Hunting open country mule deer

Mule deer hunting in wyoming open country outfitters. A single shot can mean the difference between success and failure. Colorado mule deer hunts colorado mule deer hunting. Mule deer are recent newcomers to north america, with whitetails being the oldest deer species in the western hemisphere. We have excellent mule deer, whitetail deer, and antelope. Nov 19, 20 a hefty mule deer in mountain foothills brush. Montana mule deer hunting guide and outfitter in the missouri. Mule deer terrain ranges from rolling hills and prairie to timbered ridges and river bottoms. Thus, when you are hunting open country mule deer, do not be so quick to take the shot when you spot a mule. Schuhs clear communication style and appreciation for the fine details of a spot and stalk hunt helped me come away from the book with a clear picture of what i needed to change in my hunting strategy.

That being the case, experienced mule deer hunters today tend to favor flat shooting cartridges over traditional numbers like the. This is known as skylining, and its the kiss of death for an opencountry hunter. I dont care if youre hunting the desert floor of arizona or the,000 high country of colorado. Buy a cheap copy of hunting open country mule deer book by dwight r. I was hunting somewhere in south dakota on a game production area open to the public, and so i left feeling quite satisfied. Big bucks prefer the most rugged places, the gnarly stretches of badlands and breaks. This guide for taking western bucks with bow and rifle clearly tells how to. Hunters who underestimate the vigilance of opencountry mule deer risk blowing stalks, taking irresponsibly long shots or simply overlooking. They systematically worked through many miles of open country, stopping at strategic. Mule deer 4 things matter when youre gunning up havalon. A good short book on mule deer hunting techniques for open desert country the great basin, arizona, east oregon, etc. This area offers some of the best mule deer hunting montana has with both mule deer and whitetail deer in the area, it is also one of the few areas in the west where wolves. How to crush your next mule deer hunting trip bone collector. After two seasons of attempting to bow hunt elk, ive realized that i just dont enjoy calling as a hunting tactic and want to give something new a try.

Cpw issues hunting and fishing licenses, conducts research to improve wildlife management activities, protects high priority wildlife. One big change, however, is that there are fewer mule deer today, and a whole lot fewer big bucks. Open country oregon mule deer hunting oregon articles. Welcome to open country outfitters, llc thank you for inquiring about our hunts.

Theyll sit contentedly out in sparse cover, brush that. From southwest deserts to coastal forests, mule deer hunting presents a variety of challenges. Finding mule deer in eastern montana sage and grasslands often means seeing whats right there in front of you. Standard whitetail cartridges will handle them nicely, but flat shooting. Most bucks live in the high country that surrounds our. That being the case, experienced mule deer hunters today tend to favor flat. Since mule deer are often encountered in open country or across deep canyons, shots can often be around 350 to 400 yards. Guided texas mule deer hunts all seasons guide service. Trophy hunters alberta is albertas premiere mule deer outfitter, owning some of albertas best allocations for the species throughout central, eastern and southern. He hunts all big game and has taken 19 species from across north america, but he considers big mule deer bucks the supreme challenge, especially with a bow. To prepare for his hunting adventures, he has become a selfprofessed gym rat. Spend a day scouting near water and youll find evidence aplenty. Mule deer and whitetails have a lot in common, after all, including dna. Schuhs clear communication style and appreciation for the fine details of a spot and stalk hunt helped me come.

This area offers some of the best mule deer hunting montana has with both mule deer and whitetail deer in the area, it is also one of the few areas in the west where wolves have not had a devastating effect on the deer herd. Plan a guaranteed hunt, even in new country scout to find the biggest bucksspot more. If i know where they are going next i will try to beat them there and prepare for an ambush or continue to stalk them while they are on the move. Hunting whitetails in mule deer country as whitetail deer continue to elbow their way into portions of the west that was once the sole province of mule deer, many muley hunters lament that their preferred game is running out of habitat. Sep 23, 2010 changes in mule deer hunting have been subtler. Colorado parks and wildlife is a nationally recognized leader in conservation, outdoor recreation and wildlife management. Specializing in back country deer hunting, he has hunted mule deer in eight western states.

Any animal, whether a pronghorn or a bison or a mule deer, that makes a living in wideopen country keeps an eye trained on the horizon at all times. Idaho mule deer hunting outfitter guides guaranteed hunts. Trophy mule deer, trophy whitetail deer and management mule deer hunts. The author focuses on a bowhunting technique that he thinks is the most. Distinguished biggame biologist valerius geist details the relationship in his book mule deer country. Jan 09, 2019 preferring minimal equipment and support, his appetite for adventure has led to successful hunts of elk, mule deer, mountain goat, moose, antelope, black bear, and whitetails. The author focuses on a bow hunting technique that he thinks is the most productive glassing from a good vantage point for 14 hours at a time, finding bucks bedding down, and then stalking close for a good shot. In my book, hunting big mule deer, i dedicated an entire chapter to learning how to recognize big buck country. Get in that cut and use the yuccas for cover, tom excitingly muttered as the cold wind whipped across our faces. We have two deer seasons on the ranch since it is located in two different hunting areas. There are exceptions, to be sure, but for the purposes of this article i am addressing classic, open country mule deer hunting. Montana guided mule deer hunting swan mountain outfitters. Nearly everything about these magnificent opencountry creatures courts.

But if his techniques can help him sneak up with 2535 yards of a mule deer buck with a bow in open country, it can certainly help a rifle hunter who isnt so limited by distance. Visit the trophy hunters alberta mule deer photo gallery to view over 450 pictures of our guests successful mule deer hunts divided into each hunting season over the last 10 years. Since mule deer can be a relative large bodied animal, a reasonably stout cartridge should be used. The area on the west side of the ranch for both species of deer is open for rifle hunts oct. Our tactic is to intercept the mule deer coming and going from the numerous alfalfa fields in the area.

On a mule deer hunt in open country, the most important parts of my kit are a spotting scope, binoculars and something with which to check the wind. Parent must have a hunt booked with open country outfitters during the same dates. He hunts all big game and has taken 19 species from across north. The terrain was layered with nothing more than scraggly, yellow prairie grass and sporadic yucca plants. During this time is when i like to close the distance. Truly large mule deer bucks, with a 30inch or more inside antler spread, are perhaps the most challenging big game animal an opencountry hunter can find. He also lectures across the country on big game and western hunting. Buy a cheap copy of hunting opencountry mule deer book by dwight r.

Traditional mule deer states such as colorado, utah, wyoming, idaho and montana offer both highcountry and opencountry hunting opportunities. Then and now, the mule deer is a creature of open country, so the same flat shooting, scoped rifles touted in the 1970s remain fine choices today. Our mountain ranches are an incredible migratory destination for giant mountain mule deer. Lately, ive been using the binobro that keeps them protected from dust and rain. Hunt these during the augustseptember season by glassing at first and last light. Canada whitetail and mule deer, elk, moose, hunts in alberta. California, oregon and washington also offer mule deer hunts and some large bucks some in the high country and others in deserts where cactus can cause a few sore knees. This property adjoins vast acres of wilderness and provides nearly 100% opportunity quality utah elk and mule deer hunting experience for dedicated hunters. The agency manages 42 state parks, all of colorados wildlife, more than 300. Watch as we spot and stalk bucks in the open country of north dakota. Spot and stalk is the key hunting technique to take away from dwight schuhs hunting opencountry mule deer. Most of the mule deer hunting is done in the foot hills of the big horn mountains. Then and now, the mule deer is a creature of open country, so the same flat shooting, scoped rifles touted in the 1970s remain fine. The key to the success of nicks late season mule deer hunt involved putting in lots of miles and glassing thoroughly.

Standard whitetail cartridges will handle them nicely, but flat shooting cartridges handle the open country best. I like to let the mule deer decide their next move and be waiting for them to make it. Most bucks live in the high country that surrounds our ranches and migrate down onto the lower sage flats to rut and winter every year. Bearpaw outfitters offer guided, semiguided, and unguided mule deer hunts, guaranteed hunts, horseback drop camps, and diy mule deer hunting. Southern idaho is known for trophy mule deer hunting. Those familiar with the somewhat crowded and closerange whitetail deer hunting of the east will find mule deer hunting a wideopen pleasure. By october, bucks will have mostly vacated this open country. Going 4 for 4 in colorados high country for mule deer gohunt. This eliminates most calibers on the smaller spectrum and leaves calibers from. Youth must be accompanied by this parent and must be 1218 years old for big game. Here at open country outfitters in northeast wyoming, we use spot and stalk tactics as well as stands and ground blinds to hunt these awesome animals. Hunting open country mule deer gives a lot of meat without much fluff.

Our open country foothills and prairie spot and stalk style mule deer hunts have gained widespread acclaim in recent years by hunters from all over north america. Open country hunting is one the last largest private lands east of salt lake city set aside exclusively for utah elk and mule deer hunting. The binoculars are kept in a harness that plants them firmly to my chest. Mar 26, 2014 from southwest deserts to coastal forests, mule deer hunting presents a variety of challenges. Hunting techniques for mule deer are as varied as their habitat. Mule deer hunting in the backcountry using spike camping has been quite successful for us and allows hunters to learn a different set of hunting tactics vs. The agency manages 42 state parks, all of colorados wildlife, more than 300 state wildlife areas and a host of recreational programs. They observed hundreds of deer using this hunting approach, though the. We could clearly see the herd of deer, about a mile away, grazing across an open flat. Although slightly larger than whitetails, mule deer are not super tough. Over on the dry side, where water holes are few and far between, it isnt hard to find deer sign. Once you locate a bucks track, stop and look around. Preferring minimal equipment and support, his appetite for adventure has led to successful hunts of elk, mule deer, mountain goat, moose, antelope, black bear, and whitetails. Our hunts take place from open country on the high plains east of the rockies, to the steep, rugged mountains of the greys river.

Truly large mule deer bucks, with a 30inch or more inside antler spread, are perhaps the most challenging big game animal an open country hunter can find. I recently read hunting open country mule deer by dwight schuh and the style of hunting that he describes has really caught my imagination. There is nothing quite like seeing a big mule deer buck skylined on a. However, the crew at ddh also love to head west and put in. We are located in northeast wyoming on the west edge of the black hills. None were the buck i was looking to shoot but one of them had at least required a second look. I had a new coworker, bryce, who moved from arizona up to colorado and wanted to give high country mule deer hunting a try. He continues on with the magazine as hunting editor. The hunting is done in relatively open country where we will spend many hours glassing. Although many of our hunters book combination hunts, if you would like to arrange a. They systematically worked through many miles of open country, stopping at strategic spots to glass distant ridges and valleys with spotting scopes.

I tallied 28 mule deer through my binoculars by the end of the morning hunt. Oct 02, 2014 hunting open country mule deer gives a lot of meat without much fluff. Hunting opencountry mule deer 9780912299235 by dwight schuh and a great selection of similar new, used and collectible books. Dwight schuhs hunting opencountry mule deer is a classic. Dwight schuhs hunting opencountry mule deer, written almost twenty years ago, contains nearly all the pointers a budding mule deer hunter could want. Here in wyoming and montana, mule deer hunting is also diverse. This property adjoins vast acres of wilderness and provides nearly. Most shots for rifle hunters are in the 200yard range on average. For complete details on stalking mule deer, check out dwights book, hunting opencountry mule deer at. Oct 28, 2016 day 3 of our semilive archery deer hunt. The deer genetics are very good and we are able to harvest some bucks in the 160 to 190 class every year. Theyll sit contentedly out in sparse cover, brush that barely breaks up their outlines, brush that would make the average whitetail feel downright naked. He has taken 23 species of north american big game. Hunting open country mule deer 26 matching articles.