NEBRASKA - Archery Mule Deer DIY OTC

[PublicLandXperience]

We camp at the entrance to the soldier creek area and hunt that and then the areas north and south of the solider creek road. We always see plenty of deer but the bucks are just slim pickins. Its not because of lack of effort either. We put on the miles and glass quite a bit. Ive also heard people going in before us and being on bucks the entire time. Maybe we are just unlucky going mid october but thats what correlated with fall break. Also scared to go during rifle because i dont like a lot of pressure. And the only reason i havnt took my muzzleloader up there is because of the bad luck in october. We would be going back this year but got a special opportunity in north dakota that cant be passed up.

Grassland cooleys, the bucks won’t move to the rough stuff around the park until the get interested in does. Sure there will be one or two up there but most your bucks stay on the fringes of that rough stuff until November. Plus that Cooley hunting is a blast, with the right wind and some patience you can get so good stalks in. Just start up high early in the morning and glass every drainage you can until you start locating then make your game plan. A lot of time your be able to see just antler tips sticks up they like to bed just under the top on the Cooley so they can leave in a hurry if needed. As for rifle season a lot of those guys out there are gung-ho about hiking in until the go 500 yards from the truck and realize that that butte terrain is steeper than it looks and constantly looking for a way to break your ankles. Granted I have a lot of experience out there but onx and google earth can help you get a pretty good feel for the area. I look for as @Big Fin calls it sanctuary mode deer in November, deep steep wall canyons that the deer feel safe in, close to the public private line. We have encounters with nice Nebraska public land bucks every time we go.

 

[Joelb16505]

Grassland cooleys, the bucks won’t move to the rough stuff around the park until the get interested in does. Sure there will be one or two up there but most your bucks stay on the fringes of that rough stuff until November. Plus that Cooley hunting is a blast, with the right wind and some patience you can get so good stalks in. Just start up high early in the morning and glass every drainage you can until you start locating then make your game plan. A lot of time your be able to see just antler tips sticks up they like to bed just under the top on the Cooley so they can leave in a hurry if needed. As for rifle season a lot of those guys out there are gung-ho about hiking in until the go 500 yards from the truck and realize that that butte terrain is steeper than it looks and constantly looking for a way to break your ankles. Granted I have a lot of experience out there but onx and google earth can help you get a pretty good feel for the area. I look for as @Big Fin calls it sanctuary mode deer in November, deep steep wall canyons that the deer feel safe in, close to the public private line. We have encounters with nice Nebraska public land bucks every time we go.

I appreciate the information! Will keep this in mind the next time we make it up there.

 

[PublicLandXperience]

I appreciate the information! Will keep this in mind the next time we make it up there.

No problem buddy good luck

 

[TylerMN]

I was out there for a week in early October last year. I wouldn't recommend going, at least not at that time. We saw around 70 total deer, but not a single buck. All does and fawns, mule and whitetail. We covered many miles, I think at least 40 walking, and did a lot of glassing.

I would like to try it out again in early season or around the rut to see what happens.

 

[KyHunter98]

I apologize for posting on a thread that is a few months old but I wanted to ask what your all's thoughts were about the December muzzleloader season? Mostly just wanting to take a road trip during my winter break from school. Figured because of NE fairly cheap tags I would spend a few days chasing some deer later this month. Do yall have any major dos or donts for this time of year?

 

[PublicLandXperience]

I apologize for posting on a thread that is a few months old but I wanted to ask what your all's thoughts were about the December muzzleloader season? Mostly just wanting to take a road trip during my winter break from school. Figured because of NE fairly cheap tags I would spend a few days chasing some deer later this month. Do yall have any major dos or donts for this time of year?

Chance of it being COLD are pretty high, I haven’t been out there for the muzzy season so as for where and what deer movement is I can’t help you there.

 

[KyHunter98]

Chance of it being COLD are pretty high, I haven’t been out there for the muzzy season so as for where and what deer movement is I can’t help you there.

Definitely expecting some frigid temps! Seems like the best advice I've read is to go in with low expectations and hunt hard wherever ya end up. I'll let ya know my take on muzzleloader season if I end up going.

 

[Stocker]

I apologize for posting on a thread that is a few months old but I wanted to ask what your all's thoughts were about the December muzzleloader season? Mostly just wanting to take a road trip during my winter break from school. Figured because of NE fairly cheap tags I would spend a few days chasing some deer later this month. Do yall have any major dos or donts for this time of year?

If you are after “any” deer, you’ll find them, if you want a buck of any size the odds are slim.

 

[KyHunter98]

If you are after “any” deer, you’ll find them, if you want a buck of any size the odds are slim.

Yessir. Just looking for fun hunt and some beautiful scenery. Thanks for the advice.

 

[Eviper21]

Hey guys, new here, but I came across this thread and see it's still kind of active.

We're planning a Nebraska archery hunt for deer in September next year. Its kind of back and forth in here "don't come" or "there's decent deer" lol. But for public land is the sandhills region a decent spot? Thinking there or the Platte but there's hardly any public down there. Not looking for any trophy at all. Just trying to hone the skills more without spending $700 on a CO/ID/UT/MT tag.

I appreciate y'all for any advice. Merry Christmas

 

[Stocker]

Hey guys, new here, but I came across this thread and see it's still kind of active.

We're planning a Nebraska archery hunt for deer in September next year. Its kind of back and forth in here "don't come" or "there's decent deer" lol. But for public land is the sandhills region a decent spot? Thinking there or the Platte but there's hardly any public down there. Not looking for any trophy at all. Just trying to hone the skills more without spending $700 on a CO/ID/UT/MT tag.

I appreciate y'all for any advice. Merry Christmas

It all depends on how much effort you wanna put in. Public in Nebraska gets pounded just for the reasons you stated (unlimited, cheap NR archery tags). It’s the first state you can OTC hunt mule deer. I could retire if I had $1 for every MN, WI, PA, MI, plate I’ve seen.

That said if you are willing to hunt sun up to sundown, cover more ground than everyone else, and be happy filling a tag and not trophy hunting it’s a doable hunt. Just remember its not a mountain “back country” adventure you’ll never get away from people. Your best bet is to avoid weekends, holidays, and opening week.

The Sandhills are very weather dependent, plenty of summer rain and there will be scattered pockets of vegetation where deer can bed up and its a run and glass game. Drier years will concentrate deer in the low areas, but most decent vegetation will be on private. There been times over the years I’ve been into good bucks for days on end and punched tags early, there’s been years where I don’t think I coulda found a deer with a helicopter. If you wanna be up 2 hours before light, hike in, put miles on, and show up back to the truck an hour after dark you’ll do good and learn a lot. If you wanna do what 90% of people do which is drive around all day and put on 1/4 mile of walking…….. well our G&P appreciates your donation and be sure to tell everyone else there’s no deer here.

Edit to add: remember your tag is good for the entire state. Don’t waste all your time hunting a place with no deer. An hour or 2 move can make a huge difference.

 

[BRoth82]

I would add a couple things, out in Nebraska for me you have to find the spot on the spot. Meaning there are places that the deer tend to cross on a higher frequency then other spots. These spots may only be a hundred yards apart and have the same amount of sign. Once you do find those spots they can be an awesome honey hole.

Also to go along with that you have to hunt where the deer want to be not where you want the deer to be. And that requires burning boot leather to find them.

 

[Mallardsx2]

I wish they would make it so a non-resident could only purchase a rifle deer tag every other year.

Meaning, If you buy one this year, you cannot buy one next year....

And I am a non-resident....

 

[Stocker]

I wish they would make it so a non-resident could only purchase a rifle deer tag every other year.

Meaning, If you buy one this year, you cannot buy one next year....

And I am a non-resident....

How would we kill every 1 1/2 yo forky MD then???? It’d be a shame to have of those pesky 2 1/2 yo bucks that are too smart to shoot out of the pickup window.

 

[BoulderBulls]

@EatWhatYouReap were you able to get out? How did the hunt go

 

[Eviper21]

It all depends on how much effort you wanna put in. Public in Nebraska gets pounded just for the reasons you stated (unlimited, cheap NR archery tags). It’s the first state you can OTC hunt mule deer. I could retire if I had $1 for every MN, WI, PA, MI, plate I’ve seen.

That said if you are willing to hunt sun up to sundown, cover more ground than everyone else, and be happy filling a tag and not trophy hunting it’s a doable hunt. Just remember its not a mountain “back country” adventure you’ll never get away from people. Your best bet is to avoid weekends, holidays, and opening week.

The Sandhills are very weather dependent, plenty of summer rain and there will be scattered pockets of vegetation where deer can bed up and its a run and glass game. Drier years will concentrate deer in the low areas, but most decent vegetation will be on private. There been times over the years I’ve been into good bucks for days on end and punched tags early, there’s been years where I don’t think I coulda found a deer with a helicopter. If you wanna be up 2 hours before light, hike in, put miles on, and show up back to the truck an hour after dark you’ll do good and learn a lot. If you wanna do what 90% of people do which is drive around all day and put on 1/4 mile of walking…….. well our G&P appreciates your donation and be sure to tell everyone else there’s no deer here.

Edit to add: remember your tag is good for the entire state. Don’t waste all your time hunting a place with no deer. An hour or 2 move can make a huge difference.

I appreciate the input. I'm from the west coast originally. So hiking heavy elevation and long distances is nothing new to me. I'm in Chicago now for work and I'm just kind of tired of white tail hunting....well, rather, white tail hunting doesn't come soon enough lol. So we went to CO for black bear this Sept (2021) and Nebraska was the plan next year.

I've been looking at 2020 harvest report for MD. It looks like the Platte, Frenchman, and Sandhills had the best numbers for high quota and harvest (which, to me, means they hold the most deer). Thinking about hitting CRP instead of large plots of public because I feel that's where everyone wants to be (the large public). But just a thought. And I really hoping not to donate to you G&P hahah

 

[bklotthor]

I would focus on the smaller tracts like you mention and I’d also focus on whitetails if it were me. The odds of finding a good mule deer buck are a lot lower than the odds of finding a good whitetail buck. And with the archery tag you can go all over the state and pick out the best looking spots that look good to you.