High Country Muleys 2020 who's in?

[ColoradoV]

That time of the year again when plans are finalized and wondering who will be in the high country early seasons to chase Muleys this year?

My wife will draw a muzzy tag here in Colorado and this will be her first season w a tag in hand. She has always joined me on a couple scouting trips and this year she packed in to "help" me hunt the deer ended up getting and is hooked! Good times ahead she decided it was time for her to hunt. Plans are for 15 ish days of scouting then hunting all 9 of muzzy. Going to try and find her a good one to hunt as she said she wants to get one bigger than the one we got together last year... Going to be a tall order for her - lol as my buck last year went 208" and 32' outside to the kicker.



2019 was good to me! I hope to find a archery deer tag not too far from home but if I dont I have a friend that I will be helping on his first ever archery hunt so should be fun even if I cant hold a bow. Our plans are to take our 8 year old daughters on most of the scouting trips they are good friends and we will see how they do.

So who bow, muzzy, or rifle who will be hunting early season muleys this year?

 

[Bonecollector]

I'm being optimistic but probably won't draw.
BTW: Nice Rack- lots of mass too!

 

[CODAK]

I'm going to try but long task to be able to draw. After wounding a 200-205" buck last year (full pass thru, just in front of front leg, great blood trail) and him miraculously sealing the wound and pulling thru, I chased him for 6 more days to no avail. Still recovering from all that heartache best of luck this year

 

[Ikeepitcold]

I probably won’t draw since I had a tag last year but plan on being out one way or the other.

 

[ScottR]

I am applying in two states, but will probably pursue a landowner tag next year in a state or two. My goal now that life with children is going well as they get a little older is to hunt two states every year for mule deer. Ambitious yes, but it will be a lot of fun!

 

[mallardsx2]

I have 7 deer points and I am watching a 4th season tag slip away into the abyss of point creep.

I have the points to draw the high country tag that I want for rifle but with the dates being pushed further and further into september, pressure from archery hunters, and from everything I have read the deer in that specific unit have been decimated...I am left scratching my head wondering what to do.

Biggest problems I have is that my wife wont let me go at it alone, I do not have anyone to hunt with who has the time off work, is in as good of shape as me, and has the drive to sit on a mountain peak with the wind blowing 50MPH hitting them in the face considering that to be a good time. lol Most of the people willing to go are tied up archery hunting elk that time of year.

Pitching away 7 points to hunt with a bow that only takes 1-3 points just isn't going to work for me. For high country deer or rifle or archery I want to go for 2 weeks which is also a problem wrangling up people willing to go for that period of time. I might try a third season rifle tag next season. But I dont like the fact that I will be out there with the orange army of OTC rifle elk hunters...

I guess I will sit it out one more year and see what happens. A part of me says that there are serious preference point changes coming down the pipe for Colorado and I dont want to give up my deer points until I see what shakes out with that.

I will probably look back at this and regret it....Besides, I think I may have some unrealistic expectations for the HC rifle tag. I am really looking for that next level buck and I dont know if the HC rifle tag is something that will fulfill that wish. Even with a lot of scouting there are so many unknowns with the archery hunters crawling around running those big ones out of the HC. (Not that I have a problem with archery hunters because I am one at heart and not that they chase them all out of the HC before HC rifle but still a lot of deer leave that HC before HC rifle opens up.)

I do know this much for certain, After I draw my rifle tag I will be one of those archery hunters running those big bucks out of the HC so make room......lol

PS: Congrats again on that buck. thats something to be proud of for sure.

 

[JimP]

I hunted the high country in unit 44 for muzzle loader in 2018 and saw very few bucks, they were all down lower in the trees.

But I also saw very few bucks that whole season, I actually saw more bears than I did bucks.

I should draw that 44 muzzle loader tag again this year and hope that things are better but from reports I don't think so.

 

[LCH]

I got a leftover muzzleloader tag last year in CO. Started out up high around 11-12k, but just wasn't seeing deer. Shot mine down in the junipers at around 7k.



This year, the only early season deer I'll be hunting is Kansas, so even if I draw a mule deer stamp it certainly won't be "high country."

We're also applying for deer in Montana, but again, will be hunting the eastern prairies if we draw.

 

[mallardsx2]

Sweet deer to get on a leftover ML tag! I remember seeing a picture of this after you got it.

Unfortunately, thats not an option for a lot of the HC tags. You are limited to above a certain elevation or within a wilderness for some of them.

Best of luck to you drawing the MD stamp. I might try for that one of these years.

 

[justinch]

I'll be in Wyoming. Put in for elk but the odds are not in my favor. Special deer is a sure thing with zero points.

 

[bigmoose]

" I hunted the high country in unit 44 for muzzle loader in 2018 and saw very few bucks, they were all down lower in the trees.

But I also saw very few bucks that whole season, I actually saw more bears than I did bucks.

I should draw that 44 muzzle loader tag again this year and hope that things are better but from reports I don't think so. "

JimP...You are right about the bears. Seems they're all over 44. A couple years ago one of the guys I hunt with wounded a bull. He and I tracked the bull all day until dark. The next day my buddy and one of the other guys started tracking the bull at daylight. At 8:00am a bear started tracking the bull and by 10:00am another joined the first one. The bull crossed the road on top and now two other guys and the two bears were on the trail. M y buddy just gave up. I wonder who got the bull?

 

[Joseph]

I plan on getting up into the mountains for lots of hiking/scouting trips with one of my girls this coming summer. With youth season starting on September 1-9 I hope to get out with my youngest. Then every weekend until either I tag out or the season ends on November 10. One longer trip for a week the end of September packing into the high country. Other then that hopefully a few long weekenders 2 nights/three day sort of things. Of course throughout I'll be keeping my eye out for an elk/white tail/black bear/moose. Might even buy a sheep tag and try a few different areas. Those I might scout this summer as well.

 

[mntnguide]

Can't wait. Ive been watching a buck grow for 2 years. Last year he was my #1 target but disappeared like a ghost and I took my #2 buck instead. Thanks to a friend, I know for a fact he made it through the seasons and to the winter range. So my fingers are crossed he makes it through winter and is back for year #3 in his summer range home. If he puts on inches like he did last year.. he could be one of the biggest bucks ive ever seen in the highcountry. Hopes are high!

 

[ScottR]

Can't wait. Ive been watching a buck grow for 2 years. Last year he was my #1 target but disappeared like a ghost and I took my #2 buck instead. Thanks to a friend, I know for a fact he made it through the seasons and to the winter range. So my fingers are crossed he makes it through winter and is back for year #3 in his summer range home. If he puts on inches like he did last year.. he could be one of the biggest bucks ive ever seen in the highcountry. Hopes are high!

I hope you find him!

 

[ColoradoV]

Sure is fun to see what guys are able to turn up.

One of the guys I hunt mule deer around believes you will find the buck you kill next year this year and I have found that to be more than true!