After thoroughly examining him through my rifle scope, I chose to shoot this Mulie with the camera instead. I may regret that later, but for now I’ll keep looking for one with more hardware, although he has exceptionally large antlers for a 2X2!
Here’s the view he has each morning from his front window:
Montana Outdoors 
I’m not a hunter (actually, I’m a vegetarian) so please don’t take my questions the wrong way. This is just a curiosity that I have. Based on my (admittedly very limited) knowledge of you and how your brain works, I am going to assume that you would only shoot an animal in order to eat it, and never simply for sport. Why, then, is the size of its “hardware” relevant?
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Comment by teaspoon — November 6, 2007 @ 5:07 pm
And what does 2×2 mean? Oh, and it’s a beautiful Mulie. I’m glad he’s still alive. 🙂
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Comment by teaspoon — November 6, 2007 @ 5:08 pm
teaspoon,
2X 2 means 2 points on each antler. In the east they would call it a 4 point (counting all points). In the west we just count one side. Sometimes there are an uneven number, so I prefer to use 2X2, etc., which is more specific. A few years ago my son shot a White-tail that was a 7X6 (7 points on one side and 6 on the other).
I hunt both for food and sport. I do mount the antlers on my wall and therefore prefer a larger rack. I also prefer to take an old buck and that makes a place for a younger one to take over. You’re right, this is a beautiful Mulie! He’s a prime specimen and I would like to have him pass on his genes.
There are really too many White-tails around here for their own good. If I don’t find a big buck, toward the end of the season I might take a smaller White-tail for the freezer. Their numbers really need to be reduced before we have another severe winter and large numbers of them die of starvation. I saw the results of that in the summer of ’97 after a severe winter and I’m certain a hunting harvest is much more humane!
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Comment by montucky — November 6, 2007 @ 5:45 pm
All gorgeous photos, and I’m certain you’ll be pleased you waited…whatever the result.
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Comment by Pinhole — November 6, 2007 @ 6:51 pm
Thanks for for the explanations, Terry.
Of course, we could just increase the wolf population… 😉 Maybe that’s not a debate I want to take up with you though!
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Comment by teaspoon — November 6, 2007 @ 7:03 pm
Thanks, Pinhole! It was the right choice.
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Comment by montucky — November 6, 2007 @ 7:07 pm
teaspoon,
You know, there are wolves in the area where I took the pictures today, and I’m confident they are part of the control up there. The heavy population of White-tails though is in the valleys and much closer to where people live. Control by wolves there could raise a whole bunch of issues, although we do have wolves pass through. This spring my wife watched one cross within 40 yards of our house while I was out hiking.
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Comment by montucky — November 6, 2007 @ 7:20 pm
[…] check the full story here […]
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Pingback by aholicsx » I chose to use the camera instead — November 7, 2007 @ 3:47 am
Hi Terry, Not only does this guy have a sizable rack but a decent body size too for a 2 point. (Over here no one gets too specific to state both sides… between you and I and I think you might chuckle… but they probably would just call it a 7 point in your son’s case.) His chest cavity is pretty good size for such a “young” buck. I think this guy might be a little older? Just FYI – everyone around here tends to shoot only the older bucks not to trophy hunt so much as allowing these guys to have an opportunity to keep the population busy. (In a nutshell… give the young fellows a chance to get amorous with the gals) btw: that is one funky tail… he’s a mulie no question but that tail is a bit odd… I’ve never seen a mulie’s tail that fuzzy before. It must be a slight difference between your area and mine. Interesting… those kinds of variations really fascinate me.
oh yeah… great shots. Beautiful.
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Comment by aullori — November 8, 2007 @ 12:25 am
Yes, he’s an interesting specimen all right. I had to look at those antlers a couple of times because I kept doubting that there were only 2 points. He might be older, but he really didn’t carry himself like an old buck though. His coat is all grown out for winter, too. Anyway, in my opinion they don’t get much prettier than that!
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Comment by montucky — November 8, 2007 @ 12:58 am
Not a bad 2pt. I like to see him in like 2 to 3 years. He my be the one with that rack you war looking for. And oh yeah to teaspoon hunting is a sport weather you like it or not. Its one of the best sports around.
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Comment by Booerns — January 13, 2008 @ 11:24 pm
Yes, I hope he made it through the rest of last season. He could get really big!
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Comment by montucky — January 14, 2008 @ 9:15 am
I look forward to this hunging season. I plan to use my camera more this year. Good luck this coming year.
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Comment by Charles Surholt — July 7, 2011 @ 4:39 am
Seems like I use my camera more every year now. I still look for that big buck or bull though. Good luck to you too Charles!
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Comment by montucky — July 7, 2011 @ 8:39 pm
I love your site and am an avid Deer hunter here in Arizona. I have always wanted to travel outside the stae and hunt Colorado and Montana. Great pictures, I look forward to seeing more of your post in the future
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Comment by Shawn — December 15, 2011 @ 5:41 pm
Thanks for stopping by, Shawn. I hope you get the chance to hunt Montana, I know you would enjoy it. I lived in the Phoenix area for over 20 years and hunted a lot in the superstitions for mulies and North of Payson on the rim for elk as well. In about 1968 I shot a nice Coues in the Santa Teresa Mountains outside of Aravaipa.
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Comment by montucky — December 15, 2011 @ 10:30 pm