mulies...cutting the cord

[WoodOx]

Deleted...

[Stone Sheep Steve]

This is a discussion for all...
With mature deer, discounting those luck encounters on a road or in a cut, your hard pressed to kill a book deer unless you change your methods.

What I and many others likey wonder is how some mulie experts (those who consistently kill 170+ mulies - Dana, BCR, Mark, SSS, Alpine85 and others onhere) "cut the cord" if you will and began hunting different techniques.

Obviously this is a learning discussion, not location discussion, so there shouldnt be any bullsh*t concerns over areas. this is about different techniques used to land those book mule and whitetail deer.

I am sure there is not any one method either....

Please remove my name from that list as it doesn't even come close to belonging there. I have yet to kill even one 170" class buck:neutral:.

SSS

[GoatGuy]

it's not necessarily different techniques it's different areas. you need age and you don't find much of it in areas with lots of roads, cutblocks, deer and as a result hunters.

look in any 'trophy' book and you'll find a lot of the bucks come out of the wk and north thompson where there often aren't that many deer the access is tough and the hunting terrain is super tough - really, it's super tough. As a result there aren't many hunters.

There's other areas where guys get lucky and the odd little honey hole but by and large you need to find age.

You don't need to be a 'super hunter'.

[todbartell]

best mulie I've gotten to lay my hands on was shot from the road while driving to a spot at first light :D not mine btw. 185"

[Alpine85]

This is a discussion for all...
With mature deer, discounting those luck encounters on a road or in a cut, your hard pressed to kill a book deer unless you change your methods.

What I and many others likey wonder is how some mulie experts (those who consistently kill 170+ mulies - Dana, BCR, Mark, SSS, Alpine85 and others onhere) "cut the cord" if you will and began hunting different techniques.

Obviously this is a learning discussion, not location discussion, so there shouldnt be any bullsh*t concerns over areas. this is about different techniques used to land those book mule and whitetail deer.

I am sure there is not any one method either....

Man I don't even have a mule deer on the wall! haha nor have I cut a mule tag in like 5 years.

Honestly, depending on the terrian, I don't really change techniques anywhere I hunt. I just still hunt timber and where I can I glass for hours on end. As for finding good muley bucks, I spend more time in the bush from December tell May, then I do during the hunting season. Been known to get up at 3 am and drive 5 hours just to shed hunt a ridge for a day, or drive many hours to glass a hill that "looked good on google earth". I just get a ton of enjoyment out of checking out different areas in Southern BC. I would say the most helpfull thing is to learn about mule deer, then use what you learn to find bigger bucks. There is so much country in this province that has big mule bucks in it, so just get out there and enjoy working for one!

Here's a little teaser picture to get you pumped up. Used google earth and a bunch of boot leather last spring and picked up this set in the west koot's.
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y200/Alpine85/P2230105.jpg

[snareman1234]

I'd throw on a pair of boots, find some nice chunk of country, possible semi open, because it makes it easier, with no roads for atleast a few Km and go pound the snot out of it, surprising how many big bucks there really are if you consistently hit a spot and get to know it, and if it is not pounded tons by others

[griz325]

The one thing is get away from pressured areas,hike,private land. there are many people that drive the roads and manage to kill big bucks every year.All I can say is dont stop looking just because the season ends.

[6616]

The only way to bag a monster 200 inch trophy buck is to have the self control to pass up the little ones and keep on huntin'...! Remember Dana's old signature line,,, pass up on bucks that truely make you sick to pass up.

[6616]

care to elaborate at all on finding age?

Age is found where the harvest level is very low allowing many deer to live a long time, IE rough country, poor access, that discourages the big crowds of hunters.

[Alpine Addict]

A good pair of these



http://i526.photobucket.com/albums/cc350/Alpine_Addict/Picture275.jpg

[Mark_S]

I am not a killing machine but I have had some good success.

I started out learning to hunt by riding around in the pickup and going for short hikes with my father in the West Kootenays. He knew the country well and we had success some years but we never saw any cranker bucks at any time. Then when I was out of college I started doing forestry layout work. That changed my perspective completely on how to hunt. I got used to doing a 3 hour hike from the pickup just to get to "work". I got to spend 5 days a week 8 months out of the year in the bush and some years I would do wildlife surveys counting deer tracks in the snow. That's when I started to see some real cranker bucks. I talked my work partner into hunting with me since he was the only guy I knew who was ambitious enough to hike into these areas and knew the terrain as well as I did. The first year of hard hiking though we had great success but I still shot a 4x3 buck just because he hopped out in front of me with as my Father would put it "A sign on him that said 'Shoot me shoot me'". Thats when finally it clicked on me and I understood the saying "you can't shoot big bucks until you stop shooting little bucks" Since then my hunting success has gone in all directions. The next few years I dropped a couple good bucks the best being 170" Net typical. I had seen a true monster Non-typical that I was after as often as I could get away from work. I had several close opportunities but never pulled the trigger. I got used to eating tag soup. I could always remind myself later in the year of the decent bucks I let walk away. I also find killing an animal very hard to do. I do not enjoy the trigger pulling part of the hunt. For me the saddest day of the year is the day hunting season closes since I can't go out there and enjoy the experience of the "hunt".

Then after that I lost several years of hunting when I went to school in Vancouver and found a job there for a few years.

This year has been my first full hunting season in close to 4 years. I've now moved to the East Kootenays which I find much different to hunt than the West Koots. I have not had a whole lot of luck so far this year as I am learning the area. I have put on more miles in the high country this year than probably any year of hunting I have done but it is starting to click again.

I find I have to constantly remind myself hunting is done with binoculars. I need to focus more on glassing and less on covering ground.

I hope some of that makes sense.

[115 or bust]

Come hunt blacktails for a couple years lol those giant mulies will jump out at you like crap on a toilet seat! It suprising how many island boy's I know that have done exceptionally well on mulies over the years even though they only spend a couple weeks a year hunting far from home!!

[mark]

The only way to bag a monster 200 inch trophy buck is to have the self control to pass up the little ones and keep on huntin'...! Remember Dana's old signature line,,, pass up on bucks that truely make you sick to pass up.


This is by far the best reply so far! And certainly the hardest advise to take and apply!
Remember my buck thread from last year, I passed on 2-180" class bucks just an hour before I shot my non/typ!
I walked away from those 2 bucks, (which either would of been the second biggest buck of my life) shaking my head, wondering what the heck am I even doing out here if I dont shoot a buck like that.....then I was rewarded!

The year I shot my boone typical I had my crosshairs on over 50 legal bucks, this year Ive seen over 100 so far....

The where part is not the key, every mountain with deer has a giant buck on it somewhere, mule deer travel many miles in the rut, the key is to be out there and be patient!
There is no hunting tactic or trick that will make a 200" buck appear!

[dana]

I remember I once had a thread entitled "So You Want To Kill A Monster Muley" in which I gave some very good helpful info. The thread went to hell in a handcart fast because many don't want to face the facts of what it takes to kill big muleys consistantly. They would rather throw all their eggs in a basket, jump on a plane and head for Vegas where they think they will win big. That is what a ton of Wannabe Trophy hunters do every year. Jump from one so called hotspot to another thinking that 180 bucks grow behind every tree. Fact is if a big buck is killed in a certain spot, it is now DEAD. You want to kill a big buck you have to start by hunting where a big buck lives, not where one used to live. How do you find out where a big buck lives? Dedication to year round scouting. My season doesn't end on Dec 10th. Matter of fact, that is when it begins. I post season scout all winter long, I pound the ground all spring looking for sheds and I pound the highcountry all summer long scouting for that next monster muley that will consume me.

[Sitkaspruce]

Well, one thing I did was get away from access and go where it is tough to go. I got away from the "open" cut blocks and went way back into the timber, where few will travel. It has worked well for me.

Another is the use of "The Can" and burp grunts. They really do work, and just not for WT and Muleys, but also for BT's.

And have patience and more patience.......

Cheers

SS

[Kirby]

Get out and hunt. I haven' shot a mulie in years but every year I see lots of bucks that are nice and every year for the past 5 years I'd have taken at least a 180"+ buck if I packed a rifle.

Get out of the truck, off the road, away from the road and hunt. Hunt one spot and know it. Don't just jump around, find a spot, study it learn it and hunt it.

[WoodOx]

guess I should know better than to try and start a constructive/educational thread and get half answers with typical trophy hunter snobbery. try helping those who dont know how to get even a 4 point down. telling them to "hike" probably wont go far.

Lesson Learned.

[pete_k]

Good answer Dana.
After 6 years of hunting, I have still yet to kill anything more than little meat bucks. Antler size has never been a big deal to me. I'm just happy to put meat in the freezer.

This year it's a bit different. Although I got my WT, I did not get my MD buck, so now it's a 4pt in Reg3 or nothing. I know road hunting won't cut it, so I've been out going from dawn till dusk. Hiking, glassing, scouting, grunting etc. Sleeping in the minivan, towing the atv.

I'm determined on getting a 4pt this year. I am hunting in a different way now.
The change is not radical, but I think I'm doing it a bit slower and more streamlined. I did not realize how poorly I utilized traditional methods untill I actually tried them. I'm honing myself and can see some small improvement. I'm enthusiastic about getting better.
I think I know where one is if he hasn't been killed yet. I'll go back again this weekend to see what happens. Then again next weekend and the one after that if required.

Dana gave a good tip when he said his next season starts at the moment the current one ends. I'll see if I can put that to practice.
Duane Radford has a good article in this months Western Sportsman magazine regarding hunting the Mule Deer Rut.

[6616]

telling them to "hike" probably wont go far.

Why the heck not, it's the best possible advice......?

[6616]

Good answer Dana.
After 6 years of hunting, I have still yet to kill anything more than little meat bucks. Antler size has never been a big deal to me. I'm just happy to put meat in the freezer.

This year it's a bit different. Although I got my WT, I did not get my MD buck, so now it's a 4pt in Reg3 or nothing. I know road hunting won't cut it, so I've been out going from dawn till dusk. Hiking, glassing, scouting, grunting etc. Sleeping in the minivan, towing the atv.

I'm determined on getting a 4pt this year. I am hunting in a different way now.
The change is not radical, but I think I'm doing it a bit slower and more streamlined. I did not realize how poorly I utilized traditional methods untill I actually tried them. I'm honing myself and can see some small improvement. I'm enthusiastic about getting better.
I think I know where one is if he hasn't been killed yet. I'll go back again this weekend to see what happens. Then again next weekend and the one after that if required.

Dana gave a good tip when he said his next season starts at the moment the current one ends. I'll see if I can put that to practice.
Duane Radford has a good article in this months Western Sportsman magazine regarding hunting the Mule Deer Rut.

Now here's a good example Woodox, no one is going to hone their skills any better than by getting out and practicing glassing, still hunting, surroundings awareness, etc, some things you just can't teach by printed word, a novice has to have a mentor by their side or learn it by themselves through trial and error. It might sound like snobbery to you but the whole thread is good advice, given in good faith......!!!!!

[GoatGuy]

Age is found where the harvest level is very low allowing many deer to live a long time, IE rough country, poor access, that discourages the big crowds of hunters.

'Poor access' doesn't always do it either. There are quite a few spots in the EK that you have to put down a good 2+ hours under foot to get into yet these spots are most often well picked over and finding anything over 160 is a challenge nevermind something that'll go 180+. It usually isn't residents in some of those spots but usually you'll run into outfitters smacking anything over 150.

The rough tough country gets rid of all but the toughest hunters and most of the areas that are tough and don't have a lot of critters don't have outfitters either.

[GoatGuy]

Here's a little teaser picture to get you pumped up. Used google earth and a bunch of boot leather last spring and picked up this set in the west koot's.
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y200/Alpine85/P2230105.jpg

Never seen a place that looks like that in the WK!!!

[Stone Sheep Steve]

If you ever see me post pics of a good buck on here it will only be because of luck...and nothing else. Just don't have the time that it takes...and there's really no point in me shed hunting since that would be pure punishment not having the time to chase some great buck that I've found the sheds from:?.

Tried sending you a PM WoodOX but your settings seemed to have changed.

SSS

[Walksalot]

I think it would be safe to say that the majority of the bigger mule deer bucks were taken in the latter part of the season. This can be attributed to the rut and migration habits of the animals. Knowing the migration corridors is a definite plus.

[dino]

This is a good thread why would you delete yourself wood ox ?

[Mark_S]

I guess I misunderstood the question then.

With out knowing what to look for I guess it would seem a waste of time to just park the truck and go for a long hike through the rhubarb.

I spend a lot of time on Google maps. I've learned to be able to identify timber types from forest cover maps and from air photo's. So I look for an area that has a nice sunny south exposure for winter range with some sort of terrain that leads up to a high elevation alpine area for summer range. I look for ridges that allow a lot of movement in the area to get away from predation pressure and an area with good escape terrain like steep rocky areas or very brushy areas. I look for something with water and good feed. I like to find an alpine area that has terrain that leads down into a Pine/Fir stand of trees with grass understory that then drops down to good winter range. Then I start scouting the area. I look for browsed off shrubs and other "sign". I look for signs that other hunters have been in the area. I avoid areas with a lot of human sign. I try and get to know the area as well as I possibly can and then I sit there and glass and glass and glass. Sometimes it comes together and I find game other times I see nothing at all and the process starts over again.

I also pay attention to what other people tell me about an area or may say. I listen for things like "So and so used to take horses up there back in the 80's and they took some damn nice bucks out of there but I don't think many guys go up there anymore."

Often the best country is a long way from a road and requires a long hike or it is far behind a road closure.

I hope that is a more helpful reply.

[bighornbob]

Never seen a place that looks like that in the WK!!!

Thats what I was thinking, Interior Douglas Fir and Bunch Grass in the West koots. HHMMMM:wink:

BHB

[Brizz]

I think it would be safe to say that the majority of the bigger mule deer bucks were taken in the latter part of the season. This can be attributed to the rut and migration habits of the animals. Knowing the migration corridors is a definite plus.

How does one's self learn these?

[BiG Boar]

So far this year I have hunted mulies for 10 days. I have lots to learn. Just got back from an 8km mnt hike and all I saw was a mouse. Probably wasn't even a mouse. More like a vole. Trying to find an area I can really get to know and spend some time in. Saw about 10 bucks so far. Only 1 4x4. It was 20 mins after legal light. Got 4 days left. Just showered at a gas station. One near death experience. One sprained ankle. First four point still going to die. And cats are open. Please keep this thread open.

[Alpine85]

Thats what I was thinking, Interior Douglas Fir and Bunch Grass in the West koots. HHMMMM:wink:

BHB

haha hbc csi's... the picture was taken in joe rich at a buddys house! I couldn't get a shot in the west koots without showing the town of Nelson.

[M.Dean]

I think one of the main ways to bag a decent Buck is put your time in looking for him! And you have to have a valid deer tag! When your out hiking around, use your Bino's, glass every nook and cranny, every tree, every bush etc! I want a 180 class Mule Deer Buck, one that will make book, but this year I can't even try, I punched my tag on a smaller 4 point! I would never have pulled the trigger but, it's a longggg story! Today is a good example, it's -9 here, just getting dark, Nov. 18. I should be out there slowly making my way down the mountain looking for my Mulie Buck! Nope, I'm at the computer smelling supper cook! You have to have a tag, and be out there, now! This time of year, you see does, hunker down in the cold and snow, freeze your ass off and wait! The big bucks are there around the does, and that's where you have to be! Now, without a tag I have to wait for someone to come up who has a tag and off we go, but they shoot and they tag the big buck!! Some big Bucks are taken earlier in the year, but right now, middle of November is the Golden Time for seeing big Bucks and you have to be out there to kill one! Without a tag I'm hunting Big Bucks with a P-80 Nikon Camera!

[dana]

guess I should know better than to try and start a constructive/educational thread and get half answers with typical trophy hunter snobbery. try helping those who dont know how to get even a 4 point down. telling them to "hike" probably wont go far.

Lesson Learned.

Woodox,
Your comment is exactly the kind of comments that I got from people in my thread "So you want to kill a Monster Muley?" from several years ago. It seems people want a magic pill that will make them expert trophy muley hunters without them doing any work. Guess what? No such pill exists. There is no easy way to become consistant at killing big muley bucks. The answers given thus far have all been excellent answers. So what do we have thus far?
1. Preseason and Post season scouting, including shed hunting
2. Get away from the crowds and hunt areas with very little amount of access
3. Walk instead of road hunting
4. Glass. Use the binos to do a lot of your leg work.
5. Don't jump from one so-called hotspot to another. Hunt an area where a big buck currently lives, not where one used to live.

I can add to each one of these and add a ton more. First and foremost, if you seriously want to kill a trophy muley, you need to commit yourself to accomplishing that goal. This is where the rubber meets the road. Do you seriously have what it takes to get up at 1:30 in the morning on both Saturday and Sunday for every weekend in the summer and start climbing a mountain so you can be glassing a basin by first light? Summer ain't hunting season, but it is by far the best time to find trophy bucks. While many are still partying at the beach, a hard-core muley addict is getting up and hiking for several hours in the dark to get to his destination.
Are you willing to eat tag soup year after year as you pursue your dream? If you read Mike Eastman's book, Hunting High Country Mule Deer, he says you need to have a 5 year plan. 5 years from the time you get serious about trophy mule deer till the time you will see success. 5 years of doing serious homework and legwork. 5 years of beating your head against a brick wall until the pieces of the puzzle start falling into place. Are you commited enough to put the time in? While friends and family shoot small or average deer and flaunt their 'success' are you okay with keeping on with the 'skunked' trend for years before you finally see your success?
Is your family prepared for you to acheive your dream? It is very time consuming to scout year round and then hunt your ass off during the 3 month hunting season. Are you bound by 'honey do's' or are you able to get away on a regular basis in pursuit of monster mule deer? Essentially what I'm asking is this, is your wife willing to support you in your efforts or will you be at risk of 'cutting the cord' so to speak. No marriage and family is worthy of throwing away for a stinky ol' muley buck. They need to be on the same page as you or else it ain't going to work.
So I will ask it again, are you committed enough to be a trophy muley hunter?

[Fisher-Dude]

haha hbc csi's... the picture was taken in joe rich at a buddys house! I couldn't get a shot in the west koots without showing the town of Nelson.

Joe Rich? Nothin' there but a bunch of banjo-pickin' hillbillies looking for a young buck like you. Be careful, VERY careful!

[Deer_Slayer]

hunt the peak of the rut..no matter how big and wise a buck is just seek out large clusters of does and the boss will be close by.

[Jelvis]

Deer Slayer with some excellent advice right there folks.
Jelly

[Marlin375]

1st and formost - Be READY (from when you leave your driveway to when you return)- sounds obvious but more than one monster has appeared in the strangest spot when least expected only to have a bunch of unarmed guys standing around the truck having a cold one after a long day of hiking/hunting....and bounds away in the panic created buy the circus clowns getting their guns already stowed in the truck.

When you are on the right mountain at this time of year that big rutting buck could be anywhere. They are where you find them.

[twoSevenO]

Woodox,
Your comment is exactly the kind of comments that I got from people in my thread "So you want to kill a Monster Muley?" from several years ago. It seems people want a magic pill that will make them expert trophy muley hunters without them doing any work. Guess what? No such pill exists. There is no easy way to become consistant at killing big muley bucks. The answers given thus far have all been excellent answers. So what do we have thus far?
1. Preseason and Post season scouting, including shed hunting
2. Get away from the crowds and hunt areas with very little amount of access
3. Walk instead of road hunting
4. Glass. Use the binos to do a lot of your leg work.
5. Don't jump from one so-called hotspot to another. Hunt an area where a big buck currently lives, not where one used to live.

I can add to each one of these and add a ton more. First and foremost, if you seriously want to kill a trophy muley, you need to commit yourself to accomplishing that goal. This is where the rubber meets the road. Do you seriously have what it takes to get up at 1:30 in the morning on both Saturday and Sunday for every weekend in the summer and start climbing a mountain so you can be glassing a basin by first light? Summer ain't hunting season, but it is by far the best time to find trophy bucks. While many are still partying at the beach, a hard-core muley addict is getting up and hiking for several hours in the dark to get to his destination.
Are you willing to eat tag soup year after year as you pursue your dream? If you read Mike Eastman's book, Hunting High Country Mule Deer, he says you need to have a 5 year plan. 5 years from the time you get serious about trophy mule deer till the time you will see success. 5 years of doing serious homework and legwork. 5 years of beating your head against a brick wall until the pieces of the puzzle start falling into place. Are you commited enough to put the time in? While friends and family shoot small or average deer and flaunt their 'success' are you okay with keeping on with the 'skunked' trend for years before you finally see your success?
Is your family prepared for you to acheive your dream? It is very time consuming to scout year round and then hunt your ass off during the 3 month hunting season. Are you bound by 'honey do's' or are you able to get away on a regular basis in pursuit of monster mule deer? Essentially what I'm asking is this, is your wife willing to support you in your efforts or will you be at risk of 'cutting the cord' so to speak. No marriage and family is worthy of throwing away for a stinky ol' muley buck. They need to be on the same page as you or else it ain't going to work.
So I will ask it again, are you committed enough to be a trophy muley hunter?

that's pretty much as good advice as one will see in this thread.

The reality of it, however, is that a lot of people aren't in a position to be out there every weekend out of season. Coincidently, those are the same people who make these threads go down the pooper lol. They get excited early on by seeing pictures on here ... then they burn out, or their wife makes them go visit the inlaws ... bahhaha.

Then there's the trade offs on whether it is worth it for you. Personally, i'll take marginal success at marginal bucks if it means i still have a ton of time left over for catching steelhead. :mrgreen::mrgreen:

[M.Dean]

Right now there's big bucks out there walking around, nose to the ground looking for hot does! You have to be out there to kill one. I hunt in a 5 mile radius, have for 30 years, there's some huge bucks up here, BUT you have to be out there in -25, blowing snow, so cold your gun freeze's solid! Had that happen, you have to Quad or hike into the area before first light,you sit and glass and glass and glass! When your sure there's no deer around, you keep moving. It's so cold you swear your going to die in there! Every couple steps, glass, if you do find deer, stop and glass! Look behind every tree, bush and hill, some wear there's a Big Buck screwing a Doe! Watch the wind, crawl or walk on your knee's if you have too but get in position to shoot! If you watch the does, I'd bet this time of year there's a decent 4 point with them. The deer will be in the open at night breeding, you'll see there tracks in the snow, as it gets light they slowly start moving into the brush. That's where you come in, your there ready to shoot! There's no pill like Dana says, but you have to commit your self to trying to kill a huge buck! When possible I hunt until the last day of the season, as the weather gets real cold, deep snow, the roads impossible to travel, that's when I like to be out there.There's very very few hunters out, most think there odds of seeing a good 4 point are nill, I like those guys! The people that kill big bucks and have there name in the book are out there looking for that gagger until the season ends, you can't give up! Put your snow camo on, make sure your guns clean and sighted in and go find some deer! This is the time of the year a smart man has a weeks holiday, to go big buck hunting!

[birch]

All i think ag is trying to say is you can kill big deer, per the good advice in this thread, but without spending all year inthe field. wood has taken or lead me and other to take some decent bucks

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y258/agaucher/McKinleyMule2-1.jpg


http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y258/agaucher/IMG_0018-1.jpg


http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y258/agaucher/Al7.jpg


http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y258/agaucher/IMG_0787.jpg


http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y258/agaucher/IMG_0814.jpg



i dont know that you all arent saying the same thing. no one is asking for a magic pill?

[birch]

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y258/agaucher/IMG_0619.jpg

[snareman1234]

your a very new member,,,killer bucks man, bet lots of boot wear went into them

[6616]

How does one's self learn these?

Not by asking questions on the internet. There's good advice in this thread but it's not good enough by itself. Learn by getting out there and studying your prey, learn deer behavior, learn where the bedding areas, feeding areas, migration routes, escape terrain, escape routes, etc, are by studying the deer in your choosen hunting area. You can bet the successful mule deer trophy hunters know a huge amount about mule deer behavior and habits, as well as the lay of the land in their choosen hunting area. They learned this by self study and observation in nearly all cases. A mentor is always helpful, but one really only learns the basics from a mentor.

We see this every year don't we, someone asking how to be a successful deer, elk, sheep hunter, etc? It can't be told in a paragraph or two, there's dozens of books written on these topics. And reading these books by itself isn't even good enough, you still have to get out there and study your area to learn the escape routes, migration routes, preferred hangouts, preferred forage species and feeding areas, etc, in varying weather conditions and at different times of year. Like everybody says it boils down to hard work and dedication.

There's good bucks to be had in the rut but it's still chance to run into a honker. I always preferred the early season in the alpine when the deer are in the open a lot, glass and stalk method, and I mean days and days of glassing until your eyeballs feel like falling out, and when you find what you're looking for then initiate the stalk. I'm talking about glassing from remote high alpine vantage points you will find,,,, not from roads, and be careful not to skyline yourself.

If there was a magic pill it wouldn't work anyway because all the big bucks would already be dead..! 180 - 190> bucks are not common, they're like needles in a haystack in fact.

[birch]

your a very new member,,,killer bucks man, bet lots of boot wear went into them


ive been around a long while just never joined. i hunt with ag/woodox/jjensen who're all on here.

thanks, yes there was boot leather. no there was not 300+ days studying them. in saying that dana has taken i believe he said 3 200"+ deeer, the largest i posted was 191". 'nuf said.

[blackbart]

Great advice 6616. In B.C. we have perhaps the best of anywhere over the counter opportunity for alpine mulie hunting. Trouble is there are so many other GOS opportunities at the same time.

Dana has also posted some good advice.

Trouble is folks mostly don't want to hear how much work it takes to be successful year after year.

If you are having lunch in camp, you probably are not hunting hard enough. In fact, if you ever see camp during daylight you might want to re-think your efforts. Then again if you are out for a vacation then fill your boots, just don't complain that the advice given is worthless.

[coach]

Excellent thread guys - great information! For me, this is what this website is all about. I find it interesting that the OP deleted his post. I wonder what kind of information he was looking for? :???:

Dana, your advice is outstanding as usual. I especially appreciate the questions about whether your family is willing to support your ambitions. Very good food for thought. Keep the information flowing..

6616 I like your suggestion about early season in the Alpine. The biggest bucks I've seen, the ones that got my heart racing and keep me dreaming of one day closing the deal, were alpine bucks. I haven't killed a true trophy buck yet, so I won't pretend to speak from any position of experience, but I much prefer hunting high in the early season, when the big guys are running in bachelor groups. If only I had the time and family support to take the whole month of September off..

[birch]

Not by asking questions on the internet. There's good advice in this thread but it's not good enough by itself. Learn by getting out there and studying your prey, learn deer behavior, learn where the bedding areas, feeding areas, migration routes, escape terrain, escape routes, etc, are by studying the deer in your choosen hunting area. You can bet the successful mule deer trophy hunters know a huge amount about mule deer behavior and habits, as well as the lay of the land in their choosen hunting area. They learned this by self study and observation in nearly all cases. A mentor is always helpful, but one really only learns the basics from a mentor.

We see this every year don't we, someone asking how to be a successful deer, elk, sheep hunter, etc? It can't be told in a paragraph or two, there's dozens of books written on these topics. And reading these books by itself isn't even good enough, you still have to get out there and study your area to learn the escape routes, migration routes, preferred hangouts, preferred forage species and feeding areas, etc, in varying weather conditions and at different times of year. Like everybody says it boils down to hard work and dedication.

There's good bucks to be had in the rut but it's still chance to run into a honker. I always preferred the early season in the alpine when the deer are in the open a lot, glass and stalk method, and I mean days and days of glassing until your eyeballs feel like falling out, and when you find what you're looking for then initiate the stalk. I'm talking about glassing from remote high alpine vantage points you will find,,,, not from roads, and be careful not to skyline yourself.

If there was a magic pill it wouldn't work anyway because all the big bucks would already be dead..! 180 - 190> bucks are not common, they're like needles in a haystack in fact.

I think hes talking migration corridors.
I am sure there are more efficient ways with online mapping, but the two ways that I have done research is talking to locals - older the better - when I am learning a new location, and of course being out there when theyre moving.

[dino]

Im one of the guys on here that wants to bring my game to the next level, which is to shoot a 180 plus buck. One of my luxurys is that I have a cabin in the mountains and my family can see me at least at night. Having this has let me to be able to scout all summer and learn exactly some of the things mentioned here. I have learned escapes routes, bedding areas, where the does are always hanging and even seeing some of the same bucks that I have captured on my trailcams, which I think are a great tool. I have passed up the most bucks that I ever have since I started hunting and still shot a little 4 on the last day which is understandable because I needed the meat. My two cents on this thread is how important it is to pay attention to the wind. The wind is big in my books and your wasting your time if the wind is at your back. Most guys know this but I didnt see it mentioned. To everyone reading this thread. the one thing in common that most of the guys on here that only shoot big bucks is that they live in small towns minutes from known great deer country, or they work in the bush .some of the others will have cabins that they frequant all the time. Then their are the other guys that have shithouse luck, either to shoot a big one or happen to find a wicked area.

[birch]

If a guy takes a 160+ mulie every year, is it shithouse luck? :razz::razz:

[GoatGuy]

If a guy takes a 160+ mulie every year, is it shithouse luck? :razz::razz:

Doubt it, that's a very average 3, maybe 4 year old deer. The guys that burn lots of gas can do that from the cab of the pu every year. Doesn't take luck/hard work to shoot something like that just a couple days of hunting.

[Brizz]

Yes Birch I was talking about learning migration routes and corridors. I've started to do this in certain areas I hunt and I find it's pretty hard... Local knowledge that I'm given isn't always correct as well. Do all deer migrate? Mule, Blacktail, Whitetail? I've read that btails and whitetails never go more than a few miles of where they are born and may move down when it's snowing and cold but don't migrate.

What about scent? Are you guys using all these decent products?

[birch]

Never used scents myself. I am sure they can work in certain applications. Make sure your using the correct species of scent, of course.

Dont know about btails, mulies and whitetails do both migrate depending upon location.

[6616]

I think hes talking migration corridors.
I am sure there are more efficient ways with online mapping, but the two ways that I have done research is talking to locals - older the better - when I am learning a new location, and of course being out there when theyre moving.

Migration corridors are only one piece of the puzzle..!

[GoatGuy]

Yes Birch I was talking about learning migration routes and corridors. I've started to do this in certain areas I hunt and I find it's pretty hard... Local knowledge that I'm given isn't always correct as well. Do all deer migrate? Mule, Blacktail, Whitetail? I've read that btails and whitetails never go more than a few miles of where they are born and may move down when it's snowing and cold but don't migrate.

What about scent? Are you guys using all these decent products?

Mule deer and wt deer rutting characteristics are completely opposite.

Wt deer evolved in dense habitat. Therefore wts use scrapes to attract does to let bucks know they're in heat. They check their scrapes and use their nose to find girls.

Md evolved in open habitat. As a result bucks find hot does by actively looking for them in 'likely' areas.

Yes wt do migrate in BC.

Hope that helps.

[birch]

Migration corridors are only one piece of the puzzle..!


Correct....and? Hes still asking about that one piece?

[6616]

Im one of the guys on here that wants to bring my game to the next level, which is to shoot a 180 plus buck. One of my luxurys is that I have a cabin in the mountains and my family can see me at least at night. Having this has let me to be able to scout all summer and learn exactly some of the things mentioned here. I have learned escapes routes, bedding areas, where the does are always hanging and even seeing some of the same bucks that I have captured on my trailcams, which I think are a great tool. I have passed up the most bucks that I ever have since I started hunting and still shot a little 4 on the last day which is understandable because I needed the meat. My two cents on this thread is how important it is to pay attention to the wind. The wind is big in my books and your wasting your time if the wind is at your back. Most guys know this but I didnt see it mentioned. To everyone reading this thread. the one thing in common that most of the guys on here that only shoot big bucks is that they live in small towns minutes from known great deer country, or they work in the bush .some of the others will have cabins that they frequant all the time. Then their are the other guys that have shithouse luck, either to shoot a big one or happen to find a wicked area.

Sounds to me like you're goin' about it the right way dino, and I'll bet you'll get your 180 buck someday soon. To get a 180 buck you have to pass up the 170 bucks, pretty hard to do, almost impossible for most folks (me included), but that's the first rule one has to adhere to.

[BCrams]

If a guy takes a 160+ mulie every year, is it shithouse luck? :razz::razz:

150-160 class bucks are a piece of cake and a dime a dozen

Gets a little tougher once you're in the 170+ bracket.....tougher yet once you hold out for 180+ and for those 190+ bucks .... really tough. Yet in the same breadth .... a 150-160 buck is a buck of a lifetime for many and I wouldn't deride anyone taking such a deer.

I've eaten tag soup many years holding out for that magical 190 typical or 200"+ non typical. I've passed on a fair number of 170 to low 180's bucks in those years that left me shaking my head let alone all those 140-160" bucks. Doing that, I have also seen a handful of bucks that were genuine 190+ typicals and 220"+ non-typicals but just couldn't seal the deal for a variety of reasons.....more often being out of reach of rifle range....and in the case of last years monster non-typical, I cut my tag on a 170's muley buck 2 days earlier (which in itself is not a bad buck) that was a hard reminder why you need to pass up big deer for even bigger ones. I had already told myself I was shooting the first really nice buck I saw for that trip and last years buck fit the bill nicely.

More often though, I have a tendency to hold out for big bucks on a hunt only to occassionally committ to shooting the first legal 'last day' buck before going home.

Those are nice bucks you showed of the Alberta bucks that were taken on your hunt a few years ago and a couple others.

[BCrams]

Dana summarized some of the best advice on here. You take it and learn from it by being afield.

He spends a lot of 'bush time' out there. I used to spend a lot of bush time and still get out lots but I have also aquired my knowledge by having a really strong understanding of wildlife habits and the habitat they utilize.

Mule deer is one of them and I usually can quickly break down an area I choose to hunt and where to focus by asking myself, "If a big buck is going to be here, given all the factors and variables like access, other hunters, food source, does, terrain features etc etc .... I think this is the place to focus on" I can usually figure out where I'm going to focus to maximize my chances of an encounter with a big buck.

Blackbart and 6616 mention the alpine areas ....yet too many GOS on other species (sheep / elk). I have never truely hunted alpine mule deer although I have glassed them in August and have seen bucks while goat hunting the first week of September .... there are alpine areas I know of just from exploring on hikes which would be dynamite for getting a huge buck and one of these years I'm going to capitalize on it.

I think the ability to 'spot' game is one of the most valuable skills to have when hunting any species if you can put yourself in the habitat they're utilizing. I am sure more folks have missed a big deer standing motionless under 200 yards because they don't know what they're looking for or their glassing spotting skills just aren't what they should be. Hunters expect to see whole animals or a moving animal and they just don't carefully comb the scene in front of them. Even with the most expensive glass on the market, they're only as good as the person using them. That is one of my personal advantages. I can really glass and spot game!

[srupp]

I find better bucks, here in the chilcotin , later, and STILL higher..most all the deer hit the Fraser eventually during the winter, with the predicted heavy deep snows this year..some groups will have 3,000 in the area..

Some of the wintering corridors are extremely well known and relioable year after year...

Having a good amount of time in a chopper at 120-140 mph one gets to see 'stuff" and places by suddenly showing up when least expected..:wink:

I still have a vacant spot on my wall for a big mulie deer, have shot 150-160's but thats not what I want for the wall....

However deer can do the stoopedist stuff...several weeks ago on HIGHWAY 97 SOUTH yup right on the major highway..stood a deer, a buck..and cars were pulled over looking at the buck..LOTS OF VEHICLES..I did get to see a cell phone photo..yup 190 the second biggest deer I have seen in my 35 years here..the other was on Mt Anvil in Sept 25 years ago while cali sheep hunting..the day BEFORE deer season opened..

One of the advantages I had while still very much overweight but still had my knees..was I did travel slow....very slowly most hunters today seem to think its a sprint..more a marathon as Dana correctly puts it...

Being the end of the season here in the Boo...2 places that will hold the deer towards Horsefly..think SNOW..

and Gang ranch ..think steep and thick...

Great advice from as hard core as they come..Dana..and Greg..

cheers
Steven

[dino]

If a guy takes a 160+ mulie every year, is it shithouse luck? :razz::razz:
no and I know that, but to others who only shoot forks and spikers Im the king. http://www.huntingbc.ca/forum/images/icons/icon7.gif LOL.

[dino]

Sounds to me like you're goin' about it the right way dino, and I'll bet you'll get your 180 buck someday soon. To get a 180 buck you have to pass up the 170 bucks, pretty hard to do, almost impossible for most folks (me included), but that's the first rule one has to adhere to.
Im almost there but a big voice inside my head says "did you come here watch or shoot" and I love to shoot, the farther the better. I did pass on a buck this year on my alpine hunt but my partner just woulnt listen to me and shot him. heres the pic so you understand why im not smileing.
http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee306/heydino/IMG_0411.jpg

[birch]

thats still a nice buck dino, not to mention a gorgeous spot

[oldschoolguy]

Very good write-up's, Dana. You have a lot of good information in here. Don't mind the occasional mouthy newbie that isn't happy with the information. There's a lot more of us grateful newbs that quietly read, and learn, with out making too much fuss.

[frenchbar]

Trouble is folks mostly don't want to hear how much work it takes to be successful year after year.

If you are having lunch in camp, you probably are not hunting hard enough. In fact, if you ever see camp during daylight you might want to re-think your efforts. Then again if you are out for a vacation then fill your boots, just don't complain that the advice given is worthless.[/quote]

well said ..put in the hard work and time in the hills and you will probably be rewarded with a good buck..some get lucky putting in a half assed effort..but most dont .

[JCVD]

Trouble is folks mostly don't want to hear how much work it takes to be successful year after year.

If you are having lunch in camp, you probably are not hunting hard enough. In fact, if you ever see camp during daylight you might want to re-think your efforts. Then again if you are out for a vacation then fill your boots, just don't complain that the advice given is worthless.

well said ..put in the hard work and time in the hills and you will probably be rewarded with a good buck..some get lucky putting in a half assed effort..but most dont .[/QUOTE]

Took the words right outta my mouth.

[frenchbar]

Another BIG thing is NEVER let your guard down and stay focused on what the goal is 'this been trophy mule deer hunting' the biggest mule deer ive seen have got the best of me by me been careless and not focusing on the job at hand:mrgreen: .They seem to pop out at the most unexpected times:-D

[smoke-eater]

So what I read here


1- pretty much spend as much time in the bush as possible all year round from day light till dark
2- move dead slow
3- keep the wind in your face
4- be ready all the time
5- Glass the hills till your eyes bleed
6- have some self control to pass up deer right till the last day of the season....
7- keep a horse shoe in your pack, a little luck doesn't hurt


Anything im missing?

[Jelvis]

Anything missing yah. Don't get buck fever and make sure you can shoot straight lol ..
His Jellne$$ ... lol .. make sure you can shoot properly .. is a number 1 can you hit what your aiming at?

[dana]

ive been around a long while just never joined. i hunt with ag/woodox/jjensen who're all on here.

thanks, yes there was boot leather. no there was not 300+ days studying them. in saying that dana has taken i believe he said 3 200"+ deeer, the largest i posted was 191". 'nuf said.

Are those BC deer? Didn't think so. Alberta and Sask are a little different than here in BC. Might be the fact that they don't have any trees and that most hunting is on private land.

You want to be consistant here in BC you do need to do your homework. No you don't need to spend 300+ days a year in the bush scouting and hunting, but the more time spent, the better your odds are at piecing the puzzle together. Because of our research, my buddies and I have killed 5 200 inchers in a 5 year period. On top of those bucks we have killed numerous 170-190 bucks as well. Some of the bucks we've killed we've got personal history with. I killed back to back 200 inchers that I had watched and filmed for several years and actually picked up multiple sheds off of. This year I killed a Freak that scores like $hit but I don't care about score on him. He is an ancient regressed buck that I have on film and have a shed off of from when he was in his prime as a 200 incher. The point I'm trying to make is we don't have some magic formula that produces big bucks. It is only through HARD WORK that we have seen success. I've heard some say we are just Lucky. That couldn't be further from the truth. I've never been a lucky hunter. I always here stories of guys driving down a road and out pops a monster that they plug. Sorry, I don't have that kind of luck. Every big buck I've ever killed I've had to work my ass off for. If Wood OX is looking for any one piece of advice to get r done in BC like he has in Alberta and Sask, he can take this as my #1 rule. HARD WORK

[dana]

Not by asking questions on the internet. There's good advice in this thread but it's not good enough by itself. Learn by getting out there and studying your prey, learn deer behavior, learn where the bedding areas, feeding areas, migration routes, escape terrain, escape routes, etc, are by studying the deer in your choosen hunting area. You can bet the successful mule deer trophy hunters know a huge amount about mule deer behavior and habits, as well as the lay of the land in their choosen hunting area. They learned this by self study and observation in nearly all cases. A mentor is always helpful, but one really only learns the basics from a mentor.

We see this every year don't we, someone asking how to be a successful deer, elk, sheep hunter, etc? It can't be told in a paragraph or two, there's dozens of books written on these topics. And reading these books by itself isn't even good enough, you still have to get out there and study your area to learn the escape routes, migration routes, preferred hangouts, preferred forage species and feeding areas, etc, in varying weather conditions and at different times of year. Like everybody says it boils down to hard work and dedication.

There's good bucks to be had in the rut but it's still chance to run into a honker. I always preferred the early season in the alpine when the deer are in the open a lot, glass and stalk method, and I mean days and days of glassing until your eyeballs feel like falling out, and when you find what you're looking for then initiate the stalk. I'm talking about glassing from remote high alpine vantage points you will find,,,, not from roads, and be careful not to skyline yourself.

If there was a magic pill it wouldn't work anyway because all the big bucks would already be dead..! 180 - 190> bucks are not common, they're like needles in a haystack in fact.


I, too, think the highcountry is your best chance at whackin a monster and having all your homework come together. About the only time you can pattern a muley buck is in the summer and if you scout your ass off and find a giant living in a remote basin, you can watch him perform his daily routine and make that info work for ya come opening day. In the summer big ol bucks get fat and sassy and aren't so cagey like they are later on in the fall. You can glass them from long distances, and sit and watch their every move. You have the time to judge them in the spotter and decide if they are worthy of your goals. No pressure in the summer. Come fall when the snows hit and he rubs off the velvet, all bets are off.
The late season isn't as cracked up as some believe. You need the heavy weather to push everything down, you need good snow conditions to still hunt the timber, and in that timber you might only get a fleating glimpse of a buck and judging a rack is super tuff. You jump a big buck one day, there are no guarantees that he'll be even in the same area the next day. A smell of estrus in the air and that buck can be miles and miles away.

[M.Dean]

I think also one thing most forget is beening able to judge a buck in the field. I've seen lots of bucks that I though were book Mulie's but once the tape hit them there in the 160 range. I think the more time spent checking out big horns, seeing how deep the tines go on a record buck, the size of bases, width etc is a great help.If possible watch someone who knows how to measure score a big buck.

[horshur]

You must do some research to narrow down where you need to spend time....you should pre scout to know if your research is good....and then you should hunt it. Have some confidence in your choice for more than a few days or hours........it takes a lifetime to learn a 14 mile ridge!

there is not a big buck to shoot for everyone who hunts deer on any given year either or maybe in your chosen area.

in a good area that produces you will probably shoot your bucks all within hearing of the gunshot of each other.

and those special places they are usually not very far or complicated to get a hunt in. For if they are they will not be hunted enough.....


the fellows who show consistent results hunt a few little holes that they know like the back of there hand regardless if they are seeing anything.

[Slee]

A lot of great deer areas get driven by every day by lots of hunters. My go to WT area is a really well known area but I have yet to see another hunter in the bush where the deer are. They all drive by because there are no clear cuts.

[birch]

Are those BC deer? Didn't think so. Alberta and Sask are a little different than here in BC. Might be the fact that they don't have any trees and that most hunting is on private land.

You want to be consistant here in BC you do need to do your homework. No you don't need to spend 300+ days a year in the bush scouting and hunting, but the more time spent, the better your odds are at piecing the puzzle together. Because of our research, my buddies and I have killed 5 200 inchers in a 5 year period. On top of those bucks we have killed numerous 170-190 bucks as well. Some of the bucks we've killed we've got personal history with. I killed back to back 200 inchers that I had watched and filmed for several years and actually picked up multiple sheds off of. This year I killed a Freak that scores like $hit but I don't care about score on him. He is an ancient regressed buck that I have on film and have a shed off of from when he was in his prime as a 200 incher. The point I'm trying to make is we don't have some magic formula that produces big bucks. It is only through HARD WORK that we have seen success. I've heard some say we are just Lucky. That couldn't be further from the truth. I've never been a lucky hunter. I always here stories of guys driving down a road and out pops a monster that they plug. Sorry, I don't have that kind of luck. Every big buck I've ever killed I've had to work my ass off for. If Wood OX is looking for any one piece of advice to get r done in BC like he has in Alberta and Sask, he can take this as my #1 rule. HARD WORK

dana all but the second picture are bc deer
one of those are alberta deer, none sask

[JCVD]

dana all but the second picture are bc deer
one of those are alberta deer, none sask

Nice deer anyway. Was the 2nd one down the AB one?

[kennyj]

Great thread. Lots of good info. I love hunting mulies and do it every year. Living on the Island I only get 4-7 days a year usually. I'm still looking for that whopper. I probably move around to much. (hunting different areas) This year was slow for me. Hunted the last 6 days in reg 8. I set up my wall tent and walk all day every day.Haven't been in this area since '94. Its changed a lot. More access and with that more people. I think I finally know what area to focus on. Next year.Whopper!
kenny

[birch]

Nice deer anyway. Was the 2nd one down the AB one?


yes it was

[dana]

dana all but the second picture are bc deer
one of those are alberta deer, none sask

So if ya got it all figured out, why do you need advice? Me thinks Aguacher, Woodox and Birch are one and the same. How's the fishin'?

[MerrittBow]

i find that you don't even need to walk very far....just up the hill or into that little gully...just need to get a little ways off the road

[dana]

Here's an new state of the art trick at killing monster muleys. Do all your research online on HBC. Don't actually do any field research. Just sit online and bait the experts to give ya all their secrets on how to kill Giant bucks. Let them tell ya migration routes that you can then look on Google Earth and you will be able to locate their exact hidey holes. The modern way of trophy hunting is to be lazy and let someone else do all your work for ya. If this doesn't work, maybe mommy and daddy will pay for a hunt to Alberta for ya. :)

[fuzzybiscuit]

I wish my mommy and daddy would pay for a hunt in Alberta for me! But alas, no luck. Cheap pricks!:mrgreen:

[dana]

Anyone ever watch the TV show The Biggest Loser? It's pretty damn amazing what those people do. 300-400 lb people losing 100-200 lbs. The transformation is incredible. How do they do it? The trainers work their asses off. They don't believe in miracle diet pills and miracle diets. They instead go against conventional wisdom and do extreme work outs with good healthy eating. Are you people following my line of thinking? You don't kill monster bucks consistantly by taking some magic pill. It only happens through very very hard work. People seem to get pissed at me when I say that. Kinda like a fat person sitting on the couch eating a tub of icecream while they watch The Biggest Loser. They ain't gonna see results in their own life by doing that are they? You want something bad enough, you are going to work your ass for it. Think of trophy mule deer hunting as a extreme sport. You ain't going to get good if you don't put the time in.

[snareman1234]

lol nice dana, well put

[Kirby]

Think of trophy mule deer hunting as a extreme sport.

If you kill big mulie bucks you get lots of bitches?:-?

Kirby

[frenchbar]

Ive been pretty dam lazy in my muley hunting this yr ...therefore no BIG buck for me :mrgreen::wink:

[birch]

If you kill big mulie bucks you get lots of bitches?:-?

Kirby


:mrgreen::mrgreen::mrgreen::mrgreen:

[hunter1947]

The only way to bag a monster 200 inch trophy buck is to have the self control to pass up the little ones and keep on huntin'...! Remember Dana's old signature line,,, pass up on bucks that truely make you sick to pass up.


Andy you are right on with your thoughts just like me with my elk season this year you have to let the smaller ones go in order to get the big ones and most times you will get nothing that year when holding out for your dream animal http://www.huntingbc.ca/forum/images/icons/icon14.gif.