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Western mulie DIY help and recommendations

Chief_Wak

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Jul 3, 2021
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Me and a buddy of mine are currently planning a DIY hunt for mulies out west in a few years after we get finished up with college. Both of us are avid outdoorsman that spend a lot of time in all seasons of the year in the woods. However it would be our first big trip out west. Looking into building up a few points right now and just wondering what states people would recommend. Looked into going to southeastern Montana and wondering if people would recommend that. Any help will be appreciated!
 
Me and a buddy of mine are currently planning a DIY hunt for mulies out west in a few years after we get finished up with college. Both of us are avid outdoorsman that spend a lot of time in all seasons of the year in the woods. However it would be our first big trip out west. Looking into building up a few points right now and just wondering what states people would recommend. Looked into going to southeastern Montana and wondering if people would recommend that. Any help will be appreciated!
There are about fifteen states to choose from for hunting mule deer DIY. A few will take you far longer than a few years to build up enough points to hunt at all. A few others have so few deer on public land compared to some that they may not warrant your interest. Beyond that, there are a handful of states where you can reasonably expect to hunt after a few years of trying and maybe sooner.

The list of states you can narrow down to really depends on your interests, though. When, in what type of habitat, during what time of year, and how far from home you can travel will all shape your decision. In other words, you need to look at all these factors plus the states themselves to find the best fit for you. Montana, Wyoming and Colorado are the most common states to consider first, but they aren't the only ones to consider.

Finally, remember that a hunt that takes 3 points today may take 5 points by the time you've got 3!
 
There are about fifteen states to choose from for hunting mule deer DIY. A few will take you far longer than a few years to build up enough points to hunt at all. A few others have so few deer on public land compared to some that they may not warrant your interest. Beyond that, there are a handful of states where you can reasonably expect to hunt after a few years of trying and maybe sooner.

The list of states you can narrow down to really depends on your interests, though. When, in what type of habitat, during what time of year, and how far from home you can travel will all shape your decision. In other words, you need to look at all these factors plus the states themselves to find the best fit for you. Montana, Wyoming and Colorado are the most common states to consider first, but they aren't the only ones to consider.

Finally, remember that a hunt that takes 3 points today may take 5 points by the time you've got 3!

RobertD pretty much nailed it.

I hunted SE Montana for mule deer last season. I will spend more time in that area but I won't be mule deer hunting there again. With all of my research on the area combined with my 12 to 14 days of hunting there, I came to the conclusion that the mule deer numbers and age structure aren't there, especially on public land, and especially given the amount habitat available.
 
RobertD pretty much nailed it.

I hunted SE Montana for mule deer last season. I will spend more time in that area but I won't be mule deer hunting there again. With all of my research on the area combined with my 12 to 14 days of hunting there, I came to the conclusion that the mule deer numbers and age structure aren't there, especially on public land, and especially given the amount habitat available.
Havent you seen youtube, 4pt behind every single tree in montana! Internet and youtube never lies.
 
There are about fifteen states to choose from for hunting mule deer DIY. A few will take you far longer than a few years to build up enough points to hunt at all. A few others have so few deer on public land compared to some that they may not warrant your interest. Beyond that, there are a handful of states where you can reasonably expect to hunt after a few years of trying and maybe sooner.

The list of states you can narrow down to really depends on your interests, though. When, in what type of habitat, during what time of year, and how far from home you can travel will all shape your decision. In other words, you need to look at all these factors plus the states themselves to find the best fit for you. Montana, Wyoming and Colorado are the most common states to consider first, but they aren't the only ones to consider.

Finally, remember that a hunt that takes 3 points today may take 5 points by the time you've got 3!
Great advice. I’ll add a brief state-by-state rundown:

CO: totally limited tags for R&NR, a solid options all around for multiple weapon types. Have your ducks in a row for a potentially short season, be prepared for the terrain you are hunting, especially high elevation, steep terrain, winter storms, etc.

WY: Lots of options for opportunity hunts in the low PP range. Look for prices to rise and quotas to shrink soon.

ID: No points required…just buy a tag and go. Be prepared for plenty of R competition, low population densities, rough terrain, predators, and/or low success rates.

MT: Great opportunity state. If you’re wanting a mature animal you will have to work hard and even then you may not find the age class you’re looking for.

ND: VERY few NR tags…not a good short-term plan.

SD: Takes years of applying, or getting lucky after a couple years to snag a tag valid for MD.

NE: Buy a tag and go…no points required. Plan to face a ton of competition because the state sells a TON of tags for a small # of deer on public.

KS: If you want to hunt WT every year eventually you can/will snag a MD stamp. It’s not a great state to just build points since you are buying a full price license every year.

OK/TX: These are not top MD states for NR DIY due to small # of tags. I don’t have any details on the opportunities that do exist.

UT: You can build points for general rifle in a few years. Some people report it’s crowded…other people report enjoying this hunt.

NV: There are options for archery hunts with low PP.

NM: It’s random. No points but options are pretty limited due to a low DIY allocation. The nice thing about NM is you can shoot for the moon any year and possibly get lucky.

AZ: Fantastic hunts, but this is a long-term strategy MD state.

WA: There are options here, but it’s probably a low pick on your list unless you live nearby or have a connection here.

CA/OR: I don’t have info on these states, other than it’s fairly limited either due to low quality and/or low # of tags.

Personally, my eggs are in the WY basket. I’m mainly looking for a halfway decent opportunity hunt. If I had to pick a different state I’d probably do CO, ID, and MT, in that order.
 
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