Bucks, Bikes, and Backcountry: A Father-Son Mule Deer Hunt

By Nick Fowler, Bergara Rifles Pro Staff

This hunt truly started back on May 27th, 2015. That is when my son, Jaxon Garrett Fowler, came into this world. From that moment on, I couldn't wait until he was old enough to hunt with me!

In our home state of Idaho, the age for big game hunting is 10 years old. I did what I could in the years building up to that, trying to get him as much hunting experience in other states which had younger age limits. I wanted to know that by the time he was 10 years old, he would have enough hunting experience under his belt that he could handle making and executing a shot on a big game animal. As I know from hunting in Idaho my whole life, it can be very difficult at times to get a single opportunity in a general season.

Into the Idaho Backcountry: The Journey Begins

Where Jaxon’s first mule deer hunt took place was 100% a result of my good friend, Mike Pearson, offering to let Jaxon ride on his dirt bike with him to get into the backcountry. As for myself, I am in no way, shape, or form a good dirt bike rider. I am always hoping I don't kill myself, let alone put my son on a bike with me.

So, the plan was made. Jaxon and I met Mike at the trailhead after he had already hauled in his camp, gear, and rifle. Mike put on Jaxon’s EXO pack and stuck Jaxon in front of him on the bike. I put on my EXO, loaded with camp gear and my rifle. And off we went! Let's just say that Mike and Jaxon made it to camp much quicker and more smoothly than I did! 

Opening Morning: Expectations vs. General Season Reality

Upon arriving at camp, we had enough time to get everything all set up and situated, and get in just a little bit of glassing. But we already knew where we planned on being opening morning: a ridge where, over the years, both Mike and I have killed bucks. The plan was that if we saw a really big buck that Mike wanted to shoot, he was up first; for any other buck, Jaxon was up.

Opening morning, we made the slow, arduous pull up through the deadfall and rocks to get into position, where we felt it would give us the best opportunity to spot as well as shoot bucks on the ridge. Unfortunately, as things often work out, this was the first morning that either Mike or I had never seen a buck on this ridge.

To say Jaxon was a bit deflated would be an understatement. I myself was none too happy about it as well. I just informed Jaxon that this is general deer hunting in Idaho and we would just keep looking. As our morning hunt progressed, we did turn up a couple of little 2-points and some does.

Pivoting the Plan: Spotting Bucks from a Distance

It wasn't until I started glassing on a whole different mountain that I really started to see deer. There were 9 deer on one hillside, and I could tell over a mile away in my 16X Sig image-stabilizing binoculars that a couple of them were bucks. Then later on, from another glassing vantage point, I turned up two more bucks that appeared to be bigger, even further in than the previous bucks.

The Ultimate Decision: Leaving Camp or Chasing the Bucks?

We were now faced with a decision. The deer were absolutely not where we had planned to hunt. We would have to lose 1,000 feet of elevation that we worked very hard that morning to gain, as well as try to figure out a way to cross a creek that I knew from previous years' experience is not one that you can simply just get across. On top of that, before the hunt started, we had planned on coming out today as Mike had two daughters at home with bull tags in their pockets for a different unit.

We made our way back down to camp, and it was decision time. Do we pack up, head out, and leave as we had originally planned before the hunt started... or do we go make an attempt on the bucks we had spotted? Mike asked Jaxon what he wanted to do, and Jaxon quickly responded, “I want to go kill one of those bucks!”

The choice was made. We all took a quick, late-afternoon nap, and then it was back on the bikes to cut the distance for our evening hunt.

The Stalk: Crossing Hazards and Spotting the Deer

We were fortunate to find a giant old tree that had fallen down over the creek. We had vanquished our first challenge to get into the country where we had earlier in the day spotted the bucks. It was slow going as we picked our way along the steep side hill through the rocks and over the burnt downfall, all the while trying to glass up the deer that we figured were still bedded.

By the time we made it to our third prominent glassing point, we finally started seeing deer up on their feet and feeding. A few minutes later, I checked on those three deer again and then happened to scan to the right of them… Bucks! Bucks! Bucks!

Setting Up the Shot: Patience in the Scope

Mike wasted no time to begin setting up a solid shooting platform for Jaxon. He said he needed one more pack, so I went behind the rock pile to give him my EXO pack as well, and a rear shooting bag. Mike had the gun well-balanced and the biggest of the bucks centered in the Arken scope.

Jaxon carefully got on the gun, trying not to move it too much. Jaxon kept saying he couldn't see the buck; Mike was adjusting the scope magnification up and down, and Jaxon still wasn't seeing the buck. Mike again got on the gun to make sure it was still in position, and he told Jaxon the buck was right in the middle of the scope. Jaxon again got on the gun and still said he couldn't see the buck.

Then finally, the buck lifted his head out of the small bush he was feeding on, and Jaxon realized he had been looking at it the whole time—it just blended in so well with the rocks.

The Shot of a Lifetime: Jaxon's First Mule Deer

With the distance of the shot and the breeze that was coming down through the basin, I was a little worried about wind drift. So, I told Jaxon, “I know we have been talking about putting a bullet behind the shoulder through a buck's lungs, but I want you to hold right in the middle of his shoulder.” For me, I figured this would give enough wiggle room for any of the wind drift his bullet may have.

The buck had his head down feeding in a bush, and Jaxon had a few limbs in his way. I told him to be patient, that we wanted everything to be perfect as the buck had no idea we were there. Eventually, the buck moved just enough to open up his front shoulder for Jaxon. Jaxon told us he was on his shoulder.

Mike and I were both peering intently through binoculars at the buck. Mike told Jaxon to shoot when he was ready, and almost instantly, the shot broke. The buck absolutely folded to the ground. Jaxon had just made a fantastic shot on his first mule deer. The excitement from the three of us was palpable as hugs were shared all around!

Packing Out: Heavy Loads and Midnight Storms

To say the least, Jaxon had a pep in his step like he had not had all day on our way over to get to his fallen buck. He even stopped one time to look back and ask us, “Why are you guys lolly-gaging?” Jaxon was more than pleasantly surprised upon reaching his buck and realizing that it had extras on both sides. His first buck instantly became so much cooler to him!

We took some quick pictures and then we began the process of caping out and breaking down the buck to get it loaded onto our packs, then head back down to cross the creek, jump on the bikes, and make the ride back to camp.

Jaxon was adamant that he wanted to help with the packing, so Mike rolled the cape up tight, tied it off under the head and antlers with some paracord, and we tightened it down on Jaxon’s EXO. It wasn't so much the weight of the head, cape, and antlers, but it changed Jaxon's balance so much that not long into our hike out in the dark, I decided it was best he take it off of his pack, as I did not want him tripping or falling on his way out.

Just before we reached our creek crossing, a light sprinkling of rain began, and it really changed the footing on our log to get back across the creek. The old, bark-free, grey wood of the fallen tree became treacherously slick. After all, we made it safely back to camp, soon after which the first storm of the night hit us at 10:00 PM, another at 12:30 AM, and another around 2:30 AM. Each storm was brief but brought with it a savagery of heavy rain, lightning, and thunder. The type of thunder and lightning that is so close that you can feel the thunder!

Missions Accomplished: Lifetime Memories

Upon waking the next morning, I knew that the next portion of our endeavor was one that I was really not looking forward to. We now had to get back not only our camping and hunting gear but also Jaxon’s buck. Mike figured we could get everything back to the truck if he and I made two trips. I was not at all excited about the idea of taking a load out to the truck, then turning around, riding back in to get another load, and then turning around again and riding it back out to the truck. But we had no other option.

The first load out, Mike had half of Jaxon’s buck, his rifle on his EXO, and Jaxon sitting in front of him on his bike—a true testament to Mike's ability on a dirt bike. I feel like I had about all I could handle with half of Jaxon’s buck and some of his extra clothes stuffed into my EXO.

After arriving back at the trailhead, we unloaded everything out of our packs and left Jaxon at the truck while Mike and I turned around to make the ride back into camp. What a difference it was to ride back into camp with an empty backpack! It was actually somewhat enjoyable and fun. That was short-lived; once back at camp, all of mine and Jaxon’s camping gear was loaded into and onto my pack, as well as strapping Jaxon’s EXO to mine.

After getting back to the trucks and getting the bikes loaded up, it was a long drive home knowing that we had accomplished our mission and had made lifetime memories. I truly hope this is a deer hunt that Jaxon will never forget. I'm pretty sure he won't!

Editor’s Note:

On this unforgettable hunt, Jaxon relied on the lightweight Arken EPL-4 6-24X50 FFP to make his incredible shot count. With Father’s Day just around the corner, there’s no better time to pass down the tradition or honor the mentor who taught you the ropes.

Gear Up for the Season: 

• [Shop the Lightweight Hunting Collection Here]

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