Hello All,
I am an avid viewer here and only post once in a while. First of all,...GO Sioux!!! It took me 6 years to get through college because of all of the hunting opportunities in NoDak. It is one of the best states for quality hunting experiences without dealing with a ton of idiots in the field. Not to say you can't find em' but if you are willing to put in the work, you can take good animals and have excellent hunting experiences.
I shot my first muley in NoDak and would go back in a heartbeat if I didn't live so stinkin far away, now. The state has a decent population for muleys, relative to the amount of pressure that it sees. I would assume that you already have the tag, right? You can't just purchase a muley tag over the counter like you can a whitey tag. At least you couldn't when I was attending. (92-98)
If you want to shoot a big one, first of all, I would set your sights on anything 160 or better or 170 as the goal. They do shoot 180's every year, but I don't think I have heard of a 200 coming out of NoDak for quite some time. I guess it's possible if someone had access to some premium private land, but it is simply not the norm. Also, being that you are open to advice online, I would be willing to bet that you would pull the trigger on a 165 as fast as you would a 185. Not meant to be an insult, (I would do the same) but someone after a 190 + muley is going to be getting his advice from farmers, ranchers, and lots of field time. Most of this breed are typically hunting one deer that they already know about from having scouted during the off season.
Regionally, I would focus on the Southeast Corner of the state, down southeast of Bowman. The genetics and minerals will be better there, than elsewhere. (I don't know what precipitation was like this year) If you can get access to private land, look around the southeast corner, if not, look north of Marmarth which is west of Bowman. There is more public land there.
Up in the badlands, around Medora, you first have to avoid the park, but also, there is so much cover that you may as well throw a dart at your county map and try where it hits. There is just simply tons of cover to hunt and it all can hold muleys. At least in the broken farmland areas, the openness, tends to confine muleys to the select cover.
In the southern areas, there are badland outcroppings, but it's also mixed in with farmland. I would hunt there and use whitetail tactics. Those big muleys are big for a reason, and there is a stinkin' ton of road hunting that goes on around there, so strap up your danners and really scour the ground you are hunting. If you will actually walk and glass, and put in some time, I would bet that you will get a shot at a nice one. Don't overlook the small patches of cover, especially in the farmland. If you have a thin patch of grass, with a bush on it, that you would be willing to walk for roosters, glass that cover! Even if it's 50 yards away! Especially around the base of the bush! I don't know how many times, I have seen antlers, attached to a desparate buck, trying to pass off his headgear as firewood! A roadhuntin' rig will not see a nice buck bedded up against a bush while traveling at 15 mph! You've read it before in magazines,..some of the biggest bucks are shot in plain sight of a road, in small patches of cover. This is simply because most hunters will not take the time to stop, put the truck in park and check it out. A transaction takes place in their mind where they say, a monster buck would never live in such little sq. footage! On the contrary, that is how they get big.
If you are forced to hunt badlands, try to hunt the washouts from the tops down. One of the favorite tricks of nice buck is to bed near the top and then to leap once or twice and be up and over the top, before you can respond, and they have an uncanny way of telling just exactly when you spot them. If you are on top, you can still get a shot.
If hunting badlands, do not leave ANY washouts unhunted. You may check 53 washouts, and on the 54th, your buck is bedded there. Do not neglect even one, no matter how pathetically small it is in relation to the other washouts. The neglected cover often holds the biggest bucks. Hunt em' like you would a cagey December Rooster, and you will see bucks. Hopefully one, that is a shooter.
Be prepared to shoot a monster whitetail if you see one. That country grows some absolute toad whitetails.
Best of Luck, If I can offer anymore advice, let me know.
Thanks,
AutumnPulse
"Be a straight-shooter in all that you do."
