Black Friday Shopping Pays Off with a 200-inch Mule Deer!

by
posted on December 11, 2014
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **

For some, shopping on Black Friday means hitting the malls. For bowhunters like my husband, Phil, and me, it means hitting the sandhills to try and close the deal on a good buck. The plan came together for Phil that morning when he dropped this 200-inch muley.

While seeing one monster mule deer can be a once-in a lifetime experience, we saw two on his Kansas lease that week so whichever buck he got close to first would be the one. Easier said than done. He actually held off on stalking them until his Mathews No Cam HTR bow arrived. Would I be as patient, I wondered? Evidently, Phil knew that new bow would give him the edge.

Phil and his cameraman had several encounters and got great footage of both bucks for his TV show before he finally caught this one trailing a doe. But what were the odds because he was actually sitting with me in my blind as I waited on the whitetail buck I was chasing. Both whitetails and muleys were leaving the crop circle and heading for the sandhills when the heavy buck walked right past our blind. Our HECS Stealthscreen suit and Ozonics likely had something to do with our going undetected--considering they came from downwind. An Easton Deep Six FMJ arrow topped with a Grave Digger broadhead did the trick and the rest, as they say, is history.

Latest

Pre 64 Model 70 In 30 06
Pre 64 Model 70 In 30 06

Hunting with a Twist: Rethinking the .30-06

In a world where the wheel seems to be continually reinvented, ballistically speaking, what about working with an existing platform to achieve new performance goals? Come with me as we take an academic tour of an American icon and its versatility as a worldwide critter getter. Let me re-introduce you to the .30-06 Springfield.

First Look: AirForce Airguns Condor-SL and CondorSS-SL

AirForce Airguns, the American manufacturer of high-power, modular Pre-Charged Pneumatic rifles, has announced the release of the Condor-SL and CondorSS-SL.

#SundayGunday: Rossi R95 .45-70 Triple Black

On this week's #SundayGunday, we’re checking out the R95 .45-70 Triple Black, from Rossi USA. A smooth-shooting lever action with blacked out looks, the R95 is a weatherproof hard charger that will serve hunters well from the blind, to the treestand and beyond. Learn more about it in this exclusive video.

Recipe: Scottish Lorne Sausage with Venison and Pork

If you like to put your wild game to good use, this homemade Lorne sausage is a simple way to turn venison and pork into a hearty, traditional favorite.

Member's Hunt: My First Yooper Buck

Read eight-year-old Ian Niemela's firsthand account of his very first deer hunt.

Mathews Introduces 2026 Hunting Bows and Accessories

Engineered for speed and refined for archers who demand more, the 2026 Matthews ARC combines enhanced stability, efficiency, and versatility in a lightweight, high-powered platform.

Interests



Get the best of American Hunter delivered to your inbox.