Mule Deer

19 December 2001, 19:22

Brett

Trophy

Where abouts? Have been hunting around Clear Creek for years. Our group has taken two really good heads in the last 15 years or so. The older guys took some very good ones in the sixtys but from the early seventys on it has not been that good.

I am told the Book Clifs area is quite good but have never hunted it.

20 December 2001, 03:20

<Jeff S>

Like the whitetail, the species has a diverse range and what would be considered a good trophey in one are would be considered average in another. I shot a desert mulie in southern NM a few years ago...he was a 5x5 with 19" inside spread and weighed 190 lbs. That's a very good trophey for a desert mulie. Go to western Nebraska or Montana and they would'nt give that deer a second look.

20 December 2001, 04:14

hvyw8t

there are alot of great mule deer hunts available, if you can draw the tag. i know of several in montana, wyoming, idaho, and southern utah. late hunts that are in november increase your odds that much more. i dont think you could say that one state is better than the next, its just hard to get the tag. if you have the dough, you can find the buck. good luck

20 December 2001, 04:48

Rob1SG

MEXICO

20 December 2001, 05:20

RCHAPURA

Kaibab area AZ. They sell Archery late season tags over the counter. That is if you like pointed sticks.

20 December 2001, 09:43

<Ol' Sarge>

I'm looking into the plains of NW Colorado.

I'm sure there are areas that have more big deer, namely parts of Wyoming and Utah, but there are some truly outstanding bucks out in Colorado's prairie.

There is also a lot of public land there with almost no hunting pressure.

Oh, and there shouldn't be any problem getting a tag.

------------------
Jesus is the reason for the season.

[This message has been edited by Ol' Sarge (edited 12-20-2001).]

20 December 2001, 09:54

<Hoghead>

Mexico!!!

20 December 2001, 10:02

HunterJim

Brett,

An exceptional mule deer trophy is the hardest hunt to find today. Part of the question is just how large an animal do you want to take? Are you satisfied with a rack with lots of spread with skinny tines, or do you want mass of antler in maybe a less-wide head? 170" to 185", or does it have to break 200"?

Some really big whitetail deer are being taken on whitetail farms, but mule deer have a big range requirement and really cannot be raised behind a fence.That means you have to hunt a really big private ranch that manages for trophy quality, or hunt good, large public ground where access is controlled by restrictive drawing. There are fewer of these areas every year, hence the relative scarcity of good mule deer trophies.

For Rocky Mountain Mule Deer (not Desert Mule Deer) today I would point you at areas in Northern Utah or South Eastern Utah. Utah has special landowner tags. Nevada has some really good deer, but it is a tough draw unless you are a resident.There is some good hunting for big deer in South Eastern Colorado, but it takes one preference point to be drawn.

Alberta also has some good mulies, but I "feel in my bones" that maybe the next record breaker will come from British Columbia.

jim dodd

------------------
"if you are to busy to
hunt, you are too busy."

20 December 2001, 10:28

<Rogue 6>

The unknown sleeper in the US is North East Nevada. The tags will take a few years to draw but holy cow there are some monsters down their. Sanora in Northern Mexico has huge mulies also. Other than that you will be lucky to get a chance at one 36 inch plus muley in your lifetime. I've been applying in SE Oregon for a few years now. Oregon doesn't produce a lot of mosters because of hunting pressure but the genetics are good for the bucks that grow old.

20 December 2001, 17:37

<sure-shot>

Brett,
There are still a few good areas left. Most of the top US areas are hard to draw and no guarantee if you do. That said a few good heads still come from Southern Idaho, NE Nevada, SE Oregon, Southern Utah, Eastern Colorado and W.Wyoming. Old Mexico is still producing also. If you research the units in the areas I listed you will have some idea where to start. Keep in mind the coveted 30"+ muley is extremely rare. There are "sleeper areas" but they are just that-nobody is going to spill the beans on their secret hotspot! sure-shot

20 December 2001, 18:03

<Santa Claus>

Jicarillas!!

20 December 2001, 18:26

<sure-shot>

quote:
Originally posted by Santa Claus:
Jicarillas!!

Make that Jicarillas !! & a 2nd mortgage!!!

21 December 2001, 06:51

<NM Kid>

Hello Guys,

If a man has 1000 dollars I would strongly look at hunting the Navajo Reservation. There are tremendous bucks there, I have seen pictures of animals taken and sheds people find. I would say a 160-180 buck is very dobale. There rifle hunt is 1.5 weeks long.

In units 2A and 2B here in NM we have had some tremendous deer harvested. A hunter out of Largo Canyon would have had the worl record bow kill, but his head was destroyed when a truck hit the taxidermist shop and broke points off. Lots of people loss great animals on that accident. Two years back three muzzle loader hunters took 200 class bucks in 2B.

The exceptional mule deer at the Jicarillia will run you 10,000. But I have seen them there, while hunting cow elk. If you did not kill a 35 inch buck somethings wrong.

Chad

21 December 2001, 13:02

John Frazer

quote:
Originally posted by NM Kid:
Hello Guys,
If a man has 1000 dollars I would strongly look at hunting the Navajo Reservation.
[snip]
The exceptional mule deer at the Jicarillia will run you 10,000. But I have seen them there, while hunting cow elk. If you did not kill a 35 inch buck somethings wrong.
Chad

Really only a grand on the Navajo res.?

We saw a nice mule deer the first morning I hunted elk on the Jicarilla reservation. I was surprised to learn that the mule deer tags go for more than the early season trophy elk tags!

John

22 December 2001, 10:52

<NM Kid>

Yes John, 1000 bucks for the rifle. I believe it is a draw system, but odds are not to bad. I hunted with a Navajo Game warden for lion. He said 28 inch bucks on up is what he usually harvests. He said the biggest buck he has ever killed was 34 inches.

The Jicarillias regard deer higher than elk. In fact if they had a choice they would rather hunt deer, eat the meat etc. They auction of a deer tag every year that is good for one month. I heard last year it went for 20,000!!

I have hunted SE Utah for deer with bow and I have had great luck. Lots of bucks, but not real big ones like what I have seen here in NM. I have seen more 160 on up bucks here than anywhere else, mailnly because I live here and always out and about.

One month back my dad and I shot some film of 4 tremendous bucks on the Navajo rez. The largest one was 38 inches wide and had six on one side and seven on the other, the other three were huge in there own right over 30 inches and would have went on any ones wall. That was a true 300 lb deer, I have killed several deer and have never had one go over 180-200 on the hoof!

Guranteed I will be giving the navajo rez a try if I can draw a tag next year.

Chad

22 December 2001, 12:14

John Frazer

quote:
Originally posted by NM Kid:
Yes John, 1000 bucks for the rifle. I believe it is a draw system, but odds are not to bad. I hunted with a Navajo Game warden for lion. He said 28 inch bucks on up is what he usually harvests. He said the biggest buck he has ever killed was 34 inches.
The Jicarillias regard deer higher than elk. In fact if they had a choice they would rather hunt deer, eat the meat etc. They auction of a deer tag every year that is good for one month. I heard last year it went for 20,000!!

Interesting, if you get to the Navajo res. let us know how it goes! I assume the $1K is just for the tag, what's the daily rate for guides? What is the usual method of hunting there?

I remember hearing about the huge price for the Jicarilla auction tag when I was there. My Jicarilla guide seemed to be most looking forward to the tribal cow elk season (I believe it's after the late trophy bull season and before the non-member cow season) -- but he grew up in a huge family so they undoubtedly shot the biggest critters they could find!

23 January 2002, 10:15

<Caveman>

Sonora, MX

23 January 2002, 13:12

<k wood>

IT is interesting to see so many people recomemd utah for trophy mule deer. I'm from utah, lived here my entire life. There are some good places for mule deer here if you are willing to pay about $5000 or if you can draw a tag. If you can draw one of the premium tags in southern utah you should have the deer hunt of a lifetime. You can buy a land owner tag but you'll pay for a good one. A lot of land owner tags you'll likely wind up with a 20 inch buck, probably not what you are looking for.

Bret, if the Clear Creek you are talking about is near Scofield res. it is in my back yard. I spend lots of time in that area and the deer herd on the Manti range is way down. If anyone wants more info on hunting utah let me know I'd be glad to help.

24 January 2002, 09:17

Atkinson

The best kept secret for big mule deer is in the area of Kirmit, Texas on the New Mexico border...Year before last we shot a 233.5 and a 216 B&C and some poachers may have shot a world record or near that and they did get caught..The head is non registered but hangs in the Kermit or wink hiway patrol office...The deer are bigger than Mexicos deer as Mexico has been going down hill lately due to overhunting I believe...

My hunter postponed the hunt last year due to drouth, but this year looks mighty good so far..He is booked up unless he gets some drop outs and he may get one or two...

the ranch we hunt is 240,000 acres of sand hills in Texas with some mountains in the back end and 90,000 acres in New Mexico. the new mexico side is more mountainous...Its a tough hunt, mostly from 4 wheelers and horseback and the deer are far and few between but man are there some real old mosshorns in there..Mostly in the sand hill area. About the smallest shot here are in the 175 class...

We cater to the true trophy hunter, who can pass up 30" bucks and go home empty handed if he can't get a 34" or better...

------------------
Ray Atkinson

ray@atkinsonhunting.com
atkinsonhunting.com

24 January 2002, 10:22

<Mark Mcdeavitt>

N.W. Wyoming

24 January 2002, 18:59

Holmes

quote:
Originally posted by Mark Mcdeavitt:
N.W. Wyoming

Agreed!

~Holmes

26 January 2002, 11:10

<waldog>

Brett,

If you're from a state with mule deer, try looking in your own backyard. I mean litterally!

Last year, my buddy killed a 225" muley on a piece of ground that the owner and other locals insisted there were not any good bucks! Three days later I killed a 198" muley in another marginally good deer area. I found that deer about 50 miles from home and my friends was about 25 miles further.

And since you're gonna wonder, no these two deer were not taken in "trophy" areas. The few people I tell where they were shot always raise an eye brow in disbelief. But that's why they were there.... Big deer don't grow big when many people know about them.

Do your homework. Scout, scout, scout. Be commited. It will pay off!

26 January 2002, 15:56

Wstrnhuntr

quote:
Originally posted by Holmes:
Agreed!
~Holmes

Absoloutly NW Wyo.! Ive seen some beauties while traveling near the Jackson area.

I believe the most coveted tag in Utah would be the Paunsaugunt near Kanab.