Which is harder? A record book buck or bull?
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grizzly
Long Time Member
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A Mule Deer is the hardest animal to Net in the record book, imho.
Grizzly
PS. Tristate, please be an adult and respect my wishes that you do not respond to any of my posts. I, in turn, will do you the courtesy of not responding to any of yours. I simply do not wish to converse with you.
Grizzly
PS. Tristate, please be an adult and respect my wishes that you do not respond to any of my posts. I, in turn, will do you the courtesy of not responding to any of yours. I simply do not wish to converse with you.
7
7thgenmt
Guest
Md would be way harder here,I have an honest chance of running into a B&C bull just about anywhere I hunt elk.I havnt seen an honest B&C MD on public land in a general tag area in quite some time.
I'd say definately elk, I do live in colorado though where big muley's are dime a dozen and a big bull is 300".
Mntman
"Hunting is where you prove yourself"
Let me guess, you drive a 1 ton with oak trees for smoke stacks, 12" lift kit and 40" tires to pull a single place lawn mower trailer?
Mntman
"Hunting is where you prove yourself"
Let me guess, you drive a 1 ton with oak trees for smoke stacks, 12" lift kit and 40" tires to pull a single place lawn mower trailer?
dragonshed
Member
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A 190 muley is harder and also much more unique than a 375 bull in my opinion. Which one would you rather shoot? A big muley for me also. Each trophy class mule deer is distinctly unique to this guy. Its like looking at beautiful women. Each one is different, no matter how similar at first glance. A nice bull, even getting into the 370 plus range is always nice to look at, but (unless on some rare occasions) seems a little ho hum to me.
goldhunter
Active Member
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They are all very very difficult if you are a do-it-yourself hunter on a budget. I am including the whitetail as well. Where are you going to hunt if you don't want to sit in somebody elses blind in Canada or tree stand in the midwest or south Texas.
If you are starting now, you need a lot of years just to draw the top units in the west for muleys or elk. Try never for the Henry's or Strip. What percent of the Booner elk and Muleys are harvested on unguided public land and not tagged with a special conservation type license that most can't afford.
I'd say elk is the easies just because if you are an archer some day you will be able to draw a top unit, maybe several. Even the second tier units have potential because you are hunting the rut and you are typically before there is much pressure. Elk is probably the most physically demending.
It is my personal goal to get each of these over the next dozen years. I'll be focusing on my home state of SD for the WT, Utah and Arizona for elk and then Colorado and Arizona for the muley. Wish me luck, I'll need plenty.
If you are starting now, you need a lot of years just to draw the top units in the west for muleys or elk. Try never for the Henry's or Strip. What percent of the Booner elk and Muleys are harvested on unguided public land and not tagged with a special conservation type license that most can't afford.
I'd say elk is the easies just because if you are an archer some day you will be able to draw a top unit, maybe several. Even the second tier units have potential because you are hunting the rut and you are typically before there is much pressure. Elk is probably the most physically demending.
It is my personal goal to get each of these over the next dozen years. I'll be focusing on my home state of SD for the WT, Utah and Arizona for elk and then Colorado and Arizona for the muley. Wish me luck, I'll need plenty.
zekers
Very Active Member
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Muleys for sure. Even as good as CO is, I bet there aren't but a couple of net book bucks entered a year. Quite a few 200" + bucks are killed throughout the west every year, but very few even come close to 190 net. I would be willing to bet with enough money I could buy a book bull though in just a couple outings. Just my opinion though.
Z
ZIGGER
Guest
>In the current state of the
>animals I think that Mule
>Deer are more difficult....almost alway
>been that way too.
>You can "buy" more inches on
>an elk hunt than you
>can for Mule Deer.
>
>I love them both but the
>deer are way harder to
>come by.
>
>Zeke
x2.....ed zachary.
When you go swimming in the ocean, it is very cold, and it makes my willy small
>animals I think that Mule
>Deer are more difficult....almost alway
>been that way too.
>You can "buy" more inches on
>an elk hunt than you
>can for Mule Deer.
>
>I love them both but the
>deer are way harder to
>come by.
>
>Zeke
x2.....ed zachary.
When you go swimming in the ocean, it is very cold, and it makes my willy small
littlebighorn
Long Time Member
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I have to agree that a mule deer in the book is as tough as it gets. After chasing muleys for 47 years, and I 70 plus different muley tags in my pocket, lady luck smiled on me with a book typical (net 195) in Colorado. That tag took 18 bonus points, and was perhaps my last hope for a dream buck. I've hunted them in Utah, Nevada, Wyoming and Colorado and that is the first book typical I have even seen with a tag in my pocket. A rare event indeed, and luck still played a huge part.
Book Muleys are needles in a haystack!
Book Muleys are needles in a haystack!
In my experience a B&C bull is much more rare. I have seen multiple 190+ bucks in my life and I can't say that I've ever seen a 375 bull in the wild. In UT, NV, or AZ there might be more big bulls than bucks but here in CO I know I've got a much greater chance of killing a big buck.
ICMDEER
Very Active Member
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I'd say the muley. But someone should check the B&C book and see what the numbers are for the last few years. I've seen several B&C elk, a couple on the ground and not sure I've ever seen a B&C mule deer. I've got a 232 and a 220 buck on the wall with a few 180's, but none make the book. (All gross scores)
But in all honesty, I'd still chase mule deer and make elk priority #2 regardless of the stats.
But in all honesty, I'd still chase mule deer and make elk priority #2 regardless of the stats.
They have to keep the list somewhat reasonable in order to publish a book. They ocassionally tweak the minimum score to bump some out or let a few more in. There are more bucks killed so the minimum entry has to be a higher percentile for deer than elk. It is probabally easiest with species where few are harvested.
