High country Mule deer advise

[Michael Arnette]

Hello gang,

I'm looking too likely draw my first mule deer tag in Colorado this year. I'll be hunting above 10,000 feet with a buddy and then meeting up with two more friends who are trying to draw muzzleloader tags. I'm beginning to realize that mule deer were not made for easy traditional bow hunting. For instance, pope and young records show an average of 35 yards shot distance on record bucks. I'm a decent shot but 28ish yards is definitely my cut off on deer sized animals.
Any advice on getting close and generally on stalking mule deer in mountain terrain.

[MnFn]

My advice would be to go elk hunting. Twice I have seen a couple of good ones while elk hunting. Once stalked to within very easy bow range on a couple of lessor bucks. (Right after an afternoon shower.)

 On my last hunt I was posting by a wallow. As luck would have it, a really nice non-typical mule deer came walking past me at about 10 yards. No tag of course.

[Michael Arnette]

Originally posted by MnFn:
My advice would be to go elk hunting. Twice I have seen a couple of good ones while elk hunting.

Trust me you're not the only one LOL I've seen plenty of good ones elk hunting too and had some shots if I'd have had a tag

[Orion]

Of course, most of the P&Y animals were killed with wheelie bows. The fact that our range is more limited is the reason we don't have as many animals in the book, and the fact that most of us don't care about putting them in the book. Good luck.  It's not impossible to stalk within 20 yards or less of a muley.

[Old Chief]

The first thing that I would recommend is read "Hunting Open-Country Mile Deer" by Dwight Schuh. I'm not sure if it is still in print, but a copy should be around. The second thing is to get the best optics you can buy or barrow. You have to find them to hunt them.

[monterey]

Marv Clynke has made a specialty of hunting mule deer above timberline.  Look up some of his writing on the topic.

Long story short, it's a lot like hunting bighorns.

[Duckbutt]

Dwight Shuh's book.  Close thread.

[Duckbutt]

[wapiti792]

Agree with Schus buck...also do some research on winterkill areas. With tough winters claiming some serious numbers I'd look into units on the rebound versus units that get lots of pub. They are tough and in my opinion, the toughest and most challenging critter outside of mountain goats. Glass until your eyeballs hurt, camp at elevation, and side hill your knees off...loads of fun  

[KSdan]

South Cox has been doing it quite regularly.  Pretty amazing.

[newhouse114]

Be ready to take advantage of any and all contour in the land, get up high and glass, then glass some more, then glass some more. Having leather knees on you pants can make crawling a little more comfortable. The wind is your friend!! So is the rain.......at least if it rains at night and gets rid of the crunchy sound you make in dry conditions.  And on rare occasions a nice buck will charge out of an aspen patch, see you, stop dead still and pose at 20 yards (see avatar).

[screamin]

Typically, mulies will bed around 9am or so. Let em sit until the winds are steady and blowing or rising uphill. Generally they like to lay in the shade looking down hill so come at them from the top. Take your boots off the last 100 yds. Pull on a heavy sock or two and sneak up on em.

Be prepared though for them to get up at 1pm ish and shift spots to stay in the shade. If you are in the right position you could get a      leaving me sitting there all by my lonesome, you never know what they are going to do.

[FoCoBlackWidow]

Michael,

I've found above timberline to be a lot of fun but really challenging. 1. There's no oxygen so even those of us that get to spend the summer in the mountains will still be sucking for air. 2. There's very little cover so you do end up with longer shots. 3. If you're going to be hunting during muzzleloader season, you'll have a lot of company (depending on your GMU) so you'll need to cover some miles or have a secret spot. It's a great hunt and can be done (so I'm told), but it's a numbers game and in a good area, you can get a stalk every day. Find a basin with animals and let your glass do the work. Good luck and hope you're better with your feet on the ground than I am.

[FoCoBlackWidow]

Oh, and you'll be shocked when you lay eyes on a big timberline buck. Their bodies are so big they make whitetails look tiny.

[old_goat2]

They shoot them that far because they can! Just give it your best!

[ESP]

Get as high elevation as you can and set behind the best spotting scope you can get your hands on.   A pre scouting trip in late July would be benificial .  Wait on thermals to be consistent and begin your stalk.   Most of all have fun.  I have not chased mule deer in ten years. I miss chasing them.

[ESP]

Also some units in Colorado have had a hard winter. Might want to check winter kill in your unit.

[Michael Arnette]

Thanks, I've put in for unit 80 and 81 in SW Colorado and know the areas I'll be hunting pretty well

[Dmaxshawn]

dwights book is a good start so is eastmans book.  Good glass and having good patience.  Scout it in July.  check weekly for fires. and good luck there.  as others have said I wish I'd had a tag with me while hunting elk in the san juans,  the nueche , and trulios.  its good country there

[Matty]

Sending you a pm