held his breath and let the 168 grain Berger fly through the air. “Hit! Throw another one in the chamber Vic, he’s running pretty fast.” Our buck was flying down the mountain as fast as he could, but I could see some red towards his hind quarters. Then I could see that his hind left leg had been hit. The bullet impacted eight inches behind the vitals, caught his flank, and passed out the opposite side breaking his hind leg high in the quarter. The elevation on his aim was perfect, but Vic must have slightly pulled to the left as he shot with all the adrenaline that we had pumping through our veins.
I watched our boy run 800 yards down into the bottom, stop under a pine tree, and then blow out from under that pine a hundred miles an hour for another 400 yards before slowing to a walk as he dropped out of view. Usually at a time like that my heart would sink into the pit of my stomach. This one was different. I had a good feeling we’d be able to find this buck. Vic was pretty disappointed as we headed to the Ranger, but I told him not to worry as we would do whatever it took to find his buck. I had my cousin take Vic down to the bottom of the slope.
When I hit the tracks the first thing I noticed was that he was bleeding heavily. With every bound in the snow it was easy to see that the shot would most likely be a mortal wound. The buck would pass by nightfall and it was only a matter of whether or not we would be able to find him.
We have asked the Utah GnF several time about the legality to track a wounded animal with a dog and there answer was yes, you can use a dog to aid in to recover wounded/dead game. Therefore, when our outfitter, Justin Richins, showed up with his little wirehaired dachshund (Remi by name) we put him right on the track. Being a pup he was a little over anxious those first 15 minutes as he missed the track, rechecked himself a few times, then took of on the track like a bat out of hell. Justin lost the leash a few times as Remi was moving as fast as he could, nose to ground never looking up. After I finally got a hold of the leash again with Justin in tail we were finally able to slow him down a bit. And as luck would have it the tracks left in the snow had slowed to a walk. Then we hit our first bedding area where the blood was pooled up. After spending a short time checking where the buck left this first bed Remi found the tracks heading out and further down the mountain.
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| The blood pools left after we got the buck up and moving in a light snow |
There are a few ways to approach tracking an animal. If they are gut shot we like to let them lie in their beds for several hours before we move in. When we have an animal that is passing a fair amount of blood we like to keep them moving so they don’t clot up and recuperate per John's advice. Every situation is different and on this one we decided to keep the buck moving. Once Remi got on the fresh tracks out of the bedding area he became excited all over again. We had to slow him down and confirm blood as we were starting to drop in elevation enough to move out of the snow. When we came into the opening that Vic had been covering, our hearts sank a little as we knew our buck had moved into the lower, thick oak brush. Justin and I looked at each other knowing that it was going to get rough down in there as we were already a mile below where the buck was first hit.
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| Cover |
Every time when we came into an opening and could see Vic up on the ridge we knew that had he been there a few minutes earlier the hunt would be over. We were 20 minutes behind this buck. The blood kept getting fresher and soon it didn’t even have the slight glaze that sets in 10 to 15 minutes after it falls. We came to another bed, then another, and finally a spot where we could tell that he had fallen down. The thought of an injured buck was heart breaking. I make it a point to always take an ethical shot and limit the potential for a wounded animal. We quickened the pace as we knew we were closing in on him. The tracks made their way into a ravine that dropped down just prior to the shooting lane that Vic was set up on.
Suddenly, Remi froze right at the deer butt and started growling like he had visually spotted something. I ran for Vic and my cousin motioning them to come my way. We quickly slipped down into the bottom of the ravine where we saw the good luck that had trapped our buck. A small quakie had fallen across the ravine three feet off of the ground with branches that created a barrier. As the buck had dropped into the bottom he came chest first into the tree – he couldn’t go under, couldn’t jump over, couldn’t turn around from the narrowness of the ravine, and having lost his strength had laid down. Vic crept up and was able to finally harvest his buck.
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| Right side entrance |
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| Left side exit |
We celebrated with some humility knowing that we had needed help beyond our own ability. The snow put us on the right track in the first place, Remi tracked him once we lost our snow, and the felled tree held up the buck long enough for us harvest him. It was an emotional 10 minutes of relief while we congratulated Vic on the nicest buck to come off the ranch all year.
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| Victor from NJ and his recovered buck |
Little Remi, having found his quarry, then turned into a pitbull protecting his find. He ran around trying to chase us away from his new property so we gave him his time to be possessive and experience the reward. Remi had been on the tracks for over an hour which is unheard of for a pup this young. From start to finish he had tracked for nearly a mile through the thickest brush. This final track of the year ‘made’ that dog as it taught him to never give up. It also taught us as guides and hunters – to never give up. Everything worked out that day as it should have and Vic was able to return home with his trophy mule deer as well as a story for his friends. It was the perfect ending to the season.
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| A map of Remi's track - click to enlarge |
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| Remi in Justin's truck |
Thank you Justin and Kody for sharing this adventure with all of us!
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