I want to go High Country Mule Deer Hunt
Mule Deer
I have hunted Mule deer in South Dakota for my whole life and watch and read these forums about high country mule deer hunting. I have decided that I am not getting any younger and I am gonna do it. I know this is a bow site but I am open to rifle or archery seasons.
I am looking for some help in where to start, how to apply, units to apply for....I know nothing. I dont need a trophy unit just a tag that I can get for sure and start researching to build off of. I am open to Wyoming or Montana as they are the closest...
I know there are so many of you that know more than I do about this so I am hoping someone would be willing to help a guy out. THanks.
Don't overlook Colorado. We see quite a few mulies up high when we are elk hunting.
CO has a really good web site and it will help you figure it out.
We apply for early rifle above timberline hunt. Takes quite a few points (6 right now). Plan on doing it as a change of pace from elk (but same unit/area)in a few years.
DOn't have any unit info as we have never really hunted them there.
BTW...grew up hunting mulies in SD, and the high country thing looks to be really fun.
If you want an above timberline hunt, be careful with WY, a lot of that high country above timberline country is wilderness, and will require a guide
I'm not saying all of it. But a lot of it is wilderness
I would love suggestions or a way to get started...
Look at Idaho's OTC tags. A lot of high country OTC archery units available with good dates, typically Sept 1 to Sept 30. And high country OTC rifle hunts in Idaho but the dates aren't usually the best being in mid Oct.
Colorado has quite a few units that can be bow hunted with just a point or two. I don't follow Colorado's rifle seasons.
Wyoming has great high country hunts anywhere from 0-5 points. If you draw the tag in Wyoming you can typically buy an archery stamp for a few bucks and hunt two weeks prior to the rifle opener plus hunt the rifle season.
If you have any questions just pm me.
We have the Wasatch Front unit here in Utah and it runs August 15th -ish thru the Nov. Rut....
10,000--11,000 feet-----
Good luck, Robb
unit 43 colorado used to be a desirable one for the high country buck season. but, shows on eastmans, and other press have decreased the quality of the hunt, and they over harvested does and have some fawn mortality issues. i got that tag in 2012, in 18 days of scouting all the areas that should hold big bucks, i turned the tag in. unit 471 has hardly any deer left at all, takes only 1 point or less for high country buck. i used to spend a lot of time in that unit, and did high country buck there a couple of times. the last time in 2006 i did not see a buck worth shooting. and the outfitter worked that unit hard. unit 47 can have some big bucks but the eastern end does not hold many deer and i have never seen a big buck there. western end is not high country, mostly big timber.
