Mule Deer Movement

[Wild Country]

I have enough points to draw a decent mule deer tag in Oregon (Trout Creeks) but already know I will not have scouting time next summer with other commitments already! I have never hunted mule deer always blacktail on the West side of Oregon and whitetails every year in the Idaho pan handle. So I am not looking for a monster just a good representation of a mule deer. So my question to the forum is do mule deer move a lot, a little or not at all in a desert setting. I am trying to decide if I should wait another year because of the lack of scouting I will be able to get in... or does it not matter because the bucks you scout over the summer have moved by October?

Thanks for your thoughts and opinions!

 

[Tim McCoy]

... So my question to the forum is do mule deer move a lot, a little or not at all in a desert setting. ... or does it not matter because the bucks you scout over the summer have moved by October?

Thanks for your thoughts and opinions!

WC, it can be any combo of a lot, a little or not at all. Can depend on terrain, weather, and water, etc. If you have not hunted MD and have no time to scout this season, I'd seriously consider passing this year. If you have the points to pull a tag in 17, by buying a point, the same ought to be true in 18. Trout Creek is big country, has some good to great bucks, in small numbers. Going in for my first MD hunt there, absent on the ground info, would not be my choice. I've hunted plenty in the SE corner, not that unit, but it can be very difficult unless one knows the quarry/area. That said, you could pop a booner, there are some in there I suspect.

 

[Wild Country]

WC, it can be any combo of a lot, a little or not at all. Can depend on terrain, weather, and water, etc. If you have not hunted MD and have no time to scout this season, I'd seriously consider passing this year. If you have the points to pull a tag in 17, by buying a point, the same ought to be true in 18. Trout Creek is big country, has some good to great bucks, in small numbers. Going in for my first MD hunt there, absent on the ground info, would not be my choice. I've hunted plenty in the SE corner, not that unit, but it can be very difficult unless one knows the quarry/area. That said, you could pop a booner, there are some in there I suspect.

Thanks for the advice, Tim! I am leaning towards holding out another year because I don't feel like just winging it with a 15/16 year wait!

 

[Rob P]

How well do u know the unit now? Do u know where it holds bucks? A lot of guys build points for years in the hopes of one day drawing a primo unit and never step foot in there prior to the year they get drawn. Including myself. 15-16 years is a long time. I would wait and take this season to get in there and scout it for next year. Google earth only tells u so much. It takes a few years to really learn a unit. Learning the roads and deer holding areas is half the battle in my opinion. Not just finding a buck. That's my 2 cents.

 

[kidoggy]

or to find that after 15 years the unit is no longer a primo unit.
robP brings up a good point. just how well do you know the unit.do you have any first hand knowledge or just rumors of big bucks being taken there?

if you do not know the unit very well , your choice to wait until you can properly scout it ,is a wise choice.