Mulie Q's

[Bobby Jr]

Being a new/novice hunter I've got loads of questions when it comes to hunting mulies, and I was wondering if the more experienced guys out there could shed some light on some of the questions I have. I've spent a considerable amount of time reading the threads about mulies to find the answers to my questions, but I feel that some things have been left un-answered. I live in the lower mainland and don't get many opportunities to get out for a good amount of time to hunt good areas. This past weekend i was up in 3-19 because i have access to a cabin there and I'm familiar with 3-18 as I've fished up there for years.

Like I said, I spent this past weekend up in 3-19 (Greenstone mountain area) looking for a nice 4 point mulie. I saw quite a few does, one spiker and a nice 2 pointer. Couldn't quite seem to connect with a 4 pointer.

I guess that leads me to my first 2 questions (I apologize if some of them are kinda obvious, but i need to ask, its my first year hunting):

- I'm assuming these areas receive quite a bit of pressure due to accessability and closeness to major towns (ie. Merritt & Kamloops), therefore finding a 4 point mulie is gonna be much harder than in less populated areas?

- If I want to find a 4 or more point mulie, should I focus my efforts in an area that doesn't receive so much pressure? Or am I just not trying hard enough?

- Hunting the beginning of the season probably doesn't make my chances of finding a 4 pointer very good?

My buddy and I were able to kinda pattern the 2 pointer over the couple of days that we were there. He seemed to be out in the same field/area at the crack of dawn and just before sunset. This kinda makes me think that the bedding area is near.

- Do mulies bed quite close to the area that they are feeding at?

- Or do they move around quite a bit, how big of an area do they really cover in their daily routines?

I'm more than happy to strap the boots on and cover territory by foot. As much as I like getting up before the crack of dawn and sitting in a spot where I know a mulie has been showing his face, I almost get more enjoyment out of hiking around hopefully bumping a buck from their bedding spots. I was able to find some bedding areas up on Greenstone mountain and I covered quite a bit of terrain at that time. But for some reason I wasn't able to find anything moving in the area.

-I know people are going to say that I just need to keep hiking and hiking, but honestly how much terrain should I really be covering before I am just running myself into the ground?

- In an area like 3-19 where there really isn't a true alpine area, are there 4 point mulies hiding out in the somewhat higher elevations or do they hang out all over these areas?

- I guess if i want to up my chances of finding one of these bucks, i'm better off waiting until the rut and some snowfall to help push them down from their typical areas?

Hopefully you can shed some light on some of these questions. I'd greatly appreciate it. Feel free to PM if you want.

Thanks in advance.

[CanuckShooter]

Being a new/novice hunter I've got loads of questions when it comes to hunting mulies, and I was wondering if the more experienced guys out there could shed some light on some of the questions I have. I've spent a considerable amount of time reading the threads about mulies to find the answers to my questions, but I feel that some things have been left un-answered. I live in the lower mainland and don't get many opportunities to get out for a good amount of time to hunt good areas. This past weekend i was up in 3-19 because i have access to a cabin there and I'm familiar with 3-18 as I've fished up there for years.

Like I said, I spent this past weekend up in 3-19 (Greenstone mountain area) looking for a nice 4 point mulie. I saw quite a few does, one spiker and a nice 2 pointer. Couldn't quite seem to connect with a 4 pointer.

I guess that leads me to my first 2 questions (I apologize if some of them are kinda obvious, but i need to ask, its my first year hunting):

- I'm assuming these areas receive quite a bit of pressure due to accessability and closeness to major towns (ie. Merritt & Kamloops), therefore finding a 4 point mulie is gonna be much harder than in less populated areas?

- If I want to find a 4 or more point mulie, should I focus my efforts in an area that doesn't receive so much pressure? Or am I just not trying hard enough?

the genetics of deer in different areas varies, in some like Kamloops, Empire Valley, or in the Peace, large deer are more plentiful. feed and minerals makes a big difference, as does the density of the deer herd. How many deer per square mile? In some cases you can do better by hunting closer to populated areas because lots of guys won't hunt within 20 miles of a town?

- Hunting the beginning of the season probably doesn't make my chances of finding a 4 pointer very good?

You can find 4 pointers from opening day on.

My buddy and I were able to kinda pattern the 2 pointer over the couple of days that we were there. He seemed to be out in the same field/area at the crack of dawn and just before sunset. This kinda makes me think that the bedding area is near.

- Do mulies bed quite close to the area that they are feeding at?
not always, in some places they travel quite a long distance. in some places they always go uphill in the morning and downhill in the evening.

- Or do they move around quite a bit, how big of an area do they really cover in their daily routines?

that also varies, we have been hunting the same spot for over 25 years, the deer seem to use it as a migration route, 99% of the animals we see are always heading south east for about a two week period and after that two weeks you hardly see any deer in that spot. they will also use the exact same travel routes [trails] year after year. And some deer seem to live thier whole lives in the same area as you can find sheds from the same deer year after year in the same small area.

I'm more than happy to strap the boots on and cover territory by foot. As much as I like getting up before the crack of dawn and sitting in a spot where I know a mulie has been showing his face, I almost get more enjoyment out of hiking around hopefully bumping a buck from their bedding spots. I was able to find some bedding areas up on Greenstone mountain and I covered quite a bit of terrain at that time. But for some reason I wasn't able to find anything moving in the area.

-I know people are going to say that I just need to keep hiking and hiking, but honestly how much terrain should I really be covering before I am just running myself into the ground?

If you have been seeing deer sign, and deer, try sitting and watching, study their patterns of movement, use a treestand so your scent isn't such an issue. 12ft up to your feet they usually don't see or smell you. don't forget, you are hunting them in their environment and they are way way better at spotting you than you are at spotting them....so hiking all over isn't always the best way to hunt deer....try using some different tactics.

- In an area like 3-19 where there really isn't a true alpine area, are there 4 point mulies hiding out in the somewhat higher elevations or do they hang out all over these areas?

You can see 4 pts right down at rivers edge, right up to the alpine

- I guess if i want to up my chances of finding one of these bucks, i'm better off waiting until the rut and some snowfall to help push them down from their typical areas?
you will see more bucks when they are rutting because they get dumber while chasing paradise...and they are easier to spot with snow on the ground...and in areas with high alpine and heavy snowfalls the snow will push them into lower elevations.


Hopefully you can shed some light on some of these questions. I'd greatly appreciate it. Feel free to PM if you want.

Thanks in advance.
good luck

good luck young fellow

[Caveman]

Greenstone is a very popular area. There are four points there, but if it was me, I would either venture well behind the deactivated roads or find some less used trails and cutblocks, say around Dominic Lk. I find the bigger boys travel a fair bit and do not use the same trails everyday. They will be up at the timber line very early after feeding through the night. The first to go nocturnal with pressure, so you need to figure out where they are feeding and intercept them on their way to bed down. Uphill from the food plots usually with the wind in their face and away from the roads, etc. Being more of a browser than relying on crops they are tougher to find where they feed, but if you're seeing the smaller ones there is a good chance a 4X4 is close by as well. Pattern them but be one step ahead of their movements early and you may catch that 4X4

[showtimebc]

there are more 4 point muleys in greenstone than you might think. later on in the year they really come out of the woodwork there. For now, get up high and concentrate your efforts on a few select locations. learn the little holes where the deer hang out, and sooner or later you'll find a shooter.

[Bobby Jr]

Thanks to everyone for their feedback, I’ll definitely try to incorporate those ideas in to my hunt.

I guess one of the main factors is time. The more time I spend out there, the better I’ll be able to pattern the deer and find out where they’re hiding. I spent quite a bit of time hiking around greenstone looking for signs. I found what I thought was a decent bedding area. Its hard to tell in that area because lots of cows are roaming around. I guess its safe to assume that if I find a bedding area with deer droppings…it’s a deer bedding area. I guess if I see deer feeding in a certain cut-block. I could concentrate my hiking in the vicinity of that area…kind of an obvious question.

How would I know if a deer is using that bedding area? I guess the question is, if I find lots of sign, does that mean they’re in the area and use that spot frequently? Or should I be looking for really fresh signs?

I’m assuming that, its one thing to find sign of deer all over the place, and its another thing to find FRESH sign of mulies in the area?

Do they switch bedding areas quite frequently?

Again, it probably just boils down to time out in the bush. If I find sign of deer in the area, I should focus my efforts to that area for a day or two. If I don’t see anything, then move on to the next spot.

The frustrating thing was that I was seeing droppings and trails all over the place. So its hard to decide where to focus my efforts.

thanks again.