BY KERRY WEED

50 ? You?ll Y spend the rest of your life trying to top that one.? ?That?s a buck of a lifetime.? ?A man is only allowed one of those in his life.? These were all quotes from my friends and family after the 2003 rifl e season. I had been fortunate to harvest a great typical mule deer that fall. The buck gross scored 203 2/8 and netted 199 4/8 Boone and Crockett and was featured in the August/September issue of Hunting Illustrated. As the 2004 application HUNTING ILLUSTRATED.com deadline neared, I knew my chances of drawing a rifl e tag were not very good. So, I applied for rifl e as my fi rst choice and a bow tag as second. After receiving my bow tag, my quest for another great mule deer began. Shooting my bow daily and scouting as much as possible fi lled the summer months. I was unable to hunt the opening weekend, but set out early on the second Saturday of the season. As I walked up the hill behind our house, I noticed deer moving across the corn circle to my south. I hightailed it to the

HOW LUCKY CAN A MAN GET

county road and headed towards an abandoned homestead at the end of the road. As I worked my way into the treeline behind the old house, I caught a glimpse of a young 3x3 and two does. Once I fi nally got in position at the end of the tree row, it was time to sit and wait to see if any ole-timers were planning to bed in the tree grove. The young bucked had worked his way towards me to about fi fteen feet when he stopped and looked toward the old house. Over the rise came a doe with a

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