So. UT Mule Deer Rut

HalfAce · Sep 6, 2016

Hey guys, evil non-resident here. I drew my first ever Utah tag, its a general unit rifle Mule Deer Buck tag in Southern Utah. I will be going in my first time blind, but I have spent a lot of time on Google Earth and done other homework. I'm not here to ask where to go, or somebody to hold my hand. I've got enough country marked on my maps to look at that it may take a few seasons to see it all.

But I thought ide ask the Utah Pro's (there are a lot of you guys on this site) more or less when the mature Mule deer bucks begin to follow the does around in So. Utah?

The season runs from Oct. 22-30 this year and I was wondering if the last 4 or 5 days of the season, whether I should concentrate on trying to find and glassing groups of does, or if I should concentrate on trying to glass up and still hunt solitary bucks around thicker cover in rougher terrain. When I'm there, ill let the current conditions dictate where and how I hunt, but having a general knowledge of when those deer rut would help me out a lot.

Lookin' forward to hearing your thoughts.

schoolhousegrizz · Sep 6, 2016

I live in Northern Utah. I do not think the big boys will be hanging out with the does by then. I would still be hunting solitary bucks.

DeerHunter53 · Sep 7, 2016

which zone did you draw, depending on the area my son and I have hunted down South a few times sometimes with good luck and sometimes not.
Depending on where you are hunting we watched for snow in the high country of Colorado as we were hunting close to the boarder. When that happened the does came first with small bucks then the toads started to show up. Our first time with the migration we both scored on great bucks the next season was different we both shot 3 point last day bucks for the meat. We only saw one good buck on that trip which was hot and dry that year.

Zeke · Sep 7, 2016

I think there's a chance of seeing interest bucks during the season and the late dates this year will help a little. A week or two later would be ideal but that's not part of the game.

Back in the day, we hunted the Henry's every year and the end of the season was always best for us because weather got worse, people went home and some of the bucks started hanging with the does. I miss those days on that hill!

Good luck for sure!
Zeke

PS: there's nothing evil about being a NR! Of course you already know that.

theox · Sep 7, 2016

Seems like the tail end of the hunt they can get a little interested sometimes. But generally they are not very rutty. With that said I have seen a few bucks in rifle hunts head down following does around. I've also seen bucks still bachelored up. So just look at every group or single deer u see. Good luck.

BIGJOHNT · Sep 7, 2016

Pray for cold weather and snow. It happen in 2004 I think it was. Caught a good buck holding a doe away from the herd. He's on my wall now. But in general it doesn't usualy happen in warm southern Utah. But then again you could get lucky.

HalfAce · Sep 7, 2016

Thanks guys. Your all sayin the same thing, and I believe it. Normally I wouldn't ask about mulies rutting in October, but I seen them things start rutting on October 23rd one year in Southern Idaho, and have seen mature bucks just starting to get into the rut in Montana late in November. I thought that maybe those Southern Utah deer didn't go by the script and rut like most mulies across the West do during the 2nd and 3rd weeks of November. Ill hunt expecting the bucks to be alone, in cover, and away from the does. Ill get back to you guys on how I do.

Zeke, thanks for the kind words, I love your guys state, always love driving through it, finally get to hunt it!

Best,
Alek

elktaker · Sep 8, 2016

>Hey guys, evil non-resident here. I
>drew my first ever Utah
>tag, its a general unit
>rifle Mule Deer Buck tag
>in Southern Utah. I will
>be going in my first
>time blind, but I have
>spent a lot of time
>on Google Earth and done
>other homework. I'm not here
>to ask where to go,
>or somebody to hold my
>hand. I've got enough country
>marked on my maps to
>look at that it may
>take a few seasons to
>see it all.
>
>But I thought ide ask the
>Utah Pro's (there are a
>lot of you guys on
>this site) more or less
>when the mature Mule deer
>bucks begin to follow the
>does around in So. Utah?
>
>
>The season runs from Oct. 22-30
>this year and I was
>wondering if the last 4
>or 5 days of the
>season, whether I should concentrate
>on trying to find and
>glassing groups of does, or
>if I should concentrate on
>trying to glass up and
>still hunt solitary bucks around
>thicker cover in rougher terrain.
>When I'm there, ill let
>the current conditions dictate where
>and how I hunt, but
>having a general knowledge of
>when those deer rut would
>help me out a lot.
>
>
>Lookin' forward to hearing your thoughts.
>

WHAT UNIT? Maybe able to give some tips depending where.

Unfortunately, you will not get a rut (even the late mz limited hunts on these unit have been a little early for the rut). You will probably not get a migration either maybe in between movements from summer to winter range which makes it hard. I have seen deer still in summer patterns at 10k ft during the opening weekend if they are not pressured during the other hunts.

AZBuckSnort · Sep 25, 2016

Fellow NR hunter, brace for record high-temps and big blue sky days as I drew a tag and I am "The Curse" to Utah general deer hunts in the Southern Region. When I get a tag better stock up on the lightest weight blaze orange tee shirts you can find and bring all the water and ice you can tote cuz it's gonna be HOT! Forget about the rut, it ain't happening.

katorade · Sep 25, 2016

>Fellow NR hunter, brace for record
>high-temps and big blue sky
>days as I drew a
>tag and I am "The
>Curse" to Utah general deer
>hunts in the Southern Region.
>When I get a tag
>better stock up on the
>lightest weight blaze orange tee
>shirts you can find and
>bring all the water and
>ice you can tote cuz
>it's gonna be HOT! Forget
>about the rut, it ain't
>happening.

We don't need this kind of negativity on this forum.

HalfAce · Sep 25, 2016

>Fellow NR hunter, brace for record
>high-temps and big blue sky
>days as I drew a
>tag and I am "The
>Curse" to Utah general deer
>hunts in the Southern Region.
>When I get a tag
>better stock up on the
>lightest weight blaze orange tee
>shirts you can find and
>bring all the water and
>ice you can tote cuz
>it's gonna be HOT! Forget
>about the rut, it ain't
>happening.

BuckSnort that's hilarious. I was hoping the 5 day later season this year would help, I guess not anymore. Next time make a post in the general forum that you drew a tag so I have more time to turn mine back in! I might as well hunt Idaho now...

All kidding aside, goodluck this year. I hope your "luck" for good weather changes, for you sake, and for mine ;-)

theox · Sep 26, 2016

>Fellow NR hunter, brace for record
>high-temps and big blue sky
>days as I drew a
>tag and I am "The
>Curse" to Utah general deer
>hunts in the Southern Region.
>When I get a tag
>better stock up on the
>lightest weight blaze orange tee
>shirts you can find and
>bring all the water and
>ice you can tote cuz
>it's gonna be HOT! Forget
>about the rut, it ain't
>happening.

Lmao! That's funny chit!!!

3blade · Sep 26, 2016

I live on the Panguitch unit, on the winter range. I have never seen any mature bucks down with does until the middle to last week of November. The does and the milk lipped bucks will show up in the middle of Oct as usual. The milk lipped bucks will quickly be shot by the locals from the seat of their truck, or from their camp lawn chair.

AZBuckSnort · Oct 4, 2016

You know my comment was a stab at levity, just as I'm sure yours was...right?

AZBuckSnort · Oct 4, 2016

Shocker, there is an extended forecast that claims there is a chance of SNOW during the week of the General Hunt! We'll see...

AZBuckSnort · Oct 5, 2016

AMEN...from your keyboard to the Lord's ears!

3blade · Oct 6, 2016

>Shocker, there is an extended forecast
>that claims there is a
>chance of SNOW during the
>week of the General Hunt!
>We'll see...

It usually snows the week of Halloween.

HalfAce · Oct 19, 2016

>Fellow NR hunter, brace for record
>high-temps and big blue sky
>days as I drew a
>tag and I am "The
>Curse" to Utah general deer
>hunts in the Southern Region.
>When I get a tag
>better stock up on the
>lightest weight blaze orange tee
>shirts you can find and
>bring all the water and
>ice you can tote cuz
>it's gonna be HOT! Forget
>about the rut, it ain't
>happening.

Damn man, you weren't kidding! Looking at the forecast it looks like the highs will be in the mid to upper 70's. But getting some rain after the weekend. Probably will only help make everything a mess...