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DIY Nebraska Archery Mule Deer Hunt

Was thinking about doing a Nebraska Archery Mule Deer Hunt this coming fall of 2019 week of October 20 tru 25. I am taking a week of vacation last week in February to put some boots on the ground and scout. So if anybody that has some information to steer me in the right direction as to some possible places to go would be greatly appreciated! Thanks Nick.

What month?

October

I was just about to post a similar thread. Currently considering a sept bow hunt for Mulies in either SD or NE. Unfortunatly being from PA I won't get a chance to scout. I have a few spots picked out on OnX maps in the sandhills area, but have heard NE gets pressured pretty hard. Seems like everyone that ive talked to about NE goes to the Chadron area. I'm curious to see what others have to say. Good thread.

Hey PaKL2188 the little research I have done Chadron sounds like the place to go. I was looking at Oglala National Wildlife Refuge. Getting the feeling Archery season not to much pressure very doable hunt if willing to put the time in. What do you think Sep or Oct is best to hunt for Mulies? Also when your cyber scouting on Onxmaps what things are you looking for.

A boots on the ground scouting trip at the end of February will probably have you looking at deer without antlers. I would personally try for a late August trip if it could be planned instead of February.

Elusive, to be honest this is going to be my first trip for Mulies. I picked sept mostly due to my schedule so as for the best time to hunt, I cant really help you there. I have talked to quite a few guys who hunt Mulies regularly and they say Mule deer can pattern as Whitetail can. From my experience ive always found deer are more consistant earlier on, before they switch to thier fall and breeding patterns. Not to mention the chance of a velvet buck. When I'm Escouting I'm pretty much just looking for terrain and habitat. Mostly deep coulees, breaks and cedar patches, pretty much anything they can get out of the heat and will be bedding in. If theres some alfalfa fields close by, its even better yet.

My wife and I went on a hunt to Nebraska this year. We went in sept to the areas you guys are talking about. Even then there were a lot of people and honestly the hunting was not good. Nice country but very little sign and only a handful of deer. The public gets pounded, we averaged 9 miles of hiking a day in some rough country and only saw two small fork mule deer. I blew a stalk on them and that was the last of the bucks we saw. That’s just our experience but the hunting was rough.

Come to Nebraska and experience the same type of hunt Lawboytom had. There is no quality deer management in Nebraska. The state has great trophy potential but due to season dates, regulations, ect. most of the deer in this state are killed before they are 3 year olds. Sure there are some quality deer killed here but they are the exception and rare. If you are just after a meat deer sure this state is okay but why come here when you can stay at home and kill your deer for a lot less money. Good luck in whatever you do.

I have hunted NW Nebraska off and on since 2010. The wildfire in 2012 between Crawford and Chadron nuked a lot of public ground. Your best bet in this area is to kill a whitetail doe. Mule deer bucks on public ground are not plentiful to say the least. I have not hunted the grasslands, only National Forest and other NE state ground. I have seen some nice whitetail bucks, but almost always on private ground. Not saying that you cannot score on a public mule deer here, but your odds are better elsewhere if looking for mule deer.

The NGPC sure does push our public land Mulies though don’t they?! I don’t get it. Seems like I hear a lot more disappointment stories than success stories for non-Rez DIY hunters.

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