I have a friend that has decided that he needs a big trophy mule deer. I offered to help research here. Any advice? I know the Apache reservations (Jicarilla, etc.) offer huge ones, but at huge prices. Any other ideas? I do not think this guy is willing to play the drawing odds for Kaibab or other famous draw hunts. I think he wants to do the hunt in the next couple of years. Thanks, Hugh

Several options but one must remember that Trophy Mule deer are often elusive and reclusive. Some ranch hunts are a way to go and other times a quality outfitter with a recent track record of big bucks is the way to go. One of the best options as I see it is Sonora Mexico.
If you pick an outfitter or ranch it is a must that you see recent kill info, not bucks killed there over the last 20 years. Pick up several magazines like Eastmans or Trophy Hunteror Garth Carters Huntin'Fool or call up and talk to Ryan Hatch at Muley Crazy magazine.
Sometimes it is not as simple as paying the money, big Muleys usually have to really be worked for.

I guess first a guy has to know what he thinks a trophy mule deer is. Everyone has there own Idea what that is. Ron

If you do the research you can find an area that has been producing big mulies, that could be anywhere from Alberta to Sonora. There is a big difference between a mountain hunt and a desert hunt, so it's up to you to decide what kind of hunt and what you consider a trophy. Either way you decide, a trophy mule deer is one tough endevor, they can be as elusive as a ghost. Good luck on your hunt.
Dave

The best I hunt I know of that produces 180 Class at the minimum bucks and many in the 190's is Bearpaw Outfitting Company by Scott Taylor in Alberta. It isn't cheap and he is booked for years, but his track record is unparalled in my opinion.

Here is an outfitter in wyoming and you can check out thier website

http://www.sevenjoutfitters.com/

They show some current pics of mule deer and a five day hunt is $4200 and change. You can got the wyoming fish and game page to get a link to the licenced outfitters list.

http://gf.state.wy.us/

Rad

I would go to Sonora Mexico but I am biased. You could also look for a landowner voucher in CO but they are getting as expensive as fully guided Sonora hunts.

Drum

There is an outfitter my buddy works for they don't kill anything less than 160 and most are 180+ they get a 200in deer every fall.. I don't know the guys name But I can check if you are interested. I am pretty sure they are big$$$

I personally would be very careful about booking a hunt in Mexico for mule deer. While there are some good operations, I know there are many questionable guides there. Night hunting with a spotlight and highfences are one problem there. While you see some huge bucks coming from Mexico, there are many 150" deer killed there. Do your research and you could have a good hunt down there, but you have to research it.

There are great mule deer operations here in the West which cost from $3,500 to $24,000. Like was said before, What do you consider a "trophy"?

Uh, I second Sonora.......

Like someone said It's in the eye of the beholder. I think Trophy Mule Deer are 160 and above . I have seen Some smokin Mules at 160 plus and you would think they look better than they are.I have looked at alot of Mule deer hunts from Sonora To Alberta.I have talked to outftters in Alberta that only Takke 8 hunter a year at $8500 and are booked until 2010 he kills only 180 plus. Most Sonra produce very good 180 plus bucks at $7500 a pop. I hunted Chihuahua 2 years ago at $4200 he averages 26 -32 inch bucks but most are 27-28 with mass.
Santa Rosa Island has grate bucks at $8500 plus Trophy fee.Monta and Wyoming are grate places to try for a Mule deer. Colorado has some Too .
These three states there hubnts average $3500-4500 a hunt.
Utah has some big bucks but cost is usally on the High side. I am checking out one at $5200 land onwer tag , the outfitter was lucky enough to have taken a 38" and 42 " bucks in the last two years.
You will find in general that most outfitters produce 20" to 24 " bucks.
Bottom Line is it's all in what your hart is set on.

Southeastern Montana is not to be overlooked. I hunted there about 10 years ago with a buddy and he took a 5x5 Muley with a 30" spread and a lot of mass. I passed on a few 26 inchers, missed out on one in the 30's as he was at the top of a rise and the farmhouse was behind him a ways but did not want to chance it. I did settle for a huge 8 pt. whitetail scoring in the 170's though. He was one of two running together. This combo deer/antelope hunt was just $1200. There is some fantastic Muley hunting east of Billings at very fair prices. The ranch hunted was called Mysee and was 35,000 acres.

Dont rule out Utah, these are some pics of a buck taken recently in Utah. I dont want to include the good pics that have the hunter holding up the buck, but heres on eof him laying on his side. Hes got a massive drop tine on his right side.Talk about mass.

AlaskaCub,

Several posters have asked what I consider as a trophy. Your pretty much illustrates it... mass, height, width, character. It has all the characteristics. Congratulations. Great trophy. Thanks to all for your contributions. I will forward to Jarret. Thanks, Hugh

Hugh, I wish I had killed it, this and some other amazing photos of this deer were emailed to me from family down in Utah. I would say he's as good as they get. The 10" drop tine on the right side thats almost 4" in diameter is just icing on an already amazing cake!

I had a great Mule Deer hunt this past week with Atkinson Expeditions near Wellington, Co. I saw several nice 4x4s that I had to be talked out of shooting the first day. I really wanted a deep forked typical 4x4!

We stalked this buck monday afternoon climbing some steep hills until having to abandon the stalk as it was getting dark and he was still 600 yards away. we found him the next day, watched him bed down and got to within 200 yards of him. I can't recomend Wes enough. The day before I shot mine a guy's son shot a heavy 180 non typical. Mine scored just over 173.





I'll post the full story soon!

-Sean

Thats a dandy buck Sean, here are the other photos of this buck, you guys just have to see these.







I'm pretty sure we all dream of a buck like this, US and or Mexico, makes no difference!

WOW when you're holding it in your hands you can really see how massive he is. What a great buck. The drop tine is pretty cool too. I'll try and get pics of that non-typical taken the day before my hunt, it had really cool backs, one side looks like a red deer. This was my first mule deer and now I definitely want to go back.

I think like Blaser said, each trophy is different to each hunter. Last week each of the three of us got exactly what we wanted. The guides told me this guy Larry passed on my deer to shoot a wider (28" deer) without very deep forks that I wouldn't have shot, and another guy shot an atypical with lots of mass but not very tall, and I got my deep forked 5x4, neither of us would have traded for either of the other bucks!

This is all new to me but I had my heart set on a deep forked typical 4x4 and I saw two 160ish bucks that I would have been extremely happy with. However, I'm sure glad they put me in front of the 5x4 I shot.

WHOLY CRAP!!! Thats a toad! What's he packing a 205ish main frame? Jezzus dude thats a buck of 5 lifetimes!

now that's an awesome buck--congrats to the hunter---chris