Mule deer rare...whitetails everywhere!

[JD IN ALBERTA]

Is anyone else hunting mulies these days? I've been out the past 2 weekends to our "mule deer" spot and have seen very few, but whitetails are everywhere. Anyone else have the same experience? Not that I mind, but I usually go for my yearly trip to whitetail heaven in the prime of the rut (mid Nov.) and consider this my mulie hunting time. I passed up a 5X4 w.t. but saw a monster at 200 yds. I will take him if I get the chance but still hoping for a mule deer buck soon. How bout you Sask. boys...any luck with the big ears out there yet? JDinAB

[Hiawatha]

Can't really say i have been in the same dilemma JD. But i do not hunt mule deer in alot of different areas. Skeeter would probably be a better man to check with (think he got drawn). I got out 2 days for archery mule deer. I am going to University of Sask so i was hunting them just south of saskatoon after class. First night i went out i had 5 dandy bucks come in but one was always looking at me so i was reluctant to draw, didn't matter they went down wind and busted me anyways. I hunted that same spot 3 days later and had 3 smaller bucks come in. I picked out the biggest one and sent an arrow through him. Was only a 3x4 but i was happy with him. Once i get the filmed used up i will post pics. For that spot i usually only see mulies, but i have only hunted this area 2 years. I seen one whitetail doe with 2 fawns hanging around but thats bout it. Where i whitetail hunt 3 hours north east of saskatoon we usually only have whitetails, however there seem to be more and more mule deer showing up in that area each year. As a kid i never saw a mule deer, now i see at least 3 or 4 a year back home. I have heard from different folks that the mules push out the whitetail, and yet others swear its the other way around. So i guess my situation is developing opposite from yours. Good luck to ya on that mule deer Jd, let us know how it goes.

[agaucher]

somewhat in the same predicament here in BC JD. What i find helps is go extremly high. Up in the AT region (Alpine Terrain) you will find very few whitetails unless they are ridiclously smart and big. As for finding themules watch the sparse alpine tree line and right underneath rock cliffs where Goats hang out.
Before I gave u taht I should have asked where in AB you were as much of it is plains as well.

Iam heading dow to pincher creek in Nov. Do you know whats good around there?

Hope that helps

[JD IN ALBERTA]

ag...I'm hunting a riverbottom so alpine tree lines are far far away. As for pincher creek, never hunted it but the country is absolutely gorgeous. Big animals down there too. Good luck! JDinAB

[skeeter 7MM]

JD experienced the same thing in pre-season scouting way more whitetails than usual and far less good Mule Bucks than usual. I managed to sneak in a few archery hunts but stupid me being only drawn for 2 ears I opted not to buy an over the counter bow tag, as I have more than enough money tied up in paper this year. I was drawn last year but my hunting pard is drawn this year! The first hunts were uneventful for any deer but last night in hoping to fill one of my ear tags for Mulie's I couldn't buy a doe just bucks including one 4x4 with brows that made my knees knock. This brute passed within 20 yards of me and no flippin' tag!!!!! I will say last fall being drawn and holding out for 1 or 2 bucks I had scouted during the summer proved don't rush it JD. It seems Big Mulie's vanish and re- appear(yet some just pop out of the ground), I had my sights set on a good Non Typical all bow/ML season and ended up switching gears at the end of october for the biggest Typical I have ever seen with my own eyes. I spent countless hours in this area scouting/hunting and the first time I saw this deer was Oct 25th running with 3 dinks, he just appeared out of nowhere. The story does not have a happy ending as I ended up eating my tag in a very limited rifle season due to other commitments but it taught me to be patient and keep pounding what I know will produce. Long n short if the mules were around in pre season, last season, etc they'll be back as long as not pressured. Hunt it smart and be persistant. Best of luck! Mule hunting will have to wait until after Thanksgiving for me, as I am drawn for Moose and hunting the Oct 4th week. If I even mention hunting next week the wife will file on the spot I am sure .


Hiawatha, congrats on your bow mulie...sound like your having a great year with the sticks!

We took 3 elk -2 spikes and raghorn 5x last week(heavy hunting pressure and very little REAL elk talking -2 did both chuckled and both were killed). I took a spike in the final minutes of Saturday evening - called him out with spike squeals and cow calling. Heading back for saturday to try for a couple more, rumor is they started talking this week. Apparently 17 cows and 8 bulls went through the Swan Plain Pasture by the end of monday (20th) in the truck box - according to the pasture manager. I plan on doing the calling for one of the other fellas in the am and sitting with the bow for Yogi's that evening, big boar duped me last week on a swirling wind and busted just shy of stepping out for a clear shot...had I took the 7 mag [&:]... AH thats no fun!!!! Wierd one of our spikes and 4 others we heard where taken still in full velvet!!! I saw a number of whitetails last week they were all clean and same goes with the bucks last night polished and ready.

Best of luck CANUCKS!

[Hiawatha]

congrats on the elk skeeter sounds like you guys did very well. My buddy back home got a big 5x5 on my canola monday morning, haven't seen it but he says its pretty nice. The call has been slow at home also except the morning my bud got his bull, i guess he was squealing back before my bud even finished his call. I hear ya on the hunting pressure. We have some fellas from stoon out on my land this week and each morning they are bumping into hunters on our place. i denied these guys permission but they still keep hangin around and won't take the hint. The one guy i had let hunt earlier and found beer cans in my stands so he won't see any hunting on my land ever again. The guy just won't back off, he is harrasing the stoon hunters and trys calling me at home all the time. Like i was taught in sex ed class "No means No" lol Owning land should not be a hassle. I guess Dad told the stoon hunters if they see these clowns out there again tomorrow to tell them the Conservation officers will be contacted. There is plenty of bush in 56 open to the public go hunt there. No room for drinkin and hunting on my place.

[stubblejumper]

our group only had antlerless mule tags this year but it only took a few hours to fill all four.All game seemed more scarce this fall due to bad weather but there were still a lot of mule deer to be found.

[JD IN ALBERTA]

Well, another saturday gone and same ol same ol...once again all whitetails[:@] had 1 mulie doe walk under my stand. Saw a nice w.t. buck again but he's not the target right now. The days are so nice it's beautiful to be in the stands, but it's hard to keep getting up at 4am when you keep seeing no mulies. Oh well, looks like it's gonna be another scorcher this week so the mosquitoes will probably be out in full force again[:@][:@]. Hope everyone else is having fun! JDinAB

[Saskman]

I think it all depends on where you are. Here in SW Sask. I have seen alot of nice muley bucks, (not as many as last year though) but have hardly even saw a whitetail let alone a decent whitetail buck. Here is a photo of the mule deer I took two weeks ago with my bow. He is the largest I have taken to date with the bow. There were a couple others in the area quite a bit larger than him. We were back in the area on the weekend but they were trenching in a natural gas pipeline in the area so the deer had kind of disappeared for now.

[Hiawatha]

Thats a great lookin deer saskman congrats. i got nothin close to that this year. Seen a few around that size last year but 80 yards was the closest. again congrats on a fine looking animal.