Post by: Labs07 on March 19, 2013, 04:28:22 PM
Post by: vandeman17 on March 19, 2013, 04:39:35 PM
Post by: uplandhunter870 on March 19, 2013, 05:19:14 PM
general advice; id start with figuring out where you think youll be hunting this fall and start watching that piece of land and hiking around on it if thats possible figure out where the deer like to hang out in the early spring and summer and early fall leading up to your season. mule deer arent nearly as predictable as whitetails but mulies will tend to hang around the same general areas for each part of the year
come general rifle season all bets are off as far as deer predictability goes once the orange army invades, but the better you can get to know a piece of ground and where the deer like to hang out and where they dont youll have a better chance of finding them once the umpaloompa invasion ensues.
Post by: huntnphool on March 19, 2013, 05:31:45 PM
So I have never killed or even hunted Mule Deer before. Not looking for places to hunt but would like some tips of the trade that you Mule Deer hunters have used to connect.If on a budget, spend the majority of your allotted funds on "quality" optics. :twocents:
Post by: DeerThug on March 19, 2013, 07:53:44 PM
buy some gas and drive through central washington. when you see sage brush and rock cliffs - stop and glass. not just a few minutes but a long time. Move and glass again. then do it again and then again and keep it up all day long. You will be surprised at the deer that move at 2 in the afternoon. when you spot deer they will be there in hunting season.
We have killed a ton of bucks within sight of I82 and I90 and most times have the place to ourselves. Take a county road and just pull off. it aint complicated. a lot of guys dont scout when they are driving.
You dont need a big area
Think small - hunt small - kill big bucks
Post by: Bigshooter on March 19, 2013, 07:55:27 PM
:yeah:So I have never killed or even hunted Mule Deer before. Not looking for places to hunt but would like some tips of the trade that you Mule Deer hunters have used to connect.If on a budget, spend the majority of your allotted funds on "quality" optics. :twocents:
Post by: sakoshooter on March 20, 2013, 02:50:35 AM
Everyone's got a pair in their truck or around their neck. Hike to vantage points and spend time picking apart every bit of good looking terrain. don't move to the next glassing spot till you're sure this one is vacant.
Also, look far. Even from a mile, country can be looked at pretty good with a good pair of binos.
Mule deer like an elevation advantage over their enemys and a lot of distance.
I love spot and stalk mule deer hunting.
Post by: Labs07 on March 20, 2013, 02:49:47 PM
Post by: vandeman17 on March 20, 2013, 02:57:29 PM
Thanks for the advise! I will be using a smoke pole and plan to be around the Coulee Dam area.
That should be pretty fun. I love hunting mulies though I haven't had a bunch of success on big bucks, it is my favorite type of hunting. Love spotting them from far away and trying to get close.
Post by: Guy on April 02, 2013, 06:26:42 PM
Good optics are a must but even more so is to honestly use them.
Everyone's got a pair in their truck or around their neck. Hike to vantage points and spend time picking apart every bit of good looking terrain. don't move to the next glassing spot till you're sure this one is vacant.
Also, look far. Even from a mile, country can be looked at pretty good with a good pair of binos.
Mule deer like an elevation advantage over their enemys and a lot of distance.
I love spot and stalk mule deer hunting.
Yes. Absolutely.
Post by: crazysccrmd on April 23, 2013, 01:53:01 AM
Post by: Bean Counter on April 23, 2013, 02:30:46 AM
Good optics are a must but even more so is to honestly use them.
Everyone's got a pair in their truck or around their neck. Hike to vantage points and spend time picking apart every bit of good looking terrain. don't move to the next glassing spot till you're sure this one is vacant.
Also, look far. Even from a mile, country can be looked at pretty good with a good pair of binos.
Mule deer like an elevation advantage over their enemys and a lot of distance.
I love spot and stalk mule deer hunting.
Last mule deer I put the stalk on with my bow I was probably 1.5 to 2 miles away. So far that I was able to hike down from my mountain, drive closer to him, then put the stalk on from there. I stalked the herd about ten times and let an arrow fly, but I missed (completely). What a day.
Post by: JM on April 23, 2013, 07:22:23 AM
If I'm looking for mule's in more mountainous terrain during the modern season (mid October) what elevations should I concentrate on?
Some of the bucks, especially the bigger ones will stay up in chest deep snow till they can't take it anymore or the rut starts really pickin up. I couldn't give you a specific elevation, but I'm sure that there are some seasoned hunters on here that know.
Post by: crazysccrmd on May 20, 2013, 06:12:57 AM
If I'm looking for mule's in more mountainous terrain during the modern season (mid October) what elevations should I concentrate on?
Some of the bucks, especially the bigger ones will stay up in chest deep snow till they can't take it anymore or the rut starts really pickin up. I couldn't give you a specific elevation, but I'm sure that there are some seasoned hunters on here that know.
What's the snow level at on the east slopes usually at during the season (12-20 oct)?
Post by: BiggLuke on May 20, 2013, 01:20:11 PM
Find wheat country, that's a good start.
Now, finding a shooter buck? during open season?
That's a different story.
My only advise is to get some good optics.
Post by: billdo5 on May 20, 2013, 01:48:31 PM
Mule deer really aren't too hard to find. Just go over the mountians to the east side, and they are every where there is crops.Crops....??? i recommend just going over east scouting in areas known for mule deer... high buck hunts tend to have big mules...
Find wheat country, that's a good start.
Now, finding a shooter buck? during open season?
That's a different story.
My only advise is to get some good optics.
Post by: buglebuster on May 20, 2013, 02:30:41 PM
Ive seen alot more nice muley bucks in wheat country than the high country :dunno:Mule deer really aren't too hard to find. Just go over the mountians to the east side, and they are every where there is crops.Crops....??? i recommend just going over east scouting in areas known for mule deer... high buck hunts tend to have big mules...
Find wheat country, that's a good start.
Now, finding a shooter buck? during open season?
That's a different story.
My only advise is to get some good optics.
Post by: billdo5 on May 20, 2013, 08:44:56 PM
Post by: 3nails on May 20, 2013, 09:09:30 PM
:yeah: :yeah: And "quality" means "$$$$". Count the $'s. :chuckle::yeah:So I have never killed or even hunted Mule Deer before. Not looking for places to hunt but would like some tips of the trade that you Mule Deer hunters have used to connect.If on a budget, spend the majority of your allotted funds on "quality" optics. :twocents:
Post by: wilsongideon on May 20, 2013, 10:42:21 PM
Post by: splitshot on May 20, 2013, 10:51:18 PM