Well, after saving preference points for several years, this year was finally the year we had enough to apply. My brother and I applied for 4th season rifle tags and were drawn. We had been to the area in 2003 and shot mulies then, and were optimistic about this year. The night before season opened, we spotted the buck my brother would eventually kill about 700 yards away. We glassed him for about 30 mins and devised a gameplan for the next morning. After a sleepless night filled with anticipation of the next morning's hunt, we were back to our viewing spot and a little after 7:15 we spotted the buck from the night before about 600 yards from where we put him to bed the night prior. My brother and I took after him both with .257 Wbys in hand. We crested a ridge and had about 20 deer in rifle range, but couldn't see the big one we had just seen. We crept up inch by inch as to not spook any of the bucks or does just below us. Across the draw, a coyote came out and the deer started getting nervous and at least 2 deer chased after the coyote! At this point all the deer started rising from their beds and there were more bedded in the tall sage than we had realized and soon we were both covered in deer. My brother was roughly 100yrds to the East of me, and 85 yards I spotted this buck still bedded. After only a few seconds he stood up, I got my daypack ready for a rest, centered him in the scope. I was wearing gloves so I go to bite the fingertip of my glove to pull it off, just about get him centered in the scope again and my brother smokes him from his position. Needless to say, I wasn't impressed. We couldn't see each other and he didn't know how close I was to taking him. He laid the wood and sent the 115gr Berger right into the deer's heart.

Lesson learned, don't hunt with butthead brothers .

Anyways, he shot him around 9:45 and we had him deboned and in the truck by 12:30. His buck is an 8x7 and green scored 172 outside spread of 30 1/4"


After fairly little action the next 3 days, it was the final day of season and we were back in the same spot we were where we glassed my brother's buck. We saw a decent 4x5 directly below us at 409 yards. My brother was in the truck and my father and his good friend were right next to us glassing for elk. I told him I was going to try and take the 4x5. My rifle was still cased in the bed of my pickup so I quickly got out, grabbed my rifle and pack, and setup for a prone shot 15 feet from my truck. I told the guys I was going to take him when he stopped. He was angling toward us, and I ended up shooting him at 344 yards. I shot him with the .257 WBY and 100gr Tipped TSX and they smacked him with the hammer of Thor. The deer didn't take another step as I hit him high shoulder. I thought I may have hit spine, so I gave him another to kill him. Both bullets blew all the way through.

Mine was 23" outside. It wasn't bigger than my last one, but my dad, my brother, and our good friend watched the whole ordeal, and that was pretty exciting. Thanks for reading!

And just some extra pics:

didn't read but nice buck for sure!!!

good story and pics . Congrats to yall

Awesome deer ans story..how did the vlds do on game

The deer was about 125 yards from him, he hit the top of the heart and totally destroyed it. There was maybe a chunk of heart the size of a golfball left. The bullet was found just under the skin on the opposite side. I can't say how far the deer ran or would have ran, because I shot a split second after my brother did, so it was hit twice. The bullet weighed in at 63.5 grains when it was retrieved. He's not running his as fast as he could, I think around 3080fps.

Awesome, where abouts in Colorado?

way to go. What unit were you in?

Without getting too specific, a couple hours west of Denver.

My wife and I just got back from hunting around Craig.

Any luck?

Great bucks and good story too!

Didn't read either but great deer and . Congrats!

Thanks for the info I have two boxes of vlds, been little scared to use them on game..mine are a little hotter. Think ill stick to the 80ttsx and 100tsx I have..

Sounds like a great trip, thanks for sharing.

After seeing what the 100gr TTSX does, I will not use anything else in my 257.

Two great bucks!

Try the 80 ttsx's

nice mulies. congtats.

Congrats to you and your brother.

Memories made with family trump inches and points every time. Now with that said, those are two mulies to be very proud of!!

Good deal, that is one my dream hunts some day. Nice Mulies.