Category Archives: hunting

A Stalk to Die for

October 26, 2025huntingDeer, deer hunting, howa, howa mini, mule deercoldboremiracle

Preface

Spot and stalk Mule deer hunting is at the top of many hunters list of to-do’s. Living at the forefront of the Wasatch range of the Rocky Mountains, I often get to practice this style of hunting. The romantic allure of outsmarting one of these bucks is a draw for sure. Today I bring you a story of a stalk to die for, perhaps one of my best executed spot and stalks. And it was sealed with blood and sweat, instead of the more common sweat and disappointment. To add even more value to this hunt, my sweet tiny wife was along to run the trigger for this hunt. And it served as the crown jewel to a hunting season littered with success. Our kids had already shot three deer this week, and we had packed out every one of them. So as the sun began to rise yesterday, I could still feel every pound and mile in my sore legs and feet.

deer hunting, mule deer, — Santiago packing out part of his buck earlier this week. Hiding under all that mess is his **Browning X-Bolt 2** and suppressed by the **Banish Backcountry can**

Sunrise

It was the morning of the seventh day of our Utah Mule deer general season. Our success this year had been above average, as I had yet to see anyone else harvest a buck on the same mountain we hunted. Due to an unanticipated change in plans, instead of watching the sunrise from our typical ridge-top spot at 8500 feet above sea level we started at the bottom of our valley.

From the foothills where I grew up hiking and camping as a kid, we watched the red morning light creep across the frosted landscape. My wife, our youngest and I peered through glass looking for deer. My expectations were low, as several days of prior scouting hadn’t turned up anything worth a second look, at least not down here, but things were about to change.

From roughly a mile and a half away, I picked out a couple does feeding on an open grassy area. As I broadened my search area around them, I picked out another deer that was instantly identified by his boney headwear. From that distance I wasn’t sure of an actual count on points, I just knew he would certainly do.

mule deer, deer hunting, — our buck, seen through the **Nikon Monarch 82mm Fieldscope** from nearly two miles away

A Plan

For several hours, and moving several times to relocate him, we watched this buck move. He was the only buck we’d seen this morning, and I didn’t want him to get away. We followed him across several faces, until it seemed he was ready to bed down. He had been closely following the two does, perhaps in some pre-rut activity based on his body language. They finally slowed down, and fed in an open area in a small bowl. I knew why they’d chosen that spot, it was rugged and thick enough to provide ample security, and far enough away from people to avoid contact. Unless of course they were being watched through my spotting scope off in the distance.

rokstad, vector optics, tripod, carbon fiber, nikon, fieldscope, Nikon Monarch 82ED-A Fieldscope — my **Nikon Monarch 82A Fieldscope** mounted on the **Rokstad carbon fiber tripod**

I knew the way to get to that bowl, and my plan was to hike in from the north. It would be about a mile and a half, gaining a couple thousand feet along the way. So we stuffed our packs accordingly, removing everything we didn’t need, and with enough snacks to wait them out through the afternoon.

The three of us carried our packs, and I carried my wife’s rifle in my Eberlestock Just One pack for comfort. Her rifle is a Howa Mini chambered in 6 ARC, she has done very well with this rifle in the past. Today we would lean hard on the accuracy of the little ARC loaded with Hornady 105 grain BTHP match bullets.

hunting, deer hunting, — a turkey feather cunning placed as we climbed

The Approach

A few hours (and snacks) later, we had gained enough elevation to get into the bowl where the deer hid. To my great relief, the wind was moving perfect for our plan. It came from the side where the deer were expected to lay, and at a fairly constant 5-10 mph it blew in our faces. We’d came in high, as I’d planned to get a good look of the area. Over the course of another half-hour, we quietly snuck deeper into the bowl. Eventually finding the perfect hideout; a large rock structure with a grassy depression where we could build a hide and wait them out. Our position put us downwind, and above the suspected bedding area about two-hundred yards away.

For the next few hours we watched, and rested. Peering over the edge of our towering hide, we’d occasionally see a doe or two feeding about in the thick and thorny bottom.

Weather was inbound, and the 5-10 mph wind was increasing. The overcast skies looked to darken, and potentially bring rain. I felt an urgency building, despite having fought off the desire to bust in their bedroom guns-a-blazin’. So we changed our plan a bit, I sent Santiago our youngest on a mission. To circle around the bowl and get just close enough for the deer to notice him, which they certainly would. Meanwhile his mom and I would be watching from above.

Full-Circle

With my wife in position, she prepared for a shot that was coming. Finding the most steady position, resting the rifle over the rock’s edge. Santiago quickly reached the spot where we had planned, which turned out to be much closer than I’d thought to the deer’s beds. There he was instructed to chill, knowing full well that this kid would be loud enough that the deer would quickly get nervous.

This isn’t the first deer this little Howa Mini has taken

I could feel tension building, was the buck even in there? Had he slipped out already? Or could this possibly work out to be the most perfect stalk we’d ever executed? It was time to find out.

We watched in horror, as instead of sneaking out, three deer bounded from the thicket. But in the classic Mule deer practice, they stopped after only a few hops to look back at the twelve year old threat they had perceived. Mrs. Coldboremiracle was way ahead of them, spotting their very first movements and calling it out. And now our target stood there, just his head, neck and shoulders in view. With his haunches towards us, most of his back was slightly obscured by brush. One more hop was all he needed to disappear and live another day, but the ARC was about to bark.

Success

The shot broke, and the 105 grain bullet was on its way across the 250 or so yards to its target. It struck him at the back of his ribcage, with a heading directly for his heart. As it passed behind the ribs, it travelled under the spine disconnecting large plumbing arteries along the way. Eventually it reached the lungs, imparting what energy was left there.

The handsome buck did a bit of a stagger upon impact, and a split second later I saw him roll his head and topple. Then all I saw was feet-antlers-feet-antlers as he disappeared down a very steep and thick brush covered hill.

We hugged with excitement as the last eight hours culminated to this moment. Everything had worked out as though perfectly planned. We descended to meet Santiago, where all three of us moved in to find the buck. With such a high in the torso impact, there was less blood than I’d anticipated. But the disturbed ground where he tumbled was as obvious as blood. We approached the downed buck with huge smiles and excitement, as we had worked so much to reach this point.

A Fitting End

For the first time we got a good look at his antlers, he was a legit 4 by 5 with nice eye guards if you are an eyeguard kind of guy. We couldn’t have been more happy with him. We set him more comfortably to admire him, and revered his handsome looks. All three of us were incredibly grateful, and we quietly acknowledged the blessing we had just been given.

her rifle uses a **US Optics** riflescope and Maxim **Suppressor**

It was still half a mile back to a location were we could extricate him, so I ended up dragging him through rocks, brush and eventually yellow dry June grass. As the three of us maxed out on exhaustion, and hunger, it was a perfect fitting end to a week of the same. Seeing the buck in the bed of the truck gave amazing satisfaction, something I couldn’t have imagined eight hours earlier miles away.

The satisfaction only grows now, as he hangs outside cooling in the cold October night. He and the other deer will become tasty steaks, burgers, sausage and other delicious meals to feed our family over the next year. Though my legs still ache, I can’t wait for the next opportunity to do it again. And together with family makes it all the more valuable.

-CBM

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A Junior Mule Deer Pro-Am

October 21, 2025huntingbrothers, Deer, deer hunting, hunting, mule deercoldboremiracle

Preface

Few things are more satisfying than watching your children grow up. As a hunter, the same thing can be said about watching your children grow into successful hunters. Some of you might have followed me long enough to have seen my son grow into a successful hunter. But today’s story is about both his latest and our youngest boy’s first deer hunting experience. Today’s exciting adventure is in jest; a junior Mule Deer pro-am.

The Pro

My Ridley has been hunting since he reached our state’s legal hunting age of 12. His very first year he managed to shoot both a Mule Deer and a cow elk using his little custom Remington 700 that I built for him that year. He must’ve inherited some shooting skill, because this kid has been a dead ringer from the start. His first deer was taken with a clean single shot at 490 yards, and his first elk from a touch further. He has repeatedly made some impressive shots over the years shooting nothing but that short little rifle. Whether it be shooting supported off a backpack at extremely high angles, or shooting an escaping deer bounding off through brush.

His rifle has always craved the same load, a simple one using PRVI 120 grain BTHP match bullets. Nestled over a load of Benchmark powder producing just shy of 2800FPS, this load has put a LOT of deer and elk meat in our freezer.

Junior first elk, ridley, elk, cow elk, — And his first elk 2016

The rifle has always used a small LPVO, which I have found easier for inexperienced marksmen to find targets. It currently has a US Optics 1-8 power scope on it, but it may be time for something with a little more magnification as Junior is inexperienced no longer.

The Amateur

Santiago on the other hand, is in his rookie year of big game hunting. He has shown even more interest in shooting and hunting than his older siblings. Add to that having grown up watching everybody else have success, his excitement and desire to hunt himself are at an all-time high as hunting season began this year.

He’s spent a lot of time behind a riflescope, accompanying me on countless shooting and hunting expeditions. Everything involving outdoors, guns and hunting seem to appeal to this young man. And with his first Mule Deer hunt approaching, he asked for extra opportunities to practice and sharpen his own shooting skills. And to be candid I have been impressed with both his passion and skill when it comes to shooting well.

howa, mini, 22 ARC, lucid optics, MLX, silencerco, omega 36m, suppressor, — hunting varmints has been good practice

For his rookie season, we chose the Browning X-Bolt 2. I typically start young shooters off with something a little lighter on recoil, but Santiago also drew a cow elk tag for later this winter. I wanted him to have and become proficient with a rifle that would do well for both elk and deer. This ruled out using some of the typically smaller caliber rifles we had in inventory. The 308 Winchester X-Bolt uses a Vector Optics 2-12×44 riflescope, tipped with a Banish Backcountry suppressor to keep things tolerable. He had spent a great deal of time learning how to use this combination, hoping to be ready when the time came.

Browning, x-bolt, x-bolt 2, x-bolt speed, 308 win, vector optics, continental, 2-12x44, banish backcountry suppresor, — Earlier this summer hard at practice

Sunrise

With the first signs of light peeking in the east, we found ourselves at the top of a Rocky Mountain ridge near 8500 feet above sea level. It had snowed up here a day or so prior, which still lingers in the high altitude freezing air temps. The hard frozen snow crunched under boots as we endured a strong wind cresting over the ridge.

We spotted a group of deer on a distant ridge below us, I was hoping to find something much closer based on historical experience. But after spending more time than I’d of liked looking, there were almost no other deer that were out braving the freezing wind with us. So in perhaps a hasty decision, I told the kids to grab their packs and gear so we could go after them. Besides the two boys, my Daughter Bria also came along. We decided to leave her rifle behind as we’d only seen two bucks in the group, and even if we’d seen more she could shoot one of the boy’s rifles. The rugged and steep pursuit demanded taking as little gear as possible.

The Stalk

Once we were dedicated to the stalk, we moved quickly. I knew we were making a descent that would be unpleasant to return from. But the sooner we got a deer on the ground it would be that much less ground we’d have to ascend on our return. Keeping the ridge between us and the group of deer, we moved fast and into the wind that still blew uphill into our faces.

deer hunting, mule deer, eberlestock, — shameless plug for my **Eberlestock Just One pack**, that made packing out a lot of deer comfortable

We closed the distance to 470 yards, where our cover ran out. Moving closer would have severely compromised our surreptitious approach, and the deer would have easily spotted us moving across the open sagebrush. We picked out a high perch, with room for both boys to setup their rifles. An added benefit to our approach was the sun rising directly behind us, which made it even harder for the deer to see us.

As Ridley looked through his riflescope, I ranged the deer again, trying to see where the buck stood among them. Ridley spotted him first, as I helped Santiago get in place. Ridley pronounced he was ready, and Santiago prepared to back him up should the deer try and escape.

Time to Kill

Ridley initially held 3 MRAD over the buck’s shoulder, who was quartering away to the left. His initial shot went right over the buck, who didn’t react. So he fired a second this time holding 2.5 MRAD, this shot landed perfectly hitting at the back of the buck’s ribcage and traversed the vital zone stopping just under the right shoulder. The buck jumped as he was hit, and bounded a few times before he piled up and slid down the steep hill.

The four of us celebrated in our triumph. But there was still another buck, who stepped out after the commotion of the first deer. The boys both quickly returned to their scopes, as we identified which of the deer was the remaining buck. After Santiago had found the buck, and identified him to both Ridley and I, the rookie was cleared hot for his first real kill shot.

The young buck stood broadside nearly five-hundred yards downhill from us, looking our way. With his rifle doped for the distance, and steady behind the rifle, Santiago announced he was ready and we all watched. The shot broke, and the buck jumped as though he had been hit. He lept uphill running across a flat area, my initial thought was he moved like an uninjured deer. But after about forty or so yards, he slowed and turned, before doing a faceplant into the snow. There he scrambled around for a moment trying to get back up, but he slid into a bed under the brush for one last time. Once again, we cheered and excitedly exchanged hugs and high-fives.

Double Recovery

All four of us found our way down the ridge, where we searched a moment for the second buck. He had fallen in some tall brush which made him harder to find. Once we’d found him, Santiago got to put hands on his first deer. Watching kids soak up the experience is great for a dad too.

We took a few pictures as the boys recounted what had happened, and discussed what they’d each seen as the events unfolded earlier. Santiago’s shot was placed perfectly, the broadside shot had hit the deer just behind his right shoulder, and came through the left shoulder. The 175 Sierra Match King X left an exit wound around three-inches in diameter, with bits of bone fragments coming out. We did some quick forensic analysis, then we hurried over to the edge of the ridge to find the first deer that Ridley had shot.

deer hunting, mule deer, kids, children, browning, x bolt 2, 308 win, vector optics 2-12x44, banish backcountry suppressor, — Santiago was shooting the **X-Bolt 2** chambered in 308 Winchester, shooting **Sierra 175 grain Match King X bullets**. Suppressed by a **Banish Backcountry titanium suppressor**

We had left the first deer for last, mainly because we knew he was dead as could be and had not moved since the shot. As we approached, we let Ridley make first connection. He was a handsome little buck, a 2×3 with some good eye-guards for a small deer. His antlers were heavier than we’d expected, so as you can imagine we were all happy as could be. After the initial inspection Ridley asked for a moment of quiet while we gave the handsome animal the respect he was due.

ridley, mule deer, deer, deer hunting, remington 700, .260 remington, cole tac, suppressed, — another notch in the stock for ‘ol meat-in-the-pot. A .260 Remington cut at 16″ with the **USO 1-8 scope**, and **YHM suppressor** covered by the **Cole-TAC Python suppressor cover**

Again we took a variety of photos, as the rest of the family hiked down to us to help. My brother and his daughter were a great addition, giving both help and praise. It was right about this point that the fun part ended, and the hard part began.

The trip back up the ridge to our vehicle would have been impossible without cutting up the deer. So we quartered them up, and pulled as much meat off of the carcass as possible, leaving it attached to the quarters to avoid contamination. These kids love deer burgers so I wanted to maximize the meat haul. All the kids would help as we cut large portions of meat off, they would lay the meat on clean patches of snow. After which they covered the meat with more snow to quickly cool the meat and keep it clean.

mule deer, deer, deer hunting, butcher, quartering, — my brother giving the boys instruction on field butchering

Everybody pitched in and helped with butchering both deer, as well as packing them back up the mountain. To this dad’s surprise, not a single complaint was heard hiking back up. Of course we were all tired, and everybody hurt, but nobody was whining and asking for someone else to carry their weight.

Conclusion

It’s a beautiful life that we get to share as a hunting family, and its not absent from my thoughts that I once dreamed of having the life I now get to live every day. Sharing great experiences like this one with my children are the crown jewel of my own adventures, and I cannot wait to do it again.

-CBM

deer hunting, mule deer, deer, browning, x bolt 2, — Santiago with his Mom

junior, ridley, mule deer, deer hunting,

The End of Hunting as we know it

December 7, 2024blog, huntinghunting, hunting future, hunting practicecoldboremiracle

Preface

Hunting is a way of life for many of us, and for some it is their very existence. Humans have always hunted these lands for survival, even today we feed ourselves with meat taken from the wild. But as our society has matured, practices and attitudes have changed, as have our needs. I see a conundrum before us as our own practices at times seem to bring upon us the end of hunting as we know it.

We didn’t leave much for the birds and coyotes after taking this bull elk

The Need for Hunting

Speaking on the need for hunting in North America, and particularly the US, hunting has become less about survival. While those involved still feel the same passion and excitement as the generations long before them, for many people it has been sterilized of its wild ancestry.

Many reasons for this homogenization of our cherished practice exist. At least in the lower 48, most hunting is still practiced because of tradition, and because it has become a money maker for state game agencies while helping complete their mandate to manage wildlife. Its not only the state profiting either, there are many land owners using their property to make money from hunting.

I am not suggesting there is anything wrong with it, as many game animals have greatly recovered populations because of hunters. Whether it be turkeys or Whitetail deer, the profitability and pleasure of hunting makes them valuable to us and therefor a priority.

A Hunting Conundrum

After many decades of profitability and game management it seems we are reaching a point none of us are going to like; Hunting opportunities are being effected by the popularity of our passion.

Everybody seeing the potential for getting a piece of the action wants to get involved. Whether it be a retailer seeing a new stream of revenue, or a suburban outdoorsman looking to source his own food. Hunting programs on television, printed media and even websites like the one you are reading have increased popularity of hunting, but as popularity goes up, so does the demand.

We all know what happens to costs when demand goes up. And you’re lucky if you haven’t seen it affect your hunting. More money in hunting has created an elite class that has grown exponentially over the past few decades. Both public and private hunting opportunities have been curtailed to favor the higher profit margins of those who can pay for it.

We try and spread our hunting opportunities wide, different species make that possible and more exciting

Additionally, as more and more folks join the rest of us due to popularity, what opportunities there are have to be spread ever thinner for everyone to have a good experience. And the alternative of not growing and recruiting new hunters is having our practice disappear entirely due to social pressure and anti-hunting zealots.

Compounding the Issue

Not only do we face the challenge of sharing our practice with more and more people, we have to do it on smaller and more compressed parcels of land. And technology is also playing a part. It wasn’t very long ago that most hunters wouldn’t even consider shooting a big game animal beyond five-hundred yards. But again, the market has provided us with new and better tools to where shooting animals out to even a thousand yards is quite doable.

To put it simply, there are more and more hunters every year, and we are getting more and more efficient at killing game because of technology and our numbers. Better rifles and other things like thermal and night vision optics as well as sound suppressors have all given us more of an edge. With such a large population and effective tools, it doesn’t take much to upset the balance we’ve had for decades.

In my home state for example, a popular location for hunters and dedicated shooters, we have seen a reduction in numbers of animals and hunting opportunities. There is plenty of blame to go around, especially at the feet of our wildlife agency and their budget aspirations. But one or two bad winters in a row has crushed the populations of game animals, right when so many have found their passion as a hunter. Huge swings in hunting success and experiences have resulted. This conundrum seems like it will only be compounded in years to come.

Resolution

In my mind there must be some kind of balance struck. Hunting opportunities will continue to dwindle as land becomes more restricted, and more people join the fold. And unless you are one of the wealthy who can pay for what hunts there are, you will have to settle for what you can get. I’ve spent the last few decades sharpening my skills in hopes of outshooting my competition on the mountain. But even that practice will soon be eclipsed.

Every season there is a generation of new hunters, and fewer of the older generation. Which means as a group we have to figure it out while balancing our numbers and educating newcomers.

deer hunting — Passing along our hunting practices to children should be cherished

My Conclusion

I believe that like any free market, the hunting market will eventually find some balance. But we as a hunting population may not like where the balance is struck. And for that reason, and on behalf of our children’s generation and those that follow, we need to do some self policing. That might be sacrificing some hunting opportunity for some of us, or changing some rules of engagement.

In my humble opinion, I would always prefer more hunting opportunity over the trophy aspect of hunting. I would rather have the opportunity to take my family hunting every year, even if that means we are only likely to get something less spectacular. Versus going every few years hoping to get something bigger.

Regardless of our opinions, we as a hunting community need to start looking closely at what game agencies and governments are doing more closely. And come together to ensure that our land access and future hunting practice isn’t wiped out.

-CBM

Mule Deer Dualism: A Deer Hunting Experience

October 27, 2024huntingdeer hunting, hunting, mule deercoldboremiracle

Preface

We’ve all experienced feast and famine during deer hunting trips, which usually results in either bounty or bust. But it is almost always a great adventure. In the fall of 2024, my hunting group and I experienced some of both. And today I’ll share the story with you about Mule deer dualism, or the contrast between what is and what can be while hunting them.

Fall 2024

Its been a rough few years hunting here in my home state of Utah, after some very significant winters our deer population has suffered. Utah is an interesting state, filled with natural beauty and wild lands. And every fall it is filled with thousands of excited hunters looking to shoot a Mule deer buck. Even under normal conditions, it can be challenging to hunt these public lands with so many others. But when the deer population dwindles to something like forty-percent of normal, it can be downright depressing for hunting fanatics like me.

I’ve been hunting the same mountains and canyons for my entire adult life, the same mountains my father, grandfather and great-grandfather hunted before me. So I am pretty familiar with the habits of the game animals that share this mountain home. Even so, it isn’t uncommon for them to be always there except for the times you want them to be.

With some optimism, my friends and family started the annual deer hunt hoping for the best. Knowing that the numbers were against us, but also with the knowledge of how quickly things can change.

First Light

As the sun came up the first day of the hunt, two of my kids and I, in a hurried crouch made our way to the edge of a ridge. We’d spotted a pair of bucks feeding on the frosted brush. Later that day I would be astonished with how few deer we would see compared to normal. But at that moment I was too focused to think about anything else.

bergara crest carbon 308 win, mule deer — the first deer taken by my son using the **Bergara Crest Carbon 308Win** with the **Athlon Heras 6-24×50**

We snuck into a shooting position, and my son Leo rested his rifle on my field tripod to keep the line of sight over the brush. We waited for the two bucks to separate enough to shoot, and he cracked a perfect shot through the boiler room. The buck left a blood trail even Stevie Wonder could have followed, leading us to the first prize of the week. We celebrated our success for a while as the warm sunlight brought sensation back to our faces and fingers.

mule deer, cleaning — my kids gutting a deer as a team

More than a day later I returned to the same area with a friend and his sons. Now several days into hunting season, we had all become quite aware of the reduction in deer presence. In fact, it was downright depressing how few deer we were seeing compared to normal years. With little opportunity that morning, I was considering going back home. But things would change quickly for us.

The Developing Duo

We had seen a few scattered groups of does, but nothing promising any bones or trophies. Just as I was about to throw in the towel, a fresh deer was spotted. And a cursory look at it suggested he was worth more investigation. I wasn’t thrilled with his location, as it would surely mean hours of grueling work to extricate him after an equally grueling hike to get close. After closing the distance some, we found that the buck wasn’t alone. And the two of them stood in the open begging for our attention.

We hastily made our way from one point to another, before nearly running down a trail to close the distance to 500 yards. Our pace was required as the two deer were slowly working over the ridge into a deep canyon where we’d never see or find them again. With little time to spare, we approached a rock that would offer and ideal shooting position. The sun had just reached the deer, which gave us an even better view of them. As we all peered through binoculars I suggested the left one was the bigger buck, to which the others confirmed. I again confirmed the distance at right around 500 yards, and dialed the 1.7 MRAD into the scope of my PVA Modus 6.5 PRC rifle.

The two bucks stood a few yards from each other, looking into the morning sun. Perhaps satisfied with having given some other hunters the slip, but not knowing the heat that was currently pointed their way.

Time to Shoot

I ran the bolt in my rifle to chamber a round, my custom handloads using 129 grain PVA Cayuga solid copper bullets. And I settled the crosshair on the distant grey shape, adjusting the scope for perfect clarity.

patriot valley arms modus 6.5 PRC — we’ve already killed quite a few animals with this rifle, suppressed by **Banish Suppressor**

Everything felt just right, so I decided to pull the trigger, sending the sizzle of the 6.5 PRC. The bullet impacted just behind the left shoulder, and exited on the opposite side of the deer. He dropped immediately and sprawled his way uncontrolled down the steep slope. Watching him for a a few seconds it was clear that he was done, my friend Nate pointed out that the second buck simply stood there watching as his partner succumb to the shot. I was surprised as I looked back through the scope and saw the second buck still standing there looking confused.

I slid out from behind the rifle, and motioned one of the boys to get behind it. Carson shouldered the rifle and we chambered another round, as he located the buck through the scope. Once he steadied the rifle on the buck, we all went back to our binoculars. The next shot broke and hit the second buck square behind the shoulder as well, his entire body rippling with the impact. He jumped forward bouncing into thick brush over the hill.

mule deer, Patriot Valley Arms Modus rifle, 6.5 PRC, US Optics TXH 3-18x50

The excitement had consumed us all at this point and we exchanged hugs and shoulder punches. After which we hurried down the mountain towards our prize. As we hiked, we discussed the incredible improbability that with so few deer, and almost nothing of any size, we were profoundly lucky to be there.

mule deer, PVA Modus rifle, 6.5PRC, us optics txh 3-18x50 — the **US Optics TXH 3-18×50** scope made an excellent companion to the **PVA Modus rifle**

Recovery

Our excitement continued to peak as we walked up on the downed bucks. While they might not make the cover of a magazine, they were for sure the best two bucks we had or would see during the hunt.

We gave them the reverence they deserved, and admired their beauty. We of course snapped some photos to save the memory, before starting into the hard work. With a long ways to go back to the road, we decided to bone out the deer. Cutting all the flesh from the bones to save wasted effort, then hanging the meat in the cold breeze to cool it off as quick as possible.

mule deer, wound, 129 Cayuga bullet — The offside exit wound of the **129 Cayuga copper bullet**

It took most of the morning and afternoon to get everything done and make our way back to the vehicle. It was an exhausting effort that felt fantastic once I was sitting in my truck.

The Duality

Every year I am surprised by how mule deer can seem to be everywhere and nowhere at the same time. How they can stand out flagrantly at one moment, then shift into the shadows and disappear when they choose.

And yet despite the massive reduction in our deer population, we were still able to have great success. During the week I saw very few hunters besides ourselves, and of the ones I saw nobody seemed to have brought home anything.

The glaring disparity between my expectations and results are as significant as the silence in these mountains. While I am thankful for our success, I am concerned for the future. I hope the reduction in permits helps improve our deer population.

Final Thoughts

There are many contrasting phenomenon when it comes to hunting Mule deer, I think I like most of them. As I rest my weary legs here at home, I am incredibly thankful for our opportunities. Doubling up on a duo like these two as part of a successful week of deer hunting makes it an even sweeter success. I can’t wait for our next hunting adventure.

-CBM

Building Long-Range Hunting Skill

September 7, 2024huntinglong range hunting, long-rangecoldboremiracle

Preface

Long-range shooting has become extremely popular in the last few decades. More and more people continue to join the folds of precision rifle shooters, pushed forward by marketing campaigns from every rifle manufacturer out there. Long-range shooting has infiltrated many activities, but perhaps none as controversial as hunting. With so much activity in this practice, I figured it was a good idea to discuss building long-range hunting skills.

A good rifle like this **Tikka T3** is important if you plan to shoot far

Every gun manufacturer out there seems to have at least one long-range model now. What used to require a huge investment in time and money, can now be purchased at your local Sportsman’s Warehouse. When I started out in precision rifle shooting, the only way you could get a suitable rifle was to build it. But today you can get pretty impressive results from common names like Ruger or Savage.

many modern rifles are both inexpensive and useful for long-range shooting, like this **Mossberg Patriot**

This lowering of the entry requirements has caused the general hunting public to run a train on the long-range shooting and hunting scene. And for those who wish to do it well, and as ethically as possible, it will still require some dedication the same as it always has.

The Why

If you hunt long enough, you will see animals go unrecovered. We have all seen someone either through negligence or no fault of their own make a poor shot, that ended up in loss of the target animal.

I used to think that most (surely not all) long-range hunters were better than the average hunter when it came to ensuring recovery of their animal. Mainly because the dedication and effort required to hunt like that typically resulted in some serious diligence and practice. Conversely, the numbers of non-long-range hunters who simply pulled out their daddies rifle once a year to plug a deer on the back end of their property might not be so diligent. And there are significantly more casual hunters than dedicated hunters out there.

I practice extensively with my Desert Tech SRS M2, and it pays off every year

As technology has allowed lower and lower costs to get into the long-range game, it seems more and more folks are following the trend. I don’t mean to disparage some of these people, but there is no doubt a number of them who buy into the marketing and thinking their purchase has made them ready. Essentially its the “now I’m a sniper” platitude.

Most of us want to hunt ethically. So in the interest of helping those who might be new to long-range hunting, I have gathered my thoughts to give you at least a starting point to building long-range hunting skill.

this **Steiner T6i scope** makes a fine long-range hunting optic

The How

There is no substitute for practice, things like dry-fire and other activities are helpful. But when it comes to judging distances, wind trends and the other conditions necessary to be an effective long-range hunter, you need real world practice. I make no claim to be a particularly exceptional shooter, but this is how I have practiced and built a skillset that I think most would find useful.

I spend a lot of time in the mountains where I also hunt in the spring and fall. In order to hone my shooting skills I spend my time there both observing and engaging with the landscape. Every morning the wind comes down these canyons, and in the afternoons it goes back up.

adding a suppressor to your hunt also helps increase your odds, read about that **here**

On any given day I will practice by picking out random targets that closely mimic what I would see during a hunt. I pick out small targets, smaller than a deer’s kill zone for example, usually a small rock surrounded by dirt. And I pick them out in places where a deer might appear, and not always in an easy and comfortable position to engage. The range to these targets varies every time, depending on conditions and what I choose to practice on.

picking out targets across a long draw through this **Kahles 318i**

The whole idea is to present myself with a challenge every time, I evaluate each target as though it were an animal. I evaluate the range to the target, the angle at which I am shooting and the wind conditions between me and the target. Using the ballistic app on my phone, any other information I have as well as known data from previous engagements I come up with a firing solution. And after thinking long and hard about it, and making adjustments, I fire a single shot.

Making sure I followed all the best practices with breathing, trigger pull etc. I usually get a really good idea, based on my point of impact from that shot, whether I’d of gotten a deer, elk, or otherwise. Sometimes you miss by a little, other times you center punch the target. This practice also teaches you to shoot in such a way as to spot your own shots. Which is incredibly valuable if you are going to be any good. You must be able to spot a hit or miss to evaluate your tactics.

I would then move, hiking to a new location, and start over again. Following this practice over and over, creating realistic hunting scenarios is excellent for sharpening your skills. And the more you do it, the more common first round hits will come.

The Where

I would repeat the process wherever I might hunt. Whether that be at 9,000 feet high in the Rocky Mountains, or at 2300 feet in the parched desert badlands. Different density altitudes will greatly change the performance of your rifle, so if you are going from Oklahoma to Montana you will need to acclimate both yourself and the rifle to the change.

putting together a long-range rifle can be a fun experience, **here is how I do it**

I always like to get out and shoot a bit when I’m in new territory. Getting in more practice can only improve your odds of making a good shot. And changing up the variables of where you shoot will help you build a knowledge base of basic changes and how they affect you and your rifle.

The goal of these practices should be making that first shot as close to perfect as you can. After all, the first shot is worth all the rest. If you mess up the first shot, you may never get the second shot that would have been perfect.

this antelope fell to a well placed shot from 500+ yards from this **6mm ARC**

Conclusion

Repeating the process outlined here, has helped me refine my shooting skills. Make sure that if you are not hitting where you intend to, understand why. If you don’t know why you are missing, you are just wasting ammo. Figure out why you missed, and how you could have corrected or anticipated it. Or if its even possible you could have anticipated it, which sometimes is the case. Thats why its called hunting. But don’t let your lack of effort and practice be the excuse for such a miss.

-CBM

Preparing Your Deer Rifles for the Season

July 30, 2024huntingdeer hunting, Riflecoldboremiracle

Preface

As deer season rapidly approaches, many of us will be dusting off the ol’ deer rifle. Others of us will simply move our deer rifle to the front of that week’s rotation. Whether you take deer season easy or deathly serious, today we are going to go over preparing your deer rifles and a few tips that will help ensure your hunting rifle is ready for the hunt.

savage impulse — make sure your rifle is ready for the hunt, this **Savage** was kitted with a bipod and Primary Arms rifle Scope

Condition

Depending on your shooting practice, you might be quite familiar with your deer rifle. But many folks only shoot them a few times a year, making them perhaps a little more foreign than their daily plinker. And those that subscribe to big magnums might shoot their rifles even less due to recoil and ammunition costs.

find the right ammunition that best works in your gun, this **Mossberg Patriot** had an appetite for **Hornady**

There could also be any number of other reasons that you or your rifle aren’t in prime condition. Now is the time to figure out what those reasons are and overcome them to ensure everything works when you need it.

Some hunts are close to home, and others can be long road trips away. The cost of some of these hunts can be high, so ensuring that you have everything you need long before is a good idea for both success and getting your money’s worth.

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Practice is an important part of preparing your deer rifles. If possible, practice shooting your gun in comparable conditions and distances to your intended hunt. Use the ammunition you intend to shoot on your hunt. This will improve your skill and familiarity with your setup, as well as allow you to find any potential issues before the hunt starts.

deer hunting, howa mini, 6mm ARC, — Lots of practice with this **Howa Mini** put some meat in the freezer

deer hunting, remington 700 — Junior took this little buck with his seasoned Remington rifle, he’s put up a lot of venison with an **8X US Optics scope**

Bergara HMR Carbon, Lucid MLX Riflescope — This **Bergara HMR Carbon** was prepped with a **Lucid Optics scope**, and **suppressor**

Varmint Hunting Makes Better Hunters and Shooters

July 2, 2024blog, huntinghunting, varmintcoldboremiracle

Preface

Even decades ago, it seemed that varmint hunters had an insatiable taste for accuracy. Very precise and accurate shots are needed when you are after small targets like squirrels and prairie dogs. My old gunsmith used to tell me that when they’d shoot the little sod poodles inside five-hundred yards it had to be a headshot or they wouldn’t count it.

Varmint hunting, Desert Tech MDRX — I’ve smoked quite a few prairie dogs with my MDRX, seen here with the **US Optics FDN17X**

But can the competitive sport of shooting varmints make you a better shooter? In my experience, I think varmint hunting makes better shooters out of all of us. And that alone is good enough reason to engage in the practice.

Shooting Varmints

Varmints are typically small animals mostly of the rodent species or similar. Things like squirrels, ground hogs, and such. These varmints are often pests, and many folks enjoy eradicating them as a pass time. If you have a problem with that, perhaps knitting is a better fit for you.

ruger m77 220 swift — Varmint rifles and precision rifles share many traits, making them excellent marksman rifles. This is my Fathers **Ruger M77**

Personally I enjoy hunting marmots and prairie dogs. Marmots often provide a cunning opposition, requiring some level of stealth and strategy. The country where I hunt them is the exact same territory we hunt deer and elk in, so it doubles as exercise and reconnaissance in addition to a fun hunt. And the size of marmots (typically between 5-10 pounds) requires some degree of accurate shooting. Even deer cartridges have not acutely incapacitated a few of our marmots, so making a good shot is important.

Prairie dogs on the other hand, are much smaller animals. The pound or so they weigh is filled with small bones and lots of flesh. Their smaller size makes them a tougher target, but it also makes it a little more obvious when one is hit. The terrain they thrive in is usually flat, which draws its own challenges when ranging targets, and understanding the lay of the land. Additionally the smaller centerfire cartridges used to shoot them are more affordable to shoot.

desert tech WLVRN 5.56 — This marmot fell to me and my **Desert Tech WLVRN**, thats a **Lucid MLX scope** and **YHM suppressor**

Improving your Skillset

You may have imagined by this point how these hunting practices might make you a better shot. While an escaping prairie dog might not be the end of the world, it adds a competitive angle. As well as an opponent in the cat and mouse game. Simply having an opponent with a mind of its own automatically adds a level of challenge compared to simply shooting targets.

The sportier side of this cat and mouse game is further sharpened by the small target. Your need to make an accurate shot is paramount to your prey not escaping. The level of accuracy required to engage something like a marmot or prairie dog at ranges as far as five or six-hundred yards is demanding. And when you add the complexity of moving targets, measuring the distance to the target, and switchy winds either on the prairie or alpine forest, it gets pretty challenging.

bergara HMR 6.5 creedmoor — Varmint hunting with my deer rifle gets me more practice, this Bergara HMR took a few marmots

While these micro-hunts might not compare to the big Mule Deer hunt you’ve got planned, it is every bit as educational. A typical scenario from one of my marmot hunts might entail spotting a target from as far as half a mile or so away. It takes good spotting practice to pick out a perched chuck laying among a rock-pile. Once you find one, the effort of sneaking into a comfortable shooting distance may require a level of stalking comparable to big game. The sharp eyes of these little critters don’t miss much. And if they see you within their safe-zone, they disappear before you can even get on your scope. Once you’ve closed the distance, and used the land to keep out of sight, its time to dope for the shot and conditions. Long shots often require offsetting for wind, and considering other ambient changes.

prairie dog hunt, — My **Desert Tech SRS M2** has excellent accuracy, making one great shot after another on these PD’s

All this leads up to you taking one shot, a shot you likely wont get to followup on. So it’s with great anticipation and forethought each shot is taken. The beauty of varmint hunting is that typically you’ll get lot of chances to screw up and learn. With a kill zone about the size of a softball, practice is your ally.

Lessons and takeaways

The very things that will make you a better shot and a seasoned hunter are all in the scenario above. Mainly the following:

Honing your spotting skills
Rapidly coming up with a firing solution
Adapting to ambient conditions like wind, altitude and angles
Making every shot count (accuracy)
Keeping out of sight, or at least a minimal profile
Anticipating the moves of your prey

And perhaps the most important thing is the ability to repeat this process over and over, until you excel at it. And once you do, you will find yourself improving. And with any luck, it will make you a much better shooter and hunter all around. If you are proficient at quickly finding, ranging and engaging targets that are no bigger than a squirrel or ground hog, then doing the same on something like a deer or hog will be even easier.

25 creedmoor, 6 ARC, Howa Mini — Both of these rifle have done double duty on varmints and big game. Up front is the **Howa Mini 6ARC**, and in the back is my Tikka T3 in 25 Creedmoor

If you haven’t tried varmint hunting, let this be your invitation. Its a fun way to get better at shooting, and a great introduction to hunting in general if you are new to it. Its also a fun way to nerd out over gear and equipment, which is also becoming popular in the gun community. Let us know your favorite way to hunt varmints in the comments below.

-CBM

Aim Small, Miss Small: Getting the Most Out of Your Target Practice

June 11, 2024blog, huntingaim small, aimpointcoldboremiracle

Introduction

We’ve all heard the adage Aim small, miss small, it’s become more and more common as precision shooting has grown. It’s a simple idea, the smaller the target you shoot at, the smaller your margin of error. Getting the most out of your target practice can be done by using smaller and more precise aiming points.

For example, shooting paper plates to check your rifle before a hunt has long been the practice of American hunters. But if you ask me, it’s a bit sloppy and I’ll explain why. If you aim for a paper plate, you either hit it or you don’t. But if you aim for a small dot in the center of the plate, you might miss the dot but you won’t likely miss the whole plate.

Practice Makes Perfect

Most of the shooting we do could be summed up as practice, the amount of shots that “count for points” are far fewer. If you are a competition shooter, you probably fire thousands of rounds a year so that in any given competition the two hundred or so rounds all go where you want them to.

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Practice helped clear this stage of the Hornady Precision Rifle challenge with my **Desert Tech SRS**

mule deer precision rifle — refining your aim, will make more precise shots in the field, a good scope like the **Vortex Razor** surely helps

One of the reasons I love steel targets so much is that it’s so easy to tell if you hit or miss.