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Originally posted by Biebs:
I wouldn't hunt Mexico again on a bet.

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Originally posted by DLS:

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Originally posted by Baker458:
The trophy expectation (or hope) makes a huge difference in this conversation. It's one thing to say "I'm looking for a 180-class mulie" and completely another to say "I'm looking for a 200-class mulie."

A 200" mule deer is kinda like looking for a 7 foot tall man. They definitely exist, but you damn well better be in the place where they are MOST LIKELY to exist, and even then there aren't very damn many. You're looking for a deer with superior genetics, who also made it to 6, 7, 8 years old.

These days, in my opinion, a 180" buck is just a hell of a trophy & a very good goal for someone who's serious about taking a big deer. A 200" is the Holy Grail, I think you need multiple hunts in a great area, combined with two tons of luck on the right day.

Good perspective, and one I can attest you’re right. In 2015, I drew one of the coveted ‘Strip’ tags in unit 13A, northern Arizona. I hired whom I consider to be one of the best outfitters for that area, A3 outfitters. I had my mind made up to shoot a 200” buck and not smaller. I arrived 3 days before the season to help with scouting, and we found several interesting bucks. Opening day arrives, we cannot find our #1 target buck, so we head for another area where we knew of a good buck. On our way, I spot some deer and we stop the truck and start glassing.

There he is, a gorgeous buck, standing broadside at just over 400 yards, watching us. My guide got his big binos on tripod set up while I was laying a sandbag on the hood and getting my 264 on the buck. Mind you, this buck simply fell into our lap, so we were not of the mind to look a gift horse in the mouth. My guide, Casey, tells me “You need to shoot this deer”. I reply that I don’t think he’s what I’m looking for and we start comparing notes while the rut dumb buck stands statue still. Casey thinks he’ll go maybe 195, and I think 190 tops. Casey thinks he’s just over 30” wide and I agree. Casey says “Kill that buck now”. And I say I’m looking for a bigger buck. This discussion goes on for about 5 minutes while our big 4x4 friend patiently waits. Finally, I convince Casey I’m not going to shoot this buck, even though my crosshairs had been settled solidly on his shoulder and all I’d have to do is squeeze the trigger. We finally drive away and Casey reminds me we can go days on the strip without seeing a deer, let alone a 190’s buck. He hopes I don’t come to regret my decision. So do I.

3 days later, we find the buck I want, a big 4x5 with a nice long inline on one side. We both think he’ll go somewhere around 205” +/- Only problem is, we spend a week trying to kill this buck and never can get a shot. We saw him several times but he was in a tough spot and living a charmed life. Finally, on the 11th or 12th day, I shot a very old “downhill” buck that wasn’t nearly as big as the opening day buck I’d passed up. He was very old and a good buck to kill, though certainly not the buck I’d come for. Our group of 6 hunters all filled our tags in a tough area, with the 3 best bucks going 190, 207, 214. To this day I think about the buck I passed, but also the bigger buck we found 3 days later. Yeah, sometimes I wish I’d shot that 190’s buck. Other times I remind myself I’ll never kill a giant buck just shooting good bucks instead of passing them up. I still haven’t figured out the best answer.