By Greg Sutley

2001 was a good season for myself. I had taken a 28 inch Mule Deer with my bow that gross scored 167. But 2002 was by far my most anticipated hunting season ever. It started three weeks before archery season with a friend of mine locating a double drop tine Buck that had been seen in the 2001 season a couple of times, but then vanished. The drop tine buck was now hooked up with 10 other smaller bucks which was quite a sight. In our particular area there are only a hand full of archery hunters so pressure is very limited in the early season. Rifle hunts have been on draw for four years with a very tight draw rate, this has allowed our world class genetics to age.

When I first saw this buck I couldn't believe how a deer with this much mass & double drops could be feeding just 100 yards from the road, letting me video tape him. I had planned on doing a lot of pre season scouting all over our area but kept finding myself over at the canola field watching the big boy. I set up and photographed him at 40 yards a couple of times. Just when I thought I knew this deer inside out he disappeared. I could always locate some of the other bucks but not him.

When archery season opened it looked like he had vanished from the face of the earth. Just like the year before, I began to lose hope of seeing him again. A few of the bigger bucks were now located a mile down the road in standing oats & the farmer had given me permission to set up there. I decided that I would try for one of the big bucks that would go 180 typical but still keep my eye open for the drop tine buck.

I had a good stalk going, the 180 was feeding toward me along a creek. All I had to do was crawl up 5 yards to the edge of the bush so I would have a clear shot. This is where things went bad fast, I remember staring at the deer hard, when 25 yards away the bush just exploded with a cow & calf moose. As they bolted from the creek into the field the 180-buck bounded 100 yards down field & toward the heavy cover of the creek. I quickly ran to the creek bottom & down the creek toward the buck. I could hear the buck going up the creek bank. The bush is only about 50 yards wide so I ran up the hill to the field edge. From there I could see the 180 buck had brought the drop tine buck out of the creek with him! I don't think the big buck knew what was happening because he stopped and looked back at the creek. I was now in full view 50 yards away. I drew & before I knew what I had done, I had released an arrow with my new 50-yard pin. The deer just bounded away like nothing happened, at this point I thought I had blew it. I watched the two bucks slow to a walk & that's when I saw the drop tine carrying his head low. I stayed in the bush so that I would not spook them further. When I saw him bed down I knew my hunt was almost over. I watched the smaller buck stand in the field where Houdini bedded down for an hour. As I sat there waiting I realized that I had harvested the largest deer I have ever seen to date but was a little sad that this buck would not be passing his genetics down this fall. I am hopeful some of his genes are still out there.

I finally decided to go and pick up my buck, I knocked an arrow just in case. When I got to 75 yards the 180 ran off, at 30 yards I could see the rack but it was straight up & down which I thought was odd, but he was on the ground not moving. At 20 yards my nice rack got up and was gone before I knew what to do. I quickly sat down to get out of sight just when I thought he was gone he stopped looked back and bedded again. He only went 100 yards. I waited a really long half an hour & decided to stalk up to him again since he must be done by now. This time at 30 yards I drew my bow & walked straight at him. Again his rack was straight up but it was too late to turn back & worse yet the shakes set in. At 20 yards he raised his head to split but I put my 20-yard pin on him & let it fly. The arrow buried almost to the fletching he made it 20 yards and piled up. By now I was shaking so badly I would not have been able to to draw my bow if I had to. This is by far the highlight of my archery career. The double drop tine buck grosses 217.

Species: Mule Deer Location of Hunt: Alberta Canada Weapon: Mathews Ultra Bow Equipment: Carbon Express Arrows, Thunderhead Broadhead, Bushnell Rangefinder, Alpen Binoculars, Danner Boots, King Of The Mountain Hunting Clothes