#17 MIKE HATTAWAY Top 100 Santa Rosa Island Mule Deer Bucks
#17 MIKE HATTAWAY Top 100 Santa Rosa Island Mule Deer Bucks
This is Mike's 3rd and final entry into SRI's Top 100. "Slippers" was one lucky man. He never got too excited, he never seemed to be in a hurry, he just did things at his speed, and that attitude worked well for him on SRI. It might even be said that he was lucky that this buck was even alive when he arrived on the Island. A month and a half earlier, Jack Elkins totally wiffed on this buck. Jack was a great shot with his .30-378 but it always seemed that he would send a flyer on his first shot every year he came. If Mike would be called laid back, well Jack was just the opposite. He was always energized, to a fault at times. In this case, Mike's approach won out. If I saw this buck on a ridge, I think I would get jolt and have a tough time holding the rifle steady!!! Never a problem for Mike. The country this buck lived in was fairly open. How did he survive so long in such visible country? These darn bucks knew their territory so well that they had figured out how to limit their exposure to us humans. Knowing guide Tim's take on this, he would verify that Mike's success was due to his incredible prowess as a guide. Have we ever mentioned that Tim is from Texas? Enough said.
This buck really has it all. It's over 30" (31.5"), it has great mass, has a great frame, has matching, big eyeguards, and is an 8x5. To top it off, it has a beautiful cape. Sometimes these bucks would have kinda muddy looking capes. This buck has really nice coloration on his face. Though I haven't seen a photo of this buck on the wall, I bet it looks magnificent.
Congratulations Mike, you shot a trophy (actually 3) of a lifetime with MUM on Santa Rosa Island!
