“Mule deer are stupidity.” I wish I had a dime for every time I have heard that really frustrating comment. My usually snarky reply is, “if they are so dumb, then why are your rafters not lined with big bucks?” Usually I get a blank look, a regretful explanation about the one that disappeared, or a picture of a young, immature buck. Having hunted mule deer my whole life and guided in some of the best mule deer territory in the West, I can tell you that a mature buck mule deer is far from dumb. Actually, people who hunt and kill adult bucks on a regular basis would contend the reverse. A real-life chess match of epic proportions, mule deer hunting for mature bucks calls for a certain skill set, developed over many years of trial and error.
List Productive Habitats
The area and elevation to which you should concentrate your efforts will depend on when you hunt mule deer. Deer will be scattered from the high terrain above timberline down to the valley bottom over the months of September and October. Although they produce public access problems, agricultural areas usually have plenty of deer. For most hunters, this element alone drives them upward into the millions of acres of National Forest and BLM territory across the West. For those ready to hunt small areas of public land surrounding private property, however, there are some excellent hunting prospects thanks to onX and many other mapping apps.
Deer will leave the high country and start their journey toward their wintering range around November and December, also active throughout their breeding season. This both focuses the deer and raises your chance of spotting a mature buck. If you are fortunate enough to have a mule deer tag in your pocket during these months, remain patient when you locate the does; you will probably come upon a buck close by.
Search for Success like a Scout
If you were to ask the ten best mule deer hunters you know what their secret to success is? I can nearly assure you that pre-season reconnaissance is almost entirely responsible for each of their success. Scouting can play several functions depending on when your hunt is scheduled. Cover ground in July and early August until you find a shooter buck then start the babysitting procedure when hunting the months of August and September. Mule deer at this season have somewhat tiny core regions and can be readily patterned with a little time and effort. Watching a buck for three to five days will help you to know where he sleeps, eats, and visits water. Equipped with this information, your chances of success are much raised.
Go for the middle of the day.
Pursuing mule deer over much of the West, hundreds upon hundreds of days have seen me pick up behavioral and movement patterns that have been the death sentence for many mature bucks. While everyone likes to hunt early and late, mule deer particularly under pressure adjust to our hunting techniques and often feed in the middle of the day when hunters are back at camp.
Only a few weeks ago, I was in Colorado on a mule deer hunt grinder. There was little deer movement and great pressure. We arrived at our appointed glassing spot about 2:30 p.m. one particular afternoon and soon saw many groups of deer up and eating. Every deer we had seen by 4:00 was settled into their beds and stayed there until dark. This is not unusual—especially for mature bucks.
Glass hardness
Your most likely single most critical piece of gear for shooting mule deer is your optics. Choose many vantage points from which you can cover a sizable portion of real estate with your glass and spend enough time panning the nation in front of you.
“Adequate time” glassing a certain region is optional but bare minimum; at least an hour before moving on provides a decent vantage position. Even after you have split the basin in front of you a dozen times over, the game you witness 45 minutes into glassing will astound you. Giving an area time lets bucks that might be bedded stand and provide their location as well as provides you the chance to carefully break the area in search of a flicker of an ear or a glint of a tine.
Hunting Mule Deer Advice
Scout ground, not just for deer. Before opening day, mark access points, vantage points, good camping sites, possible water sources, and familiarize yourself with the topography of your unit.
Go for the fringes. Mature mule deer are elusive by nature and hardly ever found in large open spaces. Spend a lot of your glassing time carefully separating the aspen groves from the shadow borders of timber.
Get ready for a buck bed. Stalking a stationary target is lot simpler than one that is still up and moving.
Spend entire day in October and November. Just because less hunters are in the field during the middle of the day, many possibilities at mature bucks get overlooked.
Slow down. Many times eager to reach the next ridge, hunters miss chances at big bucks because of their impatience.
Approach closely. While backpacking miles into the backcountry can offer advantages, do not underestimate the nation in the first mile or two from the trailhead. Other hunters usually ignore some of my most effective places since they are rather near a road or trailhead.
Conclusion
An iconic Western species, mule deer hunting is a valid endeavor. Though fewer and more distant these days, mature bucks are still out there. Following these mule deer hunting techniques will help you create your own strategies throughout days, weeks, and years of hard hunting and result in success.