DEEP COULEE MONSTER BUCK

By Tyler Bien

When I was drawn for an either sex Mule deer tag after waiting 11 years, needless to say, I was ecstatic!

Me and my hunting partner Jerry planned the trip well in advance and we booked an entire six full days to fully dedicate to finding a nice mule deer for my first one ever.

Taxidermy was done by Derek at Paragon Taxidermy. Pictures courtesy of Jerry Bien

“I came up to the crest of the ravine and just as I did something caught my eye. Sure enough, there he was to my left.”

Me and my hunting partner Jerry planned the trip well in advance and we booked an entire six full days to fully dedicate to finding a nice mule deer for my first one ever.

Leading up to opening day there was some worry due to the tinder dry conditions in southern Saskatchewan. Most private land and all the community pastures were not only not allowing any vehicle traffic, but also no hunting at all due to the extreme fire risk. It was not looking good and I was concerned that my dream mule deer hunt would not happen at all.

Thankfully, someone must have been looking out for us because an early season snow storm blanketed southern Saskatchewan where I held my draw tag with a heavy covering of snow, which eliminated all the fire risks and opened up vast areas for us to hunt. The forecast for opening day was well above season averages, which meant most of the snow would be gone which would be helpful in getting around, so if all went to plan we would have full access to most community pastures in the area.

It was a long week of hunting that was an emotional roller coaster. I hiked many, many kilometers up and down some of the craziest ravines and coulee systems I have ever had the chance to hunt. It was some amazing country and very different from what I was used to hunting. The wind picked up the first day and never let up. We were fighting gusts up to 70km/hour or more at some points during the week. Despite my best efforts, I was down to the last day of the hunt with the tag still burning a hole in my pocket. off like any other, grabbing a coffee at the local COOP and hitting the highway to get to our spot before sunrise. As soon as legal hunting time arrived, we spotted a nice big, mature mulie buck on the edge of a coulee trying to make his way out of the open flats and back down into the depths of a massive ravine. I made a run for it to try and cut him off and managed to come over the crest of a hill just in time. As I crested the hill, I spotted him at 200 yards and he was broadside. I knew this was my chance, but after a run like that I was struggling to catch my breath and I knew he wasn’t going to stick around much longer because he had spotted me cresting the hill. I tried to steady myself and let a shot go between deep breaths. MISSED and just like that my dream of harvesting a big mature mulie was gone. I was defeated, I hunted the rest of the morning in that area trying to locate him with no luck.

Having lunch back in town that day I was just devastated that I had a chance to fulfill a dream of mine and missed. I made a phone call to my wife who was back at home holding down the fort so I could try and make my dream come true. She told me not to give up and she just had a feeling because her day had started out so good. She just had a feeling mine was going to be great so I was recharged and ready to keep trying.

After lunch we headed back out to a different area we had located that week. After a short walk to check out an out-of-the-way coulee we looked up and spotted two BIG, BIG mule deer slipping out the other end of the coulee over some high ground and dropping into a big ravine. I could not believe that I was going to have a chance to redeem myself. We rush all the way around to the other side to come at the ravine with the wind in our face.

With the sun fading fast I knew I had to get in there because those big smart bucks were not going to stick around too long. I made a run for it, leaving Jerry behind and covering 400 yards in what felt like two seconds due to the adrenaline pumping through my veins at the thought of what awaited me.

I came up to the crest of the ravine and just as I did something caught my eye. Sure enough, there he was to my left. He was making his way up the wall when he spotted me and froze. Deva Vu 150 yards broad side I wasn’t going to repeat my mistake from this morning. I took a deep breath, sat down and exhaled slowing. I felt calm and focused as I squeezed off a round from my 338 win mag. I heard a loud, “Smack” and down he went. I was ecstatic to see that I dropped him right where he stood. I couldn’t believe my dream had come true. I laid there for a minute on the top of that ravine, thinking about the entire week and how it had all led to this moment in time.

I waved my partner over and the celebration really began. We enjoyed the moment, took lots of pictures and celebrated. After some hard work, we were loaded and on our way back to town. It still didn’t feel real to me and took a long time to sink in, but I knew I had done it!

Part 2

DOUBLING UP ON BIG ALBERTA WHITETAILS

By Dylan Cadman