Western Nebraska Late Muzzleloader

Stillwater165

Stillwater165

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Well as much as I hate to admit it , the kids and I will be returning to Nebraska again this year. I rolled the dice on our usual Wyoming areas as second choice to keep our points and lost ! No deer tag , no goat tag ! So the boys talked me into late muzzleloader tags for Nebraska. This is the last year for them as youth so at $8 bucks a tag I figure what the heck. I don’t expect a reply but I’m putting it out there , if anybody knows of a decent place to get on that won’t break the bank I’d appreciate it. My tag I could care less about , just as long as they have fun.
 
We did the rifle hunt last year and the boys both did well but the pressure was terrible. I ate my tag which I’m all right with. We personally saw zero rut activity as both bucks they took were all alone. I raised both of them as one shot muzzleloader hunters from the beginning so they’ve got that part figured out ! They like to put a pack on and get after it so I guess we’ll see what happens.
 
When I had my tag it was in a MDCA. Plenty of rut activity, I went the 2nd week. More mule deer than whitetails rutting. Hope for no snow, at least for me it did not help, crunchy snow was not good.
 
The black powder is more consistent for the rut from my understanding. You could hunt the Sandhills and try shooting a muley with a chance of shooting a good whitetail. Valentine NWR or McKelvie, or Ft. Niobrara are all options.
 
Thanks for the tip ! I’ll have to look into some of those areas , I’ve been through them many times hauling cattle but no boots on the ground. Last fall we hiked a bunch south of Chadron , saw some deer but far more of the orange army than anything else. Few spots sounded like a war zone , which really didn’t impress me. I didn’t much care for all the stories of knocking down deer and never finding them either , the horror stories of that area are true ! Not good !!!!
 
Stillwater165 said:
We did the rifle hunt last year and the boys both did well but the pressure was terrible. I ate my tag which I’m all right with. We personally saw zero rut activity as both bucks they took were all alone. I raised both of them as one shot muzzleloader hunters from the beginning so they’ve got that part figured out ! They like to put a pack on and get after it so I guess we’ll see what happens.
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Stillwater165 said:
Thanks for the tip ! I’ll have to look into some of those areas , I’ve been through them many times hauling cattle but no boots on the ground. Last fall we hiked a bunch south of Chadron , saw some deer but far more of the orange army than anything else. Few spots sounded like a war zone , which really didn’t impress me. I didn’t much care for all the stories of knocking down deer and never finding them either , the horror stories of that area are true ! Not good !!!!
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There will be far less pressure during the December MZ season.
 
I guess a guys gonna have pressure about everywhere to some extent , but Nebraska rifle season takes the cake for the worst I’ve seen ! Opening morning looked like a parade going into the forest roads , literally non stop bumper to bumper. I didn’t believe what I had read about that area until I witnessed it firsthand. And truthfully throughout the week the pressure was just as bad. I guess we’ll see what this muzzleloader season is like , if it’s even remotely close to the rifle season pressure I won’t be back.
 
Stillwater165 said:
I guess a guys gonna have pressure about everywhere to some extent , but Nebraska rifle season takes the cake for the worst I’ve seen ! Opening morning looked like a parade going into the forest roads , literally non stop bumper to bumper. I didn’t believe what I had read about that area until I witnessed it firsthand. And truthfully throughout the week the pressure was just as bad. I guess we’ll see what this muzzleloader season is like , if it’s even remotely close to the rifle season pressure I won’t be back.
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Never been to Utah for general season rifle have ya?
 
I gave up on Utah long ago ....... I appreciate the reply’s , muzzleloader sounds a lot better. I’m the type if someone is in a chunk I’ll let them be and move on to another.
 
Kinda figured on cold but with today’s weather patterns it’s hard to say. About the time you want the cold and snow we won’t get it in time. We’ve played the game in other states late , hunted in -25 to 50 above. That’s one of my concerns with this hunt , brutal cold and everything feeding on private.
 
Everything will be feeding on private regardless.

The public parcels are small, and Those deer start getting bounced off public the first of September. By the time muzzleloader season starts the they are all most all gone, (dead, or vamoosed)

It's an epic **** show that gets worse every season.


NE Game & Parks is the outfitter with one shooter buck, that still goes ahead and sells 60 hunts.
 
SHB said:
Everything will be feeding on private regardless.

The public parcels are small, and Those deer start getting bounced off public the first of September. By the time muzzleloader season starts the they are all most all gone, (dead, or vamoosed)

It's an epic **** show that gets worse every season.


NE Game & Parks is the outfitter with one shooter buck, that still goes ahead and sells 60 hunts.
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Plenty of Walkin and public areas to find deer. Just might have to target whitetail. Bow, rifle or muzz, they will be there. At least where I have hunted. Plus knocking on doors for muzz is a better chance of permission. SHB I can see that in some parts of the state.
 
Well they don’t all get shot , that I know for sure. We started hunting late muzzleloader seasons in other states over 20 years ago and everybody said the same thing , they are all picked off by then .... bull ! We have put 8 Whitetails on the walls between 140 and 170 Boone and Crockett , all from late season muzzy. I have only 1 from an early season at 141. What has worked for us in other places is catching them going to feed usually from bedding areas in public timber to of course the private ag fields. Maybe that will the the tactic to try ? But sometimes finding “ that spot “ can be tough. I’d like to get on some decent private but I know I can’t count on that. Never used an outfitter in my life and I sure can’t afford 3 to 5 grand a piece to get the boys in somewhere times 2 ! I could do a trespass fee for them tho , my tag will be public only or I’ll eat it again like last year.
 
You know what's easy to find on the internet?

People asking for help with nebraska deer hunting.

















You know what's hard to find on the internet?

Successful reports from our awesome Nebraska deer hunt.








You'll see more licenses plates from different states, than deer.
 
I totally agree that Nebraska rifle season is a disaster , we did that last year. But........ I also know that we went in last fall with a positive outlook , packs loaded up , and in 3 days of hard work brought home 1 decent 4x4 and a really nice 5x6 that is going on the wall. We’d never set foot in there before , all public , no knowledge whatsoever. I ate my tag because I won’t shoot a young buck , but I could have. Deer numbers appear to be low , more orange than deer , yes definitely. I have no clue how we got so lucky , the only other nice muley I saw was crossing Hwy 20 near Valentine on the way home. But I’ve seen plenty on other trips hauling calves in the fall , so I know they’re around.
 
I may also couple a Nebraska bird hunt with the Muzzy deer tag. But I will likely target whitetails as I live in Utah and have limited mule deer tag this year. My brother is spending the summer/fall maybe winter there so waiting to see what he puts down during the archery/gun season.

or I go to Arizona for quail (waiting on numbers)
 
Stillwater165 said:
I totally agree that Nebraska rifle season is a disaster , we did that last year. But........ I also know that we went in last fall with a positive outlook , packs loaded up , and in 3 days of hard work brought home 1 decent 4x4 and a really nice 5x6 that is going on the wall. We’d never set foot in there before , all public , no knowledge whatsoever. I ate my tag because I won’t shoot a young buck , but I could have. Deer numbers appear to be low , more orange than deer , yes definitely. I have no clue how we got so lucky , the only other nice muley I saw was crossing Hwy 20 near Valentine on the way home. But I’ve seen plenty on other trips hauling calves in the fall , so I know they’re around.
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From what I've read and seen of your other hunts on here I think you'll all do great.
 
Thank you sir ! It’s me and the two boys as usual , we’ve ate our fair share of “skunk” at times but we never give up. They both can shoot well , and love to stalk deer , we’ve had a few heated discussions in the middle of a good stalk but we iron it out and push on. Won’t be long and they’ll be off to college , I’m gonna miss em !
 
I live in NE, and have hunted the Sandhills public areas since 2011. It can be done, and you can tag a nice Muley...

NE Muley.JPG


And yes, you will see a bunch of different license plates from all over the country during rifle season...I have personally seen PA, WV, OH, MI, WI, MN, IA, MO, KS, OK, OR, UT, WY, SD, ND, TX.

I've not hunted the Muzzy season -- usually chasing ducks during that time.

Good luck!!
 
Daubs , thanks for the positivity ! And nice deer by the way ! Where there’s a will there’s a way. I’ve been through the area enough to know there’s a few around.
 
Daubs said:
I live in NE, and have hunted the Sandhills public areas since 2011. It can be done, and you can tag a nice Muley...

View attachment 49985

And yes, you will see a bunch of different license plates from all over the country during rifle season...I have personally seen PA, WV, OH, MI, WI, MN, IA, MO, KS, OK, OR, UT, WY, SD, ND, TX.

I've not hunted the Muzzy season -- usually chasing ducks during that time.

Good luck!!
Click to expand...
Toad!
 
Stillwater165 said:
Daubs , thanks for the positivity ! And nice deer by the way ! Where there’s a will there’s a way. I’ve been through the area enough to know there’s a few around.
Click to expand...

Hunting the Sandhills has been frustrating, and educational. With all the pastures and stock tanks, there is plenty of food and water pretty much everywhere. There are white-tails in the Sandhills...they tend to stay down by lakes/ponds/shelter belts.

The Muley's tend to be in the more rugged, elevated areas. A bit like finding a needle in a haystack at times. I did mange to find a few areas where Muley's would travel somewhat frequently.

I was fortunate to find a ranch to hunt last year (friend of family). So I'm not hunting public any more. PM me and I will do my best to help.
 

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