How to get off the 160" class treadmill??

Ridgerunner · Dec 18, 2015

Good topic, my treadmill is a little smaller, lots of 150 and under bucks. On the great tags I draw I tend to do pretty well on them but when it comes to big Mule deer they have my number, ugh!

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Triple BB · Dec 18, 2015

Eat the tag if you can't find something bigger unless its a 160 buck with an hour left in your season. My goal this year and last was 190 or better. Ended up with one in the high 160's and one in the low 170's. Passed on a 185 deer first day of the season this year. Started have some remorse on the third day and settled for 172 on the fifth day. Probably gonna say 180 or better next year.

cmbbulldog · Dec 18, 2015

The easiest ways to consistently find big bucks are to hunt them in velvet or in the rut. Unless you know an area very well, the time from when they shed velvet to start sniffing does can be very challenging (and is when many of the rifle hunts across the west take place).

If you want to learn an area you can hunt every year, pick up a bow and head to AZ in January to hunt rutting bucks.

TimberJunkie · Dec 18, 2015

UH, my reply was simply a eye opener. I admire and appreciate your experience, and did not mean to insult you. Your post just sounded a bit pretentious. Thousands of hard huniting men and women throughout the west have never even seen a 160 class buck in the wild. They drool about them while searching eastmans forums.

Congrats to you on continued success. Trophy bucks seem to harder to find every year. I hunt hard and I am not afraid to go over that far ridge in an attempt to get to that secretin honey hole, that nobody else goes to. However, the only two bucks over 160 I have killed were spotted from a well traveled road. Both laying in tall sage, that nobody usually gives a second look. Habitat for a big mature buck seems to be different than it is for the rest of the herd. They definitely hide out better.

I have been talking to guides in the areas I hunt and getting tips from them. They all say, if you can pass on the first decent buck, every pass gets easier after that.

Best of luck

Colorado Cowboy · Dec 18, 2015

Umpqua Hunter said:
Thanks Hilltop, it is definitely a legitimate topic, and I would like to grow as a mule deer hunter.

Tim, the idea of building a knowledge base on an area is right on and an area where I've lacked. I have a tendency to wait out really great tags therefore I rarely hunt a unit twice, so I am always starting over learning a new area and that makes it tough. I have been looking into an area where we could draw on a 3 to 4 year cycle. With my wife and I alternating tags we could hunt it more frequently. Good strategy! That's been my strategy on blacktails, trying to get one of the late muzzy tags as often as possible, even if I need to find someone I can ride points with.

One area I'd like to gain more knowledge is identifying the prime habitat for mule deer. Some guys have a great handle on the right types of vegetation (feed sources) and that's something I am pretty clueless on. Another area is identifying the right type of topography. Do you guys have any thoughts on that? Are there any good chapters in books or articles you guys can think of on those topics?

I tend to be pretty picky, but I do usually pull the trigger when it comes down to the last day or two, especially if I'm a thousand miles from home. I have no problem going with unfilled tags at home.

There is a lot to be said about hunting the same areas year after year. I hunted the same area in the High Sierra in California for deer for over 40 years and knew it like the back of my hand. I shot quite a few great bucks (a lot are on my profile-album). I knew exactly where I wanted to be on opening day. Sad thing is that over the years the country changed and the deer numbers really dropped and hunting got pretty sad.

I have started to build a new experience base here in SW Colorado, but it will never be like it was in California. Cannot get a tag every year and I hunt in several states now and I'm a hell of a lot older now and can't hump it over the mountains like I used to!

Musket Man · Dec 18, 2015

When you finally use the 26 points you have on Nevada you will kill a monster

Arrowslinger · Dec 18, 2015

If you want to shoot a big deer you gotta be willing to pass smaller ones. Do that and you also gotta be willing to reap the consequences- tag soup. I've got three goals in hunting: kill a 150"+ blacktail, 180"+ Muley and 20"+ bear. My deer quest is over as I passed up lots (stupid amounts) of deer, bears I can't judge for shat.

DRUSS · Dec 18, 2015

wow! that's a real bruiser!!!!

Ridgerunner · Dec 18, 2015

I've decided that I'm going to only focus on Muleys until I hit my goal of a 170 or better buck. Really looking forward to 2016 and seeing if I can make that happen.

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ColoradoV · Dec 19, 2015

First good topic.

Lets pass off the easy ways or IMO guided well managed private land can easily produce 170"+ or heck 190+ year after year so while pretty when you set those bucks aside the truth is it is not easy to get big mulies on public land.

Most of the very small group of guys I know who do it year in and year out are not moving around but focusing on a area they can hunt year in and year out or every couple years. Think about the $ anyone is putting into points all over. If someone dedicated 5 years to buying a voucher every year or every other year here in Co in a less well known unit that was under 2k I bet you get it done. Or choose a 0-1 pt unit and hunt it every other year - as it is so hard to hunt a unit one time and get it done. On the 3 rd or 4th year in a unit IMO your chances are 3x or 4x as good of finding what you want. I only hunt colorado so I pry differ from some of you.

The next factor is dedicating time to scouting as this year I spent 15+ days scouting, looked over 75+ bucks easy 20 that were 160" class before I found 1 that I would hunt and I bet he was mid 190's stud that another hunter got. The process is to me what hunting really big deer is. That is why I have many successful hunts that do not end in a kill.

I have killed more than a couple bucks over 170" and a pile of 150 to 160 class bucks so honestly anymore a 160" does not even get the gun or bow off the pack. Frankly there is no time in the near future (until my daughters can hunt) when I will shoot a buck under 170". I believe this attitude has helped me as 2 of the last 3 bucks I have killed either the last day or day before last of the season as I will hunt til the last min of the last day looking for the right buck.

For example the last buck I got was with a bow in 2012 (just over 29" wide 7x6 mid 180's). The one before that was in 2008 (only low 170's but a 3 pt over 33" wide) with a rifle.. Next was 2006 (clean mid 180 typical with 4" brow tines) with a rifle and 2005 (5x6 w eye guards low 180's) with a long bow. So in the past decade of following bucks every year on the winter range, scouting 20+ days in august, picking up and following sheds, following up on any local lead of a buck, keeping track of deer year after year, living in great mulie country, and am lucky enough to have friends who give me LO tags so I can hunt every year. All this and I have gotten exactly 4 bucks over 170" in the past decade all public land... One over 30" wide but not one over 190".... I believe that you have to be willing to eat lots o tag soup - as for me this is 60% of the time I go hunting.

Ump you are so close that it will happen for ya pry a bunch with the points you got. Shoot me a PM as I would be glad to discuss Colo further. Also you boys better watch out for Ridge as he is on the right track and has a good shot to get it done here soon.

Good luck to all in the pursuit as that is what chasin big mulies is about!

Montana · Dec 19, 2015

I'll add my 2 cents because I fell this is a great topic.

UH you're not alone, I think I posted something similar to this a couple years back. TimberJunkie really summed up the greatest challenge. Most guys drool over a buck of this caliber, on public ground, general tag, 99% of hunters harvest this deer. Therefore, they are just that far and few between. This year I glassed over LOTS of deer in big OPEN country. But yet saw only a few high quality deer, and harvested the best I saw with only 3 days left in the season. I think they key is to have this mindset and know the challenge you are choosing to take on. Know you're likelihood of success will be small but personal accomplishment will be great. And the number of deer you harvest over a "x" year span will be very low. But YOU will be satisfied with your choices.

That's my 2 cents.

ivorytip · Dec 19, 2015

ScottR said:
Give your ammo to your buddy...

I could write articles on this topic for days. The simple truth is though, every big buck I have killed, or heard/seen from the big deer hunters here is that you have to stick to your guns on your standards. Mine is 180 or big/mature. I didn't shoot a buck this year because I couldn't find one that I wanted.

this is the ticket

slim jim · Dec 19, 2015

You've been hunting a long time and I'm sure you know what to do. When hunting a big basin, I have bumped the big boys by being seen on the hike in or a stalk. Once a big mature buck lays eyes on you they usually leave the country for good or least 5+ days before they come back in my experience at least. Very frustrating to say the least but that's why I love hunting mule deer. With a lot of scouting you can get to a spot and set up an ambush or a short stalk on the opener. I'm sure you know all this but thought I would give my 2 cents. I'm on a mission this year to harvest a B&C buck with my bow or eat tag soup. I passed on 160-170" class bucks this past season and came home empty but having a freezer full of deer, elk and antelope it's not a big deal. Good luck bud!

tttoadman · Dec 19, 2015

I am in the same boat as you are. I never measured anything until we got a couple decent ones in 2012. I might have a few in the 160 class, but nothing I would be happy with today. I think it does take a long time before a person can be mentally tough enough to stay the course and pass on great looking bucks. I am spending the money this coming year to go hunt ID in November. I think I am just now getting to where I can truly dedicate myself to the big one.

tidbits:
We took those 2 big OR bucks(both about 160") at 1:00 in the afternoon. They were big mature bucks, just topped out at a good number instead of a great number. They were near other deer in the morning, but went an entirely different place at mid morning than the rest of the herd.

I have seen first hand the odd behavior of the big bucks. Their unpredictability is part of the challenge.

Get Robby Denning's book. He is truly a master at big MD. Even at his skill level, you can see him get mad, frustrated, euphoric, and everything in between.

Go hunt the unit you want to hunt even when you don't draw the tag. Nothing says you can't glass and profile your area for a number of years before you even draw the tag. When you don't have the pressure of actually harvesting an animal, your perspective and the things you observe really change.

The real reason you are a crumby MD hunter is:
You have been so successful sheep hunting, you have brought yourself bad karma.

Montana · Dec 19, 2015

ColoradoV said:
First good topic.

Lets pass off the easy ways or IMO guided well managed private land can easily produce 170"+ or heck 190+ year after year so while pretty when you set those bucks aside the truth is it is not easy to get big mulies on public land.

Most of the very small group of guys I know who do it year in and year out are not moving around but focusing on a area they can hunt year in and year out or every couple years. Think about the $ anyone is putting into points all over. If someone dedicated 5 years to buying a voucher every year or every other year here in Co in a less well known unit that was under 2k I bet you get it done. Or choose a 0-1 pt unit and hunt it every other year - as it is so hard to hunt a unit one time and get it done. On the 3 rd or 4th year in a unit IMO your chances are 3x or 4x as good of finding what you want. I only hunt colorado so I pry differ from some of you.

The next factor is dedicating time to scouting as this year I spent 15+ days scouting, looked over 75+ bucks easy 20 that were 160" class before I found 1 that I would hunt and I bet he was mid 190's stud that another hunter got. The process is to me what hunting really big deer is. That is why I have many successful hunts that do not end in a kill.

I have killed more than a couple bucks over 170" and a pile of 150 to 160 class bucks so honestly anymore a 160" does not even get the gun or bow off the pack. Frankly there is no time in the near future (until my daughters can hunt) when I will shoot a buck under 170". I believe this attitude has helped me as 2 of the last 3 bucks I have killed either the last day or day before last of the season as I will hunt til the last min of the last day looking for the right buck.

For example the last buck I got was with a bow in 2012 (just over 29" wide 7x6 mid 180's). The one before that was in 2008 (only low 170's but a 3 pt over 33" wide) with a rifle.. Next was 2006 (clean mid 180 typical with 4" brow tines) with a rifle and 2005 (5x6 w eye guards low 180's) with a long bow. So in the past decade of following bucks every year on the winter range, scouting 20+ days in august, picking up and following sheds, following up on any local lead of a buck, keeping track of deer year after year, living in great mulie country, and am lucky enough to have friends who give me LO tags so I can hunt every year. All this and I have gotten exactly 4 bucks over 170" in the past decade all public land... One over 30" wide but not one over 190".... I believe that you have to be willing to eat lots o tag soup - as for me this is 60% of the time I go hunting.

Ump you are so close that it will happen for ya pry a bunch with the points you got. Shoot me a PM as I would be glad to discuss Colo further. Also you boys better watch out for Ridge as he is on the right track and has a good shot to get it done here soon.

Good luck to all in the pursuit as that is what chasin big mulies is about!

BTW... Great input here.

ivorytip · Dec 19, 2015

sticking to an area you know well is just as solid as a solid hard to draw tag in an area you don't know well.

bigmoose · Dec 19, 2015

So many good things have been said already. I might add that at 160, a buck is pretty much considered mature. Not all bucks have the genes to get any bigger but those that do will need age to get there. When a buck lives through 4 or 5 hunting seasons, he knows what's up with all the activity on opening morning or even the time of the year may set him off. The older bucks are different.

Do they go nocturnal ? Maybe. I do know they're going to be bedding at first light and coming out just before dark. Timing has played a big part of my success. Most of my big bucks have been taken at first light. Most were loners. I have been lucky enough to get a couple that were with does in early November but it's always been early morning. They may leave the does to bed elsewhere.

It sounds like you are getting mature bucks. Just be persistent and hunt areas where you know there are larger bucks. I do a lot of walking in the dark to get into places I want to hunt at daylight.

I'm not one of those guys who gets a big buck every year. I bring a lot of tags back but I'm kind of picky. Just hang in there and keep passing those 160's up.

Moose

How to get off the 160" class treadmill??

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