Episode #59
1,250 Miles to Get 25 Yards From a Giant Mule Deer | My First High-Country Mule Deer Archery Hunt
Traveled 1,250 miles from the Midwest to the Idaho high country—and somehow ended up just 25 yards from the biggest mule deer we saw all week. In Episode 59 of the HUNTXP Podcast, JD breaks down his first high-country mule deer hunt and what he learned when months of preparation finally met the reality of hunting the mountains. This wasn’t a punched-tag story. It was a learning-how-to-get-close story. After hiking deep into the backcountry, JD and his brother Cody found bachelor groups of velvet mule deer, learned to play mountain thermals, crawled through loose rock, ditched boots to stalk in socks, and twice worked inside roughly 25 yards of mature bucks. One of those encounters put JD incredibly close to the biggest buck they saw all week—with no ethical shot opportunity before it disappeared. The biggest lesson? Getting within bow range and actually creating a shot are two very different skills. We break down what worked, what JD would do differently, the mistakes that cost opportunities, why patience matters once you're inside a buck's bubble, and why the “short game” may be one of the most overlooked skills in western bowhunting. We also get into Jonny's Wisconsin season, Wes punching his buck tag, Moose's blood-trailing debut, and a wild encounter with a pack of wolves. EPISODE 59 GIVEAWAY: Listen for the giveaway word during the episode, then send it to us by DM, email, or in the comments for a chance to win a HUNTXP hat. SHOP HUNTXP: huntxp.com/store If you're a Midwestern hunter dreaming about heading west for the first time, this one's for you. Level Up Your Hunt.
