Nebraska Mule Deer On Your Own?

[hitman]

Has anyone done a Nebraska Mule Deer on your own hunt on public land. The tags are over the counter, and there is a lot of public land. Considering it as an option while waiting for WY tag of choice.

 

[Baxter]

Ne Muleys

There are a few areas in the NW part of the state that would most likely be your best option. There are a few State Rec. areas in the North-Central that amy be an option. Are you using rifle or bow? We also have walk in areas on private land, some do allow deer hunting on although they changed it a little bit combined a couple of programs and renamed it for the upcoming year, haven't read much about it yet. The western or northern areas may be the best bet, I hunt in the central part of the state and they are not as prevalent there. Usually see a few during rifle season, only saw two doe this year.

 

[Dana]

hitman, you might check out the McKelvie Natl Forest around Merritt Reservoir near Valentine. While hunting both sharptail grouse and merriam turkey there, I've seen some real dandy muleys. I think there's something like 200,000 acres or so in that area of public access.

 

[wyoming556]

I spent some time in Nebraska this year hunting deer and antelope dring the early archery season on public land. Quite a bit of public land in the Oglala grassland and Pine Ridge national forrest(some wilderness) as well as various WMA's, and Ft.Robinson state park. It's all near Chadron and Crawford where I hunted and I rarely if ever saw another hunter, keep in mind this was early bow season. Maps and licenses can be purchased at Ft. Robinson St. Park. Meat processor is in Crawford. I enjoyed it so much I am planning on going back this year. Nebraska has generous seasons including archery antelope tags that are good from August to December and cost a mere $150. Hope that helps.

 

[hitman]

NE Mule Deer

Wow! That is really great news. Thanks to everyone for all the great information. I think that the place I was looking to hunt is near Crawford. Send me a PM and lets talk. I'm a bow hunter and would love to get in on a OYO bow hunt early season out there.

hitman.

 

[Dana]

wyoming556, I also did an archery antelope hunt in the Oglalla north of Crawford but in '09. Would love to swap some stories with ya!

hitman, got your PM and I'll be calling you

 

[wyoming556]

Hi Dana,

I see you are from Lake Ozarks, what a lake. I recently sold my dock construction business near Grand Lake about 3 hours SW of you on I-44. As you can see I do not post much so bear with me as I learn to use the system. When did you hunt in 09? I was hunting late september during the early rut.

 

[Dana]

Im in Ozark, just south of Springfield, not Lake of the Ozarks... quite a lake though. Ive been to Grand several times. Shot quite a few hogs around there. Anyways... I did the Oglalla hunt the first week of the season in August. Saw tons of animals, but never took a shot. Stayed in a ground blind, and in hindsight, I probably should've tried some stalking. I felt good about the blind, but they just never got close enough. We did encounter some hunters, just one set of bozos that I had a run in with, but I wouldnt call it overrun by any means. I'd go back again. I really liked the area, and Crawford was good to us too! How'd you do?

 

[wyoming556]

It was my first trip to the area but I was able to find several spots I want to go back to. I was waiting for the wyoming gun season to open in October so I stopped in Kansas and hunted their early muzzleloader season and then on to Nebraska. Stopped and scouted Red Willow in the southern part of the state but didnt find what I was looking for so I ended up driving north to Pine Ridge NF and camping at Roberts trailhead for about a week and then stayed in Chadron a couple of more nights, great town. Ended up shooting a mule deer doe after a busted stalk on antelope just NW of Toadstool park in the Ogalalla grassland. I just tried stalking the lopes using the creekbottoms and in hindsight wished I has been patient enough to sit in a ground blind. This year I have several buck and doe decoys I plan on trying to bring in the Antelope and also a black cow decoy that I think is going to work well. I also found some good mule deer country between coffe mill butte and chimney butte as well as a great spot for whitetails east of Chadron near the museum of the fir trade.

 

[Dana]

We also stopped at the fur trade museum...very cool place.

 

[wyoming556]

Were you hunting over water holes? What time of day did they seem to move when you were there? I'm curious becasue I was planning on using a blind during the early part of the season this year.

 

[Dana]

yes, over water holes. Really hard to say....the group I had patterned was coming in beginning mid afternoon till just before dark. But my buddy was set up about 2 miles away, and his group would come in the mornings.... I would say hope for hot and dry and just stick it out. Given enough time (days) I think you'll do just fine.

 

[xrayts]

I'm hoping to go to NE this year, too. Probably just for Pronghorn, but Muleys aren't out of the question.
This will be the first year I'll try to hunt out of Missouri. Probably not the best year to do it, but...Carpe Diem, right.

 

[Sandhiller]

If you are looking for lots of antelope hunt around Chadron and Crawford. Your best bet for really good mule deer is McKelvie there are some big deer in the Sandhills. Both places get hit hard for rifle but archery is another story. I am sure there are antelope around Mckelvie there is getting to be more of them in the sandhills. I hope this helps.

 

[passinthru]

We've done rifle for a few years in the Chadron area and had good luck. 556 The whitetail area you mentioned gets pounded during rifle. We've noticed the population decline there,so we have kicked around heading out during archery season. Great hotel in town is the Westerner or Grand Westerner owner has a freezer for your meat and allows you to hang your deer behind the hotel. Chadron State Park has a nice shower house and was very cheap last time we stayed. We got some funny comments from locals, as the only ones in a wall tent in mid november. But we were toasty warm with the stove and thick minnesota blood. Great people there.

 

[passinthru]

I should have said the whitetail area I think your talking about.

 

[wyoming556]

Passinthrough,
I kinda figured that area would be hit hard during gun season. too close to the highway and there were literally 30+ deer in the field the 1 night I watched that particular area. The wind was not in my favor so all I could do was sit still and watch. Definelty a good area to bowhunt during the early season. Have you been back into the bighorn WMA at all? That area looks pretty good to me but you have to walk 2-3 miles to get to the good stuff. HAve you hunted turkeys in this area?

 

[passinthru]

No I haven't made into the WMA, we were planning to head in there when we picked up permission on some private ground. A friend had connection from back home and got us into some very good hunting, so we're a little spoiled now. Hopefully we can keep going back for a bunch more years, but nothing is forever. We have all lost spots before, and the same is happening there with more people selling out they're ranches every year.

 

[passinthru]

Sorry missed the turkey question. I haven't done it yet, but we are talking about bringing our kids out for a hunt. I have seen a couple while deer hunting.

 

[wyoming556]

Hard to beat some private land, especially there. I was just amazed at how many animals there were as you drove around that area. Had several close calls with animals while driving at night as well as including hitting one fawn. I had also seen a few turkeys while deer hunting. I am thinking of making a spring run up there to try. That would be a great hunt to take the kids on, I believe I read somewhere that nebraska had inexpensive turkey tags for youth hunters as well.