Unit 33 Mulie Hunt

[acook]

I have an upcoming Mulie hunt in unit 33 beginning 1 Jan. It is an archery hunt and from what I understand they should be rutting. This is my first mule deer hunt and I had a couple questions for you guys. I know rattling and grunting at whitetails during the rut can be effective. What about for mulies (yes, I've read through different threads on this matter and there seems to be a lot of varying opinions)? I also have the opportunity to hunt over stock tanks during this hunt. Is this better than spot and stalk?

Thanks for any info you can provide!

Anthony

 

[Eberle]

I hunted unit 33 with a rifle in 2008. It was a tough hunt, sand dunes & mesquite brush. We saw very few deer and no mature bucks. Not trying to be negative it was just not very good. We hunted blm, we saw some really big pronghorn. If you got any questions let me know & I'll help anyway I can. The rut will be better hunting for sure!

 

[Alabama]

I've grunted in a few mule deer bucks during the rut but I've never tried rattling. All the times I've done it the bucks were far away but visible. I've never tried blind calling. They won't come charging in like whitetails do, but it can get them curious enough to check it out. Rattling might just work because I got the pleasure of seeing 2 mule deer bucks going at each other for the first time this fall. People think mulies aren't aggressive but that fight convinced me otherwise. Good luck.

 

[acook]

Thanks guys! I found a land owner (water rights) that gave me permission to hunt over his cattle stock tanks if I wanted to. I hope with the cold temps and always present lack of water, that this might play in my favor.

 

[acook]

Well guys I got my Muley on 5 Jan. I spotted what I thought was a lone buck about 1.5 miles out in the dunes and watched him bed and started a stalk. I got within 125 yds and a doe stood up on an adjacent dune to him. He stood as well, so I got out my Montana decoy and held it between the doe and me and stalked another 50 yds or so. Stuck the decoy in the backside of the dune so about half of her was showing and hit a series of doe bleats. He turned and looked in my direction. This also brought a bigger audience as another doe and a bigger buck stood up on the opposite dune. I moved the decoy a few more inches up the dune and bleated again. He started coming to my left...trying to get down wind. I was kneeling behind the doe and when he as about 50 yds away I drew and at 30 yds he was almost completely broadside and I hit the release. Buck Down...first spot and stalk for Muley's and a nice old 4x4 down!

 

[Alabama]

Sweet! can we see some pics?

 

[acook]

Hope this works.

 

[acook]

I know the px isn't the greatest but he wasn't a bad buck for a first. His forks aren't super deep but I did see some bruisers in that area.

 

[kentuckyhunter]

Nice buck. Thanks for sharing the picture and story.


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[ssliger]

That is a great buck!

 

[Ikeepitcold]

Very cool. Congrats! Looks like some good mass too.

 

[acook]

yeah, he had some good mass. I have always hunted whitetails but I guessed this guy to be at least 4.5 yo. Appreciate all the comments. I am definitely hooked on this type of hunting!

 

[Alabama]

Good job acook! He does have some good mass. I know my first mule deer was special and that was with a rifle, so I know that was awesome with a bow.

 

[Eberle]

Congrats! nice buck

 

[Engideer]

Congratulations on a nice buck and a fun hunt!

 

[NMHUNTER]

Nicely done!! Gotta love the sands

 

[jims]

Congratulations on your buck. I drove through part of that unit last fall on the way to my rifle antelope hunt. Good looking country.

 

[acook]

So much so that I put in for it again this year! Although, I put it as a 3rd choice vs 1st like last year. Where did you have your antelope hunt? I just put in for 33 as a first choice for Archery Antelope this year.

 

[NMHUNTER]

I put 33 as my first choice archery hoping i get another chance to hit the dunes. I have been out there twice and had tag soup. Had a chance at big ole 4x3 had a perfect 150 yrd shot broadside nailed him good so I thought, but we never found him. we bumped him one time and i put 2 more in him and he just kept going. Finally called it quits after 2 days of searching.

 

[acook]

NMHUNTER,

What did you wind up drawing this year? I almost got skunked but picked up archery Antelope in 33/32. I hope to have some luck again this year.

Anthony