Looking for some mule deer wisdom

[GoOutside]

So I have got a dilemma and i'm hoping some of the more experienced members oh here can offer there opinions to help out a less experienced mule deer addict.

My problem is deciding between 2 areas to hunt.
one area is known to have tons of deer and produce some nice bucks but its crawling with hunters. you can definitely hike and hunt less pressured pockets but as a whole the area gets slammed.

The other option is about 15-20 km away the spot still holds deer but it seems not near as many and not nearly as easy to hunt.

Is finding a mature buck a numbers game, is it better to see 20+ deer a day and hope to get lucky? or is it better to see less deer in an area where not all the 4 points get shot?

My goal is to shoot a nice mature mule deer this year and i have the rest of the season off work to get it done.

Cheers,
J

[murph83]

Me personally, I cant stand hunting in areas that get hammered by other hunters all the time. I prefer to go to the areas off the beaten path where its calmer and the critters are hopefully more relaxed and not so cagey...but that me. My vote is you go the 10-20kms away and try your luck.

[RackStar]

Yup, I’ll take a quiet area with lower deer numbers any day of the week.

[Weatherby Fan]

Well I can guarantee you the busy place is not the only place to hold deer, simply go for a hike and find your own spot, it’s a fact that most guys don’t go more than a cpl kilometres from their truck, so walk a little extra and you’ll be on your own in no time.
i hunt an area just like that in area 3, but walk a little farther and your on your own

[Ourea]

If you want to be in an area that boasts age forget the density/numbers game.

My experience is that mature bucks and bulls are literally a species within a species.
They are survival driven and do not accept pressure well.

I have carved out my success hunting well off the beaten path for the most part.
Your odds on scoring with a mature animal will go up by focusing on areas that see little or no pressure.
Killers will focus on lower numbers that are not pressured vs high numbers that get lots of eyes and boot tracks.

Snow and migration will be your variable.

[dana]

Lots of fish in a lake, very few big ones. Few fish in a lake, several big ones. Big mature muleys tend to be where the rest of the deer ain't. Hunting them is a huge headgame. Very hard on the head to pound the ground from light till dark day after day and only have a handful of deer seen by the end of a week. I've had many a zero deer day while I've been in pursuit of a giant. Get use to it. Trophy Mule Deer are Mental. Conquer the mental game and you are on your way to conquering a Monster.

[Jelvis]

Mental plus back it up with the physical, you have to be in some kinda shape to hunt on your feet all day, so if you enjoy physical stress on the whole body, you still hunt, walking along as quiet as you can, zig zagging the ridge butt not sky lining your self -- you peek over as you cross first --
Jelly Muley Madness Meandering Mountain ridges ------> Like Bo Bridges < --- fillin the fridges -- hat rack for the wall -- it's Fall -----> 4 point or better wear a sweater

[Wild one]

Not a big mule deer guy but I would say with all species most old animals don’t get that way hanging out in high pressure areas. This does not always mean low density populations either but instead place that don’t see people

Some do it by out working others some do it by hunting the overlooked

I can’t make the choice for you because I don’t know the areas or sign. In all honesty in person I might think all your locations are not worth it for a big buck but I don’t know

[murph83]

Got to be in good shape to trek through the bush after Muley bucks. Those *******s are cagey, and as already been said you have to play the head game...but its a hell of a lot of fun!!

[Jelvis]

murph it's about thee avatar ahh, little too classy for now, where did you steal that?
Jel - hahahaha - mule deer like thee Kamloops area in all directions ---------------------> Hunt Region 3 for mules ---------------