Q. I am
originally from Wyoming and now live in Colorado. Do mule deer have the same tendencies
and habits in Colorado as they would in Wyoming or is there going to be a big difference?
Josh Robins, COA. Josh,
deer habits are generally the same everywhere. Learning what deer are feeding on in the
new areas you are hunting is very important. Deer everywhere have to travel to food and
water. When I hunt different country I will ask the locals what the deer eat in the area.
Once you learn the feeding habits in the new area simply apply the skills you used before
and you will do fine
Q. Do mule deer like to sit in the high buck brush
during the warm weather or should we look for them in the timber? There has been a lot of
warm weather lately.
Gilbert Galvan
A. Glen, in the areas I have hunted deer
will always head for thick cover in warm weather. I always say when glassing, if it feels
too hot to be sitting in the sun glassing you will not be glassing deer out in the open.
If you move to the shade of a tree to glass, look in the shade of a tree for bedded deer.
Q. What public land areas in Utah (not limited
entry or restricted) offer trophy bucks you could hunt each year without drawing some
special tag?
Dan Olsen, UT
A. Dan, if I knew I would be there! Utah's
five regions do all have a few big bucks and seem to have a few better bucks each fall. If
an area such as you and every hunter in the state is looking for existed, it wouldn't be
good for long. The open regions have a few too many tags to offer trophy bucks without
drawing. If you are willing to go archery hunting you stand a good chance of finding good
bucks.
Q. When hunting mule deer in sagebrush country,
should I sit and wait or stalk?
Steven Frambes, OR
A. Steve, it depends on each area and the
amount of deer. If you hunt an area with good amounts of deer you will usually have
numbers of other hunters. If other hunters are hunting in your area get up high and glass.
If the area has little pressure and few deer, you will have to work harder and walk more.
Not knowing your area it's hard to say. Your scouting should tell you which tactics you
should be using.
Q. How good is the prospect of a do it yourself
unguided hunt in Utah for early archery? I am just more interested in seeing a decent
amount of animals and having a legitimate opportunity for a stalk. I am looking for any
size deer, not just a monster...although that would be nice!
Kevin Waite, MI
A. Kevin, Great! One of the best archery
hunts going is Utah's over-the-counter archery hunt. This tag is statewide; any area in
the five general regions. There are several areas, if you research, in the state well
where you could find good numbers, and big bucks. Don't overlook the fact that if you
don't fill your tag in the August season you can hunt November and December on the Wasatch
front Archery only area.
Q. How do deer get velvet and how do they shed it?
Darrom Cordova, NM
A. Darrom, velvet is the protective
coating for the antlers while they are in the growing stage. The velvet has 12 blood
vessels that supply the velvet the nutrition to keep growing. Once the growing stage is
complete the pituitary gland sends a higher level of testosterone into the body of the
deer, which in turn stops the supply of blood to the velvet causing the velvet to die.
Once a buck starts rubbing the velvet from it antlers it rarely takes more than a day to
completely clean the velvet from the rack.
Q. Do mule deer become more nocturnal after
scrapping velvet? I have found several nice buck in August, but when the September hunt
rolls around they are no where to be found.
Jared Garn, UT
A. Jared, the antlers are very tender
while in velvet. A buck needs a lot of nutrition in the summer to both gain body weight
for winter survival, and to grow his antlers. For these reasons you will see bucks a lot
more while in the velvet. Once the velvet sheds a buck doesn't go nocturnal, he simply
gets smarter. I feel that bucks, and especially big bucks, know when to take cover. The
bow hunts start in most states during and after shedding. It doesn't take long for big
deer to hit the thick stuff.
Q. When does the rut begin for mule deer in the
southwestern part of the U.S., namely southwestern New Mexico?
Sam Saucedo, NM
A. Sam, the rut varies from region to
region, but will generally start within a ten-day time frame each year. I haven't been to
southeastern New Mexico during the rut, but my friends in the area say the last week of
November normally has the first good rutting signs.
Q. What exactly do saltlicks have
that attracts deer?
Joe Fee - Weymouth, MA
A. Joe, it is sodium. All
animals, like humans, need a certain amount of sodium in the system. Studies on mule deer
show that much of the sodium in the body of a mule deer is confined to the extracellular
fluids, aiding in maintaining homeostasis in the body. Sodium also plays a roll in the
transmission of nerve impulses. Salt attracts deer because their body needs it, and like
us if deer get too much, especially in drought years, it can hurt the main organs within a
mule deer body.
Q. If an area is getting hunted
really hard how and where would I find the big ones?
Gary Fitzgerald - Chubbuck, ID
A. Gary, if an area is
getting hunted hard, the number of big ones is undoubtedly low. Hunting pressure is the
single biggest factor why bucks don't reach the mature levels a buck would need to be a
big one. I hunt a unit each year that gets serious amounts of pressure, and I have found
places within the unit that bucks go to after the opening of the season. The area you hunt
has such places, but depending on each area one hunts, the honey holes are different. You
need to research where hunters have taken big bucks late in the season each year in your
own area. Over time you'll find some consistencies in where big bucks are harvested in
certain areas. If you don't hear of good bucks being taken on a consistent basis, get a
new area.
Q. I will be hunting for mulies in
north central New Mexico the first of November. It is a mountainous area. Do you think the
deer will be at the higher elevations? What do you think is the best way to hunt them this
time of year?
Brian Bearden - Longview, TX
A. Brian, first you need
to get a starting point from someone who has hunted your area, and hopefully someone who
has had good success harvesting great bucks from that area. Then go scouting as much as
possible. I can't emphasize strongly enough the importance of scouting. There is no
substitute for scouting! Once you have spent a day or two scouting you will quickly know
if the deer are high or low. Key on water this year more than ever. The best way to hunt
areas that are new to you is the spot and stalk method.
Q. I have been hunting this big
muley and I can't get a clean shot. He never seems to go in the same pattern. What do I do
to get ahead of him?
Seth Hammack - Redmond, OR
A. Simply keep after him
Seth. If you are consistently seeing a big muley you're one step ahead of the rest of the
hunters afield. Big bucks rarely use the same trails to and from water or feed- that's how
bucks get big. Persistence and luck will get you ahead of that crafty old buck. If you
keep trying you will eventually get your shot and if you're lucky you'll get your giant
muley.
Q. What is the widest mule deer shot?
Cody Rankin - St. Anthony, ID
A. Cody, to my knowledge
there are a couple of deer that are just shy of 50 inches wide. Both the Mundy buck and
the Kilfoil buck have spreads 47 inches plus wide. Both of these bucks were featured in
the premiere issue of this magazine. I have a photo of Ted Riggs when he found a lion kill
on the Paunsaugunt in the 1960s. He has a yardstick lying in the antlers and the
incredible buck looks to exceed 48 inches, but I am unsure of the exact spread. I have no
doubt there may be a wider buck, maybe even 50 inches wide, in an old forgotten shack.
Q. Why do mule deer bucks have a
bigger antler on the left side instead of the right side?
Matt Marsh - Coalville, UT
A. Matt, all mule deer
don't have a bigger left antler. If you take a look at a copy of any magazine or Boone
& Crockett book you will see that there are as many bucks with strong right sides as
left sides. You have to look at more than a few bucks.
Q. What is the best county in Utah to
hunt for trophy bucks?
Justin Hyer - Logan, UT
A. Justin, Kane County has been the top
producer for trophy bucks. More B&C bucks have been entered from Kane County in the
last 10 years than any other county in Utah. Most have been harvested from the Paunsaugunt,
but a few have come from the southern region unit around the Paunsaugunt. Utah has several
good limited entry units. The Book Cliffs, Henry Mountains, and Vernon units are getting
better every year.
Q. Why are there stags or cactus bucks?
Demetrio Rubio - Fort Stockton, TX
A. Demetrio, this is a tough question.
I have personally handled 11 cactus bucks, and have found one common thing about each
buck. They are all old! Most have what is called degenerative testicles (small or no
testicles). Cactus bucks also have what is called persistent velvet, a very matted looking
velvet compared to normal fluffy velvet of a normal buck. Experts say that cactus bucks
are thought to be associated with hormonal imbalance, faulty mineral metabolism, or damage
to pr mordial tissue. Too much for my simple brain to take. I think bucks reach an age
where their hormones are not producing what they need to shed their velvet or their
antlers. As well as the fact that cactus bucks don’t appear to breed. So they eat,
get fat and grow crazy antlers. Castration may cause some cactus bucks, but most are
simply old. I don’t think cactus bucks live long from the point they start being
cactus bucks. I, like most will say, don’t really know what causes all cactus bucks.
Q. What is the U.S. Government doing to
preserve the mule deer?
Seth Kelson - Provo, UT
A. Well, Seth, you picked a good
question because we are addressing this issue in our cover story. Turn to page 60 and read up on what is
being done.
Q. Which county in Wyoming produces the
most Boone and Crockett mule deer records?
Dennis Passalaqua - Covelo, CA
A. Dennis, Lincoln County has the most
listing for B&C bucks. A close second is Teton County. Both have high, rugged, steep
pack-in areas. Hunting either of these areas can be tough. Get on your hiking shoes!
Remember that simply having the most B&C bucks doesn’t always make it the best
place to hunt now. Both Lincoln and Teton counties can have bad winter kill. Winters have
been mild for several years now, and there are a lot of nice bucks today.
Q. This year on our hunting ranch, the
bucks were acting a little different like they were in the rut early and I was wondering
what may have caused this.
Ed Woolstenhulme - Coalville, UT
A. Ed, this is a tough question. When
is the rut generally on your ranch; and how many days earlier did you observe the rut
activities? The rut can often start a week early or a week later. One week is not
uncommon. Game & Fish studies have cases where a doe has cycled into estrus a month
early. A doe being in estrus will cause a buck to rut anytime. In my areas I have found
that wet years with great feed will often bring on early rutting. The better health of the
herd may bring on an earlier rut. There is a lot of talk about cold weather causing
earlier rut. I would say it is more of a combination of both good feed and cold weather.
Q. How far apart do mule deer bucks
usually lose their sheds? Where are good places to find sheds?
Wacey Kirkpatrick - Hayes, SD
A. Wacey, most of the time you will
find both sheds within about 300 yards. I have found that the bigger the bucks shed, the
more often you will find the other side close. Most bucks shed both horns the same day. I
have watched bucks drop one side, and glassed him seven day’s later still packing the
second shed. If the bucks don’t get chased or spooked, the second shed will not be
far. I have about 50 big sheds that I have never found the other side. It also depends
upon bucks feeding and water patterns. The farther that bucks travel to and from feed and
water, the farther apart the sheds can be. The best place to find sheds is simple. You
have to watch the deer at shedding time. Just as your preseason scouting. If you know
where a buck is before opening morning, the better the chance you will get him. If you are
watching a buck at shedding time, the sheds will be much simpler to find. Bucks start
shedding in January in the northern states. The farther that you go south the later bucks
will begin shedding. In old Mexico bucks don’t start shedding until March.
Q. What is the best mule deer area on
public land in Colorado?
Lance Calhoun - Pocola, OK
A. Lance, when talking about Colorado,
most people remember the western slope of Colorado. More B&C mule deer have come from
the west slope than anywhere. Due to heavy pressure in the 80’s, and continued
pressure since, it has been slow to come back. Colorado has several places that may be
better than what I know, but here goes my pick- unit 10. It’s best to hunt early
archery or muzzleloader. The deer tend to move a lot before the rifle hunt. It’s no
secret that it takes ten bonus points to draw unit 10. Tons of bucks and a lot of big
ones. Colorado has a lot of sleeper units for big mulies if a person is willing to do his
or her homework.
Q. When is the best time of year to see
trophy bucks?
Mac Levy - Pendleton, OR
A. Mac, the best time of year to see
big bucks depends on the area you are looking in. Mountain regions such as Wyoming and
Idaho are so tough to get to the high summer range that it is best to look in the winter
range at the base of the mountains. In Utah, Arizona, and some of Colorado August and
September is the best time. Easy access to the mountains and bucks being in bachelor herds
makes this my favorite time to find big bucks. The major advantage of early scouting
during this time is that it is before the hunt. It’s fun to watch bucks on the winter
range, but it doesn’t help you as much in hunting these big bucks because they are
not in the same area that you will be hunting them in.
Q. Why has the Fish and Game changed the
southern tip of the Central hunting area in Utah to a five-day season? Are they thinking
of closing it and changing it to a limited area?
Steve Gossard - Gunnison, UT
A. Steve, the Utah Game & Fish
implemented the five-day season to take off some of the pressure from that herd unit. Less
hunter days afield means less deer harvested. Five-day hunts are a simple way to allow
hunter’s the chance to hunt, but at the same time protect the age class of the bucks.
I don’t know if there are any plans to make limited areas in these units.
Q. Does rattling and grunts work
for mule deer?
Matt Stephenson - Naples, ID
A. Matt, yes, rattling for
mule deer bucks is very effective. My best time for rattling in mature bucks has been in
pre-rut and full rut conditions. The larger bucks I've rattled come in slowly and will
often circle downwind. Very much like calling coyotes. The smaller bucks will often come
bounding in fast, hoping to breed the hot doe while the two mature bucks are fighting.
Rattling is not often used on mulies because there are very few rut hunts. Grunts.
Although mule deer bucks make several grunt like nose blowing sounds in the rut, I have
had little success grunt calling mule deer.
Q. What is the relationship between
mule deer and elk? Do they eat the same things, share the same area, etc.?
Brandon Rowley - Orem, UT
A. Brandon, mule deer and
elk often utilize many of the same range resources where they overlap. Both species eat
similar grasses and forbes during the spring and summer. However, if sufficient forbes or
brows is not available, elk may switch to greater use of grasses whereas mule deer browse
more intensively. In general there is considerable competition between mule deer and elk
where they occupy the same range. Because elk appear to be capable of adapting
successfully to a wide range of environments and are more flexible than deer in their
choice of forage preferences, they seem to be the more efficient species. This gives them
the advantage over mule deer. Can mule deer and elk coexist? Yes. Would the mule deer do
better all over the west without the encroachment of the elk? Absolutely yes!! Avid mule
deer hunters like myself can only hope state agencies keep elk and deer numbers in check.
Q. Is it true that big muley bucks
come out at night during the rut? I did a lot of hunting during the rut and saw lots of
bucks but they were small. It didn't make sense to me that the little bucks were breeding
the big herds. We hunt a nice area here in the Badlands of Alberta. I know they are out
there, but when do they come out?
Sean Philpott - Alberta, Canada
A. Sean, no. Big bucks
don't rut at night only. I often hear people say that big bucks are nocturnal. That's
crap. I hate the word nocturnal more than any word mule deer hunters use. The biggest old
bucks that elude hunters each fall are smart and simply few and far between. The older
bucks get, the smarter they become. But when a doe comes in estrus, no amount of smarts
will keep the bucks from chasing the does. Factors like buck to doe ratios, and more
importantly, the amount of mature bucks in the area you are hunting, could be why you
didn't find that buck of a lifetime. Even when hunting in the middle of the rut we all
need luck.
Q. Where I live, the mule deer
migrate in great numbers down to the lower sagebrush areas for the winter. There are
several corridors where they come through by the hundreds, but only in December, long
after the October hunting season. Where are the big bucks before the migration begins? How
high in the mountains? What type of cover? Alone or with other deer?
Doug Mason - Pinedale, WY
A. Doug, without knowing
the area it's impossible to answer your question very accurately. I'll take a guess that
you're talking about the large amount of deer that winter close to Pinedale. The answer to
where deer live in October is; the rugged mountains of the Teton National Forest that
surrounds the winter range on three sides. Deer in radio collared studies from this area
have shown some deer traveling over 50 miles between summer and winter ranges. Big bucks
are where you find them. Some high above timberline and some never leave the foothills.
Early in the summer bucks tend to bunch up for safety, then go on their own a few weeks
before the rut. Get on your hiking shoes because this country is big and steep.
Q. What causes deer to grow
non-typical antlers?
Jarrod Kauffman - Brush, CO
A. Jarrod, non-typical
antlers are caused by three important factors. Good genetics: antler shape and
configuration is due largely to genetics. Great feed: antler mass is related more to
nutritional levels. And just as importantly, age: a mule deer buck generally needs to be
at least three or four years old before it will start having extra points. I've found that
a buck needs to be from around five to nine years old to reach his maximum potential.
Combine the three and you can and will have non-typical antlers in most western hunting
areas.
Q. Do you have any advice on
quality areas/units to put in for, for out-of-state archery (bull) elk and archery (buck)
mule deer? Any information on areas/units to put in for out-of-state would be a bonus.
Zach Morgan - Selah, WA
A. Zach, there are tons of
great archery hunts in the west. One doesn't have to look far to have a great hunt. Most
archery elk hunts take place in the rut and the buck hunts in the velvet when big mulies
are the most vulnerable. Each state has several great hunts for both species that have
great draw odds. There are several companies that can get you going in the right direction
for a couple of bucks.
Q. Many hunters get buck fever from time to time. What's the easiest way to
conquer it in the field?
Garrett Liles - Fresno, CA
A. Garrett, I'm not the
person to ask how to stay calm. People often say to me, "You get to see so many giant
bucks that you probably don't get excited". Wrong. Buck fever is a combination of two
feelings. One, the excitement of the hunt. Two, the fear that one might blow his or her
shot. As hunters we will always get excited when hunting. If you lose that excitement then
stay home. Buck fever is a nice way to say I didn't think before the shot. Take a few
seconds before the shot, get a rest if possible, remind yourself to squeeze the trigger,
and never rush your shot. The more hunting experience you get the easier it is to conquer
the fever.
Q. How do you know if it's a buck
or doe just by the tracks?
Craig Asay - Riverton, WY
A. Craig, buck tracks are
big! Mature buck tracks will often be one-third bigger than doe tracks. The common mistake
made by hunters is looking at bounding deer tracks. Both bucks and does have dew claws and
will both leave dew claw marks when bounding. Forget all the crap you have ever heard
about dew claws. Bucks have a rounder and longer track than does. While in the field
observing deer, walk over and look at the tracks left by the bucks you see. The more
tracks you look at the easier it is to tell deer gender from looking at a track. When
you're trophy hunting for mature bucks and find a track that makes you question its
gender, it's not what you're
looking for. Mature buck tracks are Big!
Q. After a long, dry summer the
mule deer in the region seemed to grow tall narrow racks. This is a region known for wide
spreads. What would be the reason for this? Is antler growth dependent on the weather?
Jared Obray - Soda Springs, ID
A. Jared, yes. Antler
growth is directly related to the amount of moisture received each year. If the forage
that the buck eats has poor nutritional content, then the antler development will suffer.
Going back through the years in my area, 1995, '97, '98, and '99 were good moisture years.
1996 and 2000 had near drought conditions. In the good moisture years there are many great
bucks taken and a lot of good sheds found. In the dry years there are very few good bucks
taken. Would a buck lose five inches of width? I don't think so. I have collected sheds
from the same bucks through good and bad moisture years. The configuration stays about the
same, although point length and mass suffers greatly on dry years. In 2001 we had a bad
year in Idaho and only a few monsters were taken, while record amounts of rainfall in the
Sonora desert made for an awesome year with many bucks taken over 35 inches. Good moisture
is everything to big buck hunting.
Q. I often hear guides and
"experts" on videos talking about judging mule deer antler size using ear
length. I was skeptical and decided to measure a few ears on mounts and deer we shot this
year. Length ranged from eight to nine and a half inches. Quite a variation, but my
sampling test is small. Do you know of any studies on mule deer ear length?
Jack Harvey - Fort Collins, CO
A. Jack, I don't know of
any studies on mule deer ear lengths. A better judgement of width can be done from both
ears extended perspective. Not pulled straight out, but in the upright alert position that
you normally observe while hunting. I have found mature bucks average about 22 inches
across. Three inches past each ear would be 28 inches, four inches would be 30 inches, and
five would be 32 inches. Mistakes are often made using ear length for width. Immature
bucks, say three or four years old, may only have 19- or 20-inch ears. What you might
think is a 28-inch buck actually may be only 25 or 26 inches. Never look only at ears
while determining a buck's overall spread. Bad width judgements are generally made on
bucks running away. Most importantly, the trophy is in the eye of the buck holder. If it
looks good to you on the hoof, it will look good on the ground.
Q. Do desert mule deer roam? How
long can they go without water?
Chris Schroder - Buckeye, AZ
A. Chris, most desert deer
do roam more than mountain deer. I have found bucks that travel distances of up to 10
miles in circles to feed and water. That doesn't mean that all desert bucks travel far,
even in the desert some bucks have a small home range. If there is adequate feed, water,
and cover close by some bucks never leave an area. Bucks can go without water a lot more
than does and fawns. I have actually found areas in the desert that bucks rarely drink if
ever. It's rare, but in these areas the bucks get their moisture from the plants, cactus,
and grass in the area. I have personally followed bucks in areas like this to try to
understand how bucks survive. I still don't know how, but they do. Generally most bucks in
the desert water every two to three days, and can and do water at all times, morning,
noon, and night.
Q. What hunting units does the
Arizona strip cover?
Darrin Walsh - Buena Vista, CO
A. Darrin, the Arizona
strip district covers three deer management units. 12 B from Kanab creek east to Page,
Arizona. 13 A from Kanab creek west to the Hurricane rim, and 13 B from the hurricane rim
west to the Arizona, Nevada border. The units are vast areas with low deer populations,
each year we see several great bucks come from each unit. The average hunter with a strip
tag expects he or she will see a lot of big bucks, reality is most hunters shoot the only
buck they see, big or small. It's a tough hunt for a big buck, just like everywhere.
Q. In the state of Nevada what is
the process if you come about finding an obvious kill from a previous year either by
predator or someone who did not find their animal? Do you pick up the find, do you call
the department of Wildlife, and whatever you do are you able to keep your find? This is
not a shed but a complete rack that has been down long enough to become well bleached on
the top side. What do you do?
Rod Leavitt - E-mail
A. Rod, I don't know
Nevada's policy on pickup heads, I would advise contacting your local Nevada Game &
Fish officer. In the past, Nevada has allowed one to pick up and keep skulls. It needs to
have a valid tag from the Nevada Game & Fish before it skull can be sold or
transported across state borders.
Q. What exactly does saltlick have that attracts deer?
Joe Fee - Weymouth, MA
A. Joe, it is sodium. All
animals, like humans, need a certain amount of sodium in the system. Studies on mule deer
show that much of the sodium in the body of a mule deer is confined to the extracellular
fluids, aiding in maintaining homeostasis in the body. Sodium also plays a roll in the
transmission of nerve impulses. Salt attracts deer because their body needs it, and like
us if deer get too much, especially in drought years, it can hurt the main organs within a
mule deer body.
Q. If an area is been getting hunted really hard how and where would I find the
big ones?
Gary Fitzgerald - Chubbuck, ID
A. Gary, If an area is
getting hunted hard, the number of big ones is undoubtedly low. Hunting pressure is the
single biggest factor why bucks don't reach the mature levels a buck would need to be a
big one. I hunt a unit each year that gets serious amounts of pressure, and I have found
places within the unit that bucks go to after the opening of the season. The area you hunt
has such places, but depending on each area one hunts, the honey holes are different. You
need to research where hunters have taken big bucks late in the season each year in your
own area. Over time you'll find some consistencies in where big bucks are harvested in
certain areas. If you don't hear of good bucks being taken on a consistent basis, get a
new area. |
Ask Mr. Mule Deer - has
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