November 2025
STORY BY: MIKE SWANSON
Utah Mule Deer | The Utah Paunsaugunt: Everything I Dreamed of and More
Sometimes a hunt presents itself in the most unexpected way and time. My wife and two sons have had multiple opportunities to grow our love for hunting over time, hunting a wide variety of species and hunting in a variety of states beyond our beloved Colorado. My hunting journey began hunting for elk and deer in Colorado with my dad and brothers. I hunted on weekends because I was in sports in high school, and then in college, weekend hunts were few and far between.
When my wife and I were young parents, we vowed we would become a hunting family. As young parents with two young sons, our hunting budget was slim, yet we always found a way to take our sons along with us. Sure enough, over time, our sons developed their love for hunting along with their expertise as hunters. Not every family can boast they have 11 bighorn sheep from four different states in the western United States. Thankfully, over time, we have been blessed to be able to hunt throughout the western United States, and Utah was always a state high on our list. As a result, we steadfastly applied for hunting in Utah for decades.
Last spring, after 27 years of applying for a mule deer hunt in Utah, it was sweet to check my results for Utah and discover I had finally drawn a mule deer hunt. However, waiting 27 years to hunt the Paunsaugunt, an area I always read about, dreamed about, and now the opportunity was mine, felt a little bittersweet. I was wishing I was 27 years younger and more capable to hunt. Preference points create opportunities, yet they are laced with unintended consequences.
Excitedly, I immediately contacted Huntin’ Fool to secure an outfitter and guide. I’ve been a member with Huntin’ Fool from its inception. Many of you early members can remember when their “magazine” was a set of stapled papers with insights about hunting that intrigued and interested me. I immediately felt a sense of confidence and calm after talking with Huntin’ Fool, along with excitement for my late October mule deer hunt. At last, I would be hunting the Paunsaugunt. Its allure awaited me! This meant I needed to be prepared in every way possible – physically, mentally, and a lot of time at the rifle range.
Again, our family was blessed with special opportunities to hunt. My wife, Cathy, had drawn a coveted Colorado bull moose license for a special unit in early October. Together, we had a collective goal of a big Colorado bull moose and a great Utah mule deer.
Summer evaporated quickly as we worked together to prepare in every way for our two special hunts. Sure enough, Cathy connected with a great bull moose in early October. We were both elated over her success, and our freezer was quickly filling with loads of amazing meat. It’s not every day you get to fill the freezer shelves with this special meat. Our grandkids were excited and readily approved of eating moose burgers.
It wasn’t long before I was headed west and south to hunt with my outfitter, Doyle Moss, and guide Cliff Norris. The drive was scenic, and the weather cooperated as I travelled west going over the Continental Divide. Fall weather can be capricious in the Colorado Rockies. Crossing into Utah and then onto Highway 89, it was a beautiful and historic drive. Butch Cassidy’s home and movie set were an unexpected plus. The terrain and colors were striking. The accommodations at the Red Canyon Cabins were just perfect.
I was provided with a great outfitter and guide. Their knowledge and expertise added to my experience in the Paunsaugunt. Doyle had recommended I arrive later as it was a migration hunt. Unfortunately, the weather didn’t cooperate, and it was unusually warm. I was grateful to have such a knowledgeable guide in Cliff as the complexity of roads in the unit were astounding. Cliff was especially skilled in finding the deer. He knew where to look and always found them, even after I had exhausted all the possibilities as I glassed for deer. Then when we decided on the buck I wanted to harvest after several days of thoroughly exhausting all possibilities and passing up several bucks, I don’t know who got more excited when I got the mule deer, Cliff or me! His excitement added a special dimension to my hunt. He was genuinely excited for me. He went above and beyond to assure I would have great field photos. The terrain and colors in Southern Utah are certainly unique. Waiting the amount of time I did to have this opportunity provided me with the opportunity for a special hunting experience and the experience to hunt with quality people like Doyle and Cliff. Cliff was fun and a hard worker, and he wanted the very best outcome for his hunters. He is passionate about hunting and wanted me to have the very best experience. Doyle and Cliff created the opportunities for me to assess the buck I wanted to harvest.
The warm weather worked against us as my hunt historically is a migration hunt. However, because of their persistence, expertise, and investment in my success, I harvested a quality mule deer buck in a unique and special environment. Over and again, we had the opportunity to interact with other hunters, guided by Doyle, in pursuit of a quality mule deer buck in Southcentral Utah.
Throughout my hunting career and all the states I’ve hunted in, I’ve had the privilege of continued friendships that have lasted decades. Know that this hunt had those same outcomes. Hunting provides opportunities to forge special and enduring relationships with quality people. So is the case of a lifelong friend of our family. Our friend, Gary, was a friend of all of our family members, and he certainly left his mark on both my wife and me and our two sons. Gary shared our passion for hunting, the Denver Broncos, and our mutual hobby of racing pigeons and raising show pigeons. Unfortunately, our beloved family friend recently died because of COVID-related causes. In honor of him and his son David, a very passionate hunter, Cliff supported me in finding the “just-right-place” to leave Gary’s ashes formed into rocks. I left them in a very special location to honor the very special character of a lifelong friend of 50 years.
Even though the hunt was over, Cliff indicated the location he took me to was one of his very special places to hunt and scout for big deer. Cliff took the time and effort to honor my friend of 50 years. Cliff’s character, heart, and integrity were clearly evident. I will always value, honor, and be grateful to Cliff for finding the very special place for the ashes of a very special friend.
Having the opportunity to hunt in Utah and to hunt with a high-quality outfitter like Doyle Moss and guide Cliff Norris provided me with a quality mule deer buck and special memories and friendships to last a lifetime. Thank you to Ruthie Lile and Huntin’ Fool for providing me with this very special experience after waiting 27 years!