Best Mule Deer Hunting?

[MyHero]

Hi Guys im new to the forum, i like it a lot there is a lot of good information to see. I am from Utah and was wondering if anyone can tell me some good spots to mule deer hunt next fall. Im looking for something over 150 inches, preferably general tag, preferably in northern Utah. I would rather not drive to southern utah. I have only lived here for four years and havent had very much time to scout, so I would really appreciate if someone could help me out? Feel free to PM me with any spots.
Thanks!

 

[Huntmaster]

I know the henries have held some nice bucks in th past. if money is no object look at deseret cwmu or the jicarilla indian reservation. good luck on your quest.

 

[jims82]

There are a lot of areas that have that quality of buck or better, but knowing an area that has 150+ class deer doesn't mean you will see one. I hunt the North Slope of the Uintas and have for the past 5 years. I have seen at least one deer every year over 180, and many more between 150-170. This year I took a buck that scored 170 and my dad missed a buck three days in a row that was a lot bigger than mine. If I were to take you to where I hunt you would probably be convinced that it is a great Mule Deer area. However I have shown buddies picture and told them where I hunt and they have come back disappointed assuring me that the area sucks and there are no trophy deer.

The most important thing is how much time you spend in the area getting to know it. I try and get at least 3-6 miles away from any road. Once in I spend as much time as I can in there before the hunt. I glass, set up game trail cameras, talk to other hunters in the area and spend some time walking and noting where a lot of sign is. In my opinion it takes at least 3-4 years to really learn an area and the habits of the deer.

There is nothing more rewarding than putting in enough time in an area to harvest a trophy. I hope you can get some good info from others on this site but to put it all together you will need to get out there and put in the work.

 

[BCBOY]

If you read the back to back countless threads on MM regarding mule deer in Utah you will come to the conclusion that the hunting in that state sucks. Best to look for options in other states.

 

[Zeke]

Ya BCboy, That's the conclusion which might be reached IF you beleive all the BS on the internet. To this I say "duh, it's the internet".

We have great deer hunting in UT. The deer numbers are down and things a a bit tougher (you actually need to get off the road for a couple days). We all want more and bigger deer, me included, but the deer are still there in very huntable numbers

I agree with a previous poster: even in areas that hold 150+ deer it is not guaranteed that you'll see one. Remember, that time of year, general season, is post velvet and pre-rut. This makes the deer tougher to see.

Get out and scout, ask some friends, talk to your local sportsman about where to hunt. You'll probably get a more accurate batch of information.

Zeke

 

[soutahhunter]

zeke must have been one of the ones counting or classifying deer with the dwr. Here we go again, another guy telling us to get out of our trucks and find them. They are out their you just have to find them. Zeke do you really think the avid sportsman does not get out of their truck. The deer herd is down and the buck population is slim to none, but good luck.

 

[timothymarks]

I actually do think the average "sportsman" does not get out of his truck or very far from it. I witnessed it, nearly every person hunting on top of bountiful this year was within a 10 minute walk of the road. I witnessed it myself as I sat about a 15 minute hike from the road, however the next morning when I hiked for 2 hours I didnt see one person.

 

[jims82]

I second that. Leading up to the trailhead I use to get into my area there are a ton of 4 wheeler trails. During the hunt those trails are packed with hunters driving up and down the road, and maybe doing small hikes, but During the first week of the archery hunt last season I spent 5 days and didn't see or hear one other hunter and I was only 5 miles in from that trailhead.

 

[rperkins]

SFW get about 200 tags to auction off at the Expo-----most good sportman get quite a ways from the road and fine no deer---Good luck getting a tag.

 

[Zeke]

LAST EDITED ON Jan-19-12 AT 03:10PM (MST)[p]I did say the deer numbers were down, not that they're up and a 150 buck is easy to find. I'll be the first to agree that the deer are WAY off and something needs to be done....and fast.

I'm going coyote hunting. It's about all I can do right now. Wish me luck!

I was just trying to give a new poster a few tips and be encouraging rather than saying he'll never find a 150 buck even if he hunts hard because Ut has no deer.

Best to all,
Zeke

 

[MyHero]

Thanks guys I appreciate all the input! I will scout and find something to kill i hope.

 

[littlebighorn]

I will back Zeke on this one. If any of you doubters want proof, go check out Zeke's freezer every fall, cause it is full of Utah venison. He and his kids pretty much limit out on Utah deer every year, but it isn't because they sit around and complain about deer numbers.
We all know (Zeke included) that the good old days are long gone. But there are still some places to find a good buck if you work at it. So Hero I would suggest you check local sources as Zeke suggested. Don't be afraid to call a local biologist, despite the fact that some guys on here think they are the devil.
During the Utah Archery season I will see a dozen or more 150 class or better bucks where I hunt, every year. So they are there, at least for me.
Good luck pardner!

 

[soutahhunter]

Everyone needs to find out where littlebighorn hunts, the deer must have all migrated to that area. Lets have DWR study your area and see why it is so much better than anywhere else.

 

[theox]

soutah hunter. I think you negativity is affecting your hunting. Ill admit its been tougher and tougher every year but i have seen 150-190+ bucks every general archery season. I have shot at 170-190 class bucks the last 5 years. I have passed on many 120-150 class bucks every year. my buddy has kill 5 bucks 170-189 the last five years in a row. 2 of which at 30 wide. there are big bucks and still huntable numbers. however it is declining imo. I passed on 4 bucks 130-150 opening morning last season. i seen some brutes before the hunt. my biggest problem is the last couple years have been tough financially on me as i am back in college. so i dont have the money to invest in scouting like i used to i contribute that to alot of the difficulty of finding big bucks. i used to go scouting at least 3 times a week. now i am lucky if i go 1 time a week. i think utah has some outstanding general season hunting.

as for the poster. Just pick a spot and start hunting it invest as much time as possible there if nothing turns up try another area. it may take a few years to start figuring the deer out and where good spots are but just get out and do it! good luck

 

[soutahhunter]

So when the rut is on we should be able to see many of these big bucks you are seeing. Nobody wants to still your hunting grounds, but you could tell us where they rut so we can go see what several big deer look like.

 

[one_dryboot]

Those that are willing to hunt hard and do what it takes will find bucks . Those that think they should kill decent bucks from their truck window and a beer will Bit.ch and moan about not seeing deer.
10% of the hunters kill 90% of the game. GO FIGURE!

 

[sageadvice]

"Nobody wants to still your hunting grounds, but you could tell us..."

That's pretty funny right there!!

By Far, he Best Muley hunting i've ever had was in Nevada!!

Joey


"It's all about knowing what your firearms practical limitations are and combining that with your own personal limitations!"

 

[rperkins]

theox, I will be honest you, show me and I will steal your hunting ground, I scout from Aug to Oct and wear 4 pairs of shoes out and I see very few 150 to 190 Bucks, so I got to say show me.

 

[theox]

yeah let me tell you where the bucks winter no prob bud. first off i do not know exactly where most the ones i hunt winter. they can move a long long long distance from archery to rut. second i wouldnt tellya because i shed hunt some of the areas. third go find your own, and if you cant find big bucks during the rut im sorry but that is sad. it also makes alot of since why you cant find a deer during the hunt. either your not putting the time in looking for bucks, your lazy, or both i dont know. i hunted 4 bucks between 165-200 this year i managed a shot at the 165-170 inch buck late in the season this year on archery. i put my girl friend on a 150-160(which would have been her biggest had she not missed) (and we only had 3 days to hunt) during the rifle. I put my step dad on his biggest buck which doesnt score well but very unique. I would say this year was probably one of the hardest of the last 5 years to find the big bucks. I think our herd is in trouble. i think we still have good huntable bucks but they are getting thinner each year imo.

 

[theox]

perkins try a different area.

I do not need to prove to you that they are there. what unit are you hunting perkins? maybe your unit sucks.

i usually do not get a lot of pics of the deer i hunt because i am busy hunting not taking pics.

alot of the big ones i see during scouting usually dont stick around long enough to get a pic.

 

[rperkins]

I hunt the Beaver and Mt Dutton, where a lot B&C come from and I have hunted their for 50 years plus on horse, on foot and I do not drink or ride in my truck, our deer herd is in trouble, people who see a lot of bucks is full of BS. I have hunted to many years to believe a lot of BS.

 

[sageadvice]

"...people who see a lot of bucks is full of BS. I have hunted to many years to believe a lot of BS."

This is getting better and better

Joey


"It's all about knowing what your firearms practical limitations are and combining that with your own personal limitations!"

 

[theox]

i agree our herd is in trouble. but people that see big bucks are not full of bs. think what you want bud.(i like your phrase by the way when you said many b and c bucks come from there)(obviuosly big bucks there still) duttons herd is pretty thin but some bruisers there. beaver has fair amount of deer but not a lot of big ones imo some very big ones but i think deer to big buck ratio is thinner there. i do not know what to tell ya. i see many 120-150 bucks every year. i see a good amount of 150-170 bucks and i see a handful of 170+ bucks every year like i said its getting worse every year. if you have been hunting 50 years that could be your problem?(your spoiled from the 60'70s) i have dealt with these crappy herds since i started hunting so i prob dont know what great is that your used to.

 

[soutahhunter]

Theox, lets talk about funny, you say you cannot say where the deer go later on, yet in the next breath you say you cannot tell us because you hunt sheds in those areas. I would bet that is where they winter and you could get a good count. Second you and your girlfriend have a lot of chances at big deer but no kills. Makes me wonder what you are calling a big buck. Yes a few are still out their, but I to spend hours in a unit that held many quality bucks, and now they are gone, not all of them but most of them. We cannot keep hunting with the numbers we are and expect those larger bucks to continue to be their. The sportsmen on here have told us in every unit in the state that they are not seeing very many bucks at all and the total deer numbers are down. You say you see many 120-150 bucks and a good amount of 150-170 bucks, come on I really don't want to see your area but that is pretty hard to swallow unless you are on the Henry's.

 

[rperkins]

I'm with you soutahhunter

 

[jims82]

I hate this argument. I am fairly young(29) and have spent most my time until the last 9 years hunting Wyoming, so I do not remember the really good times except for the pictures and heads from my dad?s hunts. However from what my dad tells me and from what I hear as I talk to others our herds are really hurting. I don't think anyone on here is arguing that. The original poster asked where to find 150+ class bucks. I myself think this is a funny question since 90% of everyone on here is searching for that exact same thing so of course no one is going to tell him exactly where to go. I do think seeing 150+ class bucks is still a real possibility in Utah. That is why instead of ignoring him some of us have actually taken the time to give some constructive advice. I actually went as far as to tell him the unit I hunt. If he is already doing what we suggested then so be it at least we are trying to help.

Now about being able to see 150-180+ class bucks consistently in Utah on a general unit. It is possible. I took a buck that scored 170 and didn't find his body till after dark so I went back up in the morning to pack him out and not 50 yards away there was a buck that made mine look small. I was happy with my buck but it is hard not to feel disappointed after seeing something so big the day after you shoot yours. The next three days we had my dad on a buck that again was bigger than mine probably 180. My dad is getting old so we had a hard time making it happen but it was fun trying. That was three bucks all over 170. There were at least 2-3 others that were 140-160 that we passed on. Now this was not a typical year, like my previous post said we normally see a bunch 150-170 and a few bigger. And no we do not hunt the Henry?s. In the Henry?s you hope to see 180-200+ inch bucks not 150-170.

 

[soutahhunter]

If you are seeing that many good bucks, I would not tell where you are at either. That must be where all the good bucks in the state have moved to. Glad you have found them, the rest of us will try to help increase bucks and deer in the other areas of the state that are way below what you are seeing.

 

[Zeke]

No doubt we're all on the same page here....and the same team.
We want the herds back and they are WAY down.

I still contend that there are decent bucks for the taking if a guy hunts smart, hard and gets a little lucky. I know, I did it again this year on a very decent general season buck.

I suspect even soutahunter knows where some good buck hang out. He seems to know too much about deer to hide that from us!

Zeke

 

[soutahhunter]

As I said there are a few still roaming the hills but we continue to see less and less. Something needs to change or we will be at the point of no return. We cannot have people out there saying you just have to get out of your truck and look. That has been tried by many of us and the results are not very good.