This past December I returned with cameraman Tyler Viars to the Navajo Nation to fill my coveted Mule deer tag. After hunting for a few days in September before the Navajo youth hunt, with no luck, I had a good feeling that this trip would be different. The first day, we hiked about 7 miles through near knee-deep snow. We saw lots of deer and a few nice bucks, but none proved to be big enough for my trusty Remington 300 Ultra-Mag. I did see a buck that was a big 3x4 that was 34 inches wide but he was 8oo yards away, and no chance for a shot.
On day 2 we spotted a high deep forked 4x4 with brows that I was going to shoot, but I couldn't get lined up with Tyler and he gave us the slip in the thick Junipers. We found him again that evening at the top of the mountain and watched as he made his way down to the meadow we were sitting above. I just knew he would come close enough for a shot, when he laid down under a tree for a few minutes, only to get up and head right back to the top and hang with a single doe. Darkness fell and we headed out, hoping to find him again in the morning.
Day 3 was the last day to hunt, I missed a whole day at the beginning of the hunt because my luggage didn't make the connection in Denver. We had a few hours to get it done, we were slated to fly out at 3:00pm and we were under the gun! My guide Ferlin Begaye, Tyler and I posted up on the ridge where we had spotted the buck the night before and as soon as the sun ws up we spotted him in the exact spot we left him the night before. We decided to climb the mountain to give him a try. First we watched him top out and go over the horizon and headed to the exact spot. There they were 40 yards below. The does spooked and scattered on the steep knee-deep snow covered slope. They slowly picked their wayalong the ridge away from us. We backed off of the rimrock and circled to get ahead of them. When I peeked over the 4x4 was 50 yards below! We waited for him to begin moving and we got into position. I laid down on the rimrock as Tyler found the fleeing deer through the junipers and boulders. It was tough going for the deer, knee deep snow and very steep! The Buck was bouncing up the hill and came into a snowy opening at 140 yards and I asked Tyler if he was on him and he was. I looked through my scope as the buck came to a stop. Behind him I could see a fawn coming fast and I knew I had to kill him before she blocked him. I shot as the fawn was coming up and he dropped like a ton of doodoo!!
We made our way down through a crevice in the rimrock and picked our way through the rugged terrain. He was a beauty! Tall and deep forked with good mass. This was the most beautiful place I have ever shot a deer!! Red canyons and junipers and very rugged, with knee deep snow! We deboned the meat, loaded up the head on my pack and trudged up to the top, it was not easy! Be sure to check out this hunt on Season 2 starting in January.
A very special thanks to my good friends at the Navajo Nation, my Guide Ferlin and my trusty health nut cameraman, Tyler "Squeedunk" Viars, who did a great job!
