MULEY CONFUSION

[charlie6395]

I do see your point for some reason their is a certain click on most forums and they do not like people who just drop in for some quick advice. And I can understand that to a point if that person never comes back to help the next guy with his experance or advice. But I have always done that in the past with my Wolf and bears,and antelope hunts but I will never have 500 post on here same reason as stated before its my location V.A so if you need any help with the area i live in or the species i have hunted i will hook you up. That being said I would be hunting with either a muzzle loader or my 7mm mag it does not matter what ever would give me my best area or chance to take a Muley. I will be trying to plan this for next season 2015 so i will check in and participate as much as possible. I guess i should mention that I am 50% disabled due to an accident which resulted in 4 back surgerys but i do still manage to work two jobs and get along pretty good but I dont think i could do some of the rougher areas. I know that dont help much but it is what it is. Thanks

[Muley Stalker]

I couldn't help you, because you wanted an OTC tag for muley's. We don't have that in Colorado, and it's the only state I hunt, and have for 60 years.

Much easier to get elk tags here.

[BOHNTR]

Muley Stalker brings up another good point, which is why I asked about weapon preference. There are extremely limited opportunities to buy a tag over-the -counter for rifle /muzz tags. There are a few options for archery, but most of the West is a draw system. Having said that, there are units that go unsubscribed in the first round of the draw in several states that offer a hunt. However, without knowing the unit intimately, the opportunity at the caliber deer you're looking for, in a general (rifle) hunt, is difficult to say the least.

I believe Idaho is a first come draw state??? Perhaps someone who has experience in their respective system can help. I've never hunted there, so I don't have a lot of info to share. Lastly, I only bowhunt, so my information is limited to just archery only type seasons and opportunities.

[Scott702]

The Idaho general deer tag as far as I am concerned is a over the counter tag. Basically unlimited, doesn't get sold out like Utah's general elk tags. It would be a rifle hunt and the success rates are pretty low. Me and a friend went up there last year and everyone and their brother is out there on the roads and crawling over the mountains on foot. Maybe some of the other units have fewer crowds. Just for reference we were in SE Idaho, I wanted to go over by Boise or Ketchum, but between my job and my friends job we could not swing it. Idaho is doable but definitely takes some scouting and a good idea of how to get away from the crowds. I think trying to draw a tag is a better choice.

[Muley Stalker]

I never ever hunt an OTC unit/season. Anytime a tag is easy to get. Everybody will get one.

I'm a still hunter, and I need solitude for it to work.

[charlie6395]

Thanks everyone this is starting to make sense to me now. Sense I do not plan on doing this hunt for 1 or 2 years down the road what do you think if I just apply for points only in Colorado,Wyoming and Arizona for a couple years. I really dont know how good my chances would be in these states with 2 points? Am I on the right track? I was thinking of useing Cabelas tags.

[Muley Stalker]

Points will help you get a tag in Colorado. Getting a trophy muley is up to your hunting skills.

[TexasHunter83]

I think prices on mule deer tags are fairly consistent in the West. I've looked up several states and they're all, somewhat, in the same price range, with a few states being slightly more or less expensive. You can expect to spend anywhere from $300-$400 for a non-resident muley tag. I'm just spit-balling here, but if you're planning to hunt Colorado, you can put in for a preference point this year and get your money refunded to you in June. Then you can put in next year for an actual tag in a unit that requires 1 point for a draw. There are plenty of units in CO that a non-resident hunter can draw a muley tag on in 2 years. (Keep in mind, the deadline to put in the draw for CO is April 1st.) Like some have mentioned, you can draw a tag in the first year in archery in a lot of places as well. Muzzleloader will be slightly easier than rifle. Rifle you'll have a harder time drawing a tag the first year you put in if you're putting in for a decent unit. If you get on the website(s) for each state you're looking to hunt (that have a preference point draw system), you can find statistics on how many preference point it usually requires to draw for certain units.

Maybe the thing to do would be to put in for Colorado this year and get a point. Then put in again next year and likely get drawn. Maybe as a back up you can put in somewhere like New Mexico (that doesn't have a preference point) and see what your chances are of drawing a muley tag there.

It took me a long time to get the guts to start putting in for the draw in CO. A friend of ours had been trying to talk me into it for years and I never did it. $300+ bucks seems to be a lot of money to shell out to put in. Of course, it gets refunded to you if you're not drawn so it's really no different than just depositing it in the bank for a few months. Once I started putting in it all started making more sense. I could just accumulate points until I was able to go. Now it makes as much sense as depositing into my 401K.

Some have mentioned getting a leftover tag, which is a good option when all else fails. If you're planning to hunt 2015 and don't care what state, I would venture to say to find a state with a preference point system, find a unit you can draw with 1 preference point, and put into it this year and next year. As long as nothing drastic changes, you should get drawn next year. But if all else fails, look for a left-over tag.

[Muley Stalker]

You'll get your money back if you had a previous tag, or applied for one. If this is your first year applying for a point. They'll keep $30 for deer and $40 for elk. New regs this year.

[charlie6395]

Yeah I like the idea I think that's the route I'm going to take I can still get in for a point this year in Colorado Wyoming and Arizona