Mule Deer?

[salmonchaser]

Yes my preference is for broken sage country, benches, canyons, knobs and sage flats. That being said the black timber in our elk A/O holds some fine bucks. I'm convinced we see them then because of the rut coincide with elk season. I too like glassing but don't sit and wait for an animal to pass through. Mule deer, it seems to me don't pattern like white tails. I typically choose country with relief, 500 to 1,000 foot elevation changes are perfect.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[1100 Remington Man]

I will tell you what I was told taxidermist shop out west. The owener of it said they hunt the open sage country mostly but most of his customers who bring in the biggest Mule Deer hunt the National Forest. Have a Good Hunt.

 

[wildgene]

...mule deer rut around here doesn't really get going till (mid) Nov., most of the bigger bucks tend to stay higher, good chance of snow in the Bighorns in Oct., but most of the rds. should still be open. Sounds like you've got a Region R tag, a lot will depend on where you're basing out of, Lovell, Shell, Hyattville, or Tensleep, some driving/ scouting should give you a pretty good idea where the deer are. Large herds of mule deer moving leave a pretty good trail. Be aware, if the lower elevation rds. get wet, they'll be worse than driving in the snow. I don't hunt on that side very often, but I've done a lot of work over there, if you have a particular area you're looking @ I might be able to help...

 

[c. schutte]

I hear others say there are the "gamiest", but the best tasting mule deer I've had was a young buck that fed on sage brush...

Then again, having the mountains as a scenery background is pretty outstanding.

Funny you should mention this, Joel. The first mule deer I ever shot had been feeding on sage. It was one of the finest meats I ever ate. The liver was already seasoned to a delightful degree.

Doc,

Long time no chat! :grin:

My mule deer hunting is very limited and my first one tasted awful! Of course it was the rut and could be smelled 20' from where he lay. He was in the foot hills when shot, most likely he had come down from the mountains to associate with a herd of doe that I had been glassing for a couple days.

Instead of letting him bleed out I took him to a processor. It was a time thing. Big mistake.

No matter the taste I will put up with it for another! This fall I'll be hunting the Van Horn area of West Texas and this time I'll let the meat have a few days to bleed out.

chs

 

[DrMike]

Good to see you posting again, Charles. I've always been careful not to contaminate the meat by using the same knife used for skinning and any action that touches the meat. I'm also very careful to avoid the scent glands.

Van Horn, you say? Always loved west Texas. My first experience hunting mule deer was near the Big Bend outside of Terlingua. Those mulies were curious animals. First trip wasn't successful, but it wasn't because we didn't see mule deer.

 

[c. schutte]

Yeah, it's been a while :>) The last two years have been a little on the hectic side for me.

 

[Europe]

Yeah, it's been a while :>) The last two years have been a little on the hectic side for me.

This is the understatement of the decade. Charles is a man's man. He has been confronted with more than one problem that might bring lesser men to their knees, but not Charles.

I did want to mention something about hunting Mule Deer. A lot of people overlook Arizona, as one can wait years for a tag to hunt Mule deer in Arizona. However, if you like to bow hunt, otc tags are available to both residents and non residents in prime hunting areas in Arizona, and there are some very nice mule deer running around Arizona, at least there were a few years ago, before I left the State.

 

[c. schutte]

Thanks for the kind words!.............and I was on my knees more than once! :>)


Van Horn should not be too much different than some parts of Arizona. It's a neat part of the state. That is if you like rattlers and "cougars"............... :>)

 

[Europe]

Van Horn should not be too much different than some parts of Arizona. It's a neat part of the state. That is if you like rattlers and "cougars"............... :>)

your meaning did not escape me, you rascal lol