Location: land of the Lilliputians, In the state of insanity
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RE: More challenging Whitetail or Muley
I cant say ive had the opportunity to hunt one. We have a season but ive never seen one on my land. But from what ive read and understand about them, it seems like they would be a little more of a challenge.
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kaafir mushrik
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If we're talking mature animals, they both present their own challenges.
For the average hunter, I think it is more difficult to get lucky stalking a mature muley than it is sitting in a stand and tagging a mature whitetail.
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I've hunted both. To me the muleys didn't seem as on the ball as a whitetail but I could be totally wrong here too. I've not hunted Muleys enough to give a correct opinion on it I guess.
Around here, taking a young buck of either species is probably about the same degree of difficulty - not very. As for mature deer, the whitetails can be had with good scouting and setting up in the right place at the right time; i.e., during early archery when they're still relaxed and traveling to favorite food sources or during the rut by hunting near doe congregations. However, the mature mule deer are much less cooperative, as well as much fewer in number, so theyhave my vote as being more difficult to get.
Muley gets my vote, hands down and primarily because they just can't be patterned as well as whitetails can. Muleys are more visible in most all of the places they live, so stalking them is the best bet. If you're very good at stalking and the terrian is of such that stalking is conducive, than the mulie becomes a little easier target.
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I live in Western Kansas where we have primarily mule deer. Actually that's all I've ever taken before this year (this was my first year with a bow and I shot a whitetail). I've stalked mulies in wide open prairie pastures but the closest I've ever been able to get is about 50 yards which is more than I ever needed with a rifle. In our terrain I think a muley would be more difficult because the big boys are always out in the open and rarely do you see them around cover like trees. I used to think the whitetails were harder because they are much more skitish. I think that if you put the two deer in the same situation such as acreek bed with some trees and brush the muley would hands down be the easiest because they tend to stand & stare for longer than a whitetail thus presenting you a shot.
I honestly believe that you can pattern mule deer to some extent even though it's not as set in stone. Of all the big muleys I've seen taken with a bow it's really a matter of being in position at the right time because you new the general area that they ran and where you thought you could get closest to them. It's not necessarily a matter of bucks feeding in a foodplot, or a buck chasinga doe in an alfalfa field near your stand. My friend shot a monster muley last year while crouching on an old bridge. He new the buck was in the general area and happened to see him moving from a long distance and got to the bridge in time to set up before the buck came under.
All this applies to our area where it's primarily our cattle pastures and the only cover is yucca plants. My buddy shot this buck this year which I thought was pretty nice.
To just put your tag on one, anyone, a whitetail is easier just because there are so many more and they typically live in more confined spaces than a muley.
That said, after a couple of years in Colorado, I think i have stalked within bow range of more mule deer than I ever have whietails. They seem to either not be as wary, or if they do spook, they run 30 yards and look back at you waiting to get shot. A whitetail just wont do that. No experience dealing with trophy mule deer bucks though.
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Mule Deer are another whole different Ball game. I have killed a few. 2 spot and stalk and 1 out of a blind. The areas I hunted were all wide open and the closest I got on a spot and stalk has been 45 yards. Settinga blind can be frustrating because they are notnear as patternable as a Whitetail.This Buck I shot in 06 at 51 yards.
More challenging Whitetail or Muley
