... For additional shed hunting tips and helpful information, be sure to check out 4 New School Tips For The Beginner Colorado Shed Hunter. If you really can’t stand to see another ad again, then please consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. You will be scouting out “muleys” from long distances in low light conditions, so high-quality binoculars and a spotting scope are a worthwhile investment. Removing your boots and stalking in socks or moccasins is one way to keep the noise down. My Shed Hunting Post on Bowhunting.com. Remember, patience and persistence are key to hunting mule deer. Deer move throughout the day, typically to change beds as the shade transitions. He began hunting the West on a DIY budget hunting an average of 30 days a year for mule deer. Some of the best states for mule deer have hunting seasons that only last a few weeks, which even after a lifetime of hunting isn’t nearly enough time to become an expert. “A mature mule deer buck beds with a great deal of care and forethought. Moreover, bucks are rarely alone. Mule deer and black-tailed deer (collectively called mule deer, Odocoileus hemionus) are icons of the American West. Using a mule deer call or rattling antlers under the right circumstances during the right time of year may draw in an interested buck. I grew up in western Colorado hunting mule deer, rarely getting skunked, and I would like to think I can help out those who may not have that advantage. Mule Deer Hunting, Elk Hunting and Western Big Game Hunting. Familiarize yourself with any restrictions on the size or type of deer that can be taken during that state’s particular season. This makes their foraging areas more limited (and therefore easier to identify). We sat down with expert mule deer hunting veterans, AJ Kissell and Randy Ulmer, as well as our in-house team of hunters for some mule deer hunting tips. “Anytime I’m going to be hunting a new unit, I pick up an actual hard-copy topo map of the unit. The wind will often swirl when flowing around this structure—like an eddy that forms behind a boulder in a stream. With shed hunting is growing in popularity throughout the U.S., many states have rolled out regulations and laws specific to when, where and how you can shed … Don't Miss: 5 Shed Hunting Myths You Should Avoid. Brain shots are the target of choice for many professionals, as they cause instant death and preserve all the meat. Mule Deer. Please consider making a contribution to wikiHow today. Mule deer aren’t known to be as aggressive as a whitetail, but they are indeed curious. The good news is that once a buck has bedded for the day and has committed to a general bedding area, he will rarely move far until evening. Turning up a mature mule deer buck on public land may be one of the toughest hunts out there. _This is an excerpt from Hunting Editor Andrew McKean's book, How to Hunt Everything, which is available here. Research source Robby Denning started hunting mule deer in the late 1970’s, only missing one season in 35 years. Shed hunting gets you into woods and open country. Think of it more as a chess match, with moves and counter moves, positioning and repositioning, and long pauses between the action. Website links for seventeen state wildlife agencies in “muley” territory can be found at. Extend your deer season by scouting before and after the hunt. Find unmistakable landmarks before your stalk begins. Often it will look different when you’re on the same ridge as the deer compared to how it looked from where you glassed him. This article has been viewed 36,681 times. On the way out of that area that night, I spotted a 4-point shed that I had stepped within 3 feet of when I was watching those 2 deer. For the best place to find mule deer, pick a good vantage point and look to the shade. On the contrary, deer primarily living on the east-facing slopes are out of their beds earlier in the evening than deer living on west-facing slopes. This will help you to avoid risks and enjoy your hunting. The Mule Deer is another favorite of Americans when it comes to hunting. [1] Whether it be a ridge, bluff, gully or tree line—drop out of view from your target buck—by going out-and-around, you can cover a lot of ground fast without the fear of being seen, heard or smelled. Editor's Note: This was originally published on March 3, 2005. As always, be on the lookout for other deer and other game, even livestock. Your browser's Javascript functionality is turned off. If sneaking past other deer to get close to your target buck is unavoidable, don’t move when their heads are up if they see any movement, it’s over. First, I’ll lay it out and draw in every hiking trail, road, and access point; get everything positioned out where I can visually analyze and look at it… From there, I’ll pick apart each of those areas and look for what I call voids. Tips for Hunting Desert Mule Deer GAWsite. This article was co-authored by our trained team of editors and researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness. As the old saying goes, “If you have five minutes to chop down a tree, spend the first three sharpening your axe.” As an out-of-state mule deer hunter, AJ Kissel (WI) prepares his hunts with a topo map of the unit and Google Earth. While this is an easier process to learn by watching a seasoned veteran. He’s a man of solid consistency on taking mature bucks with a bow. Or, have the discipline and patience to back-out to take another route or wait for a better opportunity. If you’re perched in a vantage point before the sun crests, you’ll have gotten there without being seen, it will give you time to catch your breath and you’ll be ready to focus on spotting a monster mule deer. More importantly, it teaches the reader where to look for shed whitetail antlers and how to find them. As you plan out when and where to glass, consider where the mule deer spends most of their time living. But for archery hunting mule deer, closing the gap within bow range is where it gets tricky. That type of patience is difficult to manage—especially when there are other hunters around. He uses these resources to pick his top-12 spots to check out before ever stepping foot on the unit. Along with knowing your location, learning the habits of the deer you’ll be hunting is priceless. With proper knowledge and guide, you can get the best out of the whitetail deer and mule deer hunting. A properly-placed neck shot will snap the spinal cord and cause quick death, but again, the target area is very small. For hunters, mule deer can make a prized trophy, but part of this reward is based on the challenges of locating and hunting down a good “muley.” Good planning, lots of patience, and a proper understanding of your prey are all key factors in successfully hunting mule deer. Shed Hunting Tips. It’s also a good way to know if a buck gets up and moves while you’re in mid-stalk and not able to see the deer.” Ulmer added. 3. In areas with free-range livestock, keep an eye on what they’re doing, as it may give a nod to what the deer are doing. It is illegal to hunt without a license. The more time you spend glassing and watching deer, the more familiar you’ll become with their habits and tendencies. Guides, Outfitters, Hunts, Tags. The Mule deer who primarily live on east-facing slopes tend to bed down for the day earlier than deer living on west-facing slopes. Choose hunting clothing and gear that is suited to climate conditions (hot, cold, or in between), but also give preference to softer fabrics that are less likely to “crinkle,” rustle, or make other noises that might give away your location. Use the image as a reference in case you lose your bearings. They can see fairly clearly for up to 600 yards (and, as nocturnal feeders, have excellent night vision) and can smell a human approaching from up to half a mile away (with a sense of smell roughly one thousand times better than ours). Setting up on higher ground than your intended target is almost always a smart hunting strategy, and it typically holds true when hunting mule deer. Like their eastern counterparts, the time of year a mule deer ruts depends on their location. Get into your glassing position early. Robby Denning started hunting mule deer in the late 1970’s, only missing one season in 35 years. “Muleys” eat weeds, leaves, twigs, and shrubs like other deer, but tend to be more picky eaters, preferring tender vegetation. Essential Mule Deer Hunting Gear. This kind of help is most valuable when the animal is moving or when it’s bedded in a nondescript setting where everything looks the same. Here are a few tips that can help increase your odds of bagging a trophy buck or just putting a bit more meat in your freezer this winter. So, when shed hunters inadvertently push or spook animals, that energy expenditure might be enough to push deer over the edge. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. I used to get pretty serious about shed hunting and built up quite a collection of drops. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. Find out the hunting season of the state in which you will hunt before arriving. AJ Kissel from Oostburg, WI gives his perspective on archery hunting mule deer and how he's been pulling off some phenomenal success as a hunter that's not living in a mule deer state. Determining a list of locations to scout beforehand allows you more time; more time to scout, more time to hike and glass upon arrival, and more time to stay mentally focused instead of sitting in your truck, throwing shots in the dark trying to figure out what to do or where to go next. Every spring the pile grew as I searched for mule deer and elk antlers of trophy proportions. By using our site, you agree to our. The reason being, this is when most deer shed their antlers. Preparation is crucial. Get out this spring and take a long walk through your woods. Hunting for whitetail shed antlers dominates the antler scene, but like dreaming about a western elk hunt, shed antler fanatics consider hunting for elk and mule deer shed antlers a bucket-list adventure. 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