Record book hunt:

[Nighthunter264WinMag]

First let me introduce myself. I'm new to this site and have been an avid hunter for the past 40+ years, but have never hunted Mule Deer, Elk, or Antelope, etc.
I am in the planning stages of setting up a hunt for myself and my wife and would appreciate your thoughts on where the absolute best place would be; to hunt for record book trophy Muleys. What State, Unit, etc.
I appreciate your expertise, your help, and look forward to getting to know you all. Thank you... Mike

 

[D13er]

record book ? no place exists. Really big muleys ? sonora, mx

JB

 

[foghorn]

Welcome to Monster Muleys!!!
The best place to have a chance at a record book Mule Deer is the Jicarilla Apache Reservation in New Mexico. IMO.
Later
Foghorn

 

[Nighthunter264WinMag]

Thanks for your insight.

 

[300MIKE]

Whats the budget look like?

 

[Aaron]

How much money U got. U are looking at about 8k for mexico and for the states about 10kor more for a top end ranch or reservation hunt. If U want to hunt the best couple of units in the west u better be under 30 years old or U will be in a pine box before u draw out the poor mans way. U just might think about how U word your post or u might just get post like mine. But who knows maybye U are loaded and can buy these type of hunts. To be fair U can draw a good tag with about 4 to 5 years worth of points and will give U a chance at a 180 class buck or maybe even better. Some states like ID u have just of good of chance drawing every year because they have no points to gain in that state. Same with NM. CO would be a great state to get points in and cash them in after 4 to 8 years worth of points and have a real chance at a good head. If u want the best unit going for big mule deer and want to buy in to hunt there u might have to sell your house, no joke. sorry to be so bleak but what i said is pretty much the truth about hunting huge mule deer in the west. There is always the couple guys each year that pop out monsters of easy to get tags but if u think about it thats out of a couple hunderd thousand hunters. Not great odds if u get my drift. The one thing that i always try to tell myself every year is u cant kill a monster from your house. I hope some of my post can help u get started. If u want great outfitters to get u started and have the money there is a ton of experts on here and will be able to help u out with what ever u want.

 

[Nighthunter264WinMag]

When I have done my research and made an informed decision, the funds will not be an issue. Thanks for your views... Mike

 

[Agar426]

LAST EDITED ON Sep-28-07 AT 08:50AM (MST)[p]I would have to second the Jicarilla. Yeah, there are other areas that have the same genetic potential. In fact, genetically speaking I would say that the Jic is a 9 out of 10, whereas somewhere like the AZ strip could possibly be a 10 out of 10. The difference, there are a lot of "9's" on the Jic, low hunter densities, high deer densities, you will pass up more deer in 5 days then most avid muley hunters will see in there lifetime. It could truly be a once in a lifetime experience. It is pricey, but you said that's ok. More pricey than Sonora, but you won't have to deal with the hassles of crossing the border, which I hear are not trivial, and I also hear they are constantly changing, so you need an outfitter that is on top of his game. (Don't get me wrong, Sonora's on my list as a hunt I need to do before I move on) The trophy potential in Sonora is incredible, but from what I understand, it's no cake walk. Once again, don't get me wrong. Hunting should be tough, that's why it's called hunting. All I'm saying is that on the Jic, for the money, you may get a little more out of it. More photo ops of big bucks, more big buck sightings, etc.

On public land, you have the AZ strip, Kaibab, Paunsaugunt, Henry's, 2B in NM, etc., etc. The downside to that as already mentioned is drawing a tag. Also, those hunts may produce the same quality of buck, or you could go home without spotting a single buck.

If you have the money, time, and inclination, I believe that the private land or Reservation hunts would provide a better overall experience for you and yours.

Just my .02

Good luck and be sure to let us know how it goes!

 

[Warren]

If funds are no issue, look at a landowner tag for one of the hard to draw units in Colorado. And, of course, Mexico.

 

[Aaron]

I would say a big plus one for the Jic too. U will see tons of deer and will see at least one buck per day that will make u think about shooting him. Great chance at a 200 inch deer and maybe even a 220 plus if things go right. The Jic is about 12k or 13k last time i checked. One thing that is funny about it is u will have to draw to be even able to spend that kind of money. Mexico would give u a great chance at killing a 190 class buck or better and probbly at least 30 wide. Santa Rosa island off the coast of CA pops out huge deer every year too but u will have to hurry and do that hunt quick because the are going to kill all the deer of the island. Great chance at a 200inch deer there. CO would be a great choice for deer also. U could buy a landowner tag for alot of 4 season hunts where there is only like 10 to 20 hunters in the field on these hunts. Pick a hunt that takes like 12 or more points to draw and buy the tag and hire a outfitter in the area. Tag will cost about 5 to 10 grand. If U want to spend 100k plus for a monster look at a state wide tag for Utah or Arizona or Colorado. Then hire the best guides in the country to track u down a 230 class deer or better. Money can buy u a monster mule deer. As far as elk go buy a land owner tag for Utah for one of the top 3 units and hire Mossback outfitters and kill a monster end of story.

 

[Gator]

Jicarilla RES New Mexico

 

[gb22]

All those guys are right. However, there is no more inherent quality in a big deer from Mexico than in a mature deer from some place else.

There is inherent value in doing it without having bought it.

Yeah, I know all about lions and competition and all that stuff. I'm 56 and have been hunting mule deer my entire life. I've taken about 75 on public land in general hunts (couple of local draws, but nothing "special") The special tags always tell me "no".

I work at it...physically. Last year's buck was 187. He had a "twin" standing with him. I'll try for him in less than 2 weeks.

I don't know if we can provide any world record deer, but Idaho has high and rocky places that most people won't visit. Mature bucks live in such places. We kill some every year. The whole world wants our late tag in the King Hill/Bliss/Fairfield area. Those deer don't materialize in the winter. They just live about 20 miles north and about 4,000 feet higher. If you go there, you've got a chance. Tags are available right now.

 

[257Tony]

If money is really no problem then you may be able to buy a tag for Utahs Henry mountains at some point in hte future at a banquet or something. Better yet just buy the Gov tag and be done with it
______________________________________________________

 

[fatrooster]

I like what gb22 has to say and that is the way I like to hunt also.
However, if you are in your 50's or 60's you may not be in the kind of shape that requires the physical capabilities to do a "Do it Yourself" high country hunt. If you plan on using a guide service and funds are not an issue then most of the previous posts above have given some good info. Let me elaborate a little and point you in a couple of directions to get you started. If you want to hunt Mexico then get in touch with "Huntsonora" on this website. He always has great info and conducts himself as a professional on this site. He is or works for a guide service in Mexico and he can answer any questions you may have about crossing the border etc. If you want to hunt the U.S. then there are countless guide services and info everywhere. Get a subscription to the "Huntin' Fool" which is a magazine geared for the nonresident hunter looking to hunt the West and helps you learn how to do it. Plus the publishers have consultants to help you decide where and when and how to put in for the draws. It is an expensive service ($100.00) but well worth it for someone like yourself trying to learn the ropes. It was stated above that it is very hard to draw many tags and that is correct but every state has many areas that hold potential and can be drawn with minimal points. If you are interested in more info about the "Huntin' Fool" magazine and its Hunting Services just PM me and I'll give you a phone number. I've never used it for I am a "Do it Yourself" hunter but I do subscribe to the magazine and have found many hunting oppurtunities that I would never have found on my owne.
Now if you want to "DO it Yourself" then you are talking a whole new ballgame. It takes a lot of physical endurance and can be very hard but very rewarding. There is nothing like hunting and finding that trophy all by yourself!!! If you are interested in this kind of hunting then let us know and we'll start helping you out in that direction. fatrooster.

 

[gb22]

Fatrooster is right on about all of that.

However, I'm 56 and still do this. It does require more than a couple of hours of physical preparation. But, the scenery and experiences are beyond description and the real good part is....you can do it any time you want. There are mature bucks up there. UP THERE usually is not that hard of a tag to come by. The hard part is the doing. At my age, I've gotten a couple of llamas to do the work. There are probably a few guys on this site that can climb up the mountain faster than I; hence the llamas. I can STAY up there. If you get two horizontal miles from the nearest road and climb 2,000 or more feet, you'll be where there are mature bucks. That's true ALMOST everywhere mule deer live. The Wyoming and Idaho boarder has great genetics. Genetics matter if you have to have a world record. If you're willing to settle for a 5 to 7-year old buck (almost ANY of we MMers would), those deer are on public ground in the places nobody else wants to go. They're almost nocturnal, they pick their beds well and you will fall in love with them and their home!

As said, if you want to do DIY, just holler.

 

[Nighthunter264WinMag]

LAST EDITED ON Sep-29-07 AT 04:00PM (MST)[p]Guys,
Thanks once again for your willingness to help, and for your insight! I am 52 and although I once was seriously into martial arts tournaments, I am no longer in that great shape. I've had 2 knee operations and am not as spry as I used to be. With that being said, I have lost 40 lbs in the last 3 months and am working toward getting back into shape! Right now, I am more interested in a guided hunt because I've never hunted Muleys before, and I'm taking my wife to hunt as well. I will say that in the future, I'm certain that I will be interested in do it yourself hunts because that's really more my style..
I am completely green when it comes to Units and drawing for tags, because we just don't do that down South. We have counties with different limitations on game to be harvested, but that's about as complicated as it gets. Anyone can hunt any County they deem desireable, with the same license. As a matter of fact, they can hunt a one buck county and take a buck, then hunt a two buck county and take another one. They can also hunt counties that allow does to be taken and get some as well.
I have a Texas friend that guides in Colorado for Elk and I've been talking with him a bit. I asked him what Unit he guides for and he said: "The unit is 63. You should put in for a preference point for the first draw. After you get a preference point then you can be sure to draw a tag. 2008 is booked already. The first available spot is in 2009 deer season. It takes $500 to hold a spot for that season."
So now I need to find out when and how to put in for a preference point for the first draw??? and it looks like the only available slot with him is in 2009. I don't mind waiting, but I plan to hunt elsewhere in the meantime. I could really use a good explanation on "HOW" and "WHEN" I put in for a preference point for the first draw, and just what the heck a preference point is???
Thanks for helping me out. If any of you guys need help with accurizing a rifle, I'm your man. As a hobby, I build custom long distance shooters... Last year I took whitetail at 480 yds & 620 yds. Thanks again for helping a Knucklehead to understand!

 

[gb22]

Pretty much a preference point is the "parting gift" the state awards you when you ask for a permit, but are not given one. You get a point each time you are unsuccessful.

To hunt in the meantime, Idaho tags are available across the counter RIGHT NOW. The season opens October 10th. We have a number of limited entry lottery hunts, like Colorado, but we also have a general season. About 3/4 of the state is just as you described in the south. Buy a tag, you can hunt in any general season unit...again about 3/4 of the state. Some are tough, some less so.

If you got a general tag, drove into the mountains immediately west of Freedom, WY your will be where deer are. The mountains are steep and high and the "quality hunts" involve climbing those. However, people shoot deer/elk from 4-wheelers and P/Us, off the dirt roads EVERY day.

The QUALITY tags in Idaho are either special late-season limited-entry lotteries, or they are over-the-counter and unlimited. The biggest difference between the late-season tags and the general season is that the deer have generally come down to the lower foothills and it's physically easier. However, there are a lot of private property signs in the foothills. The mountains don't have such signs and those big deer are still up there in the general season.

We don't have preference tags. Everybody has the same chance every year. If you're real lucky, you could draw a special tag every other year. I average a "draw" tag about once every 2 decades....lousy luck. That's why I hunt in the high country on general seasons....and I enjoy it.

 

[Nighthunter264WinMag]

Well, it looks like I'm going to get my feet wet. Just not sure when/how I can apply for the preference point. I'm beginning to understand how things work, i guess, but it looks like it would be easier to get clearance to launch a nuclear missle, than to hunt where you really want to...
Mule Deer hunting is something I've always wanted to do. To me it seems to be the ultimate in hunting because of the unique challenges involved. I am also very interested in Antelope and Elk, but have to concentrate on one goal at a time.
My wife has been hunting with me for the past couple of years and I really enjoy it. Here's a pic of some of our last years whitetails.

Thanks for all of your help & support. There are a great bunch of folks here!!

 

[bigmoosie]

Go to Alberta, no draw the north western part of Alberta around the Peace river country. There are a couple of Outfitters there that are averaging about 190 I dont if any other area can can match this.

 

[Nighthunter264WinMag]

Thanks for the advice Bro! I just did a little looking on the net, and I must say that it looks very promising!

 

[Fortis]

One thing you can do is subscribe to the Boone & Crockett Trophy Search feature on the the B&C website. It will allow you to look up info by state, area, etc. I'd love to hunt the Jic some day, but reality tells me it won't happen. I'd put my money on Sonora today. Yes it's expensive, but you're guaranteed a tag. Just make sure you research your outfitter as good as you can, just like you would hunting with any outfitter. Going anywhere for a "record book" muley is a long shot at best, but Sonora, in my opinion, offers as good or better chance than anywhere else. I would be curious as to what area, county, etc has put more B&C heads in the book in the past 5 years. It's probably Colorado, but maybe one of you guys can come up with that info.

 

[quickdrawkinker]

With a last name like "Walton", I can see why money is not an issue!

I agree with you, hunting any of the western states takes a lot of research to figure out--very hard to keep track of all the different hunts, units, and everything else... good luck to you--I hope you find what you're looking for.

 

[Rammu]

GB22 I sent you a PM.

 

[Nighthunter264WinMag]

I appreciate the continuous flow of great information! It has been extremely helpful in clearing up a lot of questions I had. I have a very good friend that guides in Colorado, Unit 63 and I've been discussing a 2009 hunt up there. In the meantime I'm working on 2008, and so far it's looking like the Sonora Desert or Alberta Peace River. I also plan to do some Pronghorn hunting next year as well. Mule Deer and Pronghorn Antelope are two species that I've always wanted to hunt, but just never made the time to do it. I will have to really scrutinize these areas because my wife will be going with me and although she's in pretty good shape, sometimes she has an asthma attack; which will rule out the really higher elevation hunts.
Thanks again for your knowledge and suggestions. Mike

 

[muzzy125]

I agree with the others that a BC Mule Buck is not something you just book a hunt for a go get one.

If you are looking for a monster mulie with a chance at a bc buck checkout Scott Taylor out of Peace River Alberta.He owns BearsPaw Outfitting.

One of the best run outfitts anywhere and they are killing some of the biggest bucks in North America year after years.


Good Luck

Jeff

 

[bigmoosie]

Plus in Alberta you can kill a mule deer and a whitetail on the same hunt.

 

[WildBob]

Howdy all, as I'm reading through all this my curiosity about Idaho is up...(I need to get a copy of the regs, but in the meantime until I do more reasearch I'll just ask a dumb question I have been hunting Wyoming, and I know they regulate non-residents from hunting the 'high country' or wilderness areas without use of a guide. Does Idaho do this as well; can a NR hunt Idaho general season without the use of a guide?

 

[gb22]

No guides required here.

 

[Nighthunter264WinMag]

Thanks guys.. I'll check em out.