Trent Sonsalla, who goes by sdmuleybuck in the MonsterMuleys.com talk forums, shared with us the following............

"Great Badlands Buck -
After a number of close calls on some really nice bucks I was finally able to kill a great buck with my bow.

Wednesday morning started off with some real thick fog and the visibility was terrible. As the fog started to lift I spotted some deer on a distant ridge. I could tell there was a good buck with a few does feeding on top of the ridge. I decided to close the distance on them but they kept moving further and further away and the buck eventually split from the does and kept traveling and I could not keep up with him.

A couple hours had passed and I spotted four does and a big buck feeding below a steep plateau. I moved in on them but was busted from 600 yards. They slowly worked their way up the plateau. I figured that I would climb the backside of the plateau and see if maybe they bedded on the backside. Low and behold the big buck was bedded just below the top of the plateau on the backside.

The wind was perfect for the stalk, I got to within 200yds and took my pack off. Thirty minutes later I found my self at the edge of the plateau thinking I'm going to get a chance this might actually work. I range a couple different spots just incase I spooked the buck and he stops on the hill side. Inching a little closer I could finally see him. I tried to range him but the grass was in my way. I ranged the hill side beside him and added five yards to it thinking he was a little further. After a little while he stood up giving me a perfect broadside shot. With my heart pounding and my arms shaking I drew back my bow settled the pin behind his shoulder and let go watching my arrow sail right over his back. Thinking it was over I just sat there in disbelief. Instead of blowing out he just moved a little ways and stopped broadside again. Wow he's giving me a second chance I thought and quickly guestimated the yardage and again right over his back I'm not sure but it might of been buck fever. Now its over for sure I thought. Then the darn buck just bounded a few bounds and stopped on the exact spot I had ranged earlier. Holy cows this is just crazy!! I pulled back and settled the pin right behind his shoulder, hit the release the third time and smacked him good. He let out a squeal headed down hill like a bullet, did a cartwheel got back up did another cartwheel and then proceeded to the bottom of a ravine and was out for the count. I cant believe what just happened I just killed the biggest archery buck of my life and it gave me three tries.

This deer is the largest archery buck I have ever killed and my first 30" buck. It was a great season and had lots of fun chasing muleys in the badlands."