Quality 204 any buck tag

[hunt4]

Ok so it's taken me a long time to draw any tags.  I have hunted gmu 204 for Archery.  100 % of the time for whitetail for many years.  I would like to find where the Muleys hang out in November.  I know there must be some decent muley bucks in this unit but I have never looked for them. My thoughts so far is looking SW in the unit.  Does anyone have a thought on a migration pattern or spot where the mule deer end up in the middle of November? I am not looking for people to post there spots but if you could pm some good pointers? 

[RB]

Here is what I did for my quality rifle hunt in November of 2016 for a different unit. Took a buddy, with an over the counter tag and drove around during modern rifle, and looked for the biggest group of Mule Deer Does I could find. Marked the area and went back several weeks later and started from there. I now have a nice four point Mule Deer Buck hanging on my wall. I would say go towards GMU 101 and drive roads until you find Does, next to Blacktail, Mule Deer Bucks are pretty stupid during the rut. Just my two 

[hunt4]

 Took a buddy, with an over the counter tag and drove around during modern rifle,
[/quote]
Your assuming I have friends
There must be someone out there with some insight on the mule deer in this unit.
I did a couple days over there this past weekend. Not really looking for deer but just looking over country.  Did a tour through Scatter creek and the south side of Tunk mountain.  Good looking country.

[greenhead_killer]

What rb said. I think the problem with what you are asking is that the deer in the late tag time are the same deer in general. Most guys aren’t going to give info on general areas, especially on an open forum. Best bet is to get out in general and start scouting. You have 20 days to find them. Good luck.

[RB]

Took a buddy, with an over the counter tag and drove around during modern rifle,

Your assuming I have friends
There must be someone out there with some insight on the mule deer in this unit.
I did a couple days over there this past weekend. Not really looking for deer but just looking over country.  Did a tour through Scatter creek and the south side of Tunk mountain.  Good looking country.
[/quote]

That is a start just find the girls, the boys will show up when the time is right! After hitting the Buck I shot (180 grain Nosler Partition in 300 WinMag) he looked at the Does first before taking off and finally dropping dead. Another buddy of mine had the Whitetail only tag for 204 several years ago and just about ran over the biggest Mule Deer Buck of his life driving to a different area to look for Whitetail. Cover ground in your rig, glass, find a locked gate and get in a mile or so. Literally this is the best advice anyone can get, there are Mule Deer Bucks to be found anywhere in the unit. Tons of roads around that unit as well, you will have to burn some fuel and boot leather. Best of luck I have been putting in for that tag for about 20 years.

[wadu1]

When I was younger, we hunted the unit every year. As RB said about the Scatter Creek Road, we stopped at the cattle guard and hiked to the top, just don't get turned around and try to bail off the cliffs. In the past we took 3 or 4 decent bucks off that hill. My dad has taken 2 off of Swan Butte, before it was logged.

[hunt4]

I don't think I ever asked where people hunt general season.  I have hunted late Archery for ever.  Take swakane for example.  The majority of the the deer in that unit moved in there in November.   I can tell you where to find mule deer in unit 101 in November and lucky to see one in October.  I am just trying get someone to respond thats actually had this tag or local where they think the majority of these deer end up if we get weather.  It won't be that hard to figure out just time and gas

[MtnMuley]

You have to also remember that you're competing with tribal hunters who can hunt there until Dec 31. The 204 quality tag is not an easy tag.

[D]

I'll be traveling to this unit for the first time October 19th-23rd. Deer population in my local units is toast so I'm branching out. I don't have time to gather permission from private property owners, which I'm sure is where most of the deer harvested come from. Based on my OnX and GoHunt internet scouting data, there's an above average amount of public land which is bound to have a stud or two lurking in the sanctuaries. 

[Limhangerslayer]

I don't think I ever asked where people hunt general season.  I have hunted late Archery for ever.  Take swakane for example.  The majority of the the deer in that unit moved in there in November.   I can tell you where to find mule deer in unit 101 in November and lucky to see one in October.  I am just trying get someone to respond thats actually had this tag or local where they think the majority of these deer end up if we get weather.  It won't be that hard to figure out just time and gas

sounds like you answered your question for yourself.  Go spend time and gas, you got out all figured out!

[TeacherMan]

I taught up in Curlew for several years and explored 204 a ton. I know In the rut the deer come out of the woods work there. Almost any given evening driving my loop (about 40 miles) I’d see several shooters. To me a shooter was over 150”. I took a very nice 189” 11x13 there in 07. The bucks are there, I’m just not sure where in October lol. Side note, TONS of bears too. Find a chokecherry bush that’s being worked over. If it still has berries the bear will be back just before dark.

[sagerat]

I taught up in Curlew for several years and explored 204 a ton. I know In the rut the deer come out of the woods work there. Almost any given evening driving my loop (about 40 miles) I’d see several shooters. To me a shooter was over 150”. I took a very nice 189” 11x13 there in 07. The bucks are there, I’m just not sure where in October lol. Side note, TONS of bears too. Find a chokecherry bush that’s being worked over. If it still has berries the bear will be back just before dark.

Was that 189 on the late tag? Sounds like a great buck!

[blindluck]

I taught up in Curlew for several years and explored 204 a ton. I know In the rut the deer come out of the woods work there. Almost any given evening driving my loop (about 40 miles) I’d see several shooters. To me a shooter was over 150”. I took a very nice 189” 11x13 there in 07. The bucks are there, I’m just not sure where in October lol. Side note, TONS of bears too. Find a chokecherry bush that’s being worked over. If it still has berries the bear will be back just before dark.

You have a picture of that bruiser we could see?

[kramman]

I was in this unit for muzzy this yr. Saw a stud of a 2pt that needs to be taken out of the breeding pool if your interested.  He was a mature mule deer that will always be a 2. He was unfortunately running with a 3x2 that my cousins son shot. The 2pt made the 3pt  look like a small dog comparatively.

[emac]

I was in this unit for muzzy this yr. Saw a stud of a 2pt that needs to be taken out of the breeding pool if your interested.  He was a mature mule deer that will always be a 2. He was unfortunately running with a 3x2 that my cousins son shot. The 2pt made the 3pt  look like a small dog comparatively.

Why does the 2 pt need to be taken out of the breeding pool?

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk

[boneaddict]

Lots of tribal pressure that time of year, but almost all on roads.   There are some real brutes in there. 

[kramman]

EMac the stud 2pt will most likely breed more 2pt bucks. Genetics

[emac]

EMac the stud 2pt will most likely breed more 2pt bucks. Genetics

I will disagree with one that point.  You aren't the only one that thinks that though.  That stud 2pt could breed a doe that has the right genetics in her to turn out a masher 4 or whatever buck.  It takes 2 to tango and the genetics from both deer play a part.  I use to be at the mindset as you but then I did some research.  From what I have researched there is nothing wrong with those big 2 points breeding,  it all comes down to the doe and what genetics she has.  It's no different then humans breedin..dad has brown hair brown eyes. Mom has blonde hair blue eyes what does the baby have?  It all comes down to the dominant gene.  Same with deer.  So when people say we need to take 2 pts out of the breeding pool it's not correct.

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk

[greenhead_killer]

I was just up today. I have not seen it this dry this late in the 17 years we’ve owned property up there. Still hot during the day too. Deer movement is extremely limited. Hopefully the end of gen picks up and gets it going a bit better for the late tag

[Birdguy]

EMac the stud 2pt will most likely breed more 2pt bucks. Genetics

I will disagree with one that point.  You aren't the only one that thinks that though.  That stud 2pt could breed a doe that has the right genetics in her to turn out a masher 4 or whatever buck.  It takes 2 to tango and the genetics from both deer play a part.  I use to be at the mindset as you but then I did some research.  From what I have researched there is nothing wrong with those big 2 points breeding,  it all comes down to the doe and what genetics she has.  It's no different then humans breedin..dad has brown hair brown eyes. Mom has blonde hair blue eyes what does the baby have?  It all comes down to the dominant gene.  Same with deer.  So when people say we need to take 2 pts out of the breeding pool it's not correct.
Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk

Agree with this to a point. After how many generations does the 2pt gene become the dominant gene in the does as well? If the father of "most does" born are 2 pts I would guess it does not take too many generations to make the 2 pt gene the dominant gene even in the does in an area, correct? I have never researched deer genetics but have a bit of experience with breeding specifics traits in other animals.

Back to the OP there are some great deer in the unit. Having run cameras on our property in 204 for 17 or so years I can tell you the great bucks are NOT on our place. That said I have seen some great mule deer out of Chesaw in the National Forest. Had a buddy shoot a dandy heavy dark antlered buck off Mt Hull a few years back as well. Saw a great 5 by 5 off the private lands off Dry gulch west of Havillah in November a couple years ago. Yes, the tribe is around as well as an abundance of predators but that November is a great time to be in the deer woods. We have had smaller bucks walk right up to us standing at our cabin burning the debris that fell over the summer. Best of luck to you!

[kramman]

EMac we can agree to disagree. Been hunting the same hills for 40 yrs, my observation is there are way to many large 2pts. Like the other post stated when the doe was fathered by a 2pt and that buck was fathered by a 2pt and so on seems to me you'll have an abundance of 2pts. Which having just been there we do.... just like if a blonde has a brown haired baby then that baby marries a brown haired person and so does that eventually the brown haired child becomes the dominant gene..and a couple generations in deer is not very long compared to humans. So to the op I hope you take me up on the offer. The hill had deer on it so I'd imagine there'll be other bucks come in come November

I will 2nd and 3rd how dry it was, luckily it rained steady until around the 4th of july. Or we may have seen another large fire sweep thru the area. Best of luck to you come November

[bobcat]

What does it hurt to have a few 2 point mule deer bucks in a population? I've never understood why that is a bad thing.

[MeepDog]

EMac we can agree to disagree. Been hunting the same hills for 40 yrs, my observation is there are way to many large 2pts. Like the other post stated when the doe was fathered by a 2pt and that buck was fathered by a 2pt and so on seems to me you'll have an abundance of 2pts. Which having just been there we do.... just like if a blonde has a brown haired baby then that baby marries a brown haired person and so does that eventually the brown haired child becomes the dominant gene..and a couple generations in deer is not very long compared to humans. So to the op I hope you take me up on the offer. The hill had deer on it so I'd imagine there'll be other bucks come in come November

I will 2nd and 3rd how dry it was, luckily it rained steady until around the 4th of july. Or we may have seen another large fire sweep thru the area. Best of luck to you come November

Eye color genetics has to do with alleles. A person with dark brown eyes (BB) has a partner with blue eyes (bb) and every child will have light brown/hazel eyes (Bb). If one parent has hazel eyes (Bb) and the other has blue eyes (bb) it's 50:50 blue or hazel. Both my parents have light brown eyes (Bb) yet I came out with blue eyes(bb). I don't know how green eyes work though...

As far as deer antler shape it must be far more complicated. Age, nutrition, fetal development, and genetics all play a part in antler growth. So the whole whos your daddy seems oversimplifying. 

[baker5150]

EMac we can agree to disagree. Been hunting the same hills for 40 yrs, my observation is there are way to many large 2pts. Like the other post stated when the doe was fathered by a 2pt and that buck was fathered by a 2pt and so on seems to me you'll have an abundance of 2pts. Which having just been there we do.... just like if a blonde has a brown haired baby then that baby marries a brown haired person and so does that eventually the brown haired child becomes the dominant gene..and a couple generations in deer is not very long compared to humans. So to the op I hope you take me up on the offer. The hill had deer on it so I'd imagine there'll be other bucks come in come November

I will 2nd and 3rd how dry it was, luckily it rained steady until around the 4th of july. Or we may have seen another large fire sweep thru the area. Best of luck to you come November

Eye color genetics has to do with alleles. A person with dark brown eyes (BB) has a partner with blue eyes (bb) and every child will have light brown/hazel eyes (Bb). If one parent has hazel eyes (Bb) and the other has blue eyes (bb) it's 50:50 blue or hazel. Both my parents have light brown eyes (Bb) yet I came out with blue eyes(bb). I don't know how green eyes work though...

As far as deer antler shape it must be far more complicated. Age, nutrition, fetal development, and genetics all play a part in antler growth. So the whole whos your daddy seems oversimplifying. 

Jim Heffelfinger (sp) dives into this on one of the MEatEater podcasts.

IIRC antler traits had more to do with the Doe's health during pregnancy than any other factor.

[vandeman17]

EMac we can agree to disagree. Been hunting the same hills for 40 yrs, my observation is there are way to many large 2pts. Like the other post stated when the doe was fathered by a 2pt and that buck was fathered by a 2pt and so on seems to me you'll have an abundance of 2pts. Which having just been there we do.... just like if a blonde has a brown haired baby then that baby marries a brown haired person and so does that eventually the brown haired child becomes the dominant gene..and a couple generations in deer is not very long compared to humans. So to the op I hope you take me up on the offer. The hill had deer on it so I'd imagine there'll be other bucks come in come November

I will 2nd and 3rd how dry it was, luckily it rained steady until around the 4th of july. Or we may have seen another large fire sweep thru the area. Best of luck to you come November

Eye color genetics has to do with alleles. A person with dark brown eyes (BB) has a partner with blue eyes (bb) and every child will have light brown/hazel eyes (Bb). If one parent has hazel eyes (Bb) and the other has blue eyes (bb) it's 50:50 blue or hazel. Both my parents have light brown eyes (Bb) yet I came out with blue eyes(bb). I don't know how green eyes work though...

As far as deer antler shape it must be far more complicated. Age, nutrition, fetal development, and genetics all play a part in antler growth. So the whole whos your daddy seems oversimplifying. 

Jim Heffelfinger (sp) dives into this on one of the MEatEater podcasts.

IIRC antler traits had more to do with the Doe's health during pregnancy than any other factor.

 

I recently bought property and a cabin in the unit. My cameras are showing a healthy amount of does, fawns, young bucks and some decent bucks which is a good sign. My goal is to try and hammer as many predators up there as I can as well.

[hunt4]

sounds

sounds like you answered your question for yourself.  Go spend time and gas, you got out all figured out!

Well I at least got you figured out.
 
I avoided the modern season , but managed to make it over several times.  Looked at ton of country.  All I can say is it's a crap shoot for a large mule deer.  I appreciate the positive input. I will head over Thursday for the remainder of the season. 

[The scout]

Good luck on the hunt, the mule deer are definitely in there little areas not spread throughout the unit like the white tails. I have spent a ton of time up there, my mom lives up Tunk valley. That whole area is almost all private but there are some huge bucks around. I would say once you find some mule deer hunt that area hard, the grass is t always greener they can be hard to find up there.

[MtnMuley]

the mule deer are definitely in there little areas not spread throughout the unit like the white tails.

Tell me an area in 204 that there aren't mule deer.

[nwwanderer]

With over 600,000 acres bring extra gas money and maybe tire chains and all the gear to go with them, good luck!

[hunt4]

Chainsaw, Winch,chains, come along and a Rubicon! I might need to start a gofund me for gas

[Pathfinder101]

Had a late whitetail tag there a few years ago.  Couldn't find a whitetail to save my life, but saw several good muleys.  I noticed that mule deer were pretty well distributed throughout the unit. 
Good luck! 

[Rodney107]

This guy showed up on the 27th

[LDennis24]

Seeing the comments about two points on here and thinking about people referring to "management bucks" which is a funny way of saying , I shot an unimpressive deer, who cares as long as you like it it's your deer!... Anyway, I recall watching a Realtree episode or something like Bill Jordan Outdoors and the folks from the King Ranch we're on there discussing how no matter what they did to try to cull bucks with certain traits the only thing that mattered in the end for antler size was herd health and the amount of nutrition and minerals the deer were getting. They stated exactly what was stated on here. There are probably more does carrying the same genes as that buck than you could ever figure out so it won't change the herd dynamics or antler traits in a foreseeable amount of time. They tried it for years unsuccessfully.

[greenhead_killer]

Any luck on your hunt yet? Tough conditions up there this year with all that snow. Hope you find a good one

[kramman]

I'm tagging along hoping the o.p updates us. I offered him the spot where I saw a mature 2pt. It was actually a big body and horned deer. But i did not here from him. Would've like to take that buck for myself

[Birdguy]

I'm tagging along hoping the o.p updates us. I offered him the spot where I saw a mature 2pt. It was actually a big body and horned deer. But i did not here from him. Would've like to take that buck for myself

There are a few of them around up there. We had one on our place for or five years ago. Big body and 2 thick long points on each side. A buddy hunting archery saw him several times.

[kramman]

I'm tagging along hoping the o.p updates us. I offered him the spot where I saw a mature 2pt. It was actually a big body and horned deer. But i did not here from him. Would've like to take that buck for myself

There are a few of them around up there. We had one on our place for or five years ago. Big body and 2 thick long points on each side. A buddy hunting archery saw him several times.

The 2 I saw was looking right at us at about 100 yards during muzzy season. Told my wife and cousin get ready shot him when I confirm it's a 3pt. He was really tall and wide thought we were on a great antlered buck.When they are looking right at ya it's hard to make out points but you can see the width and height. He turned and I said it's a huge 2, pretty amazed. Then I spotted a smaller 3x2 and my cousin put a great stalk on him and made a nice shot for his 1st deer. Said he had that 2pt at 60 ft after he shot without a care in the world.

[skidynastar33]

We will be up there till the end of the season with dads whitetail tag, i will keep my eyes out for mulies. Let me know if your seeing any good whitetails around and we can help eachother. let me know your phone number?

Kyle
206 919 7186