Picked out your mulie or elk on the winter range?

[drahthaar]

Boy, this thread turned a little sideways.

You are always going to find stories of all kinds. I think once a mulie or whitetail get a few years under their belts, you can't say one is smarter than the other. Terrain makes a ton of difference too. Mulies are by far the toughest to "break records" on, the big boys just are not there. Around here the country they live in is the biggest factor that makes them tougher to kill, not their weariness, IMHO.

I like chasing whities a lot, big timber whitetails, very tough, very smart.

I will throw one out there for some to chew on, if mulies are so smart, why do they have to have all these protections, like LE draws, no hunting in the rut, seasons ending early(at least on the east side), seriously, why are they "managed" so much, while whitetails are out in the free-for-all?

 

[drahthaar]

Greenie, are you nuts? You are kidding about selling them. Never do that, those are good memories.

Look at those light capes and light antlers. Definitely east side.

 

[wyoming556]

It seem that in a head to head matchup whitetails take realestate away from mule deer pretty regularly. Don't know if that makes them smarter but they are the more domnant deer it seems. Look at states like Kansas and Nebraska where you can kill a whitetail anywhere you want but you must have a special draw tag or pay more to kill a mule deer. Buy a buck tag in Nebraska and you get a bonus whitetail only doe tag. I've never seen A whitetail conservation area but I have seen a mule deer conservation area. In Oklahoma it's illegal to kill a mule deer doe but you can kill 6 white tails. Also seem like in Wyoming they allow you to hunt whitetails during the rut but not mule deer. Again I am not a trophy or animal intelligence expert like many on this forum just a observation from a moron who has lived in Oklahoma way to long. Luckily I am originally from Casper.

Badlandcat, again nice trophy you have there as with most every picture you post.

 

[Bucnutz.wis]

Here are most of my whitey's, all from Wisconsin... most with archery equipment. The large whitetail was with rifle.

The Mule deer was South Dakota archery.

No super monsters, but none the less, there MY trophies... and whether you respect how, where, or why I got them, I really could care less...but I'm just a dumb cheesehead...

From what I can see the western whitetail is way more predictable than it is around here... In most cases in the East, we cannot glass them from miles away and premeditate a hunt plan that way, not even in winter from a truck... The terrain they live in is also very predictable out west.

Here, they can be anywhere... and you need to find the sign on the ground before making any hunt plan, and like someone said before, a lot more patience and persistence is required to bag a trophy animal...

I don't think either animal is superior to the other - I respect both, and those that hunt both. I look forward each year to going out west for the change of hunting methods western hunting offers...that's it !! Not because I think it's any easier to bag a nice trophy out west.

....and like someone also mentioned before, there is no doubt this thread is frick'n silly....

 

[montanadogs]

It seems that in western Montana both are equally hard to hunt. In the area between Kalispell and Libby they are all living in the same area now. But for the most part mule deer are still up high and the whitetails down low. Just my $.02 worth anyway.

 

[Bowhuntrben]

Here in MN, we have been able to watch particular whitetail bucks from year to year and harvest those bucks. The most difficult part is actually getting those deer to an age where they can be a monster. At least where I hunt, there is a terrible lot of hunting pressure which makes it difficult for a deer to get to 4.5 years old, let alone 5.5 or 6.5 to be a real giant.
In spring we will find sheds off of bucks that we have never seen during the fall or summer. We have even found sheds from the same buck multiple years and still have not actually seen the deer or gotten any trail camera pictures of him. The difficulty in finding where particular deer live here is access. It is almost entirely private land where I hunt, so you can't just go anywhere you want looking for them.
I don't think it is fair to say that hunting whitetails is easier or hunting mule deer is easier. I went hunting in CO for the first time this last year and absolutely loved it. I love that there is so much public land and that you can really get in and get away from people and any associated noise. I certainly think, for me, mule deer are much more difficult, but that's because I haven't grown up hunting them, and I can't exactly drive out there and scout all the time. Taking a trophy animal of any species can be difficult and requires somebody to put in a lot of time doing their homework. You can find plenty of pictures of big whitetails, big mule deer, big elk, and any other animal that people have harvested online leading to the fact that none of them are that difficult if you have the time and effort required to hunt them.
That being said, I hunt whitetails the most because I am in MN, and that is what we have here. If there were other species, I would hunt all that I could. I just love being able to be in the outdoors.
Can't we all just get along!

 

[noharleyyet]

I'm sure hoping this one makes it by my recliner next season. I saw him during youth season 2 weeks after the close of regular. My youth hunter had left camp early. He is bowel movement impressive on the hoof.

 

[Hem]

Greenie, I should have known better.Nice collection.Seems to me you might of held out for a better muley this last year.Can't agree with your analogy of whiteys being like carp.I find carp to be the ultimate challange in Montana with fly rod.I've witnessed many so called expert fly rodders snubbed into submission by the lowly carp.As well,I've had more river carp run into my backing the last four years than thirty years of trout fishing.Point being I just don't agree with sweeping statements when there are too many circumstances which control the outcome.My hats off to you and your garage garbage.Its a shame you have no gratitude for all those deer you whacked before your nuts dropped.(not quite certain how the math pencils out there with all those racks and the age of legal hunting).Thanks for the pics.

 

[belly-deep]

From what I can see the western whitetail is way more predictable than it is around here... In most cases in the East, we cannot glass them from miles away and premeditate a hunt plan that way, not even in winter from a truck... The terrain they live in is also very predictable out west.

Here, they can be anywhere... and you need to find the sign on the ground before making any hunt plan, and like someone said before, a lot more patience and persistence is required to bag a trophy animal...

In Flathead county, where most of the B&C whitetail have come from in MT (and where I grew up), you can't glass from miles away either. It is in the western half of the state and whitetail inhabit thousands of square miles of pine forest with thick underbrush. I don't see how that makes them any more predicatable than Wisconsin.

 

[belly-deep]

I'm sure hoping this one makes it by my recliner next season. I saw him during youth season 2 weeks after the close of regular. My youth hunter had left camp early. He is bowel movement impressive on the hoof.

That thing is wild!!!

 

[Wyodeerhunter]

Damn greenhorn

Somewhere back east, tarheed and all his buddies are jacking off to the pictures you just posted.

I will expect to not hear from tarheed until he's either recovered or washed his hand.

 

[belly-deep]

Damn greenhorn

Somewhere back east, tarheed and all his buddies are jacking off to the pictures you just posted.

I will expect to not hear from tarheed until he's either recovered or washed his hand.

Washed his keyboard, you mean

 

[The Hedgehog]

Hem, the sarcasm was for Tarheel's comment. But you did ask.. The numbers do add up, though I've hunted whitetails past puberty, and appreaciate all I've taken. Sorry you feel I should have held out hunting deer this year - I cried myself to sleep last night after reading that. I should have been on the creek bottom doing a push or sitting in the treestand..

 

[Big O]

In Flathead county, where most of the B&C whitetail have come from in MT (and where I grew up), you can't glass from miles away either. It is in the western half of the state and whitetail inhabit thousands of square miles of pine forest with thick underbrush. I don't see how that makes them any more predicatable than Wisconsin.

Totally agree. It's funny to me to hear the term "out West" and all the open country. Too many TV shows being watched I guess.

Maybe I am wrong after looking at Greenhorn's picture, that is pretty open country. Obviously that dumb-azz mule deer died right next to the truck.

 

[belly-deep]

Totally agree. It's funny to me to hear the term "out West" and all the open country. Too many TV shows being watched I guess.

Well its common knowledge that those lush Milk River bottoms the realtree and buckmaster "pros" hunt are all over the state and so easily accessible to all of us.

 

[Hem]

Greenhorn,Thats cool I get the sarcasm.No offense intended,...you have deserved accomplishments,and a trophy room most would drool over,myself included.I just don't fall for the whiety/muledeer comparison,its like night and day.Then you throw into the mix which state you hunt,private/public,blah,blah,blah.Its too mixed wouldn't you agree.Guys that hunt public land muleys face a similar challenge to guys that hunt ,say,heavily hunted Block management whiteys.Different tactics but equal challenges(physical aside).I've always enjoyed the go-gettum spot and stalk of mountain muleys,just seems recently I also enjoy the sit,rattle and watch for hours for big whitetails.Hope to bump into you this year hunting elk,I'm suspecting we frequent the same spots....the back ground from your elk hunt looked uncannily familiar.Great pics in any case of your early year whitetails.

 

[Bucnutz.wis]

Totally agree. It's funny to me to hear the term "out West" and all the open country. Too many TV shows being watched I guess.

Maybe I am wrong after looking at Greenhorn's picture, that is pretty open country. Obviously that dumb-azz mule deer died right next to the truck.

Really now... that's the best you have.. ?? No pics, stories, or experiences to share ?? just a pussy-lip remark about someone else's trophy ?? Pretty lame.

Where I come from, respect is earned.... Sarcasm aside, Greenhorn has earned that respect by sharing his experiences and pics of his massive trophy collection...

Where's yours ?? What's your passion - watching Oprah ??

 

[Mudranger1]

wow you people are ruthless

 

[Big O]

wow you people are ruthless

Ruthless and funny. I think I struck a nerve with Buc. Maybe it was the dumb deer comment, maybe the TV comment, something hit home pretty hard, funny I didn't even qoute him in my post. I think everybody but Buc knew that wasn't about Greenhorn, I won't dare compare my animals to his.

Buc go have a beer and chill a bit, I think a re-run of Buckmasters is on.

Oh what fun

 

[Bucnutz.wis]

Ruthless and funny. I think I struck a nerve with Buc. Maybe it was the dumb deer comment, maybe the TV comment, something hit home pretty hard, funny I didn't even qoute him in my post. I think everybody but Buc knew that wasn't about Greenhorn, I won't dare compare my animals to his.

Buc go have a beer and chill a bit, I think a re-run of Buckmasters is on.

Oh what fun

Your emptiness comes as no surprise...