Mulies in Montana

Bethany O’Donovan

By Bethany Erb

With Montana big game season closed now for over a month, I’m feeling a little down. Kind of like the day after Christmas…you knew it would come and go, but it’s still sad when it happens. However, reflecting on fall 2013 brings back a lot of great memories, laughs, smiles, and excitement for 2014!

I have many great hunting memories from this past fall, but one in particular stands out. It’s the day a friend and I happened upon a gorgeous Mule Deer buck!

For me, hunting mulies is a supreme experience. As the only North American big-game species in decline, the survivors have evolved into a smart, elusive and difficult to hunt species. The opportunity to hunt them, and even to see them is incredible!

On the third day of our hunt near my home in Southwest Montana, my friends Sam, Jim and I headed out on foot at 5:30 in the morning. Sam and Jim are both experienced hunters and today was going to be Jim’s first opportunity to take a mulie. I had been looking forward to this hunt for several months. My husband and I were excited to show Jim around the Montana countryside, but most of all we wanted to see lots of game…and for Jim to take a monster mulie home!

We decided to travel all day on foot, given that the mulies had given us slip for the past three days. We hiked about 5-7 miles of rolling hills, stopping every 100 yards or so to glass. At our first perch, we waited for about 40 mins and saw several nervous doe-a great sight but not what we were looking for that day.

After climbing up and over several more mountains Jim and I decided, in frustration, to hike for 30 more minutes then call it a day.

As we climbed our final incline, Jim stopped dead in his tracks, and whispered to me “do you see him”? “What, where?” I replied after gasping for air. I have no idea how Jim spotted this well-hidden beauty, but up above us about 300 yards, hidden between two trees, stood a magnificent buck. He stood dead still (so still I thought he was a decoy) and didn’t move a fraction of an inch. Jim and I were beyond excited about this prospect. The excitement and adrenaline any hunter feels, (man or woman) when they see a great animal is truly an out of body experience.

Jim said, “Well, what do you think”? I replied, that’s a nice buck Jim! You should shoot that buck!!!

We talked strategy for a few seconds, which seemed like years, about the best way for Jim to shoot. Given the angle and the distance this was going to be a tough shot. My recommendation was not to move any further and for Jim to shoot from 250-300 yards. Looking back, we should have tried to move closer to get a better shot; hindsight’s 20-20.

Anyway, we concluded Jim should shoot lying down braced on his backpack. As Jim prepared for the shot I sat with eyes glued to the buck, waiting…waiting…waiting….BOW! Jim took the shot, and while it was very close, it was high. The buck’s ears flickered, just a little but he didn’t move. Jim then said, “I need to get closer. Stay here and I’ll move up on him.”

Like I mentioned earlier, mulies are smart critters, and this guy wasn’t going to take any chances. As Jim moved carefully up the hill, the buck lifted his head and walked off into the timber. I almost cried. The buck was gone. And so it was.

As Jim and I walked back to the truck to meet Sam we talked excitedly about that buck, how amazing it was just to see him…and of course what we wished we had done differently! For me, as it is for most hunters, its about the journey not the destination. Even though that lucky buck is still up in the hills of Montana, the experience that day was unforgettable.

Bethany Erb is a hunter and angler born and raised in Montana. She advocates for the resource as a board member of the Mule Deer Foundation and volunteering with other sportsmen conservation organizations.