5-15 Early Mule Deer

[bcmulie]

I'm looking for somewhere within MU 5-15 to hunt mule deer during the first week of September. I prefer the remote, high country backpack hunts. Previously I've hunted Eureka Peak and Mica Mountain, but wasn't impressed with the quality or number of animals that I saw in either place. This year I'm thinking I'll focus on the "B" mountains: Browntop Mountain (NE of Likely), Boss Mountain (SE of Horsefly) and Big Slide Mountain (E of Horsefly). Has anyone hunted any of those mountains? If so, I'd be interested in any information you can provide - access, quality and # of animals, # of other hunters, etc. Feel free to PM me. Thanks in advance for any responses!

bcmulie

[dana]

If you weren't impressed with Eureka then you won't be impressed with the others either. Don't need the deer numbers to be a great area for early season trophy muleys. There are big boys to be had in all those locations. Just gotta put your time in behind the glass.

[.330 Dakota]

If you weren't impressed with Eureka then you won't be impressed with the others either. Don't need the deer numbers to be a great area for early season trophy muleys. There are big boys to be had in all those locations. Just gotta put your time in behind the glass.

Agreed Dana, I have hunted those area's a lot and havent seen any shooters that got me excited. But, they are there as the sign is there and lots of it. Lots of wolves in that area too that that might be keeping the deer moving. I have seen as many wolves as I have deer.

[dana]

There are some absolute Toads in those mountains. You will never find an area where they are in abundance. Persistance and some serious hard work in that country will produce. If you aren't determined to put the time in, then these mountains ain't the place to hunt. Much easier ground down on the Fraser. ;)

[bcmulie]

Mica was full of ATV'ers on the snowmobile trails there, which I'm definitely not keen on. Eureka had a couple of other groups when I was in there. I prefer not to see anyone else when I'm hunting. I know you have trouble believing that other people hunt as hard as you, but some of us do.

bcmulie

[dana]

The only other hunters I've seen on Eureka were guides and their clients. There is a lot more to that mountain than the easy access by the repeater tower. I've hunted it by both horses and by hiking. Maitland has killed 200 class bucks off that mountain. If the outfitter can do it, so can residents. ;) If your homework is done and other hunters are on the same mountain, you can easily use them to your advantage instead of being pissed off and leaving. :)

[dana]

Here's a hint for ya. There is some great mountains to the North and East of Eureka. Poor access, with blown out roads, and thick alder and club. You want an area all to yourself, I'd be looking at some of those harder to get to areas. Strap on the pack and bust through that alder and club and get up into the amazing highcountry that is above it. Be forewarned, it is indeed Grizzly country, but it also is Big buck heaven.

[bcmulie]

Thanks for the tips. I may try those areas. Have you ever been into Boss Mtn? Seems to me like that's a pretty remote area with limited access - the kind of area that could grow some real monsters.

And I never leave a hunt before I absolutely have to...even if I'm pissed off. ;-)

[BlacktailStalker]

BCmulie you have a link for a story/pic of that buck in your avatar ? Nice one.

[mark]

Thanks for the tips. I may try those areas. Have you ever been into Boss Mtn? Seems to me like that's a pretty remote area with limited access - the kind of area that could grow some real monsters.

And I never leave a hunt before I absolutely have to...even if I'm pissed off. ;-)

I know of a 255" mulie taken from eureka back in the day, along side another amazing double dropper buck.
I havnt been up boss myself but I heard there is a road/quad trail up there?????
How about deception mtn....anyone been up there, its a place I used to snowmobile, and have always thought about hunting it?

[bcmulie]

I never posted that one, actually, as he was a bit of a disappointment. He looks better than he is, and is in my avatar as a reminder to me to stay off the trigger. He's a pretty young buck (I'd guess 3-1/2 years old, but maybe 4-1/2. Nice forks, but thin antlers and quite small bodied, which makes the antlers look bigger than they are (155 or so). I spotted him mid day at about 700 yards, bedded in the shade under a tree. I showed my dad and brother where he was so they could keep an eye on him while I made the stalk, but after I left they couldn't find him any more. I stalked to about 300 yards and shot him in his bed. At the shot he leapt out of his bed at full speed. I tracked him about 100 yards before I found him piled up in the brush. Even though he wasn't as big as I'd hoped, it was a great hunt, and I'll never forget spotting him, both under the tree and when he was piled up in the brush.

[BlacktailStalker]

Good stuff, now you're holding out for the big ones, nothing wrong with that. Good luck.

[Buck]

I never posted that one, actually, as he was a bit of a disappointment. He looks better than he is, and is in my avatar as a reminder to me to stay off the trigger. He's a pretty young buck (I'd guess 3-1/2 years old, but maybe 4-1/2. Nice forks, but thin antlers and quite small bodied, which makes the antlers look bigger than they are (155 or so). I spotted him mid day at about 700 yards, bedded in the shade under a tree. I showed my dad and brother where he was so they could keep an eye on him while I made the stalk, but after I left they couldn't find him any more. I stalked to about 300 yards and shot him in his bed. At the shot he leapt out of his bed at full speed. I tracked him about 100 yards before I found him piled up in the brush. Even though he wasn't as big as I'd hoped, it was a great hunt, and I'll never forget spotting him, both under the tree and when he was piled up in the brush.

LOL i have a picture just like that.Every time i look at it shake my head.Would have been much better in a couple of years.

[dana]

Mark,
Both Boss and Deception see hunter traffic as there are good hiking trails into them. But....why would Maitland hunt Boss if there were no bucks there. ;)

BCmulie,
Nothing wrong with that buck as a starter. If you take up trophy muley hunting you are going to have ground shrinkage as you start out. It takes looking at a lot of bucks, holding a lot of bucks, taping a lot of bucks ect before you get the knowledge of understanding what it takes to make a buck really big. Keeping you finger off the trigger is the way to get there. Gotta be happy eating your tag for numerous years. Some bucks you'll pass on, you'll regret in the off season. But stick to your goals. 99% of trophy muley hunting is MENTAL. Win the mental head game and you will see success. But a word of caution, don't get stuck on score. Sometimes you'll encounter a buck that scores worth $hit but is an absolute Giant. You need to throw score out the window and pound those kind of bucks.

[dino]

I'm looking for somewhere within MU 5-15 to hunt mule deer during the first week of September. I prefer the remote, high country backpack hunts. Previously I've hunted Eureka Peak and Mica Mountain, but wasn't impressed with the quality or number of animals that I saw in either place. This year I'm thinking I'll focus on the "B" mountains: Browntop Mountain (NE of Likely), Boss Mountain (SE of Horsefly) and Big Slide Mountain (E of Horsefly). Has anyone hunted any of those mountains? If so, I'd be interested in any information you can provide - access, quality and # of animals, # of other hunters, etc. Feel free to PM me. Thanks in advance for any responses!

bcmulie
I was there years ago and the road up was closed to hunters at no name lake. I dont know if this is still the case but the GO at the time made it very clear to us.

[BlacktailStalker]

I was there years ago and the road up was closed to hunters at no name lake. I dont know if this is still the case but the GO at the time made it very clear to us.

White man road block or closed in the regulations ?

[MattB]

Hunted Deception in 03. Took me a day to get into there and bushwhacked my way to the top from the valley bottom. Jumped a couple deer right on the edge of the alpine and saw one buck on another mountain. Ended up sticking around for 4 days but didnt see another deer. I had to drink out of a stale pool of water as there was nothing else up there in that hot dry summer! Its a place id like to get back to someday!

[dino]

White man road block or closed in the regulations ?

regulations. there was just a sign at no name, sounds like it was opened up. When I was there I was into the moose hunting thing and it was almost 20 years ago, Now that Im addicted to muley hunting I cant believe I wasted so many years on moose and elk.

[Livewire322]

I've been on several trips throughout the areas around Likely for moose and mule deer. Horsefly area wasn't bad. I tend to stay on the Likely side of quesnel lake on the Spanish mountain or kangaroo mountain
Ive saw some big mullies on kangaroo a few years ago.... In 09 I went on a trip we covered a lot of ground. Went up to an old grown in road near the northen most part of the north arm it had an area where there was a bridge removed so we turned around. Also we went on a road that took us to a little trail that went to the beach on the west side of the north arm about 3/4 the way up the lake.