First timer muley questions
-
PSUBowhunter
- Fawn
- Posts: 15
- Joined: Tue Feb 13, 2007 1:49 pm
- Location: SW Pennsylvania
First timer muley questions
We are planning a mule deer hunting trip to western North Dakota this fall. This will be our first time mule deer hunting and I was hoping you guys that hunt muleys alot could give us some pointers. We will probably be doing mostly spot and stalk. It will be an archery hunt. I would like to know anything about mule deer hunting that could possibly help us out. ( we are from the east, so we only hunt out of tree stands.) What gear is necassary, how far should i be able to shoot, etc.
Also, does anyone have any experience hunting in ND and what should we try to hold out for. Thanks for any help.
Also, does anyone have any experience hunting in ND and what should we try to hold out for. Thanks for any help.
PSUbowhunter, welcome to MuleyMadness!!! I can tell ya, this is a great place to start your research. The folks here have a wealth of knowledge regarding Mule Deer (I'll try to help out but I am far from the smartest on this site).
I will begin by saying that I am a rifle hunter so as far as bow gear goes, you'll have to wait for one of the others to respond. As for hunting Mulies themselves....FUN, FUN, FUN!
You mentioned "spot-and-stalk". That's the way most mule deer hunting works due to the wide open country they frequent (You'll have to let the folks that have hunted ND to give you the rundown on the terrain there. I am speaking from my experiences). Therefore you'll need some quality optics. Cheap ones work, sure, but the better the optics the better chance you have of spotting those big mulies. I've seen bucks lay flat in the wide open in a rock slide and completely disappear. They'll lay under sage brush or scrub brush or against a rock bluff and unless you look hard you'll never see them.
If you've hunted at all, and from your post I know you have, you know you have to make sure the wind is in your favor when stalking, try not to skyline yourself, and go s...l...o...w. In the wide open country they can spot ya from a long ways off and more often than not they know you're there before you spot them...even if they give you no indication that they have a care in the world. As for bow tactics and gettin' within bow range, one of the bow hunters here at MM will have to help you out.
Good, quality hiking boots are also a MUST. Normally you'll cover a lot of rough terrain while trying to locate and then stalk your buck. You'll also need a light-weight quality pack with you. That same rough country you'll be hiking through to get to the bucks will be the same country you'll have to travel back through to get out. De-boning the deer and packing the meat out is always the easiest way if you're on foot and deep in the country but quartering/halving the deer are also options. Therefore a lightweight de-boning kit or field dressing kit can come in handy (I use just a serrated edged knife but I'll tell ya, I've been MEANING to get me a de-boning kit one of these days...LOL).
I also carry a hand-held GPS unit with me to mark spots in which I want to return later (to include my camp site...LOL), mark spots in case I need to leave gear or the animal and make a return trip, etc. I have a habit of hiking all over the place before realizing that I have not been paying too much attention as to where I am exactly and the GPS unit has bailed me out every time.
There is a lot more that I am sure I am forgetting. I am also sure that the other folks here at MM can fill in the blanks. If you have more precise questions then fire them at us. The more exact the questions are the better the answers we can give you.
Take care my friend and I look forward to your future posts. Also, please remember to let us know how your hunt turns out and show off your pics at the same time.
I will begin by saying that I am a rifle hunter so as far as bow gear goes, you'll have to wait for one of the others to respond. As for hunting Mulies themselves....FUN, FUN, FUN!
You mentioned "spot-and-stalk". That's the way most mule deer hunting works due to the wide open country they frequent (You'll have to let the folks that have hunted ND to give you the rundown on the terrain there. I am speaking from my experiences). Therefore you'll need some quality optics. Cheap ones work, sure, but the better the optics the better chance you have of spotting those big mulies. I've seen bucks lay flat in the wide open in a rock slide and completely disappear. They'll lay under sage brush or scrub brush or against a rock bluff and unless you look hard you'll never see them.
If you've hunted at all, and from your post I know you have, you know you have to make sure the wind is in your favor when stalking, try not to skyline yourself, and go s...l...o...w. In the wide open country they can spot ya from a long ways off and more often than not they know you're there before you spot them...even if they give you no indication that they have a care in the world. As for bow tactics and gettin' within bow range, one of the bow hunters here at MM will have to help you out.
Good, quality hiking boots are also a MUST. Normally you'll cover a lot of rough terrain while trying to locate and then stalk your buck. You'll also need a light-weight quality pack with you. That same rough country you'll be hiking through to get to the bucks will be the same country you'll have to travel back through to get out. De-boning the deer and packing the meat out is always the easiest way if you're on foot and deep in the country but quartering/halving the deer are also options. Therefore a lightweight de-boning kit or field dressing kit can come in handy (I use just a serrated edged knife but I'll tell ya, I've been MEANING to get me a de-boning kit one of these days...LOL).
I also carry a hand-held GPS unit with me to mark spots in which I want to return later (to include my camp site...LOL), mark spots in case I need to leave gear or the animal and make a return trip, etc. I have a habit of hiking all over the place before realizing that I have not been paying too much attention as to where I am exactly and the GPS unit has bailed me out every time.
There is a lot more that I am sure I am forgetting. I am also sure that the other folks here at MM can fill in the blanks. If you have more precise questions then fire them at us. The more exact the questions are the better the answers we can give you.
Take care my friend and I look forward to your future posts. Also, please remember to let us know how your hunt turns out and show off your pics at the same time.
-
waynedevore
- Moderator
- Posts: 1669
- Joined: Mon Jul 04, 2005 8:42 am
PSUBowhunter, Welcome. For Mule Deer in ND I take it you'll be hunting in the breaks country of the Little Missouri. The only trees that would support a stand are the Cottonwoods right down in the bottoms, where Muleys don't usually spend much time.
Believe it or not, the country is very rugged, lots of deep, and steep coulees.
It's very much like the Missouri River Breaks in Montana. Yes spot and stalk works very well.
I think the best way to archery hunt the breaks country is. Find a heavily used deer trail, using the wind to your advantage. Get a good ambush spot from above, and use it much like you would a tree stand.
Good Luck
Believe it or not, the country is very rugged, lots of deep, and steep coulees.
It's very much like the Missouri River Breaks in Montana. Yes spot and stalk works very well.
I think the best way to archery hunt the breaks country is. Find a heavily used deer trail, using the wind to your advantage. Get a good ambush spot from above, and use it much like you would a tree stand.
Good Luck
-
PSUBowhunter
- Fawn
- Posts: 15
- Joined: Tue Feb 13, 2007 1:49 pm
- Location: SW Pennsylvania
Welcome!-
PSUBowhunter
- Fawn
- Posts: 15
- Joined: Tue Feb 13, 2007 1:49 pm
- Location: SW Pennsylvania
-
MuleyMadness
- Site Admin
- Posts: 9997
- Joined: Thu Oct 10, 2002 9:34 pm
- Location: St. George, UT
- Contact:
, don't have any experience with the area in dicussion. But any other general questions you have? Fire away!-
PSUBowhunter
- Fawn
- Posts: 15
- Joined: Tue Feb 13, 2007 1:49 pm
- Location: SW Pennsylvania