Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting Mule deer do's and dont's

Got my tag! Woohoo! I'll be hunting the damn beasts FINALLY.

(uh.... I don't know crap about hunting the damn beasts... grin...)

I will be in far SE Oregon, about 60 miles north of Nevada. One side of the mountain is high desert- juniper and sage. The other side is forested with pine.

I've got good glass in my 8x30 Swaro's and 13x56 Minox. Got good rifles in featherweight 7mm's. I stay in good hiking shape anyway but will be in GREAT hiking shape by then.

So.... what's step one here? What are the basics of mule deer hunting? Any really good books on the subject?

Very excited about this. I had all these damn pref points hanging on me like an albatross. Feels good to burn them and actually go HUNT the damn beasts!

No surprise there.

In that country I'd probably do this.
1. Get up high and glass early.
2. Glass some more.
3. Then glass some more:)
Thats some big country with few deer - but its a heck of a place so you will have a fun hunt regardless.
Good luck to you.

Glass those sage flats, and look for antlers sticking up

What time of year is the season? MD are a blast to hunt during the rut.

Don't shoot the first dink that you see.

I would add a spotting scope if the country you hunt in is remotely open, it will save you time and miles.

Good luck with your deer hunt it will be a few more years till I draw another mule deer tag.

What unit? I'd hunt the juniper/sage side. Look for oakbrush or bitterbrush if it grows there. Figure out where the water is at. Google Earth is your friend.

Grew up hunting blacktails all my life. It's very different hunting mulies. You can still hunt them to some degree, but it's mostly an optics show.

Start out a couple of draws away from where the trucks and wheelers can get to.

Get the best maps you can of the area. I like MyTopo.com maps best.
Locate the deer. Depending on the population density, there may be concentartions of deer in favored spots and very few deer in other areas. Since the area is arid, pay particular attention to water sources away from the roads.
Glass early and late, but look for tracks and pellets during the day. When glassing, position yourself with the sun behind you. Or at least off of one shoulder.
When you find the deer, either by seeing them, or finding fresh sign, hunt there. If the area doesn't have what you want, move. Typical Mule Deer country is often very large, so you need to put your efforts in those places where they are. E

Be patient, as SH had said don't shoot the first one you see. Unless it is a very good one, of course. they blend in really well. Glass horizontally, then vertically, then do it again.

First of all leave the glass at home.

Skyline yourself if at all possible, this will flush the mule deer and they will be much easier to spot.

If the deer has antlers that are even remotely as wide as his laid back ears he is most certainly a 'shooter'.

I am hunting Washington mulies this year. Some good advice here.

Thanks. Steens unit.

I've been all over the east (sage & juniper) side and that is God's own country there. There's water in every canyon... On the west side I've been up a couple drainages; I've backpacked up the Donner und Blitzen and also another one that escapes me.

I'm expecting it to be a whole other deal than my blacktail hunting... which is fine by me!

And hunt the cow flops, right? Especially the ones actually IN the creek beds? Where there's cows, there's deer?

Of course you could always do like you hunt blacktails and hit the subdivisions. I'm sure it's fun sneaking around someone's backyard!

Jeff,

If you know they are in the area.

In that sage brush the "big ones" will be bedded hiding their horns in the brush even putting their chins on the ground.

They will hold tight till your right on top of them, then they will bust out. (Think quail hunting). They will have a small buck(s) with them and and they will put him/small buck between you and them. Don't shoot the satellite buck(s)!
Rookies shoot satellite bucks.

If all you have is a hind quarter shot take it without hesitation. TAKE the anchor shot if you have to. You're trophy hunting not meat hunting.

They will bed within 10 minutes of first light and you may not even see the real big one as he will be nocturnal.

Yep. In the evening I have watched bedded BIG bucks that were out of range and unapproachable wait until the shadow of the horizon touched them. Only then did they get out of bed and start to move.

Early morning is the best deal. If you glass one then, you can watch where he goes to bed, or at least the general area. If you don't actually see him bed down, sometimes it's better to wait close to the same area near sundown. He might get up within range, or someplace stalkable, which is a lot better than bumping him during a blind "stalk."

The rut (or even its approach) changes things a lot. You haven't mentioned the dates of the season. That would help somewhat, even if it isn't close to the rut. Their behavior changes even during October.

Avoid wearing blue at all costs. There's a Bonbo's ad on the site that offers some colorful alternatives.

"Hunting High Country Mule Deer" by Mike Eastman and "Public Land Mulies" by David Long are a couple of good books on mule deer behavior.

If you have the time, go to the area with your optics and possibly a spotting scope. Hike the areas and make notes on where you see deer. If you are out there in the summer, you might be able to spot yourself some bachelor groups before they split up for the fall. Knowing there are deer in the area will help build your confidence. The local fish and wildlife biologist can be a real asset. The sooner you contact them and develop a dialogue, the more valuable information you'll get. If they give you a tidbit, and you investigate and report back, they know that you're more serious about it than the average city dweeb.

I am a firm believer that mule deer hunting is about patience. Mule deer will bed down in open areas and you'll miss them unless you take the country apart piece by piece in a systematic way. The more you know the land, the more likely you might be successful in making a stalk. Unless you have lots of people, trying to bumble around and force the issue won't be as successful.

I can't find my synopsis, but it'll be early October thru mid October give or take.

The blacktail rut is more of a very late October thru November thing. Not that that matters <g>.

Bring a sling shot if hunting alone. I have bumped up big bucks in the tall sage bitter brush, junipers using a sling shot after i have found their bedding areas. Sometimes have to almost hit them to get them to move. This with a bow. Can't imagine not work with a firearm.

Be ready for the shot