What do you love about Mule Deer Hunting?

[AtenJones]

Im a Midwest guy who sits in a tree all fall, playing on my phone, waiting for waiting for a whitetail to wander by...or not.

However, this year I’m heading out west for my first hunt in the mountains, and I cant wait. I applied for New Mexico Elk, and when I don’t draw that, the plan is Colorado OTC Elk. For the past year I’ve planned on hunting elk. They’re big, they’re delicious, they’re majestic, and besides, I have deer at home.

But... over the past month or so, Mule Deer have really started to grow on me. I don’t know what it is, but I’m starting to get a pretty serious itch to go chase them soon. I’m still gonna do Elk this year, because if I’m driving 1500 Miles, I’d like the opportunity to come back with as much meat as possible - but I’m thinking long and hard about a Mule Deer Hunt in the next couple years.

So - what do you enjoy about chasing them? What do you dislike? How does it compare to elk? And, if you could only make one western bunt a year - how would you divide the your trips between the two?

Thanks!

 

[mtmuley]

There isn't anything like a truly big mule deer buck. mtmuley

 

[Bulldog0156]

what do you enjoy about chasing them? Open country and seeing lots of deer. Plus you never know when a big one is going to show up.

What do you dislike? Montana is a big state; it can be hard to choose where to go.

How does it compare to elk? Way more fun. Elk hunting is serious; I tend to enjoy deer hunting more.

And, if you could only make one western bunt a year - how would you divide the your trips between the two? Easy, antelope hunt!

 

[hank4elk]

Big solo muley bucks are one of the toughest,frustrating big game to take in my book,next to a Blacktail.. Just when you think you have them figured out,they figure you out.

 

[p_ham]

What do I like most about mule deer hunting? Not sitting in a tree all fall playing on my phone...
Even hunting when I lived in PA I could only sit for a couple hours. Then I was off sneaking through the woods the rest of the day. I had some great encounters stalking those woods.

To me mule deer hunting is about the challenge. A mature buck has an almost magical ability to completely vanish from existence. Sure it can get frustrating when stalks don't work out, but no matter the outcome the stalk is always exciting. That is what I like most about muley hunting.

To me, mule deer hunting feels more rushed than elk. It can be a scramble to find deer before they bed for the day. Some of the brush where I hunt is pretty tall and it can be very tough to spot bedded animals.

What don't I like about mule deer hunting? ATVs.

 

[brockel]

After chasing elk mule deer hunting never did have the same effect on me but my wife loves it so its always fun to take her out for hers. My favorite part of mule deer hunting would have to be the breaks country we hunt for them. Its been probably 9 years since ive killed a buck but I get more enjoyment watching her get excited for them.

 

[Schaaf]

That's tough to put into words but a solo, mature mule deer buck spends more time in my dreams than any other animal.

 

[HalfAce]

If you're looking to just kill a Mulie, you will likely have a very good time. Small bucks are easy to find.

If you're looking to find a big one - quit now, and focus on Elk & Antelope.

 

[uncle sage]

If you're looking to just kill a Mulie, you will likely have a very good time. Small bucks are easy to find.

If you're looking to find a big one - quit now, and focus on Elk & Antelope.

I wish someone had told me that 40 years ago,.. then again i may not have paid attention. lol

My outdoor related passions have always been spearheaded by hunting for big bucks. Smaller bucks were usually a dime a dozen where i hunted, great for those that are happy with that lot, but i always enjoyed letting those younger dumber bucks live and hold off for ol grandpa Muley. If i rated my success on how many huge muley racks i have, i'd have to say that i've struggled to mediocrity. But i don't look at it that way. The Chase of big Muley Bucks and those days spent afield chasing them have been among the best, most fun days of my life.

 

[beagle001]

I'm a midwest guy as well, but boy, do I absolutely love mule deer. The second I lay eyes on one, big or small, I get transfixed. Maybe it's partially to do with not being able to see them every day, but sometimes I forget that I'm there to hunt them. I haven't elk hunted yet, but I definitely feel as though I am a "muley guy"

 

[3855WIN]

Elk vs Muley

Although not easy, a hunter in decent shape should be able to pack out a muley on their back. Not so with elk. You can’t appreciate how big an elk is until you walk up to one on the ground. A solo elk hunter is looking at four to five trips to pack an elk out. Even a one mile pack out can turn into 8 miles of round trips. Do this at 8,000’ plus and you are looking at a serious challenge.

 

[BrentD]

I's the landscape they live in.

 

[noharleyyet]

I's the landscape they live in.

Oh yea, this.

 

[Crumb]

Yep there’s just something about them, maybe a combination of things. The country they live in, the ability to hunt and stalk them all day long, and don’t forget those antlers are just awesome!

 

[Nameless Range]

Mule deer were the first thing I hunted growing up in Clancy, Montana. In the mid 90s the local paper pointed out that in Clancy, MT that there were 100 deer for every person, which at the time was true. Definitely not anymore. And another thing about it, due to whatever, none of them were that big, but that didn't matter.

I like hunting mule deer because of the country they occupy - You can hunt mule deer in open prairies, dense northside lodgepole, dry Ponderosa laden rolling hills, or fields of ag. From low country to high.

I like hunting them because I like jerky.

Mule deer, the younger ones and does at least, are not the cagiest of animals, and when you are in their habitat you see them. They aren't particularly hard to find. And as in my youth, seeing 30 bucks in a 2 hour hike, even though none were greater than a 3 point, was 30 skips of a beating heart.

When mule deer are rutting, even the "big" ones, which I have little experience with, become stupid. Yes, from a hunter's perspective this is valuable as it exposes them, but it's also just plain fascinating to see an animal basically hypnotized.

Antlers - I've never shot a "big" mule deer, but their antlers are cool. I like big two points, 3 points with bladed beams, old bucks with mossy bases and tines that paddle out. There's so many characters, and cousins and brothers characteristics can be seen in many different deer miles apart that share the same genes if not too distant.

I like hunting them because of the mystery of a big one. I know they exist, though so rarely in Montana general units that a guy could hunt his whole life and never see one outside of wintering ground deer, but the big ones have a sort of mythos about them - where do they go, what tactics do they use to survive year-in year-out, what behaviors do they exhibit that you wouldn't see in a 1000 other bucks that don't make it past year 4....I don't know but I dream about em when I am walking in thick timber. To me, a giant old mule deer is a sort of archetype for ancient wisdom.

Accessibility, a blessing and a curse. In Montana you can hunt them on a general tag for 5 weeks, some of which is the rut, in over half the state. The only thing preventing you from hunting mule deer is the purchase of a tag.

 

[teej89]

Easy, go twice a year, September then again in November lol That's what we do and I don't regret missing the whitetail rut to glass multiple muleys dogging each other in the cold of november trying to figure out which one to go after or which one is the biggest.

 

[squirrel]

Mule deer are slow pitch softball, fun on a saturday pm with a beer. Not real challenging but this can vary with which season you are there for, Nuttin dumber than a rutty MD. Nothing prettier scenery wise than an above trees early hunt. In between you can convince yourself that they are unkillable, at least the big ones.

Elk are big league baseball, big ones are game 7 of the world series.

 

[hank4elk]

As much as I love elk hunting, mule deer has always been my favorite hunt.
Maybe it is the terrain & habitat. Their unbelievable hearing & nose. I feel more like a kid playing panther.
My 1st trip to NM was on a mule deer hunt. Wow,best describes the bucks back then here. It is not nearly as good of deer hunting in NM as it once was.
Every once in a while I see sign or spot a smoker buck or two still. Usually when I am elk hunting or scouting now. Or one someone else has taken.
Just saw the tracks of the big boy who has been raiding my neighbors bird feeders. At my gate. Says this one is way bigger than the old 3x who resided in neighborhood for years............... & its 5x5. He does not now much about deer hunting,but I do know he way underestimated that 3x3 in size.
Just so happens my unit is 3rd choice & my most likely draw. Been seeing an increase in my area after years of low deer numbers & tons of elk.

 

[CampRipleyLF]

Hi, my name is Nathan and I'm a mule deer addict!

Its hard to put into words what drives me to travel thousands of miles each fall to hunt Mule Deer but I always need to make multiple trips. I'm a Midwest guy too (Minnesota), spend plenty of time in the stand hunting whitetails too but there is just something about mule deer. If you ever need a partner in crime feel free if you live anywhere near central Minnesota. To play off another post above, I agree with all of his statements. The number of deer and country you can see when you are doing spot and stalk is what really drives me to get out west instead of sitting in a stand and waiting. You are on the ground and moving. It can be a little overwhelming at first and you can second guess yourself a lot in new country but a lot of habitat out west will hold deer and a lot of them. That's my dislike, just the second guessing myself if I'm heading into the right spot. I truly believe you have a better chance at getting a nice mule deer buck than you have of getting a nice whitetail in Minnesota.

what do you enjoy about chasing them? Open country and seeing lots of deer. Plus you never know when a big one is going to show up.

What do you dislike? Montana is a big state; it can be hard to choose where to go.

How does it compare to elk? Way more fun. Elk hunting is serious; I tend to enjoy deer hunting more.

And, if you could only make one western bunt a year - how would you divide the your trips between the two? Easy, antelope hunt!

 

[JEL]

For me it’s the country they occupy. I could spend weeks hiking and glassing breaks and coulees.