Big Game Illustrated

TRUE Todd Forsbloom of Calgary, Alberta with his monster typical mule deer taken in November of 2012. A day hunting with his family turns into a true hunt of a lifetime. The greatest spread is 27 2/8” while the inside spread stretches the tape at 25” even. Todd’s impressive mule deer has G2’s over 16” and the big brute grosses 198 6/8” and nets 194 6/7” as a typical.

I was ready to take one, I had four tags to fill, it was trigger of my borrowed .270 and, as the bullet made its quantity, not quality, but we decided to pass and keep way, it only then dawned on me what was on the line. In walking. A few minutes later, about 200 yards below us, other words, I never really had time to think about how I spotted what was clearly a doe, but she had a mystery special and rare this moment really was, and believe me, companion a few feet behind her. We had no idea at the this was a good thing. The shot felt good and it did the time what ‘it’ was. The trees were just too thick and this job. As the three of us approached this breath taking deer would not move a muscle for the next 15 minutes. animal, well you know how it goes and I’ll leave it that.

This was great for me. No pressure, no idea, no clue. I Now here’s the thing. The wrong guy shot this buck. nestled into position, adjusted my bipod one millimeter I don’t mean that in negative sense at all, It’s just that at a time, put the cross-hairs on this mystery deer, took a If it weren’t for true hunters like Mike, my brother and few practice shots in my mind, I actually remember tak- my dad, I’d be back in Calgary posing with the mounts ing another look at the view of the scenery - just to give at Bass Pro. Take my cousin Mike for example. Here’s you an idea of how disconnected I was from the reality a guy who planned his marriage and the birth of his of this situation. Mike on the other hand was sending three children AROUND hunting season, now that my off another vibe. Much like a yellow lab, on a pheasant, friends, is passion. I, on the other hand, got married in he was pacing back and forth, melting the snow beneath November, yes…November, and have spent many years him. You see, my coke bottle scope kept me in igno- calling my beautiful wife, from a hunting camp, on a cell rance. Clearly what we had before us was a deer…a Mule phone with one bar, telling her how thankful I am to deer, brown…with fur. Mike’s Hubble telescope he has screwed to the top of his gun on the other hand was telling a much different story. He knew it was a buck, thick dark brown rack, but the trees prevented him from making out if he was more than a two pointer (Time to upgrade the scope I’d say).

Mike suggests he make a few grunt calls to get him moving. I agreed. Mike grunted, the deer moved to the side about five feet.

What I saw at that moment I will never forget. It appeared to me that someone glued a small tree to this deer’s head. I had seen enough, and so had Mike. With the same tone as a dying man’s last breath I heard him say ‘Take this deer, he’s a four pointer…and remember me…the one who helped you…. Todd and his nephew, you find this beautiful….deer. I pulled the Colton Skrove.