# The best laid plans of mice and men....



## Duckholla (Sep 24, 2007)

Well, I am back from an eventful time in Idaho hunting Mule Deer. The plan initially was to hunt for 7 days, and do my best to find a mature mule deer, but 3 days into the hunt things changed dramatically. How does the saying go? "The best laid plans of mice and men&#8230;" After covering 400 miles on my rhino checking out unfamiliar country, and some familiar country, and hunting it hard, and passing on several other very nice deer, I ended up finally finding a group of doe, with a mature buck worthy of a closer look. Long story short, I was able to close the distance and to my surprise ended up shooting this buck from about 25-30 feet. (I lost him for a minute or two, and when I realized where he was he was darn near breathing down my neck!) That's a harder shot than it sounds with a minimum of 5X on my scope! The bullet hit him hard, and knocked him down immediately. He tried to get up, but it was all over pretty quickly.

After some celebration, and hard work I loaded him up in the Rhino and started my 32 mile trek back to camp. Minutes into my return, I heard a strange "pop" in the front end, and a hard pull to the left started to become more apparent. I stopped and investigated but I couldn't see anything out of place, likely due to a ton of mud caked on everything. I proceeded forward slowly, listening as more strange sounds developed. I decided that I'd better stop and really investigate. So, I threw the wench up over a tree and lifted the front end up, and removed my tire. I found that the driver side front CV Joint had sheered, and the hub was all but removed. Uh oh&#8230;now what? I still have 30 miles until I reach camp! I had tools, spare tires, tire repair kits, spare spark plug, and extra battery&#8230;but I didn't have a replacement CV Joint! This was going to be a stressful return trip.

So limp along became the tune of the day. I slowly and carefully nursed the Rhino knowing that I would likely have to replace the whole front left side of the Rhino, but maybe if I am lucky I can make it back. At mile 31, with one mile left to go the front end completely snapped free. I had no steering in the front left tire. The last mile required multiple uses of the wench, and a lot of sweat, but I finally made it to camp. Ugh&#8230;.exhausted. Exhausted from the pack of the animal yes, but more exhausted from the stress of knowing that I might have to spend the night in the middle of the desert in subzero temps. I was very relieved to make it back, and I must say, incredibly impressed with the Rhino. Amazingly that thing held together, it could have ended much worse!

Once I got home, I skinned my deer and took him over to the taxidermist who immediately asked where I had shot this buck and told me it looked like a Muley/Whitetail cross. My first reaction was, "No, it's just a muley." But then I started to think: He does have unique marks in the face, and my Dad and I both commented on how long his tail was. It was a mule deer tail, but it was about a foot and a half long. And then the eye guards on this deer are 4" long on both sides. I know there are muley's that have long eye guards, but this was a little coincidental. The taxidermist is 98% confident that it is a cross as he's done a couple, but we are doing some hair and teeth analysis to confirm. I should know in a few weeks for certain.

Anyway, I thought I'd share. It isn't very often you get to see a weird crossbreed. Taxidermist says, "You never know which genes will dominate, or how they will dominate."

I think it's cool. Enjoy the pics!


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## stillhunterman (Feb 15, 2009)

Wow, what an awesome buck! His face does seem to have some "******" detail to it. Congrats on a great hunt and sorry you had probs with the Rhino. It's amazing you made it that far! Got any pics of the tail? ;-)


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## xxxxxxBirdDogger (Mar 7, 2008)

Story of a lifetime! Congratulations on your adventure. I really enjoyed the read. What a unique buck!


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## longbow (Mar 31, 2009)

That does look like a whitetail. I sure has a mulie rack though. Nice buck!


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## Al Hansen (Sep 7, 2007)

Another PIG !!!!


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## Springville Shooter (Oct 15, 2010)

That is a great buck. Coloring and head shape do look a little suspicious. Interesting to see the results of the hair and tooth test. Great trophy either way. I have hunted in areas where there are whitetail and muleys for a long time and never noticed hybrids. Maybe I'm not looking hard enough.----SS


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## ridgetop (Sep 13, 2007)

That's quite the story and buck. I'm glad it all worked out.


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## sawsman (Sep 13, 2007)

A unique buck for sure! He should make a nice mount. Too bad about the bike…


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## 35whelen (Jul 3, 2012)

awesome buck, congratulations


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## TEX-O-BOB (Sep 12, 2007)

Sure looks like a hybrid/cross to me! That's perty cool guy! Glad you made it back to camp. That's what has always scared me about those kinds of vehicles, especially snowmobiles. Getting out twenty mies from nowhere and have the thing break down. Dont trust em, nope I dont! At least if your horse breaks down you can shoot it and eat it...


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## klbzdad (Apr 3, 2012)

Great buck! Congrats!


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## huntingbuddy (Sep 10, 2007)

Gorgeous buck and an even better story. It was a very good read!


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## utahgolf (Sep 8, 2007)

awesome buck!!!! how on earth do you get 32 miles aways from camp? that's a long drive! glad ya made it back safely.


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## svmoose (Feb 28, 2008)

That is very cool. He looks like a hybrid to me. Let us know what you find out from the analysis.


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## Nambaster (Nov 15, 2007)

Without his white face I am pretty sure that he is part whitetail....


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## Duckholla (Sep 24, 2007)

utahgolf said:


> awesome buck!!!! how on earth do you get 32 miles aways from camp? that's a long drive! glad ya made it back safely.


The area that I was hunting in is an ATV paradise. I'd really like to shake the hands of the guys who cut the trails and roads in the area, it would have been a mountain of work through all the Junipers.

I share the same philosophy that many of you do, that a little more work, and a little more hiking distance from the road will give me just a little more advantage over the other hunters. In this case, it was an ATV trail. The main road had hunters all over it with ATV's, trucks etc, but very few would make the long trek to the other side of the mountain.

I agree with Tex, there is a certain amount of anxiety when you rely on mechanical equipment to get you places. Man, I thought I had planned for everything, I guess I sort of did in a way, I was prepared to stay the night if I had to&#8230;.just didn't want to!


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## Duckholla (Sep 24, 2007)

*Re: UPDATE>>The best laid plans of mice and men....*

Update: Just thought those of you who were interested would like to hear that the analysis done on my buck came back positive. This buck is indeed a crossbreed, or a "Bluebuck" as the DWR referred to it.

Interesting point to this - I shot this buck in the high desert of Idaho, almost certainly a migratory buck from even higher elevations as this is typical of the deer in this specific unit of Idaho. Makes you wonder what he's doing at that high of elevation. Was he born that high? Did he migrate through? Interesting....

Gonna have to do some neat taxidermy work with this one...pretty cool!


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## stillhunterman (Feb 15, 2009)

Pretty cool Duckholla, thanks for the update. My guess would be a whitie covered a mulie doe, dropped the critter in fawning habitat, and once the little one was weaned the mulie in him headed for the hills. ;-)


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## Springville Shooter (Oct 15, 2010)

I must say that if your buck is representative of what happens when mulies and whitetail breed, then I say; LET THE BREEDING COMMENCE!! I think that buck looks great and I bet he tastes good too. Looks too me like he inherited the best of both genetics. Really cool for sure. As far as the high country quandry, I have seen whitetail bucks above timberline in Idaho several times. They can and will live anywhere. Just because they concentrate in the valleys and farm land doesn't mean they don't also head for the hills. I wonder if your buck was capable of reproducing?----------SS


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## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

Very nice buck! Not sure how I missed this thread originally. I have that same rhino and just had to replace the passenger CV shaft as the boot ripped open. What was the diagnosis? Did you have to change the hub and everything? Any idea how it happened? That is odd. Thanks again for sharing!


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## 00jason00 (Jan 7, 2013)

[attachment=0:22f91d7l]downsize.jpg[/attachment:22f91d7l]Here is a real mule/white cross taken from Montana by my dad's friend this year.


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## josh12ga (Nov 23, 2011)

Springville Shooter said:


> I must say that if your buck is representative of what happens when mulies and whitetail breed, then I say; LET THE BREEDING COMMENCE!! I think that buck looks great and I bet he tastes good too. Looks too me like he inherited the best of both genetics. Really cool for sure. As far as the high country quandry, I have seen whitetail bucks above timberline in Idaho several times. They can and will live anywhere. Just because they concentrate in the valleys and farm land doesn't mean they don't also head for the hills. I wonder if your buck was capable of reproducing?----------SS


agreed 100 percent


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## josh12ga (Nov 23, 2011)

00jason00 said:


> [attachment=0:qet5bhjs]downsize.jpg[/attachment:qet5bhjs]Here is a real mule/white cross taken from Montana by my dad's friend this year.


That's a nice buck aswell


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## Duckholla (Sep 24, 2007)

Huge29 said:


> Very nice buck! Not sure how I missed this thread originally. I have that same rhino and just had to replace the passenger CV shaft as the boot ripped open. What was the diagnosis? Did you have to change the hub and everything? Any idea how it happened? That is odd. Thanks again for sharing!


I had to replace the following:
CV Axle
Bearing
Rotor
Brake Pads

It was about a $250 fix, but I'd pay that again and again if it means not having to spend the night in sub zero temperatures! I am amazed at how well built those Rhinos are. Tanks.


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## Duckholla (Sep 24, 2007)

00jason00 said:


> [attachment=0:16myvh8e]downsize.jpg[/attachment:16myvh8e]Here is a real mule/white cross taken from Montana by my dad's friend this year.


Look how different this one is compared to mine. They are freaks of nature, I love it!


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## MWScott72 (May 23, 2011)

Duckholla said:


> 00jason00 said:
> 
> 
> > [attachment=0:1yismh6i]downsize.jpg[/attachment:1yismh6i]Here is a real mule/white cross taken from Montana by my dad's friend this year.
> ...


Did they confirm that the MT buck was a cross? He just looks like a mulie with a laid open antler configuration and a smaller ears. Good deer nonetheless.


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## 00jason00 (Jan 7, 2013)

MWScott72 said:


> Duckholla said:
> 
> 
> > 00jason00 said:
> ...


Yes, It is common in this area. There are all different types.. I have been told that there are no 2 deer that look the same in this area. Pretty cool!


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## dkhntrdstn (Sep 7, 2007)

nice bucks. congrats to the hunters.


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## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

Duckholla said:


> Huge29 said:
> 
> 
> > Very nice buck! Not sure how I missed this thread originally. I have that same rhino and just had to replace the passenger CV shaft as the boot ripped open. What was the diagnosis? Did you have to change the hub and everything? Any idea how it happened? That is odd. Thanks again for sharing!
> ...


I agree, not bad at all! My buddy bought the axle for us wholesale and I thought alone was about $175 or so.


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