Your Advice to a Newbie Mule Deer Hunter

MT_55

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LAST EDITED ON Sep-20-18 AT 07:33AM (MST)[p]A buddy of mine is going archery mule deer hunting for the first time ever (He's a whitetail hunter from Indiana) and asked me (aside from scouting) what are the #1 and #2 pieces of advice I could give him for 5 day mule deer hunt on public ground that he's never been on before. I gave him my 1 and 2. Curious to see what you guys would tell someone in his position?
 
LAST EDITED ON Sep-20-18 AT 08:36AM (MST)[p]I can think of more then one or two. This could go a couple of different ways. Gear,physical fitness, safety on the mountain. But here goes two. Stay down wind and hunt where the game are.
 
Wind in your face sun at your back. Pay attention to everything and learn from your mistakes.

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It depends on what terrain is within the hunting unit. I tend to find more deer in quaking aspen trees with pine pockets nearby (or interspersed). However, deer will also tend to hang in scrub oak pockets as well.

I guess I'm trying to say my number 1 or 2 pieces of advice is to hunt where the deer frequent (which depends on the terrain and elevation within the hunting unit).

Hunt away from other hunters. Hunting pressure will push deer from where you have found them in the past. Make sure an get off your ATV or out of your truck and hike. You'll be amazed what you find once you are 1/2 to 1 mile from the nearest road.

Just my $0.02
 
#1 give it all you got but don't be surprised if you never even get a shot.

#2. Don?t get completely discouraged.
 
1. Cover ground, muleys and whitetails are very different, use good optics to find deer then make your approach.

2. Cover more ground...
 
These are just some things I've learned over the years from making mistakes.

1. Hunt high if possible, big bucks like to hang out high.

2. Glass them in the morning and put them to bed, then make your approach/stalk from behind if possible then WAIT for them to get up. Patience is very important when bow hunting muleys. I learned this the hard way early on.

3. Be in shape, decent glass, good boots and a good backpack.

4. Glass, glass and glass some more. They pick the nastiest/thickest spots to bed in sometimes and it's so easy to miss them.
 
Use your optics to locate the deer and don't get tunnel vision once you locate em. You often times will get busted by other deer if you don't pay attention.
Hunting big country realize that thermals will start to rise and bring your scent with them. Pick up a windicator. I would also suggest using his range finder as sometimes mule deer country can play some tricks on your eyes. It does seem late for most archery hunts but if he will be hunting the rut, find the does.
Those are my two
Simo
 
Two is not near enough.
1. Hunt open country
2. Find a buck you'll shoot from long distance.
3. Watch him bed for the day. Generally after 9 am.
4. Let the mid day winds pick up and stabilize.
5. Sneak in on him in his bed.
6. Wait till he stands to move to better shade.
7. Stick him.
 
All good advice.

I would add, 5 days is a VERY limited amount of time for a bow hunt, even in country that you're familiar with. More time is better, if at all possible.
 

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