The crisp cool mornings, changing leaves, and that autumn smell can only mean one thing, hunting season is upon us. To kick off the season, I teamed up with co-owner Keith Beam from Double Bull Outdoors to chase the magnificent mule deer. Are destination would be Sheridan, Wyoming to hunt with good friend and outfitter Dave Nelson of Nelson Outfitters.

Nelson Outfitters is located at the base of the Bighorn Mountains, and is absolutely a game meca. At Nelson Outfitters you have a choice to chase whitetails, mule deer, elk, antelope, bear, mountain lion, and prairie dogs, and believe me, there isn't a shortage of any here! They have over 130,000 acres of private hunting land that is managed to the highest degree to insure you a quality chance at a mature animal.
The first night of our hunt we got settled into the matrix blind, and just 200 yards away from us were 5 mule deer between 175 - 195 inches! Right then and there I knew this was going to be a special trip. The first night didn't pan out but we certainly got a show, we watched over 200 whitetail and mule deer work their way to the feeding areas. One field that we had an opportunity to hunt near is 750 acres of green irrigated alfalfa that draws what seemed to be every deer in the county.

The next morning was even more exciting watching a beautiful sunrise and watching hundreds of deer pour out of the fields back to their bedding area. We even got 25 elk to pass by the blind and how we wished we had an elk tag when that 300 inch elk passed our path. Keith decided to pass on the first nice mule deer that walked 25 yards by the blind knowing that it was early in the trip, and we would certainly get another crack at a mature mule deer.

Everyday it seemed to get better and better. We were seeing over 700 deer a day!!! I seen more deer at Nelson Outfitters than I've seen animals in Africa!!! This place is the real deal.

On the fifth and final morning Keith and I sat quietly in the T2 Double Bull Blind waiting for a mule deer that had eluded us the morning before. Keith was determined this was the deer he wanted to harvest. So we set up the blind 40 yards further down the creek bottom and brushed it in well. At 6:40 a.m. this mature 5 x 4 mule deer still in velvet walked to the left of our blind at 4 yards! As I hit record on my camera Keith patiently waited for the buck to give him the perfect shot. Stopping at 12 yards to feed on a tree, Keith released the arrow and an orange streak shot across the sky from the lumenok and hit its intended target. The shot was perfect, and the buck laid 150 yards from the blind! Keith and I gave each other high fives and did some Tiger Woods' fist pumps, knowing that we just harvested a mature Pope and Young mule deer at Nelson Outfitters.

If you're looking for an amazing fair chase whitetail and mule deer hunt, than give Dave Nelson a call. This is a first class hunt with an excellent opportunity to harvest a Pope and Young class deer and possibly a Boone and Crockett.

All this action can be seen on Double Bulls new DVD that is coming out in January of 2007.