Mule Deer Counties

[Hiker of the Woods]

What counties in NM would everyone consider to produce the worst/smallest antler size even for older age class bucks?

 

[Bowdeadly]

Not sure, I don't go looking for forkies, just 200 class. LOL

 

[Hiker of the Woods]

>Not sure, I don't go looking
>for forkies, just 200 class.
>LOL


I'm not talking about forkies. I'm looking for counties that 6-9-year-old mule deer bucks never score that well.

 

[Muleman]

All counties in NM could produce trophy class deer if given the time for deer to get to 7-9 yr old class. Since we don't give deer a chance in most units you get a lot of small deer being harvested. Any units with high license # will have low amounts of older class deer. So units like 34 and 30 have the highest license # and probably the highest harvest of small bucks.

As far as counties go I can't think of one thats not good as a county.

 

[Hiker of the Woods]

>All counties in NM could produce
>trophy class deer if given
>the time for deer to
>get to 7-9 yr old
>class. Since we don't
>give deer a chance in
>most units you get a
>lot of small deer being
>harvested. Any units with
>high license # will have
>low amounts of older class
>deer. So units like
>34 and 30 have the
>highest license # and probably
>the highest harvest of small
>bucks.
>
>As far as counties go I
>can't think of one thats
>not good as a county.
>

Ya, mule deer are going to be hard to figure out for my project. It was easy for whitetail and blacktail deer. Do you have any ideas on mule deer counties in other states that for whatever reason don't have high scoring racks even when the age is there? The only ones I can come up with are a some in WA and OR state. Trying to get some counties in a couple other western states before moving on with the project. Thanks

 

[roadrunner]

The ones discussed ad nauseam in hunting magazines such as Eastman's Journal produce both as genetics are suffering...

 

[Hiker of the Woods]

Here is a list of the counties that I have come up within NM that do not produce large antlered mule deer bucks. What are everyone's thoughts? Have you ever heard of 180+ or even 170+ bucks coming from any of these counties?

Mora County- Has one 185-inch P&Y

Harding County- Has one 188-inch P&Y

Lea County- Has one 182-inch P&Y

Eddy County- Has no bucks in record books.

Dona Ana County- Has one 185-inch P&Y

De Baca County- Has one 167-inch P&Y.

 

[vichris]

I think your list looks pretty reasonable. The only one I might question is Mora county. Mora county is surrounded by other counties that DO produce large bucks, and I have seen many large bucks in that county. Other than that the rest of your list looks about right

One thing to keep in mind here in NM. Many hunters here refuse to enter their trophy's into record books. They prefer to keep things quiet and on the lowdown.

 

[Muleman]

In the last 3 years, I have personally witnessed 190-200 in deer come out of 3 of the counties you have listed. They are not common but they still produce a big deer or two.

Most folks don't enter there bucks unless they are top ten or close.

.

 

[cosmic_cowboy]

>In the last 3 years, I have personally witnessed 190-200 in deer
>come out of 3 of the counties you have listed. They are not common >but they still produce a big deer or two.

>Most folks don't enter there bucks unless they are top ten or >close.



True most all have a few big Deer.....
Muleman... Were the Deer you saw killed in season ? or in Dec. and Jan.
Like most of the Big ones are in NM.
Jack

 

[Muleman]

2 were dec/ Jan during rut. One was sept.

 

[cosmic_cowboy]

>2 were dec/ Jan during rut. One was sept.



Wow where do we apply for these Jan. / Dec. "Rut Hunts"

Jack