Melissa Bachman's 214-Inch Colorado Mule Deer

This is the largest buck Melissa Bachman has ever taken. The impressive deer grossed 214-4/8 inches. Image courtesy of Melissa Bachman.

Melissa Bachman of Winchester Deadly Passion has been hunting with her good friend Joey Menegatti and his family at Story Creek Outfitters in Colorado for more than a decade. Annually, it’s one of her first stops to kick off hunting season, and she often chases antelope and mule deer.

“I look forward to this hunt every year for several reasons, but especially because the mule deer hunting is all spot-and-stalk,” Bachman said. “I’ve also taken two antelope there with my bow using the same method. The country is incredibly conducive to stalking, as long as you’re willing to be patient.

“And patience is definitely required. Over the years, we’ve learned that arranging the right stalk can take hours, and even when everything seems perfect, success isn’t guaranteed. But after hunting together for so long, Joey and I are almost always on the same page. We know how each other hunts, when to push and when to wait. And most importantly, we have lots of fun.”

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Bachman loves the simplicity of Story Creek’s mule deer hunts. There are no trail cameras and no specific target bucks. “We simply get up every morning, start glassing and see what the day brings,” Bachman said.

Per usual, her dog Pork Chop joined her on the hunt this fall, hanging out in the truck during stalks. The hunt began with stalking a bachelor group of bucks, which didn’t quite pan out, as there were more deer than Bachman and Menegatti realized. Warmer-than-normal temperatures concentrated most deer movement to early mornings and late evenings.

The world-class buck was amidst a bachelor buck group, providing a heart-pounding stalk opportunity that ended with an arrow in the boiler room. Image courtesy of Melissa Bachman.

“Normally, midday is a great time to nap,” Bachman said. “Instead, we spent those hours in an antelope blind or glassing for bucks to stalk. I definitely could have used the sleep, though. By the time I arrived in Colorado, I’d already been going almost nonstop since late July. I had back-to-back video shoots for Realtree and SPYPOINT, followed by my Fleet Farm 10-store seminar tour. I rolled right into a Montana antelope hunt, and then I did an Alberta mule deer hunt before finally arriving at Story Creek.”

Between hunting, working, editing, traveling and planning everything that comes along with her career — not to mention family life — sleep had become an afterthought. “I actually came down with shingles right before the hunt, likely brought on by stress and lack of rest,” she said. “It wasn’t ideal, but I wasn’t going to miss one of my favorite hunts of the year.”

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She stuck with it, and she and Menegatti spotted another bachelor group of bucks one afternoon. A giant buck roamed among them.

“We began working our way toward the bucks and eventually reached 35 yards,” Bachman said. “The big buck was quartering away too steeply, so I waited. Eventually, he moved farther out and presented a better opportunity. I settled in and launched my Rage Tyrant-tipped Easton FMJ 4mm Match Grade arrow.”

With the moment finally coming together, she capitalized on the opportunity and took the incredible buck. Bachman has anchored some outstanding mule deer, but none quite like this.

“Seeing him lying there was almost impossible to comprehend,” she said. “Without measuring the antlers, I knew I was looking at the biggest buck of my life. He is absolutely a dream buck with a stunning frame, incredible mass and kickers on both sides, including one that resembles a turkey foot.

“It was one of those moments where you try to slow everything down and take it all in. The crazy part is that my schedule didn’t slow down afterward. I went straight into three back-to-back elk hunts and didn’t even have time to measure the buck until weeks later. When I finally did, he measured 214-4/8 inches. My previous biggest buck was a 202-inch whitetail I bow-killed years ago in Illinois. Taking a 200-plus-inch mule deer with my bow is something I’m not sure I’ll ever top. And I’m perfectly OK if I don’t.”

Bachman reminded that the rack will need to go through the required drying period before an official measurement. Regardless, the score is nowhere near the most important part of her hunt.

As usual, Pork Chop was along for the experience. Image courtesy of Melissa Bachman.

“I’m thankful to Joey and his entire family for annually welcoming me back and allowing me to experience such an incredible place,” she said. “Several years ago, I was able to share Story Creek with my Grandma Rose. At age 79, she completed a spot-and-stalk hunt for a beautiful mule deer. To this day, it’s still one of my fondest hunting memories.

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“This lifestyle involves many sacrifices that people don’t see. It can be difficult missing everything happening at home. There are weeks of being gone nonstop, running on nearly no sleep, trying to balance being a mom, wife, business owner and hunter while still getting work done that makes this career possible. Moments like this make those sacrifices feel worthwhile.”

Bachman won’t soon forget her 2026 Colorado hunt. Image courtesy of Melissa Bachman.

Taking a deer of this magnitude caused Bachman to reflect on her life. “Years ago, I dreamt about a career in hunting, but many people told me it wasn’t possible. Well, I never had a Plan B. I just kept working, kept believing, and refused to give up. Thank goodness I did.”

One of Bachman’s favorite moments of every hunt is arriving home. “It’s walking through the door and showing Ben and the kids what I got,” she said. “It’s watching their eyes light up when they see the rack. It’s letting them hold it, putting a tape on it together, and telling them every detail. Long after the score stops mattering, we’ll remember those moments. I’m thankful for my cameraman, who works just as hard as me to capture these moments and tell the story. I’m thankful for every sponsor, partner, outfitter and person along the way who has helped make my dream career possible. But I’m forever grateful to my family for allowing me to follow my dreams.”