Ask Mr. Mule Deer

All you Ever Wanted To Know
Mr. Mule Deer

Q. My name is Isaiah and I was wondering if you could give me some tips on how to hunt elk and deer in open country.
Isaiah – via e-mail

A. Open country can be some of the most difficult terrain on which to stalk deer or elk. One hunting technique that works well requires you to observe where the animals are bedding or feeding by searching for sign such as beds, fresh droppings, or tracks. Once you find these areas, set-up within shooting range and wait for the animals. This way you will not have to belly crawl your way through open terrain in order to get in range but, instead, wait for them to come to you. Be aware of wind patterns and stay downwind of your game. Also, break-up your outline with good camouflage like King’s Desert Shadow.

Q. I purchased an out of state, southeast region deer tag this year and wanted to know if you could help me decide which area to hunt. I’ve been considering Diamond Creek, Bear Lake Plateau and Green Canyon. The Fish and Game stated that Bear Lake might be my best bet, but I really like hunting timber. Which area, in your opinion, holds the most animals and is the best bet to fill a tag? I’m strictly a meat hunter and I’m looking to have fun and see some pretty country. Thanks for any suggestions.
Chuck - East Wenatchee, WA

A. Chuck, like other Western states, Idaho has experienced a reduction in mule deer numbers in the past decade. In recent times, The Idaho Fish and Game Department has implemented a mule deer initiative designed to increase mule deer numbers statewide by limiting motorized vehicle access, controlling predators, improving habitat, and cutting deer tags. It is working and mule deer numbers are now on the increase. All the areas in Idaho you mentioned have stable mule deer numbers. Your chances of harvesting a buck will greatly increase the further off of roads you are. Glass the remote basins in the early morning and late evening. Because you like to hunt the timber, slowly still-hunt the large, remote timber patches during the daytime. Many of the deer will stick to the heavy cover once the deer catch on that the hunt has begun.

Q. How do I overcome buck fever when shooting my bow at a deer? I can hit targets well, but I lose my cool when there is a live deer fifteen yards away - I’ve missed two easy shots already this year.
Greg – Lehi, UT

A. Buck fever sets in at different times for different people. For myself, buck fever hits the instant I spot a potential shooter, be it a trophy mule deer or a cow elk. You have worked hard to get within bow range and then you start feeling performance anxiety. Can I make the shot? How far is it?
First, practice and familiarization of your game’s anatomy will help build the confidence you need so that you can make a shot. Practice at longer and longer distances and take the time to assess each shot. Once you have complete confidence in your physical ability, the rest is in your head. Focus on your target, not the antlers. When I control my breathing it is much easier to control my nerves. In my mind, I repeat the estimated yardage of the animal over and over. This helps remind me which pin to use and helps keep my mind clear from panic and mental clutter, and completely focused on the task at hand - to make a perfect shot.

Q. This year there are lots of mulies around. I found their main feeding grounds, but why is it that when November rolls around a buck’s patterns are never the same?
Bowin – Ponoka, AB

A. Most of the year, a mule deer buck focuses on areas where the best forage is available and there is little pressure from predators. November is an exception. November is generally the peak of the rut for mule deer. This means bucks are on the move and will travel several miles a day in pursuit of does. This could explain why you are seeing an interruption in the deer’s usual pattern.

Q. I’m thinking about booking an elk/mule deer hunt in Wyoming in region H 155 and 156. What is the realistic trophy potential in this area and are there any other areas that are better? Thanks.
Ben Paulk – Douglas, GA

A. Ben, although some people will say that western Wyoming mule deer quality may have slipped some, there are still great bucks in region H. If you work hard, you should see a good number of deer, including a handful of mature bucks. Every year there are dandy record-book bucks taken from the area, but they don’t come easy. This is a true wilderness hunt and the terrain is extremely rugged. Elk are common in the area and, with a good outfitter, you could see some mature bulls (300+ class bulls). However, don’t plan on harvesting a record-class bull, they are few and far between.

Q. I live in southwest Washington and have hunted mule deer most of my life. I have taken many nice mulies over the years; however, due to lack of free time to travel to mule deer country, I have to hunt in my backyard where the elusive blacktail live. Blacktail are a sub-species of the mule deer, but they seem to have habits like a whitetail. I have been thinking that since they have whitetail traits, shouldn’t I be hunting them like whitetail and use a tree stand? Any thoughts?
Kevin – via e-mail

A. Kevin, blacktailed deer were once thought to be a mule deer sub-species, but recent DNA studies show that the mule deer is actually a product of the white-tailed deer and the black-tailed deer. The blacktail is more closely related to the whitetail than you might have thought and, as you mentioned, their habits are also similar. Whitetail and blacktailed deer depend on heavy cover for daytime bedding and open space in which to forage during morning and evening hours. The secret is to find the blacktail trails that lead from one area to the other and sit and wait. Many of today’s best blacktail hunters are sitting in trees just like a Kentucky whitetail hunter would for whitetail, especially during breeding season when the big bucks are on the hunt for does all day.

Q. Do mule deer make scrapes and mark their territory like whitetails? Or, are their scrapes just produced from them rubbing off velvet? I have seen areas with scrapes and rubbed trees together, but not scrapes alone.
Ron Dodson – Lapine, OR

A. These rut signs are much more obvious in whitetails than they are in mule deer. In September, mule deer peel the velvet from their antlers. Once their antlers are polished, they will continue rubbing on whatever trees and shrubs are available. As the rut intensifies, bucks become more aggressive with their rubs. These rubs help identify territorial boundaries and provide a means of communication for other deer living in the area. Mulies have not been documented making a series of prominent scrapes as a territorial marking like the whitetail, although I, as well, have seen smaller scratch marks in the trail of a rutting muley buck where his possible intention was to “scrape” his territory.

Tags: HI33, mr mule deer

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