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

LEDE 6.5 Creed +Peak
LEDE 6.5 Creed +Peak

First Look: 6.5 Creedmoor +Peak

Looking to upgrade the ballistic performance of your 6.5 Creedmoor rifle? Federal just released a game-changing cartridge—the 6.5 Creedmoor+Peak—that does just that. And the best part is, there is no new rifle required.

Spring Bear Tactics: Why Late is Great!

Looking for tips to nab a late spring bear? Follow along with some tips from Scott Haugen.

First Look: SoundGear X Realtree Electronic Hearing Protection

SoundGear has partnered with Realtree to introduce a SoundGear Shield x Realtree Special Edition of its 93 dB product.

Range Review: TNW Firearms 1911 ASR: A .450 SMC Carbine?

This caliber-convertible PCC from TNW is designed for high-pressure loads other models can't touch.

New for 2026: XS Sights Tritium Standard Dot Front Sights for Ruger SP101

Ruger SP101 revolver owners can now upgrade their factory sights with XS's pre-drilled Tritium Standard Dot front sight for easier target acquisition.

Behind the Bullet: The .460 Smith & Wesson Magnum

If ever a handgun cartridge deserved the title “magnum”, the .460 Smith & Wesson Magnum is it. In the cartridge world, magnum is defined as a cartridge which provides a performance level exceeding the norm, and that is a perfect way to describe S&W’s big .460: it is at the top of the heap in the .45-caliber handgun cartridge family.

Interests



Get the best of American Hunter delivered to your inbox.