Ulmer Buck

Behind The Recreation
“Ulmer Buck.”

Robert King

The hunt for the Ulmer Buck actually started two years earlier, when Randy Ulmer was hunting elk in Nevada and ended up finding a world class typical mule deer. Randy shared this discovery with his long-time hunting companion, Greg Krogh. The following year they both put in for the archery hunt and Greg was lucky enough to draw a tag. During the 2004 archery season, Greg found the buck and killed him. The buck ended up officially scoring 202 2/8 Pope & Young and is one of the largest typical mule deer ever taken with a bow (see sidebar on page 49). Later that year, Greg ended up finding a great non-typical mule deer. This buck ended up eluding hunters and surviving the season. The following year Randy drew an archery tag and Greg returned the previous year’s favor and told Randy where to find the big non-typical. Greg even offered to help on the hunt, an offer Randy quickly accepted with the terms that they would be even if Randy killed this buck.

Arriving four days before the hunt to scout for the big non-typical, Randy was excited to be back in the wild and close to nature. After a day of no luck, Randy returned to camp to find that Greg had spotted the buck and that he had grown substantially. Looking over the video footage Greg had taken, Randy couldn’t believe the mass, extra points and the 30-plus inch spread. After hunting for 35 years, Randy’s dream was to take a monster non-typical mule deer with ten or more points per side. That night, that dream felt as real as it ever had.

The next morning, Randy and Greg found themselves glassing this great buck only to find that he had set himself up perfectly with companions surrounding him and wind funneling and changing in all directions. The buck seemed unapproachable, especially to get within bow range. For three days Randy and Greg watched the buck and waited for the season to begin, planning their attack.

Opening morning found Randy a few hundred yards from the buck – close enough to his bed to capitalize on any mistake he might make, but far enough to avoid detection by his nose. Randy waited tolerantly while the August sun pounded down on him. Trying to ration his water, the hours passed slowly as Randy patiently waited sixteen hours for the buck. As darkness fell and the moon appeared, Randy slowly made his way, undetected, back to camp. The next day was a repeat of the first. However, just before dark, the buck moved. Randy made a fast stalk, but missed the opportunity. The buck remained unaware of the plan, and Randy hoped to have a second chance.

For two more days, the mind games continued. But, on the fourth day, things changed. The buck was gone. Expanding their search, Randy and Greg found the buck later that morning, a mile away, bedded at the base of a pinyon with his companions around him. Randy jumped at the chance as the playing field had changed. Making a two-mile loop, Randy stalked within 50 yards and waited. The bucks got up and started feeding, slowly coming his way. Unable to draw his bow, Randy watched in frustration as the buck turned and slowly moved away. Waiting for the buck to turn broadside, Randy drew his bow and let his arrow fly. The buck trotted towards him and collapsed. Arriving from his rocky vantage point, Greg joined his friend on a day that ended with a hug and the simple phrase, “We’re even.”