As featured on Huntin’ Fool, Seth Craft details how he may have shattered the Colorado state record for a mule deer taken with a bow.
In his own words; “It was about the work, the grit, and the connection to the wild… the monarch wasn’t just a trophy, it was the ultimate culmination of perseverance, skill, and respect for the mountains”.
Keep reading to learn more:
committed to the hunt
The mountain air was sharp and cold as I adjusted the hood of my Sitka camo and scanned the high alpine terrain. I crouched low in the grass, bow resting steady in my hand. My Mathews Lift was dialed in, an Easton Full Metal Jacket arrow tipped with a Beast broadhead nocked and ready.
The weeks of hard work had come down to this moment. It all started in early July when my team and I received the first trail cam photo of the buck.
The picture was enough to stop any bowhunter in their tracks – a massive, clean-typical mule deer, antlers rising tall and wide with incredible symmetry. A true monarch of the mountains.
From that moment, I committed to the hunt, spending endless days scouting and learning every inch of the terrain the buck called home.
In Position
By mid-August, the buck disappeared. For weeks, I searched, glassing ridge after ridge, turning over every rock, and covering miles of unforgiving country.
With no sign of the deer, I began to think the worst. Then, the evening before opening day, as the last light faded over the ridge-line, I spotted him. The monarch had returned. He was alive and moving, his towering antlers unmistakable even in the dim light. The sight of the buck reignited my focus.
Before dawn the next morning, I was in position, tucked into the shadow of the rolling terrain, my heart pounding with anticipation. The minutes stretched into hours as the sunlight crept higher, and then I saw him.
Shattering The Record
At 30 yards, the buck paused. The wind was perfect, and the moment of truth had arrived. Drawing my Mathews Lift, I settled the pin just behind the shoulder and released.
The arrow flew true, striking with a solid thwack. The buck bolted but slowed within seconds, stumbling and dropping in the high grass.
I approached the downed buck with reverence, the magnitude of the moment settling in. The rack was everything the trail cam photo promised and more – 226 inches of typical perfection, potentially shattering the Colorado state record for a mule deer taken with a bow (*pending confirmation).
The Hunt of a Lifetime
It was the hunt-of-a-lifetime, not just for the size of the animal but for the journey it took to get there.
For me, a lifetime bowhunter and part of the M4 Ranch Group team, it was about more than the score. It was about the work, the grit, and the connection to the wild.
The monarch wasn’t just a trophy, it was the ultimate culmination of perseverance, skill, and respect for the mountains.
For bowhunters like me, this is what it’s all about.
Author: Seth Craft
Seth grew up chasing elk and deer in the Cascades of Oregon. A hugely accomplished big game hunter, Seth has a passion for sheep, mule deer, and elk. A Colorado guide for Mossback Outfitters, he knows big deer and spends a lot of the fall searching for Monster Mule Deer.
In early 2000 he joined the Marine Corps at an early age of 17 and finished out the remainder of his time in a Close Quarter Battle team. Seth also worked as a Lineman for thirteen years, part of that time was spent doing storm work along the west coast.
He has become one of the top producers of premier properties in Colorado, Wyoming, and New Mexico. Recognized multiple times by the REALTORS Land Institute (RLI), the leading association for the land industry. Seth’s recognitions include being among the top 5% in production for land REALTORS across the entire country with an average of 50 premier ranch sales a year for the last 4 years. Most recently, Seth was recognized as a Top 20 National Producer, as well as, Region 6 (AZ, CO, NM, UT, WY) Broker of the Year in Recreational Land Sales. Seth serves on the Future Leaders Committee for RLI.
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Expert Advice from M4 Ranch Group
Seth and the M4 Ranch Group, specialize in helping buyers find and purchase ranches, recreational properties, and investment land across the Rocky Mountains.
View our Colorado Ranches For Sale, New Mexico Ranches For Sale and Wyoming Ranches For Sale
And Contact Us to Learn More
A Sample of Ranches For Sale
Endless Creeks Ranch
$19,900,000
Endless Creeks Ranch is a remarkable property spanning 5,709.3± deeded acres. With an extensive water supply, diverse wildlife, and direct access to public lands, this property offers a rare opportunity for hunters and ranchers alike. Includes 1.25± miles of year-round Ault Creek and 2± miles of West Muddy Creek, with historic water rights of 12.25± c.f.s.
Arrowhead Ranch
$14,750,000
Arrowhead Ranch is an outdoorsman’s paradise with five magnificent Heritage Ranches that can be bought individually or as a whole. Superbly located in Central Colorado, Arrowhead is ideal for ranchers, outdoor enthusiasts, anglers, and hunters alike. Nearly seven miles of trout stream meander through the idyllic grassland plateau with picturesque snow-capped peaks surrounding you.
Grand Mesa Ranch
$14,500,000
Grand Mesa Ranch is one of the most unique, private, and scenic properties in the North Fork area – Located in Hotchkiss, Colorado. This ranch contains 4,338± acres within GMU 52 & 521 and is allotted landowner Elk & Mule Deer Tags. There is water abound with water rights, ponds, lakes, a reservoir, and live water.
