mule deer tactics

[Bodork]

Any suggestions on how to get close enough to open country mulies?  Thanks, mike

[R.W.]

Muley's often bed in low brush thickets (sage, wild rose, etc) if the wind is right, you can usually sneak right up on them (unless the danged wind changes)

Ridges, coulee walls, etc can give you a place to move, unseen.

If you do get close and the deer are bedded still, your shot may be non-existent. I either use a doe bleat, or just tickle my rattlin bag. Usually the deer stand to look, but sometimes they just go ballistic.  

Remember that right after sunrise, and sunset, you will experience wind changes, some of these can be large changes, too.

Best of luck BD!

[Whitetail Chaser]

If you can get to a high vantage point overlooking some creekbeds or small canyons, then you can glass them in the morning while they feed.  Spot a nice buck, watch where he beds, and then formulate a stalk to get within bow range.  

If you are hunting in the panhandle of Texas, you should be able to find some funnels and trails that the deer are using to move around in the mornings and evenings.  A ground blind here or even a tree stand (if the trees are big enough) can work.

Best of luck,
Brett

[NDTerminator]

I hunt mulies by Spot & Stalk much as Whitetail Chaser describes when I'm after mule bucks out in the Badlands.  Here are a few more pointers.


Plan on one stalk a day.

Get to as high of vantage point as you can, early.  Set up your spotting scope and carefully glass.

When you put a buck to bed, don't move on him as soon as he does.  Watch him till about mid-morning, as they normally get up and shift location slightly.  After they settle in this time, they normally stay put until early afternoon.  Take note of the position of any deer between you and the target animal.

While you are watching take a pencil & pocket notebook and draw as detailed of map as you can to the buck's location.  The terrain and landmarks won't look the same when you start your move and this helps you deal with that issue.

If possible, hunt with a partner who will keep an eye on the buck as you move in.  Work out hand signals so he can guide you into position and let you know if the buck moves.

When you get to 100 yards, take your boots off and put on a couple pair of heavy socks.  Don't get sloppy and rush now, take your time.

Good optics are key.  Don't go cheap, put some money into them.  You won't be sorry.

Good luck....

[Whip]

NDT, You've obviously been doing this for awhile - great advice.  I've done it a number of times, and had lots of close encounters, but have yet to close the deal on one.  It is far and away one of the most exciting ways to hunt.  Some day I hope to put it all together.

[Allan Hundeby]

Good tips here!  

Re: the map:  If you can, print out a Google Earth satellite shot of the area, and make notes on that.  

Re: a partner: FRS radios work well too and add to the safety factor.

Also, if you hunt in private land, don't forget to ask the LANDOWNERS about deer movement.  It's their land, and if they're farmers / ranchers, it's a good bet they know it intimately.  I have been astounded how helpful my brother's new father-in-law has been (and how much he las learned from us) about deer activity, deer trails, deer bedding areas, deers' senses, etc..  This guy has 8 monstor muleys that have been on his land for several years.  He has saved them just for us, and knows their habits and the extent of their range very well.

[IB]

I sure hope MR. Green and Mr. JC are payin attention to this thread...MR. Big and his BROTHERS made it through another season.

One other thing that might be added is try VERY HARD not to bump them out of where you have them. If for WHAT EVER REASON you can't close the deal. Take a No Ride and come back when it's in your favor.

[snag]

Two words...Patience and Stealth. They have big ears and unless it is windy they will be able to pick up any unusual sounds. The boots off and socks on is good advice if you are to get within bow range. A friend put a 5 hr. stalk on a big muley out in a sage brush flat. His dad was watching it in a spotting scope. Everything this buck would bed down he would just get into bow range then the buck would get up and wander off. This continued time and again. But patience and stealth eventually got him.

[Walt Francis]

Dwight Schuh wrote a book called hunting Open Country Mule Deer (or something similar to that title) that is an excellent source.  In the book he discusses step by step most of the tactics and methods described by those above, which I have used successfully many times.  Most of what he discussed in that book is also in his book Bowhunters Encyclopedia