Going Public

When Parrey Cremeans headed out on a do-it-yourself Nevada mule deer hunt, he did so as a solo hunter. Cremeans was up for the challenge, and with an early season starting in August, he laced up his boots and set out to find a big, mature, velvet-racked buck.

- Brad Fenson

Nevada Muley Buck

Having pulled a tag in Special Draw Unit 222, Cremeans practiced with his Bowtech Carbon Knight bow equipped with a Spot-Hogg sevenpin sight. Seven pins may sound excessive, but on a western hunt, with lots of open country, Cremeans wanted to be prepared for any opportunity. He could shoot beyond 100 yards with consistency and was confident in his abilities.

The early bow season meant bucks were still in velvet. Being in Nevada during the last of the summer months meant a hot and windy situation that challenged the hunter physically and mentally. The dry, noisy conditions made stalking closely very difficult, but he carried on with determination.

The bow hunter had been given some tips on hot spots from good friend Trevor Marks of Bull Ridge Guide Service, which put Cremeans on mule deer right away. He packed a Swarovski 10x40 ELR binocular and a Swarovski 20-60x 85mm spotting scope, which was the key to finding deer in the rugged country. Cremeans had spent time scouting his area, but once he started hunting, he found a good buck he had never seen before. It was the third day of the hunt, but it would still be several days before he tried to get in close to the 4x4. He watched this buck for four days before deciding to go after it.