I hunt northeast Kansas for two weeks usually from roughly Nov. 7th to the 21st. I would like to hunt mulies either the week before or the week after my Kansas hunt.
Im looking for something that would be DIY. I don't mind paying a trespass fee for access to some decent land but am not interested in a guided hunt. Im looking at doing this not this coming season but the season afterwards. Im in decent shape and don't mind a lot of walking if need be. I'd like to try to stay within a 12 hour drive from northeast Kansas.
I'd be happy with a chance at something in the 150in range. This would be a bow hunt as well.
Any information you can give me as far as a state to look at or unit to look at that I could get an OTC tag or have a good possibility to draw a tag would be much appreciated. Also any advice on how to hunt mule deer in general would be greatly appreciated as this will be my first time.
Western KS has some of the best muley hunting I've ever done. Drawing the muley stamp has about 10%-25% odds depending on what unit. Western KS has some good walk in land. You just need to cyber scout the areas and then take a ride out there. Look for canyons or cut up pastures with milo, corn or wheat fields nearby. Put on the miles, spend a lot of time behind the binoc's and spotting scope and you'll be able to find and pattern them. Don't be afraid to knock on doors. The above buck is a KS Walk In Muley.
Most Western state have Archery season early, Aug- Sept.
The later dates into Nov are hard to get tags for and they are usually "general season" tags so mainly rifle hunters.
Eastern CO has some plains hunts around that time. Would need private land. (these are relatively expensive since big bucks are killed every year)
Just go in Sept, and see some elk while you are out. watch out though, you'll forget about deer once you hear a bull bugle!
KS for a NR is tough to get a muley tag. Have to draw a deer tag first then put in for a muley stamp with low draw odds. Also you could only shoot 1 buck so there goes the whitetail hunt!
150 is certainly doable and many guys pass on bucks that size chasing the bigger ones.
Also a 150" buck in an OTC unit, public land, with a bow during rifle season with no previous experience? Really?
Your best bet is to find an outfitter if you must hunt in Nov.
Many other options if you go early, still most are on a draw system so you need to apply starting in Feb depending on states. AZ is really the only later option in Jan and it OTC.
That means your options are basically eastern MT, western NE, eastern CO which you'll have to draw (might be possible with 1 point if you're doing this next year, but you'll need to get a PP this year and find an outfitter or trespass, or SD. You're not going to draw a November tag in WY unless you've got a ton of deer points already.
Good luck, Robb
I'm not against hunting with my bow during an open gun season(I do it here in NY). I realize it will decrease my odds of success but I'd like to start learning something about mulies while I try to build up some preference points to hunt some better areas in the future.
To be honest I don't even really expect to be successful but I need to start learning and gaining some experience hunting out there and for mulies in general. I just look at it like if I am going to save up the extra money to go and put in the effort I would at least like to know that I am in an area that holds some respectable bucks so I can watch them run away from me while I probably make every rookie mistake there is.
Eastern Colorado is something I would definitely be interested in. Actually Colorado In general really interests me as my Dad hunted mulies there with a rifle in the late 70's, just outside of Grand Junction. His stories sound awesome and it's something I would like to experience eventually. He went with a guide but I don't want to that route so I have a lot of learning to do.
Your other option would be to hunt 3rd rifle (western CO) or early rifle (eastern CO) with a bow before your WT hunt. Personally, I wouldn't.
Ask Jaquomo about the best dates to hunt eastern CO. Much of the midwest/northern rockies have a MD rut that runs just a tad later than the WT rut, but much of it is far later.
The eastern 1/2 is mostly plains/private property.
If you're looking for a MD hunt in November, I'd look to eastern CO if I were willing to spend the big $, and I'd abandon CO altogether if not and look at NE, MT, or SD; all of which have public land to hunt.
NE, you'd want to hunt before your WT hunt during archery. MT and SD you're going to be hunting with the rifle guys, but at least you won't be concentrated in a short rifle season in MT or SD like you will in CO.
You might want to contact some outfitters that work eastern CO and see what they would charge. You could spend a lot of time and money over a lot of years poking around out there to get a chance at a decent buck and you might be money ahead to go the outfitter route.
The mountain units have more public access with NF and BLM. Hunts are in September, though.
Western Kansas can be really good, but if you are focusing on whitetails on the east side, it is not an option.
You might consider looking into western Nebraska. There is some public land over there.
I don't think you will find "good" public land mule deer hunting within 12 hrs of NE KS on a general/easy draw tag in Nov. of course anyone can get lucky.
For a DIY hunt, on public, with a easy tag to draw that will allow you to hunt in NOVEMBER every year and decent deer numbers would be like Robb mentioned on the Extended Archery hunts in Utah. you would need to draw any general archery NR tag in March.
It's still the main fundamentals: Tine length, width, and mass. 2 year old mulies have shorter tines, narrower-tighter racks, and thinner antlers just like WTs, although sometimes, it seems all you have to go on is mass, but if you know what good mass is on a WT main beam, then you're going to know what good mass is on a mulie main beam.
Going to Cabelas is a good idea. Look at BB's photos. He has tons of pics of 4+ year old mulies.
Or you could do what I do and shoot whatever looks tasty :)
There's no mistaking a mature mule deer for a 2 1/2 year old.
It's like comparing a SEC linebacker to that skinny little guy playing the trumpet in the marching band.
You have options for your time frame and location, if you want them.
It's your permit, your time, your money, your desires...shoot what you'd be happy with.
This will probably be far different hunting than you're used to in NY or Kansas, so enjoy the experience, more than the antler size.
Make a good shot, and I about promise you're going to enjoy the venison, too.
Keep us posted, please.
I don't know, but I'd guess, that the #1 slaughtered wild animal demographic in this country is the 2.5 year old WT. I doubt any animal of any age catches more arrows, bolts, and bullets every year.
When you first lay eyes on it and think, "ooo, that's a nice one, I wonder how big he is. Should I shoot him or not?" Then it's a 2.5 year old.
Or, if when you first lay eyes on it and you think, "MARY MOTHER OF JESUS LOOK AT THE SIZE OF THAT HORSE!" Then it's probably 4 or better.
However, if you are going for a learning experience on public land general/OTC hunt then don't get too picky about passing a legal buck! Just attempting a stalk is very educational.
Looking at BB's pics is one of the things that really got me interested in trying to hunt mule deer. The last thread he posted from Utah was unbelievable.
Am I right in thinking that mule deer have quite a bit bigger body then WT in general?
Depends on where you're hunting MD and where you're hunting WT.
