Guided mule deer hunt

[AkBearHunter]

I'm thinking about doing my first guided hunt in the next year or 2 and want a shot at a big muley buck. My biggest was a 28" wide 4x3 and even though I've shot plenty of them, i've never been lucky enough to get a big 4x4. So here's my question, if a guy wanted to shoot a 170 or bigger buck, what state would you recommend and what outiftter would you go with? He doesn't even have to score real high if he has lots of character, so long as he's bigger than my biggest, which shouldn't be to hard to do. I'm planning on a budget of about $3000-$4000 and would like a solid week of hunting with everything included and I would prefer to not have to draw since I have 0 points as it is.

 

[280rem]

Alberta has some monster mule deer, but i would lean towards Colorado. You can get a ranching for wildlife tag with 0 PP's & hunt the rut. I can't recommend an outfitter but a little research & you should be able to find one. Montana is another option with outfitter sponsered tags, somewhat expensive. I've hunted with Hidden Valley Outfitters & Tracy has some pretty good bucks.

 

[Bambistew]

I don't think a NR can do the Ranching for Wildlife thing.

Sounds like you're after a general run of the mill mule deer hunt. I'd look at MT, WY, ID or CO. Most any outfitter these days will be able to get you on a deer of that size. You might not kill one but thats hunting. I havn't really looked into hunts in the last few years, but I think most week long outfitted hunts run about in your price range.

Personally I can't see paying that kind of money to chase what I think of as slightly above average deer. Anyone with a little fortitude could kill one on Public land with a little luck.

 

[AkBearHunter]

Sorry but we don't have mule deer in Alaska, if I lived in the lower 48 then I would do it myself but I don't so thats why I asked about the guided hunt.
I'd really like to shoot a 30" plus muley buck but that might be asking a little to much. Shooting 180+ mule deer bucks might be run of the mill for you but I've never shot one that would score that high so it's not run of the mill to me. So how many 180+ muley's have you killed in your lifetime? A lot I bet....

 

[Bambistew]

I don't live in a mule deer state either, and I understand that you want to go guided because you don't have the time/know how or what ever... just saying that its not my bag to hunt an animal that takes nothing more than a tag in hand and some form of transportation to and from the airport to the mountain.

You didn't say you wanted a 180+" deer, unless I'm blind, you said a 170" class or better buck. A 170" deer is a good deer, but not something that would be all that difficult to come by with a little luck on public land in most states, nor would it be all that difficult to come by on any decent guided hunt. I'd rather take my chances and go it alone thats all I'm saying, just trying to save you some money. For that kind of coin you could go on a DIY hunt 3 times.

Would you go on a guided black bear hunt in AK? I know I woudn't even if I didn't live there.

 

[AkBearHunter]

A 180 class deer is "better" than a 170 class deer yes? I've been trying for years to shoot a 65" bull moose, haven't done that yet but that doesn't mean I don't have the "fortitude" to do it, just haven't had the luck to run into one. No, I wouldn't go on a guided black bear hunt ANYWHERE, shooting another black near is not high on my list of animals I want to take but a big muley buck is and near the top. So.....how many 170 class buck have you shot over the years? I'm not trying to get an argument going here but your post had an air of arrogance to it which I didn't appreciate. I asked a question about finding a good outfitter and your post had nothing to do with that question.

 

[IDHunters]

Coming from out of state, maybe for the first time, puts you at a little bit of a disadvantage. Yes, you can do it yourself, with tons of research and even more luck. More likely you will make 2 or 3 trips "DIY" before you start shooting those "average" 170" bucks.

Make no mistake, people can and do harvest 170" and bigger bucks on their own, on public land, every year. But that caliber of deer, on public land, with a general tag, is getting pretty tough to come by. The hardest part is getting the tag in the same area enough times to learn the country and the animals. To my knowledge, Idaho is the only state where you can be assured that you will have a deer tag every year.

Here is my suggestions for you-
Non-typical outfitters, region G, wyoming.
Should be able to draw every other year.

Larry Bishop-
Colorado
Has ranches for lease @ a reasonable price-DIY but good chance of success.

Idaho
Buy a general tag and DIY in the same area each year.

Wyoming
Tripple creek outfitters

Idaho
Pack n Racks outfitting

 

[280rem]

I might be mistaken but i believe the ranching for wildlife tag can be used by non-residents. A trophy mule deer is getting harder to come by & anything above 170 is a good deer IMO. Limited entry areas are your best bet but again i wouldn't over look Alberta.

 

[noharleyyet]

AKBearhunter,

...sent you a p.m.

 

[Bambistew]

I have a tendency to come off like a know it all azz sometimes... Sorry. What I'm really trying to say is I that I'm confidant and think ANYONE including YOU could go on a DIY hunt for half the price and have a reasonable chance of killing a deer the size you're after, and the cheap azz that I am, I would have enough money left over to try it again the next year if I was unsuccessful. I depsise outfitters and what they have done to hunting in the west over the last decade.

I never said that a 170" class deer is a small deer, said it was the upper end of average which IMO it is for the vast majority of outfitters out there. Once you get much over that size its all a matter of lucking into one (like a 65" moose), or paying big $$$$ to hunt well managed land.

Here's a few we killed on public land DIY hunts, over the last few years. I was 'spotter' on the first one. All over 170, one is WAY over...

 

[Bambistew]

I might be mistaken but i believe the ranching for wildlife tag can be used by non-residents.

BTW the lest number of PP needed for a buck hunt in the RFW program is 3 the average was closer to 7. 0 points? maybe for a doe.


RANCHING FOR WILDLIFE
Public RFW licenses are available only to Colorado residents
by drawing. Licenses are valid only for the season and ranch
specified. RFW landowners must provide free access to hunters
who draw a public license for their ranch. By applying for a
RFW license, hunters allow the DOW to provide applicant
information to the ranch. Hunting rules differ for each ranch.
Read ranch rules before applying on our website.

 

[280rem]

Nice Bucks Bambistew! Maybe you can help me understand the ranching for wildlife program. Here are two quotes from a booking service for two different outfitters:

1. This outfitter is enrolled in the RFW program which enables us to hunt the bucks when they're in full rut. License purchased on arrival for approx. $296

2. Basically the same verbage, Guaranteed RFW deer tag approx. $296.

 

[MarvB]

Ahhhh to be able to hunt when there's snow on the ground...albeit wouldn't be in tenny shoes! Great smile for a great buck.

All nice bucks Bambi and I for one appreciate how you explained yourself to AK though those of us who've been on the boards for awhile still think your an azzhole! Just kidding!

AK- Bambi brings up some pretty good points about DYI and - with where you live though I can understand that you might not have the opportunity to get to know an area in the lower 48 through multiple trips and this outfitted hunt might be more of a one time thing- kinda like the AK goat or dall hunt I want to do before I'm turned out to pasture. Good luck in either aspect...planning is half the fun.

 

[DRAFTSTUD]

Dang, That was swell of Bambi to offer to guide AK! Way to step up to the plate Bambi. You gotta love the guys on this board. John

 

[Steiny]

As someone who lives a long way from the west, I feel it is well worth the expense to hire an outfitter and get on some good quality private ground. I've done probably 8-10 DIY muley hunts to NE Wyoming and the good bucks are mighty scarce on that public ground.
In contrast, have hunted some private ground with outfitters and it's not unusual to see several good bucks every day.

For me it's about "Time" as much as anything. If I'm going to travel a long distance and burn a bunch of vacation days, I want an above average chance of coming home with a good quality animal. You can make more money, but you can't make more time.

Another point .... I don't want to hunt the same area year after year to learn it. I want to go to different places, states, etc. and hunt different species from year to year. I know I could probably learn some country and up my odds considerably on public dirt, by going year after year, but life is short, and I've got other things to do.

 

[Bambistew]

Nice Bucks Bambistew! Maybe you can help me understand the ranching for wildlife program. Here are two quotes from a booking service for two different outfitters:

1. This outfitter is enrolled in the RFW program which enables us to hunt the bucks when they're in full rut. License purchased on arrival for approx. $296

2. Basically the same verbage, Guaranteed RFW deer tag approx. $296.

280 I'm not 100% sure how it all works either, all I know is a NR can't apply for the "RFW" tags. My guess is they are RFW land owner tags go to NR? I'm not totally sure, but I think in order for the ranch owners to get to set thier own seasons they have to give the "general public" aka residents RFW tags which they must in turn allow ample access to thier property. They then they are entitled to a certain amount of LO tags which NR can get and hunt the property. I believe that RFW set thier own seasons, aka hunt elk with a rifle in the rut, etc. BUT I think the residents that can draw the tags have to hunt during the general seasons with the proper weapon. You should make another post and ask. I'll bet Oak knows all the ins and outs. I also know that the RFW tags are very difficult to draw for Res, most take a min of 5-6 points some take 10 or more, and the cost to hunt those places is very high for NR, like 2 or more times what an average guided hunt runs in CO.

 

[Bambistew]

For me it's about "Time" as much as anything. If I'm going to travel a long distance and burn a bunch of vacation days, I want an above average chance of coming home with a good quality animal. You can make more money, but you can't make more time.

Another point .... I don't want to hunt the same area year after year to learn it. I want to go to different places, states, etc. and hunt different species from year to year. I know I could probably learn some country and up my odds considerably on public dirt, by going year after year, but life is short, and I've got other things to do.

I don't disagree with your logic at all. I think along the same lines, as a mater of fact last year I went on a rifle hunt in MT for elk instead of archery because I figured my odds would be better. Well... I wish I would have gone archery hunting instead.

We all hunt for different reasons; right now I have the luxury and resources to be able to afford the time to do the research for just about any hunt. I guess that’s probably one point I over looked when saying that anyone could do it. Lots of guys don't have the time to do the research, or know where to start. If a guy wants to go on a guided hunt I say go for it. I've been on one guided hunt and loved every minute of it. If I could have gone DIY I would have, but laws are laws...

I’ve been trying to get to AK on a DIY moose hunt for about 3 years now, just have a hard time giving up deer/elk hunting time in the west to go. Again by going DIY I’ll take my chances at lower odds and go twice for the price of outfitted.

I have just as much fun going and not killing something as I do going and getting something... I've been on so many unsuccessful hunts that I've come to realize that bringing something home is not the best part of the hunt, the rack on the wall helps me relive the hunt, but I find pictures to be 10x better with or without dead animals in them. I really enjoy hunting new territory as well, but if the truth were to be known I enjoy researching it and planning for it more. Out of the top 5 most memorable hunts I’ve been on over the last 15 years or so 2 didn’t involve notching a tag.

 

[The Hedgehog]

I agree with bambi. 3-4K for a guided hunt, and hopes to get a 170ish mule deer sounds like a painful waste of money to me - but people do it all the time, go home empty handed, shoot even smaller younger deer, and probably often pay even more than that. Not my cup of tea.

I'll pay WAY less - have WAY more fun, and probably find something a bit bigger every year in some state on my own. To quote a famous musician:

They say I'm cocky, and I say What?
It aint braggin' motherfucker if ya back it up

 

[AkBearHunter]

Yes, and you live in Montana where there are mule deer and I live in Alaska where there are none, get what i'm saying?

 

[The Hedgehog]

Doh. Still a waste of money. Hunting with a guide would degrade the experience and reward for me (in most cases) - and my wallet.. owch. Different strokes for different folks.

I'd give you a recommendation for a good outfitter for that in that price range, but I don't know any. Any state will do though. Montana isn't known for it's big bucks. Guided hunters' bucks for that price range typically don't score that high - but there are some here. You might want to look at Wyoming or Colorado.

I hunt out of state nearly every year. Have taken two 190 class bucks in other states without a guide. Turned down a 190+ buck 2 years ago out of state. To pay thousands with a goal of killing a 170ish - just not my cup of tea.. all I'm saying.