Mule deer with a bow. Tips requested

[DoubleJ]

I've only ever hunted mulies with a rifle and, in hinting them with a rifle, I can't remember ever being within bow range of an animal.  Those of you who hunt mulies in open country i.e. alfalfa fields surrounded by scrub or the like, what are your tricks?

[coachcw]

be one with the wild . hunting mulies with a bow spot and stalk isnt that hard go slow and use the wind , a good windy day is your best bet !

[nalley112]

Like coachcw said wind is great.. I usually find them early in the morning when they are out walking and feeding.. I keep my distance till they bed down then start your stalking... Always work the wind...

[724wd]

glass, watch, glass, watch some more.  sneak in over the hill from them bedded or ambush them coming to food/water.   

[DoubleJ]

Is finding a trail into/out of the fields and setting up behind a large scrub a good idea?  Just wondering if forcing white tail tactics onto mulies is a good idea or not.  I only have 2 days to hunt them this year.

[D-Rock425]

If you can find any animals travel routes you should be able to ambush them to some extent.   Long distance scouting would be best before the season you may only get 1crack at a big buck before you blow him out of the area.

[DoubleJ]

If you can find any animals travel routes you should be able to ambush them to some extent.   Long distance scouting would be best before the season you may only get 1crack at a big buck before you blow him out of the area.

It's actually a 2nd deer tag.  Bucks are out of the equation.  I can shoot a doe.  If I can, will probably shoot 2 does.

[DIYARCHERYJUNKIE]

I would suggest spot and stalk.  Lots of glassing and checking differnt areas.  Not sitting for more than a few hours and that's if you can see a good distance.  They will use the same trails un till pushed out of area.

[shoot-em-dead]

Play the wind and be prepared to put some miles on. It really isn't a bad workout cause most of the day you are planning how to get a shot, if the area holds a lot of deer.

[elkinrutdrivemenuts]

Mulies are easier to get in bow range than white tails when your spot and stalking.  Wind is great, just makes it really hard to make a good shot, learn how to shoot in the wind.  I have been in bow range of the same mulie bucks multiple times in a day, they usually stand up and look at you as then bounce away, they don't flush like a whitetail. 

[throttlejocky20]

Patience is key. This is one thing I learned last year. Move slow, keep the wind in your favor, and stay low. There is actually more cover then it looks like there is.

[724wd]

two mule deer does should take you MAYBE an hour.  if you're slow!     those are the DUMBEST animals on the planet!    ride up to them on a 4 wheeler, shoot, gut, load, have a beer by 10am!   

[DoubleJ]

two mule deer does should take you MAYBE an hour.  if you're slow!     those are the DUMBEST animals on the planet!    ride up to them on a 4 wheeler, shoot, gut, load, have a beer by 10am!   

God I hope you're right.  All I'm trying to do is stuff the freezer this year so I can do a little bit more "quality" type hunting next year.

[shoot-em-dead]

its not really that easy- but getting two does in a day is very possible. I shot a doe a couple years ago and the other two didn't even spook. Could have had my pic of either one but didn't have another tag.

[D-Rock425]

What unit?

[carpsniperg2]

A lot of times you can watch them in the mornings from a good vantage point. Then they will go bed down and you can put a stalk on them. A lot of things factor in but wind is a big factor. In the early season when it is crunchy you might try a trick that I use. I found some really big thick wool socks that I can stretch over my boots. It really helps you stalk up on them and keep noise at a minimum.

[DoubleJ]

What unit?

Deer Area 2013 Central Okanogan.  Between the southern ends of 204 and 215

[DoubleJ]

A lot of times you can watch them in the mornings from a good vantage point. Then they will go bed down and you can put a stalk on them. A lot of things factor in but wind is a big factor. In the early season when it is crunchy you might try a trick that I use. I found some really big thick wool socks that I can stretch over my boots. It really helps you stalk up on them and keep noise at a minimum.

Ooooo.  Neat!  Gonna try that

[Bean Counter]

Get an old piece of carpet and jury rid some pads for your boot soles. Lasts a whole dayof hiking and hunting instead of just one stalk.

[throttlejocky20]

A lot of times you can watch them in the mornings from a good vantage point. Then they will go bed down and you can put a stalk on them. A lot of things factor in but wind is a big factor. In the early season when it is crunchy you might try a trick that I use. I found some really big thick wool socks that I can stretch over my boots. It really helps you stalk up on them and keep noise at a minimum.

Ooooo.  Neat!  Gonna try that

You can even take that one step further and remove your boots and put the thick socks over the pair your allready wearing.

[carpsniperg2]

A lot of times you can watch them in the mornings from a good vantage point. Then they will go bed down and you can put a stalk on them. A lot of things factor in but wind is a big factor. In the early season when it is crunchy you might try a trick that I use. I found some really big thick wool socks that I can stretch over my boots. It really helps you stalk up on them and keep noise at a minimum.

Ooooo.  Neat!  Gonna try that

You can even take that one step further and remove your boots and put the thick socks over the pair your allready wearing.

Maybe in the late season! TO MANY SNAKES FOR ME TO TAKE MY BOOTS OFF AROUND HERE!!!! PLus if you hunt to the east like the tri cities. You get into a lot more yellow star and those suckers can be 1-2" long! Aint no wool sock going to stop that!

[Buckmark]

What unit?

Deer Area 2013 Central Okanogan.  Between the southern ends of 204 and 215

DoubleJ you do know this is a private access tag, and you have to wear hunter orange during your hunt? Even so mulie does are not the flightest things, do though get very comfortable with your bow and our shooting ablitlity...

[crazyantler]

Find where they bed and then plan the slow ambush.  I have killed several by watching them bed in behind big rocks and against cuts in steep hillside or off old road beds.  Then I come in down wind and on top of them for the shot.  They dont even know your there.  Patience is the key!   My stalks have lasted hours until the perfect situation comes together.

[throttlejocky20]

A lot of times you can watch them in the mornings from a good vantage point. Then they will go bed down and you can put a stalk on them. A lot of things factor in but wind is a big factor. In the early season when it is crunchy you might try a trick that I use. I found some really big thick wool socks that I can stretch over my boots. It really helps you stalk up on them and keep noise at a minimum.

Ooooo.  Neat!  Gonna try that

You can even take that one step further and remove your boots and put the thick socks over the pair your allready wearing.

Maybe in the late season! TO MANY SNAKES FOR ME TO TAKE MY BOOTS OFF AROUND HERE!!!! PLus if you hunt to the east like the tri cities. You get into a lot more yellow star and those suckers can be 1-2" long! Aint no wool sock going to stop that!

The only time I have done this was in the wilderness on an early season hunt between 7000 and 8000 feet not to many snakes up there or people for that matter!

[DoubleJ]

What unit?

Deer Area 2013 Central Okanogan.  Between the southern ends of 204 and 215

DoubleJ you do know this is a private access tag, and you have to wear hunter orange during your hunt? Even so mulie does are not the flightest things, do though get very comfortable with your bow and our shooting ablitlity...

yes, i know that stuff.

[krapmit]

get on a good trail and try a blind or tree stand. I have killed the majority of my muleys from tree stands/blinds

[DIYARCHERYJUNKIE]

Confidence in your bow is more important than hunting technique in my opinion.  I always put myself in good locations for shot opurtunitys.  I never knew my bow would go as far as it does with the same effectiveness till this year.  I have passed many shots from fifty to sixty yards.  After shooting close to 1000 arrows I know those shots are possible and probable.  With enough long range practice they're ethical as well.  I'm going to shoot out to 60 meters this year on game.  It took me five years of passing on big bucks to realize the error of my ways.  Practice practice practice.  My confidence range on game has always been 35-40 meters and when a big muley buck is staring at you as you draw back 40 meter looks like 400!  Step by step on the range becomes second nature afeild.

[buckfvr]

Being a great shot is a good thing.......knowing that a live animal is completely unpredictable is also a good thing.   Wounding an animal at 60 yards because you didnt think it would move is a bad thing.  Loosing an animal because of that is terrible.   

[DIYARCHERYJUNKIE]

Perfect shot opurtunitys and conditions would be the first requirement for taking any shot extremely more so for any over 40 yards.  I will pass 20 yards if the buck or doe is tense and about to jump.  I completely agree that wounding an animal is terrible and should be avoided at all cost.  Id rather go home skunked a hundred times than wound one deer and not kill it find it and eat it.

[buckfvr]

 

[boneaddict]

Patience.   
Wind
slow
never sit and stare at them
avoid going right at them
patience

[Todd_ID]

Bone is right.  Patience is the biggest thing.  You'll see a 25-1 ratio of deer that you see versus those you can actually kill at that point in time.  A windy day is your friend.  If one little thing is not right about the stalk and potential shot, then wait until the situation changes or find another animal.  A bedded deer is ten times harder to kill than one feeding along into your ambush.

[boneaddict]

Two things that go through my mind when I am on a stalk.....

ONE, these animals have no "schedule"  all they have to do is eat and drink and survive.   No soccer games to get to, no meetings, no work, etc.   No spouse nagging them.....

TWO, which plays into ONE,   these animals have to deal with the likes of Cougars stalking them among MANY other things.  Think your senses are keen?  What do you think theirs are like?

[coyotecrazy]

1 thing you might try for early archery Muley does is a fawn bal distress call. Just a hand call like your calllin coyotes. Works best when you spot them several hundred yards away first. I've had them practically run me over they come in so hard!

[coyotecrazy]

Oh yeah, one more thing,,, enjoy the rattlers;)

[DoubleJ]

1 thing you might try for early archery Muley does is a fawn bal distress call. Just a hand call like your calllin coyotes. Works best when you spot them several hundred yards away first. I've had them practically run me over they come in so hard!

I had this on the plan list.  I've seen the blacktails react and seen videos of mulies reaction.

[DIYARCHERYJUNKIE]

The cow call works on black tail.  I want to try the fawn on some mullies.

[300rum]

I have always liked a wind storm, the kind where there is a steady wind followed by a big gust.  They are more "jumpy" but they can't take off at any little sound.

I always like a little rain.

I always like a little fog that lifts and drops, lifts and drops.

I always like a planes going over.

I always like a brutal cold day where the sun comes out on the south slope.

[snowshoes22]

I called in a mulie doe this morning while calling coyotes.  She was about 20 yards away.  It happens all the time.