Mule deer for a friend

[Bigsky]

Hi Everyone,
I am acquiring points in Wyoming for antelope and deer, both myself and my uncle. My uncle has hunted Montana twice for antelope, with a deer tag during one of the hunts that didn't get filled due to some bad luck, though 2 huge bucks were seen. My uncle is my hunting mentor, the only one besides me in my entire extended family who hunts and I want to take him on a hunt where he has a reasonable chance of tagging a mature buck. Is this something possible to do DIY? He tells me he is too old to hunt out of a tent, though he did in Alaska for caribou about 5 years ago. He is 65 in average shape and I am 32. I am pretty determined to do the antelope DIY, but if my best bet is to pay a rancher some money to hunt for a week, that's what I'll do. Wyoming, Montana, Colorado? Any and all advice is appreciated. Thanks in advance to you all.

 

[Alabama]

All 3 states offer ample opportunity for Mule deer. I've never hunted Montana or Colorado but Wyoming and both of the others would have a lot of options that you could hunt public land from a hotel or camper if he doesn't want to hunt out of a tent.

He might reconsider if he saw some of those wall tents that outfitters set up. They do drop camps where they pack you and your gear in and then back out at the end of your hunt. They have the tent set up and cooking utensils and wood stoves for cooking. That's what I'm planning to do this year for my first backcountry hunt for elk. The drop camps seem to be a little cheaper in Montana than Colorado from what I've researched.

It's possible to hunt from a motel if he must have a warm bed but it will take more walking in and out at the start/end of each day.

Plus you could probably get a bigger trophy and better overall experience if you get in deep (away from the crowds). Good luck I hope this helps a little.

 

[Bigsky]

Alabama, that certainly does I appreciate you taking the time to read my post and reply with some help. That's a nice looking deer in your profile pic. Have any more bigger pics of him you could share?

 

[Alabama]

Alabama, that certainly does I appreciate you taking the time to read my post and reply with some help. That's a nice looking deer in your profile pic. Have any more bigger pics of him you could share?

No problem. I love talking about hunting and I've just about drove everyone around me crazy with it! That's why I get on here; all of y'all seem obsessed with hunting as well.

There are some more pics of that deer under the blacktail, coues, and whitetail section. The thread title is "my last day of the season whitetail." He's not as good as your "cocka" deer from Maine but I am proud of him. He is my biggest whitetail so far.

 

[packmule]

It's very doable, but typically the easier the hunt the higher the price tag or longer the wait. The Gunnison Basin units in CO are easy hunts and 2nd or 3rd season a person can be into deer in less than 5 minutes from the hotels (excludes the ones you see from the hotels). No real reason to rough it there unless penny pinching to keep the total cost of the hunt down. Rd systems are also good.